Video file format is one of the complicated topics in the technological world. The comparison of M4V VS MOV is becoming a nascence online and on most social media platforms. Many people want to know the difference between the two video formats. Everybody knows the two formats were developed by Apple but what makes them different is the problem.
M4V was developed to be a video container for iTunes video files. This is because it can handle DRM protection. On the other side, MOV was also developed by apple be the difference is that MOV does not have encryption. Part one of this article will give you an overview of M4V and MOV. And part two will give you a clear comparison of M4V VS MOV.
Contents Guide Part 1. M4V VS MOV: OverviewPart 2. M4V VS MOV: Detailed ComparisonPart 3. M4V VS MOV: Which One is Better?Part 4. Bonus: How to Convert M4V to Other Formats?Part 5. Conclusion
M4V is a video container format designed and developed by Apple. The reason apple developed this format was to incorporate DRM protection on its video files in iTunes and Apple Music. All iTunes video files have copy protection called Fairplay. This encryption prevents you from unauthorized use of iTunes video files.
Encrypted M4V files can only be opened by the iTunes app and Apple QuickTime player. However, DRM-free M4V files can be opened by other media players like VLC, Media Player Classic, Nero Showtime, Palm Pixi smartphones, android operating system, and many others.
M4V file format is closely related to MP4 format although M4V has Apple encryption. M4V format is mainly used to share videos on the iTunes platform.
MOV is a video file format also developed by Apple. The main intention of this format was to support Apple's media player called QuickTime. It can hold multiple tracks whereby each of the tracks contains a specific type of data. It can also separate media data from any media offsets and track edit lists. These qualities make it perfect for video editing software and applications. Unlike the M4V format, users of MOV are allowed to save video files on the local storage. MOV format is also compatible with several operating systems including Windows.
If you compare M4V VS MOV, you will find there is no big difference. The only big difference is that M4V has DRM protection while MOV is DRM-free and compatible with several operating systems. M4V format is also a default format for many apple portable devices and iTunes video files including movies and TV shows. For differences between M4V and MOV look at part two below.
For a better comparison of M4V VS MOV you have to look at some basic features like file size. The file size of M4V is not the same as the one for the MOV format. There are other fundamental features that you can use to compare the two formats.
Below is a detailed comparison of the M4V VS MOV format using the basic features.
From the description in part one above, you can see that both M4V and MOV are container formats. A container format is any format that allows several data streams to be incorporated into one file. Sometimes it is along with metadata information that identifies those streams. But the difference comes in with what the container works for. M4V is a container format for iTunes while MOV is a container format for QuickTime media player.
A codec is an important part of any video format. But what is a codec? A codec is a device or software that encodes or sometimes decodes data streams in a video format. Every video format has a codec but the number of codes is different for each video stream. MOV format has more codecs than the M4V format. And MOV has complicated codecs that M4V cannot support. However, both of them have video and audio codecs.
Yes, both of these formats can run well on desktop computers but the difference comes on portable devices like tablets and mobile phones. M4V format works well on portable devices than MOV format. M4V file format can play on any portable device using any media player as long as it does not have DRM protection. On the other hand, MOV does not have DRM protection but it is a container format for QuickTime media players. And this media player can only be installed on desktops and other importable devices.
The duration of a video file affects the total file size. But the format of the video file also affects the total file size. To compare M4V VS MOV and how they affect file size, you need to use a video with the same duration. You will find that the video file in MOV format is bigger than the one in M4V format. This is because of the number of bits per second on each file. The number of bits per second is referred to as the bitrate. Any file in MOV format has a higher bitrate than one in M4V format making it bigger.
The video codecs are what determine the quality of the video. The number of video codecs is what differentiates a high-quality format from a low-quality format. M4V format has two video codecs while MOV has more than five codecs. This is why a video file with MOV format has high quality than one with M4V format. Compression also contributes to M4V files being of lower quality than MOV files.
When you compare M4V VS MOV is a nightmare to choose the best format. This is why you have to consider some basic factors like the file size and video quality.
If you want to save on your local storage then choose the M4V format because it has fewer bits per second than the MOV format. However, M4V files have a lower quality than MOV files. MOV files contain more video codecs than M4V making it the king of quality.
Where you want to use the video is also an important factor to consider. If you want to use the video on a portable device like a mobile phone or tablet, then use the M4V format. M4V format is a container format but it is compatible with several operating systems and media players than the MOV format. M4V format can play on any media player as long as it does not have DRM protection. M4V format is also the best if you want to share video files. Because it has the H.264 codec which is the best for distribution.
From the comparison of M4V VS MOV above, you can see that M4V files have low-quality videos and cannot play on any other media player if they have DRM protection. So how can you convert M4V files to any other format compatible with several media players? With advanced technology, this is possible with the help of video converter software and applications.
There are many such applications, but the best is DumpMedia Video Converter. It has high conversion speeds of about 6X. And it will give you a high-quality output with no data lost during the conversion process. It can convert the M4V file into several formats like MP3, AVI, FLAC, FLV, MOV, and many others. You can choose between the compressed and uncompressed formats. This software can enhance the video quality from SD to HD.
DumpMedia Video Converter is a user-friendly application that is easy to download and install. It will also take you a few minutes to learn how to use the program. This application can convert M4V video files into formats supported by other portable devices like mobile phones and tablets. Apart from that, the program can run on several operating systems hence convenient to most users.
How to Convert M4V Video Files to Other Formats Using DumpMedia Video Converter.
Step #1. Download and install the application on your computer.
Step #2. Launch the program and navigate to the main menu and click on “Add Multiple Videos or Audios” to select the M4V file you want to convert.
Step #3. Now choose the output format you want from the list. You can also select and name the folder where the converted files will be saved.
Step #4. Then click on “Convert” at the bottom of the page and the program will start to convert your M4V file into the desired format.
From the comparison of M4V VS MOV above, you can see it is difficult to differentiate the two formats. You must use the fundamental factors to get a clear difference. MOV files are bigger than m4v files and they also have better video quality than M4V files. However, M4V files are compatible with many operating systems and media players than M4V files. M4V format is a container for iTunes while MOV is for QuickTime media player that is also an Apple product.
You can choose to convert your M4V files into other much simpler formats with the help of the DumpMedia Video Converter. This application is not only a video converter but also a video editor. For example, you can use it to personalize your video by adding text and watermarks.
