Mp4 vs M4v

[daveza]

I have to convert any files to M4v for ATV streaming using Handbrake.

When the original file is an mp4 format to save time I just rename it to .m4v and iTunes is quite happy.

Then I noticed that if I do convert an mp4 to m4v the file size is considerably smaller.

As the two formats seem to be very similar what is in the mp4 that makes it so much bigger ?

 

[Chevron]

I have to convert any files to M4v for ATV streaming using Handbrake.

When the original file is an mp4 format to save time I just rename it to .m4v and iTunes is quite happy.

Then I noticed that if I do convert an mp4 to m4v the file size is considerably smaller.

As the two formats seem to be very similar what is in the mp4 that makes it so much bigger ?

Is the quality the same in the converted file?

Both are just containers if renaming the extension works. So some quality must be lost when converting to make it smaller.

 

[DanDango]

The M4V file format is a video container format developed by Apple and is very similar to the MP4 format. But M4V files may optionally be protected by DRM copy protection. Apple uses M4V to encode video files, such as TV episodes, movies, and music videos, in its iTunes Store.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4V

 

[greg0205]

The M4V file format is a video container format developed by Apple and is very similar to the MP4 format. But M4V files may optionally be protected by DRM copy protection. Apple uses M4V to encode video files, such as TV episodes, movies, and music videos, in its iTunes Store.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4V

No DRM for years now.

.m4v is iTunes specific in that iTunes is the default player for the format. I use iFlicks to convert mp4's and there rarely is any difference in the size of the m4v output file... .avi or .wmv on the other hand, that's all over the place. I'm thinking it could be an Handbrake thing... Have you compared a converted file to an original one at all?

 

[daveza]

No DRM for years now.

Have you compared a converted file to an original one at all?

Not really - the daily series episodes I get in SD. I don't need HD to watch Fargo etc and the conversion time is far quicker.

Movies on the other hand I always get in HD, normally in mkv which I convert to m4v.

If there is a quality difference I can't imagine it would be enough to counter the time and storage savings.

 

[greg0205]

Not really - the daily series episodes I get in SD. I don't need HD to watch Fargo etc and the conversion time is far quicker.

Movies on the other hand I always get in HD, normally in mkv which I convert to m4v.

If there is a quality difference I can't imagine it would be enough to counter the time and storage savings.

Won't be... mkv and m4v are basically just containers for the same raw H.264 video file.