What Is an MP4V File?

 What to Know

• An MP4V file is an MPEG-4 video file.
• Open one with VLC, iTunes, and other similar media players.
• Use a dedicated video file converter to convert one to other video formats.

This article explains what an MP4V file is and how to open or convert one.

What Is an MP4V File?

MP4V stands for MPEG-4 video. It was created by Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) as a codec used to compress and decompress video data.

You probably won't see a video file that has the .MP4V file extension. However, if you do, it can still open in a multi-format media player. We have some MP4V players listed below.

If you see "MP4V" in the context of a video file, it just means the video was compressed with the MP4V codec. MP4, for example, is one video container that may use the MP4V codec.

More Information on the MP4V Codec

MPEG-4 provides a standard for describing how to compress audio and video data. Within it are several parts that describe how certain things should work, one of which is video compression, which is in Part 2 of the specification.

If a program or device says that it supports the MP4V codec, it, of course, means that certain types of video file formats are allowed. Like you read above, MP4 is one container format that might use MP4V. However, it could instead use H264, MJPB, SVQ3, etc. Having a video with the .MP4 extension doesn't mean that it's using the MP4V codec.

MP4V-ES stands for MPEG-4 Video Elemental Stream. MP4V differs from MP4V-ES in that the former is raw video data, while the latter is RTP (real-time transport protocol) data that's already prepared to be sent over the RTP network protocol. This protocol only supports the MP4V and H264 codecs.

MP4A is an audio codec that can be used inside MPEG-4 containers like MP4. MP1V and MP2V are video codecs as well, but they're referred to as MPEG-1 video files and MPEG-2 video files, respectively.

How to Open an MP4V File

Some programs natively support the MP4V codec, which means that you can open MP4V files in those programs. Remember that while a file may be an MP4V file in the technical sense (since it uses that codec), it does not need to have that extension.

Some programs that can open MP4V files include VLC, Windows Media Player, Microsoft Windows Video, QuickTime, iTunes, and likely some other multi-format media players.

There are lots of file types that share similar letters to MP4V, like M4A, M4B, M4P, M4R, and M4U (MPEG-4 Playlist) files. Some of these files may not open in the exact same way as MP4V files because they're each used for a unique purpose.

How to Convert an MP4V File

Instead of looking for an MP4V to MP4 converter (or whatever format you want to save the video to), you should get a video converter based on the file extension that the video is using.

For example, if you have a 3GP file that's using the MP4V codec, just look for a 3GP video converter.

Remember that M4V files aren't the same as the MP4V codec. That list of free video converters can also be used to find an M4V to MP3 converter, one that saves M4V to MP4, etc.

MP4 vs M4V vs MP4V

The MP4, M4V, and MP4V file extensions are so similar that you might easily mistake them for the exact same file format.

Here's how you can quickly understand their basic differences:

• MP4: A codec and a container format for storing audio and video in just one file.
• M4V: An MP4 file that can be DRM copy-protected.
• MP4V: Raw MPEG-4 video streams that aren't necessarily held in the MP4 container.

There are other file extensions that look similar to some of these, but that are completely unrelated to the formats described on this page. P4D files, for examples, are Pix4Dmapper Pro project files.

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What Is an MPEG File?

What to Know

• MPEG files are Moving Picture Experts Group videos.
• Microsoft Movies & TV, VLC, and iTunes can open MPEG videos.
• Use Zamzar to convert to formats like MP4, MP3, WAV, etc.

This article explains what an MPEG file is and how to play one or convert one to a different format.

What Is an MPEG File?

A file with the MPEG file extension (pronounced as "em-peg") is a Moving Picture Experts Group video file.

Videos in this format are compressed using either MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 compression. This makes MPEG files popular for online distribution—they can be streamed and downloaded quicker than some other video formats.

The MPEG format can hold data compressed at such a high rate because instead of keeping every frame of the video, it stores only changes that occur between each frame.

 MPEG Files.

Important Information on MPEG

"MPEG" doesn't just speak of a file extension (like .MPEG) but also a kind of compression.

A particular file can be an MPEG file, but not actually use the MPEG file extension. An MPEG video or audio file doesn't necessarily need to use the MPEG, MPG, or MPE file extension for it to be considered MPEG.

For example, an MPEG2 video file might use the MPG2 file extension, while audio files compressed with the MPEG-2 codec usually use MP2. An MPEG-4 video file is commonly seen ending with the MP4 file extension. Both file extensions indicate an MPEG file, but neither actually use the .MPEG file extension.

Some other MPEG standards include MPEG-7 (Multimedia Content Description Interface), MPEG-MAR (Mixed and Augmented Reality Reference Model), and MPEG-DASH (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP).

How to Open an MPEG File

 VLC Playing an MPG File.

Files that actually have the .MPEG file extension can be opened with many different multi-format media players, like Microsoft's Movies & TV and Windows Media Player. However, if you're not using Windows or those aren't opening your file correctly, try VLC, QuickTime, or iTunes.

Some commercial software that supports playing .MPEG files include Roxio Creator NXT Pro, CyberLink PowerDirector, and CyberLink PowerDVD.

A few of these programs can open MPEG1, MPEG2, and MPEG4 files, too. VLC is known for its support for a huge range of audio and video file formats.

If the program you want to open the MPEG file doesn't launch when you double-click the file, try opening the program first and using its File > Open menu (or something similar) to browse for the MPEG file. You can also change the default program that Windows uses to open the file.

How to Convert an MPEG File

 MPG to MP3 Conversion With FileZigZag.

Your best bet for converting an MPEG file is to look through this list of Free Video Converter Programs and Online Services to find one that supports MPEG files. Any Video Converter is one example.

Zamzar is one free online MPEG converter that runs in a web browser to convert MPEG to MP4, MOV, AVI, FLV, WMV, and other video formats, including audio formats like MP3, FLAC, WAV, and AAC.

FileZigZag is another example of an online and free file converter that supports the MPEG format.

If you have a large MPEG video to convert, it's better to use an installable converter. Otherwise, it might take quite a while to upload the video to a site like Zamzar or FileZigZag—and then you have to download the converted file back to your computer, which could also take a while.

More Information on MPEG

chiariglione.org

There are many different file formats that might use MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-3, or MPEG-4 compression to store audio and/or video. You can read more about these specific standards on the MPEG Wikipedia page.

As such, these MPEG compressed files don't use the MPEG, MPG, or MPE file extension, but instead one that you're probably more familiar with. Some MPEG audio and video file types include MP4V, MP4, XVID, M4V, F4V, AAC, MP1, MP2, MP3, MPG2, M1V, M1A, M2A, MPA, MPV, M4A, and M4B.

If you follow those links, you can see that M4V files, for example, are MPEG-4 Video files, meaning they belong to the MPEG-4 compression standard. They don't use the MPEG file extension because they have a specific use with Apple products and are therefore more easily identified with the M4V file extension and can open with programs that are assigned to use that specific suffix. They are, however, still MPEG files.

Still Can't Open the File?

It can get pretty confusing when you're dealing with audio and video file codecs and their corresponding file extensions. If your file doesn't open with the suggestions from above, it's possible that you're misreading the file extension or not fully understanding what kind of MPEG file you're dealing with.

Let's use the M4V example again. If you're trying to convert or open an MPEG video file that you've downloaded through the iTunes Store, it probably uses the M4V file extension. At first look, you could say that you're trying to open an MPEG video file because that's true, but it's also true that the particular MPEG video file you have is a protected video that can only be opened if your computer is authorized to play the file.

However, to say that you have just a generic MPEG video file that you need to open doesn't necessarily mean much. It could be M4V, as we've seen, or it could be something entirely different, like an MP4, which doesn't have the same playback protection as M4V files.

The point here is to pay close attention to what the file extension says. If it's an MP4, then treat it as such and use an MP4 player, but just make sure you do the same for anything else you may have, whether it's an MPEG audio or video file.

Some files are completely unrelated, despite a similar looking file extension. PMG, for example, could be a graphic made with PageMaker or Adobe Photoshop.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do you compress an MPEG file? You can shrink an MPEG file using one of the free video editing software programs. Although the steps vary by program, you'll typically go to File > Import, select the MPEG file, and drag the file to the editor's timeline. Select File > Export > MPEG > Advanced Options and choose a smaller resolution before exporting the file. 
• How do I unprotect an MPEG-4 audio file? Download a DRM removal tool, such as DRmare Audio Converter to unprotect MPEG files for legitimate legal purposes (e.g., backing them up), provided it does not violate the terms of service you agreed to when purchasing the file. Add the audio file to the tool, choose the output folder and format, and then convert the file.
• How do I post an MPEG file on Facebook? MPEG files are one of the many video file formats that Facebook supports. When creating a post, select Photo/Video and navigate to the MPEG file you want to post. Select Open and add a comment or other information if desired > Post.

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What Is an XVO File?

 What to Know

• An XVO file is a video file used by RatDVD.
• That same program can convert the video files to VOB files.

This article describes what an XVO file is, how to open one on your computer, and how to convert one to a different video file format.

What Is an XVO File?

A file with the XVO file extension is a video file used by the DVD ripping software RatDVD. A number of files normally accompany this one, including XML, IFO, and VSI files, all of which are contained in an AV_TS folder and then ZIP-compressed to a format that the RatDVD software can recognize.

Cameron Bunney / Unsplash

How to Open an XVO File

XVO files are the actual video files that make up an .RATDVD file. When XVO files are contained within this .RATDVD format, the RatDVD software decompresses the RATDVD file to use its contents for building a DVD.

So, just to be clear, the XVO files themselves don't actually open in the RatDVD program unless they exist in the .RATDVD file format.

To use XVO files with RatDVD, you must compress the AV_TS folder (the one that contains the XVO and other files) and Version.XML file together (the XML file should exist outside the AV_TS folder) with ZIP compression, and then rename the .ZIP file to a .RATDVD file.

You can use a free file zip/unzip program like 7-Zip to create a ZIP file, but be sure the compression level is set to "none" so that the data is just stored in a .ZIP file and not actually compressed.

How to Convert an XVO File

While an XVO file is a video file, it can't be converted by most free file converters because it's only part of an extracted .RATDVD file. There's no real need to convert just the XVO file to something else.

Instead, once you've used the method described above to create the .RATDVD file out of your XVO files, you can use RatDVD to convert the .RATDVD file back to DVD format. Then, you should be able to use a free video converter to convert the resulting VOB files to a file format you're more familiar with, like MP4, MKV, ISO, etc.

Still Can't Open the File?

If your file doesn't open using the directions above, then it's most likely not related to RatDVD. This can happen if you've misread the file extension, which is actually fairly easy to do.

For example, VX_ files share two of the same file extension letters that we see with XVO files, but they're actually completely unrelated. VX_ files are device driver files used by the Windows operating system; you can't open one with RatDVD.

The same is true for XOF, VXD, OVX, XVCT, and others.

XV0 files are even more tricky since the zero at the end looks like the letter O. These are Lattice XVL Structure files that, again, have nothing to do with RatDVD.

In all of these examples, you need to research that file extension to learn more about which programs are able to open or convert them.

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