MPEG 2, H.264 or WMV format?

The Eco License already allows output of HD videos in MPEG 2 or WMV format. Videos with H.264 codec can only be output with the Advanced License. The question is "What are the advantages and disadvantages of these formats?". WMV is a current format - it has been developed by Microsoft and is based on MPEG 4, but is not yet so widely supported by any hardware and can, therefore, only replace MPEG-2 and H.264 in special cases.

MPEG 2 format

Advantages

• Widely used standard and used all over the world. See also MPEG standard.

• Widely supported by hardware such as DVD players, professional MPEG-2 HD players and HD video cameras (HDV standard)

• Good quality, excellent quality only at high data rates

• Features relatively short rendering times

Disadvantages

• Decoders are not for free and are therefore not available on every computer.

• High quality requires a very high data rate and correspondingly large video files.

• Resolution of details is lower than with H.264; moving details result much earlier in blockiness.

H.264 / H.265 Format

• Advantages

• • Standard that is valid and used all over the world. See also MPEG standard.

  • Widely supported by hardware such as Blue-ray players and AVCHD video cameras (AVHDV standard)  

  • Very good quality even at a relatively low data rate.

  • H.265 is well suited for playback on TV sets and HD/UHD players.

  • High resolutions of up to 4096 x 2304 pixels

  • Relatively short rendering times

• Disadvantages

• • Decoders must usually be purchased and are therefore not available on every computer.

  • Required performance for playback on older computers is high; the MainConcept H.264 decoder works much more efficiently on new quad core computers.H.265 requires distinctly more power for playback than H.264.

  • Due to the very long keyframe interval, editing  of AVCHD videos is not easy, which may have a negative effect e.g. on cutting..

WMV format

Advantages

• A free decoder is available on nearly all Windows computer or can be installed.

• Good quality at a relatively low data rate (twice or three times lower than for MPEG 2)

• High resolutions of up to 4K.

• Quality is higher than for MPEG 2.

Disadvantages

• The rendering time is  two to five times longer than for MPEG 2.

• Hardly any hardware (DVD players, etc.) that supports it.

• For still pictures which are not moving or animated, the quality drops with a lower data rate.

• The long keyframe interval reduces the locating speed, which has a negative effect e.g. on cutting.