What is WMV

About WMV Format

Windows Media Video (WMV) is a video compression format for several proprietary codecs developed by Microsoft. The original video format, known as WMV, was originally designed for Internet streaming applications, as a competitor to RealVideo. 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 video stream is often combined with an audio stream of Windows Media Audio. WMV deals with all types of video content. The advantage of the format it that it allows to compress large video files yet retaining considerably high quality. On-line radio stationss use this format to deliver continuous flow of data. WMV is similiar to ASF (Advanced Systems Format). In fact, WMV is often packed into ASF and the resulting file can be named .wmv or .asf. WMV can also be put in AVI container.

Programs based on different OS platforms allow playing WMV files (Windows Media Player, ALLPlayer, The KMPlayer, PowerDVD, RealPlayer, MPlayer, VLC Media Player, Zoom Player and Media Player Classic). WMV is an obligatory codec for PlaysForSure-certified online stores and devices as Portable Media Center devices. Devices with Windows Media Player such as Microsoft Zune, Xbox 360, mobile phones with Windows Mobile support this codec. WMV 9 is adopted for physical-delivery formats such as HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc.

DRM WMV:

It’s a Digital Rights Management service for the Windows Media platform. It is designed to provide delivery of audio and/or video content over an IP network to a PC or other playback device in such a way that the distributor can control how that content is used.While none of the WMV codecs themselves contain any digital rights management facilities, the ASF container format, in which a WMV stream may be encapsulated.

Windows Media DRM, which can be used in conjunction with WMV, supports time-limited subscription video services such as those offered by some video/audio company. Windows Media DRM, a component of Windows Media Connect, is supported on many modern portable video devices and streaming media clients such as the Xbox 360.

WMV features & advantages

● combination of elliptic curve cryptography key exchange, DES block cipher, a custom block cipher, RC4 stream cipher and the SHA-1 hashing function allowing digital rights management

● supports interlaced video, non-square pixels, and frame interpolation

● supports variable bit rate, average bit rate, and constant bit rate

● allows compression of large files without quality losses

● offers digital rights management facilities

● WMV 9 codec an open but proprietary standard

● supported on many modern portable video devices and streaming media clients

● can be played with numerous third-party players that use FFmpeg

Related Software

Leawo Video Converter (WMV Converter): an easy video and audio solution for any format conversions, with fast speed and excellent output guaranteed. Equipped with 3D conversion function, you can get 3D WMV video as output. This WMV Video Converter not only converts common videos to WMV video, but also converts WMV video to other video formats. In addition, it allows you to remove DRM protection from WMV so that you can make the best of WMV video.

Leawo DVD Ripper (DVD to WMV Ripper): a useful DVD ripping program for users to rip DVD to video in various formats. So with it you can enjoy great convenience to convert DVD to WMV for appreciation. This DVD to WMV Ripper enables you to convert DVD to WMV with fast speed and excellent video quality. 3D WMV video as output is also supportable. Furthermore, with DRM removal ability, you are enabled to obtain WMV file without DRM protection.

Related Source
AVI, MP4, RMVB, FLV, 3GP, MOV, MKV, Windows Media Player, MPlayer, Kmplayer, iMovie, Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere