What Is the Difference Between MP4, AVI & MPEG?

MP4, AVI and MPEG are three different formats of digital video. All three formats are widely used in one media form or another, but they are not compatible with one another. MPEG (of which MP4 is actually a version) is the most widely used, but AVI is gaining ground.

Types

AVI, or Audio Video Interleave, is a format developed by Microsoft. MPEG is the common term of format standard created by the Moving Picture Experts Group.

Differences

AVI can be played in most Windows-based applications like Windows Media Player. MPEG works mainly with QuickTime, Apple-based applications and video discs, while MP4 is mostly used with many personal media players like iPod and PSP.

Identification

MP4 is actually MPEG-4, a subset of of the MPEG standard. What people generally refer to as MPEG is either MPEG-1 or MPEG-2. By contrast, however, MPEG-3 is not MP3, which is included in MPEG-1.

Significance

MPEG-1 is used with video compact discs (VCDs) while the higher-quality MPEG-2 is used for DVDs.

Benefits

MP4's biggest difference from the other MPEG formats is its ability to store subtitles, still images and other data along with digital video and audio.

Warning

Some personal devices may advertise as "MP4 players," using the term colloquially, but actually play AMV files.