Sustainability of Digital Formats
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QuickTime Video, Sorenson Codec

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Table of Contents
Identification and description
Local use
Sustainability factors
Quality and functionality factors
File type signifiers
Notes
Format specifications
Useful references
Format Description Properties
• ID: fdd000088
• Short name: QTV_Sorenson
• Content categories: moving image
• Format category: file format, bitstream encoding
• Last significant update: 2007-08-07
• Draft status: Full

Identification and description Explanation of format description terms

Full nameQuickTime Video, Sorenson Codec
DescriptionFile format that wraps a Sorenson video bitstream with other data chunks, e.g., audio.
  Production phase  Used as a final-state format for enduser delivery; may also be used as a middle-state format, e.g., as the video source when producing lower-resolution streaming versions.
Relationship to other formats 
  Subtype ofQuickTime
  ContainsSorenson_3 video codec
  May containAudio streams not documented at this time

Local use Explanation of format description terms

LC experience or existing holdingsSee QuickTime
LC preferenceSee QuickTime

Sustainability factors Explanation of format description terms

DisclosureSee QuickTime and Sorenson_3
  DocumentationSee QuickTime and Sorenson_3
AdoptionAppears to be widely adopted for video filemaking.
  Licensing and patent claimsSee QuickTime and Sorenson_3
TransparencySee Sorenson_3
Self-documentationSee QuickTime
External dependenciesSee QuickTime
Technical protection considerationsSee QuickTime

Quality and functionality factors (video) Explanation of format description terms

Normal renderingGood support.
Clarity (support for high image resolution)Moderate, given that this is a format typically used for compression and does not support interlaced video. Outcome will depend on the type and extent of compression, and the encoder used. Several commentators state that the quality of QTV_Sorenson surpasses that of QTV_AppleVideo and QTV_Cinepak, at the same bitrate. At higher bitrates, QTV_MJPEG is likely to provide the highest quality of the QuickTime codecs described at this web site.
Fidelity (support for high audio resolution)See QuickTime
Support for multiple sound channelsSee QuickTime
Functionality beyond normal video renderingSee QuickTime

File type signifiers Explanation of format description terms

Tag typeValueNote
Filename Extensionmov 
Internet Media TypeSee QuickTime 
Magic numbersSee QuickTime 
Video type tag (QuickTime)svqiFour-character code identifying the Sorenson video codec, from QuickTime File Format, p. 92 or p.96.1

Notes Explanation of format description terms

General 
History 

Format specifications Explanation of format description terms

URLs

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Useful references

URLs
See QuickTime

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1There seem to have been at least two printings of the specification carrying the same date. These were not systematically compared by the compiler of this Web page. Pagination varies between these two printings.


Last updated: 08/21/2007