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The Fantastic Journey of Audio and Video: How did the AVI format solve the video storage dilemma in the 1990s?
In 1992, Microsoft introduced the Audio Video Interleaved format (AVI) to provide a new solution for video storage and playback. In that era, media producers faced the challenge of efficiently storing high-quality video in limited CD-ROM space. The AVI format not only solves the problem of storage space, but also provides the ability to play audio and video simultaneously, which makes it occupy an important position in the development of digital media.
"A 30-second video displayed using 24-bit color and 30 frames per second would occupy 680MB of storage space, which was the capacity limit of most CD-ROMs in the early 1990s."
To alleviate this dilemma, Microsoft developed AVI, which is based on the Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF). Each file is divided into different data blocks or "chunks" and consists of four character mark to identify. These blocks are designed so that video files can store audio and video data more efficiently and use codecs appropriately for compression and decompression.
In the early days of digital media, publishers could not predict the rapid development of video compression technology in the future. Although the initial specification of the AVI format failed to standardize some new technologies (such as aspect ratio information and time code), with the emergence of OpenDML (AVI 2.0), users can use more advanced encoding technology.
"Although the AVI format solves many problems in video storage, it still exhibits some limitations in post-production and modern applications, such as the inability to standardize the aspect ratio information of encoded videos."
In terms of the structure of the file format, AVI files contain three important blocks: header block (hdrl), video data block (movi) and optional index block (idx1). The design of this structure ensures the synchronization of audio and video data during playback. However, older players may not decode correctly when playing certain AVI files, which makes the missing "idx1" index block a problem that needs to be solved quietly.
In addition, although the AVI format provided an effective storage method at the time, various limitations became apparent over time. AVI cannot efficiently support some modern video compression technologies, such as encoding methods that rely on future frame data (B-frames), which is undoubtedly a challenge for some users. Therefore, alternative formats like MP4 and Matroska are gradually gaining favor in some cases.
"The birth of AVI solved the video storage dilemma in the 1990s, but subsequent restrictions have made new formats such as MP4 and Matroska increasingly popular."
When it comes to specific types of AVI files, DV AVI is one example. DV AVI is an AVI file compressed according to the DV standard and is usually divided into two categories, Type 1 and Type 2. These types of designs, while solving some storage space issues, lead to confusion and affect compatibility with some editing software.
With the rapid advancement of digital media technology, the limitations of AVI have become more significant. With the use of more advanced container formats such as MKV and MP4, the application status of AVI may no longer meet the needs of modern users, especially in terms of expectations for high-quality video. This also makes people start to think about how today's digital media will develop in the future, and what position AVI will occupy in this change.
Looking back at the birth and development of the AVI format, its impact not only provided an important foundation for the advancement of video media, but also made us reflect on the impact of technological evolution on various workflows. In the ever-changing technological environment, can AVI still adapt to future challenges and needs?
