A codec (Coder/Decoder) is a technology acclimated to abbreviate and decompress abstracts files. Codecs can be begin in software, hardware, or both. Codecs are acclimated to accomplish files that are usually ample into abundant abate sizes, authoritative the book acceptable to alteration throughout the Internet, bounded breadth arrangement (LAN), wireless devices, or any added book alteration methods. Installing codecs into one's computer eliminates errors such as "Unexpected Book Format" back arena a video file.

The MP4 book architecture is rapidly overextension throughout the web, authoritative it the fresh advocate way to administer and appearance videos. The MP3 book architecture afflicted the apple with its burden features, landing a role as the accepted architecture of audio. The MP4 can be beheld similarly, but for video files instead.

Unlike audio, video uses a ample bulk of bandwidth. MP4 codecs advice annihilate the charge of cat-and-mouse for hours or alike canicule to download a video by burden the data. The MP4 codec, like any added codecs, encodes the raw video abstracts into aeroembolism data. The codec again transfers the abstracts into the video amateur back the video plays. To encode and abbreviate a ample book into a small, yet aerial affection video, a codec adapted for one's computer is needed. To appearance a aeroembolism video, the appropriate codec has to be installed into the computer as well.

The MP4 codec gives the video a DVD affection while befitting the admeasurement to a minimum. Unlike added codecs, the MP4 codec keeps the book into absolutely baby sizes that one can fit several movies (encoded in the MP4 codec) into a baby MP4 player.