What is QuickTime MOV

Overview

MOV is a file extension for Apple's QuickTime File Format to play multimedia files. MOV files can house different media files using multiple tracks and store audio, video, text files and others in a container. If you are a devotee of Apple products, you will often see MOV files since it is the default format to store video files. MP4 and MOV are alike in some aspects (MOV vs MP4). For example, both formats are lossy and often used to distribute videos online, but MP4 is more popular, compatible with a large array of devices, media players, and services.

Structure

With a set of embedded component, Film toolbox and image compression are also included in QuickTime as two managers. QuickTime can accept various types of media, such as sound, video, text, flash, 3D mould, virtual-reality picture and so on. When processing, each type of medium need a medium processor to support it accordingly. The amount of media and types are ever-increasing, and users can add a new media type to QuickTime by creating a new media processing module. See: how to view AVI Movie on QuickTime player

Features of MOV Files

1. MOV files contains many tracks, with each track consisting of a media data using the proper codec.

2. The tracks within the files are arranged in a tired structure that is made up of objects called atoms.

3. MOV files are supported on both Windows and Mac systems. See also: How to convert WMV to QuickTime MOV file in Mac

4. MOV files are properly compressed, getting rid of the unnecessary sections, so they are easy to be streamed online and played on many portable devices.

How to Use MOV Files

Multiple platforms can play MOV files in addition to iTunes and QuickTime. You can also play MOV video files on your PC. To do this, you need to upload the files to the cloud through Google Drive. This way, you can not only archive the videos in the cloud, but also stream them on a browser. If you face the incompatibility of MOV files with other media players, devices and operating systems, you may have to convert MOV to another format based on your particular situations. In this case, A video converter is able to help, converting MOV files to MP4, AVI, MKV and audio files like MP3.

On Windows, programs that can open MOV files include Microsoft Windows Media Player, VideoLAN VLC media player, Roxio Creator, QuickTime Player, etc.

On Mac, programs that can open MOV files include QuickTime Player, Eltima Elmedia Player, Roxio Toast 16, Roxio Popcorn, etc.