Why are there so many video formats? How do you know the right one for your content? What about MOV to MP4?
It probably feels like navigating a maze, right? Moreover, are you familiar with the best online converters in the market?
As a content creator, there seem to be so many questions you should have answers to you but don’t have currently. If the world of video formats confuses you, you’re probably not alone. Who knew that two videos with the same quality would require different storage space because of their format?
If a video you spent hours editing has ever failed to upload on a social media platform because of its format, you know the struggle.
We have compiled this article to navigate video formats and why you should convert MOV to MP4.
Let’s dive in!
Why Convert MOV to MP4?
MOV is a video file format popular with Apple product users. It is Apple’s standard video format for iOS, Microsoft, and macOS platforms. Apple developed this video extension to compress video and audio.
Even though it is widely used, MOV files cannot smoothly play on non-Apple devices, smartphones, and players. Fortunately, converting MOV to MP4 is the solution to this hurdle.
There are a wide variety of free online converters you can use on Windows and Mac Pcs. Note that online converters can only handle small videos; to convert extended footage. Hence, you’ll need to hire an expert videographer.
Many Apple product users have embraced the MOV file format because of its flexibility. This video extension is associated with QuickTime video clips and can handle text, graphics, audio, effects, and video files. Moreover, you can use it for playing videos and file editing on iPhones, iPads, and Mac devices.
MP4 (MPEG4), on the other hand, is less restricted as compared to MOV. The Moving Picture Experts Group developed it for easy sharing of video content online. You can use it to play videos on all media players and stream content from various online platforms. This format stores data like scene descriptors, subtitles, and object descriptors, so you have an easy time streaming.
Converting MOV to MP4 allows you to have unrestricted video use. MP4 offers you versatility as well as less loss of quality for higher compression. You get to enjoy high resolution when you’re streaming videos on online platforms, no matter how small the file size is.
Premium Packages for MOV to MP4 Conversion
Aside from the free converters that can only handle short videos, premium packages give you more leeway on the kind of content you can format. Therefore, the market’s best premium packages can support importing various video, native camera, audio, and still image formats.
You can also convert your video files from MOV to MP4 before you can share them online or with friends who don’t use iOS smartphones. As a small business that regularly needs to work on video production, you need an ideal converter to always turn to when in need.
Premium MP4 converters allow you to choose a conversion process that’s ideal for you. Remember, your content type will determine if the alterations to make to ensure the MP4 output is of high quality and has the right resolution.
Thus, a versatile MP4 file should be perfect for online use because people use all kinds of devices to browse.
Here is why you should use premium packages for MOV to MP4 conversion:
1. High-Quality Conversions
Providers of premium package converters partner with well-reputed software vendors to provide you with the best results.
Aside from open source software, your premium package gives you access to advanced conversion programs that allow you to adjust your video files’ different elements.
You get to fine-tune the advanced settings to get a clear and crisp MP4 video.
2. Powerful Application Program Interface (API)
A powerful Application Program Interface makes custom integration with your applications possible.
This gives you a lot of handy features you can use you achieve your goal.
The best part is, you only pay for the features you use.
3. Multiple Formats Support
If you’re always dealing with video format conversions, you need a premium package to act as your Swiss Army knife for file conversions.
The best packages in the market support should support the following formats:
- Video
- Audio
- E-Book
- Archive
- Spreadsheet
- Document
- Image
- Presentation
Additionally, you should be able to use all online tools without having to download any program.
4. Data Security
An ideal premium package would be one that guarantees privacy and security; only you should have access to your data. Find a well-reputed provider that has been in the market for years.
The file you’ve converted from MOV to MP4 should also function on different browsers without compromising your content.
Remember, all files should have SSL encryption for protection and be auto-deleted once you sign out.
Tips for choosing the Best Video Format for your Content
Now that you know why you should convert MOV to MP4, let’s look at the factors to consider when choosing a file format.
a) The file size limit on online platforms
Did you know that social media has file size limits for the videos users can upload? This would probably explain why some of your videos fail to upload when you seem to have gotten everything right. For instance, if you’re posting a video or an ad on Facebook, it cannot be more than 4GB.
Paying attention to these file size limits ensures that you’re not stressed by something you would have quickly sorted. Nothing is mind-numbingly frustrating as finding out your file size is too big after taking your time with editing.
b) File size and upload time
You’ve probably heard your YouTuber friends wonder why their explainer videos sometimes their videos take so long to upload. What is the correlation between file-size and upload time?
