| Extension | .m2v |
| Category | video |
| Description | M2V is a format dedicated to video storage, and any linked audio or subtitles are stored separately. While M2V might not be as powerful as newer video standards like Advanced Video Coding (AVC) and High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), it's still used because of its compatibility with current video creation methods. Historically, M2V was a popular choice for storing films, and old movie reels have been adapted for digital TV and advanced transmission methods like DVD and DVB-S2. |
| Technical details | Files with the .m2v extension are MPEG-2 video stream files. MPEG-2 is the preferred format for transmitting digital TV signals via cable or satellite. M2V files rarely appear in isolation, as they typically contain only video data. Consequently, related audio, metadata, and subtitle files are usually found in the same media directory as the .m2v file. M2V files are commonly used in DVD creation software, where they are combined with other elements like WAV or AIF files, menus, and video chapter points, to create a complete DVD video. Unlike traditional audio formats like .ogg or .wav, some DVD creation programs use the MPEG-1 audio file format. |
