What’s WMV
Windows Media Video (WMV) is a compressed video compression format for several proprietary codecs developed by Microsoft. The original video format, known as WMV, was originally designed for Internet streaming applications. The other formats, such as WMV Screen and WMV Image, cater for specialized content. Through standardization from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), WMV 9 has gained adoption for physical-delivery formats such as HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc.
The WMV file type is primarily associated with ‘Windows Media File’ by Microsoft Corporation.It requires version 8+ of the Windows Media Player. Now you can easily watch WMV video on several media players, such as 5KPlayer, VLC, The KMPlayer, Mplayer, and with Microsoft Flip4Mac software, you are able to play WMV files on your QuickTime Player.
WMV Codec
To successfully play WMV on a computer, certain codecs are required. More particularly, users have to download the WMV 9 codecs first in order for the WMV videos to play properly. These codecs are required by users running Windows Media Player 7.1 and below, Windows Media Player for Windows XP, and Versions 9 and 10 of the Windows Media Player. Downloading and installing the codecs resolves most playback issues encountered on the computer.
WMV Playback Features
The WMV file is playable by Blu-ray players and HD DVD players. However, WMV is played by Windows Media Player version 8. All the other versions may require the separate installation of the required codecs for the WMV video file to play properly.
Since WMV is a Microsoft-based video format, it is not very popular among Apple users. Many errors and compatibility issues are expected to arise when working with WMV on a Macintosh machine or any of the portable Apple devices. However, there are workarounds to the problem, such as using an entirely different media player other than QuickTime. Converting the file into a more compatible file format is recommended as well. Linux users and those who are using other platforms may not be able to play WMV files at all.
How to convert WMV files on Mac/Windows
There are many videos tools out there that allow you to convert WMV to other formats on both Mac and Windows. If you are seeking for the best video output quality, fastest video conversion speed, and the most formats supported, Brorsoft Video Converter (Video Converter for Mac) will be your best choice. Also it has other features that will impress you!
* Convert WMV videos to more than 70+ formats, including MP4, AVI, FLV, VOB, DV, M4V, MKV, and so on.
* Trim, crop, rotate, or add effects and subtitle to your WMV video.
* Adjust parameter settings according to your requirements.
* Support 150+ formats, including HD and 3D videos.
* Provide Optimized presets for more than 250+ multimedia devices