Well, some video file formats require a lot of storage to retain the quality of your video. Such big files take a long time to upload.
As a content creator who frequently publishes videos, go for file formats that don’t require too much storage space to retain video quality.
c) Device or platform compatibility
Since we’ve already discussed the reason for converting MOV to MP4, this is a no-brainer. If you’re creating video content to be published online, your best bet is MP4. MOV might be versatile, but it only supports iOS, macOS, and Microsoft platforms.
d) Container Capabilities
Every video format comes with its container capabilities. Some can contain subtitles, multiple audio tracks, plus animated fronts. As a result, they require much more storage space than their bare-boned counterparts.
It would be best to look into the compression capabilities of the video formats you want to use.
Can they maintain HD quality once the content is compressed? If they can’t then, you’re better off looking into other options because the last thing you want is to lower the quality and resolution of your videos in a quest for small-sized files.
The Best Video Format based on Content’s Purpose instead of only MOV to MP4
Are you creating video content for offline use? Or maybe you’re curating videos for your online followers. What’s your plan on content distribution for your videos?
The answers to the questions are likely to lead you to different video file formats because your content’s purpose determines the best way to distribute.
Here are format options to explore based on your content’s purpose:
i. MP4 for Online Videos
As a content creator, MP4 is perhaps the best video format for you. The majority of devices and digital platforms support this format.
It is a practical video format for online videos, so you had better get used to converting MOV to MP4 if you use Apple products.
Another upside of using MP4 is that it allows you to upload your videos in record time. If you’re an impatient content creator or have many social media pages that you’re managing, this would make work easier.
Whether you’re posting on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn, use MP4 to avoid frustrations and complications.
In case you’re worried about the quality of your videos, MP4 has got this covered as well. It uses HD codecs that ensure your content looks sleek and professional. MP4 also has one of the best compression capabilities that guarantees unique HD content no matter how small the file sizes are. Small-sized files allow you to upload your content fast, even if the internet speed is low.
ii. QuickTime (QT) and MOV for Apple Users
QuickTime and MOV are video formats designed by Apple to support lengthy films on iOS, Microsoft, and iOS platforms. The two video formats allow you to access subtitles and audio language tracks on multimedia video files.
QT and MOV are versatile formats that are compatible with a wide selection of codex. You can also play MOV videos on QT without a problem.
The caveat is, while these two formats guarantee high-quality videos, their compression capabilities are way below MP4’s. That is why many content creators end up converting MOV to MP4.
iii. MKV for versatile, Non-Proprietary Content
MKV is quite popular since it’s a free, open-source format. It also supports most codex so that you can be assured of HD videos.
The only caveat is that most of MKV’s codex is not widely supported, as in MP4. Most video-sharing platforms prefer MP4 over MKV.
You will also end up with large file sizes that will take longer to upload.
iv. AVCHD for recording High-Quality Videos with Digital Camcorders
Advanced Video Coding High Definition (AVCHD) results from a collaborative effort between Sony and Panasonic. This video format is specifically designed for recording and compressing high-definition videos.
If you’re using a high-end digital camcorder, you can access AVCHD and choose from the variations available depending on the kind of content you’re working on; AVCHD 2.0 even supports 3D videos.
Like MKV, however, AVCHD is not widely supported like MP4. AVCHD also doesn’t offer 4K resolution, which is quite popular with videos today.
Nonetheless, if you’re a die-hard fan of Sony and Panasonic, you will appreciate the functionality AVCHD offers.
v. WMV for sending video files through email
Microsoft created WMV as AVI’s successor for sending videos for streaming applications. There are variations to the format, like WMV image and WMV screen, that allow users to accomplish different tasks. If you deal with specialized content forms, you should consider exploring WMV and all its variations.
This format’s main selling point is that it requires little storage space, thanks to its 2x compression ratio. With WMV, you get files way smaller than in the case of MP4 so that you can say goodbye to long upload time.
It’s compatible with Windows Media player, making it suitable for DVDs and Blu-rays. However, its proprietary nature doesn’t allow it to work on Linux or Apple-based media players.
Over to You
As a content creator, it’s essential to understand your videos’ purpose and the video formats that are best for each goal.
Using the right format for the right video content saves you a lot of complications and frustrations. It would help if you considered hiring a professional video editor who is well-versed in the different video formats in the market.
Are you ready to enjoy the benefits of high-quality professional video services? Bunny Studio has a wide selection of experts who would love to work with you.