Lewis Freiberg

Document File Types

Task 1
The purpose of this task is to show/explain three file formats from Images, Audio
and Video. This report with talk about general background, File sizes and its main
advantages.

Table of Contents
Images.....................................................................................................................................1
Joint Photographic Experts Group (.JPEG/.JPG).......................................................................1
Raw Format.............................................................................................................................2
Portable Network Graphics (.png).............................................................................................2
Windows Media Audio (.WMA)...............................................................................................3
MP3........................................................................................................................................3
Advanced Audio Coding (.M4A/.MP4/.AAC)...........................................................................3
Windows Media Video (.WMV)...............................................................................................4
Audio Video Interleave (.AVI).................................................................................................4
Matroska (.Mkv)......................................................................................................................4

Images

Joint Photographic Experts Group (.JPEG/.JPG)

The Jpeg file format is the most common lossy file format used in photographic images. The
amount of compression can be adjusted, allowing a the creator to choose between storage size
and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with loss in image quality. The
image size can vary greatly as the compression can be adjusted. It’s compression scale ranges
from 100-1, 100 very very minor distortion and 1 rendering the image almost incomprehensible.
It is used in almost every modern camera, from cheap point and shoots all the way to full blown
professional DSLRs.
The advantages of the Jpeg are its customizable compression ratios and its mass use on all
platforms for photographs.

Raw Format
Raw is usually a lossless format (there are many different standards) utilized exclusively by high
end cameras. It is a mammoth non compressed “raw” image file of the camera censors output.
The file is almost like what our eye sees before it is interpreted by the brain. This allows for
editing programs to control almost every aspect of the image, from colour temperature to cyan
levels. It was created for professional photographers to fill their need for a high res lossless
format. One drawback is the multitude of formats, Sony has .awr, Hasselblad has .3fr, Adobe has
.dng I could go one but you get the idea. Another is the file size; it’s usually 2-3 larger than .jpg
files allowing it to have a massive resolution.

Compatibility is an issue as a window doesn’t support it natively (as per usual). Mac’s and most
photo editing software have the ability to open and edit it. Also when editing a photo in raw
format, the software doesn’t touch the image leaving the quality in tact. It saves the edits to an
.xml instead of chopping up the photo. All in all this lossless format is a must for high-end
photographers.

Portable Network Graphics (.png)

Portable Network Graphics (PNG) is a bitmap image format which has lossless data
compression. PNG was made to be better and replace GIF. This was because of a disagreement
between creators. PNG was created for use in web pages just like the GIF.

PNG isn’t a good at compressing it self as GIF but it does the trick. A 52kb PNG file is
equivalent to a 24kb GIF file. Compared with other formats this does very well as a TIFF image
would be 112Kb.

The attraction of the PNG is its good compression rate, the thing that sets it apart from GIF is its
transparency is much cleaner when compared in file size to it competitors.

Sound

LEWIS FREIBERG 3
Windows Media Audio (.WMA)
Windows Media Audio (WMA) is an audio format designed by Microsoft in 1999 specifically
for the Windows Media framework. Microsoft also claims that WMA delivers “CD-quality”
audio at 64kb/s which is pretty damn bad! WMA is compatible with all windows programs but it
is not as widely used as MP3 which works on everything.

The only bonus of WMA is it’s compatibility with the windows framework but it supposedly
(according to Microsoft) has a higher sound quality than MP3 at the same bit rate, which is
debatable. As Windows the most used operating system therefore it is logical to have music in a
format supported the widest.

MP3
MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) is a propriety digital audio format which uses lossy data
compression. An MP3 file run in 128kbit/s will result in a file with similar audio quality to a CD
but rather smaller size. MP3 was created by Moving Picture Experts Group as part of its MPEG-
1 standard. MP3 is by far the most common audio format available. It is used with just about
every portable device.

The main bonus of using MP3 format is its high quality, high compression and is compatible
with everything. It can also save files up to 320Kbps which is three times better quality than
most cd’s.

Advanced Audio Coding (.M4A/.MP4/.AAC)

AAC is a lossy compression and encoding format for audio. It was designed to be the successor
to the .MP3 (hence the .MP4), Its attempts to take over is widely ignored as people are satisfied
with the current quality of MP3’s. The AAC boasts better quality at the same compression as
MP3’s. Its success have been noticed, it has been made the standard format for devices such as
the, iPhone, all the iPod’s, The PS3, The Wii and most Android phones. It has been standardized
by ISO (International Standards Organization) and the IEC (International Electrotechincal
Commission) under the MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) specs.

The AAC format is a defiantly the successor to MP3 with its superior compression and gaining
support in many portable devices.

Video
Windows Media Video (.WMV)
Windows Media Video (WMV) is specifically designed format created by Microsoft using
several propriety codec’s to be run with various Windows programs. WMV was made to be
compatible with most Windows programs. It can be played on many applications such as,
Windows Media Player, ALLPlayer, The KMPlayer, PowerDVD, RealPlayer, MPlayer, VLC
Media Player and others. These programs along with editing programs, like Windows Movie
Maker, Final cut pro or Adobe).

The main upsides to using the WMV file format are its versatility and compatibility throughout
the Windows and many other programs. With these programs a user can edit and watch the video
to their liking.

Audio Video Interleave (.AVI)

Audio Video Interleave (AVI) is a video format created by Microsoft. AVI is also overall
more efficiently compressed compared to other file types making it easier to be uploaded,
watched, and edited. AVI is compatible with many applications such as QuickTime, Vlc
and Windows Media.

The upside of using the AVI format is that it is compatible with lots of application but
also easily converted because of how common it is. It can also be heavily compressed
which makes it easier to be handled.

Matroska (.Mkv)
Matroska Media Container is a free open source media format, which is able to hold an
unlimited number of pictures, videos and audio tracks in a single file. It was created as a
universal format but the uptake hasn’t been great, it is used widely in the warez scene
because of its ability to hold massively compressed video files. Since its new and open
source it is not widely supported. Only a handful of programs can run it, VLC, Divx and
some other obscure ones.

The real bonus is its ability to hold massively compressed data. It is able to hold a 700mb
AVI in a little over 300mb with the same if not better quality. This allows for the file to
be moved very easily hence the use in the warez scene.

LEWIS FREIBERG 5