Four-Character Codes (FOURCC)
Codecs play a vital role in the digital landscape, enabling efficient compression and decompression of multimedia files.
At the heart of these codecs lie FourCC codes, unique identifiers that represent specific multimedia formats.
What is a FOURCC Code?
FourCC (Four-Character Codes), as the name says, is a four-character code that serves as a shorthand representation of a specific video format or codec.
It acts as a compact and standardized way to identify various video compression algorithms.
Each FourCC code corresponds to a specific multimedia format, enabling software and hardware to identify and handle video data correctly.
How Can I Modify FourCC Codes?
If you're looking to change the FourCC code in your AVI files, the AVI FourCC Code Changer is a useful tool.
It simplifies the process by allowing you to easily modify the Four-Character Code, ensuring your videos use the correct codec for playback. This can be especially useful when dealing with compatibility issues across different media players.
Here is a list of registered FOURCCs:
| Compressor Code | Description |
| 3IV0 | MPEG4-based codec 3ivx |
| 3IV1 | MPEG4-based codec 3ivx |
| 3IV2 | MPEG4-based codec 3ivx |
| 3IVD | FFmpeg DivX ;-) (MS MPEG-4 v3) |
| 3IVX | MPEG4-based codec 3ivx |
| AAS4 | Autodesk Animator codec (RLE) |
| AASC | Autodesk Animator codec (RLE) |
| ABYR | Kensington codec |
| ADV1 | Loronix WaveCodec (used in various CCTV products) |
| ADVJ | Avid M-JPEG Avid Technology (also known as AVRn) |
| AEMI | Array VideoONE MPEG1-I Capture |
| AFLC | Autodesk Animator FLC (256 color) |
| AFLI | Autodesk Animator FLI (256 color) |
| AMPG | Array VideoONE MPEG |
| ANIM | Intel - RDX |
| AP41 | AngelPotion Definitive (hack MS MP43) |
| ASV1 | Asus Video V1 |
| ASV2 | Asus Video V2 |
| ASVX | Asus Video 2.0 |
| AUR2 | AuraVision - Aura 2 Codec - YUV 422 |
| AURA | AuraVision - Aura 1 Codec - YUV 411 |
| AVDJ | Avid Motion JPEG |
| AVI1 | MainConcept Motion JPEG Codec |
| AVI2 | MainConcept Motion JPEG Codec |
| AVRN | Avid Motion JPEG (also known as ADVJ) |
| AZPR | Quicktime Apple Video |
| BGR | Uncompressed BGR32 8:8:8:8 |
| BGR(15) | Uncompressed BGR15 5:5:5 |
| BGR(16) | Uncompressed BGR16 5:6:5 |
| BGR(24) | Uncompressed BGR24 8:8:8 |
| BINK | Bink Video (RAD Game Tools) (256 color) |
| BITM | Microsoft H.261 |
| BLZ0 | FFmpeg MPEG-4 |
| BT20 | Conexant (ex Brooktree) - MediaStream codec |
| BTCV | Conexant (ex Brooktree) - Composite Video codec |
| BTVC | Conexant (ex Brooktree) - Composite Video codec |
| BW10 | Data Translation Broadway MPEG Capture/Compression |
| CC12 | Intel - YUV12 codec |
| CDVC | Canopus - DV codec |
| CFCC | Conkrete DPS Perception Motion JPEG |
| CGDI | Camcorder Video (MS Office 97) |
| CHAM | Winnov, Inc. - MM_WINNOV_CAVIARA_CHAMPAGNE |
| CJPG | Creative Video Blaster Webcam Go JPEG |
| CLJR | Cirrus Logic YUV 4:1:1 |
| CLPL | Format similar to YV12 but including a level of indirection. |
| CMYK | Common Data Format in Printing |
| COL0 | FFmpeg DivX ;-) (MS MPEG-4 v3) |
| COL1 | FFmpeg DivX ;-) (MS MPEG-4 v3) |
| CPLA | Weitek - 4:2:0 YUV Planar |
| CRAM | Microsoft Video 1 |
| CVID | Supermac - Cinepak |
| CWLT | reserved |
| CYUV | Creative Labs YUV 4:2:2 |
| CYUY | ATI Technologies YUV |
| DUCK | Duck Corp. - TrueMotion 1.0 |
| DVE2 | InSoft - DVE-2 Videoconferencing codec |
| DXT1, DXT2, DXT3, DXT4, DXT5 | reserved |
| DXTC | DirectX Texture Compression |
| FLJP | D-Vision - Field Encoded Motion JPEG With LSI Bitstream Format |
| GWLT | reserved |
| H260, H261, H262, H263, H264, H265 | Intel - Conferencing codec |
| H266, H267, H268, H269 | Intel - Conferencing codec |
| I263 | Intel - I263 |
| I420 | Intel - Indeo 4 codec |
| IAN | Intel - RDX |
| ICLB | InSoft - CellB Videoconferencing codec |
| ILVC | Intel - Layered Video |
| ILVR | ITU-T - H.263+ compression standard |
| IRAW | Intel - YUV uncompressed |
| IV30, IV31, IV32, IV33, IV34, IV35, IV36, IV37, IV38, IV39 | Intel - Indeo Video 4 codec |
| IV40, IV41, IV42, IV43, IV44, IV45, IV46, IV47, IV48, IV49 | Intel - Indeo Video 4 codec |
| IV50 | Intel - Indeo 5.0 |
| MP42 | Microsoft - MPEG-4 Video Codec V2 |
| MPEG | Chromatic - MPEG 1 Video I Frame |
| MRCA | FAST Multimedia - Mrcodec |
| MRLE | Microsoft - Run Length Encoding |
| MSVC | Microsoft - Video 1 |
| NTN1 | Nogatech - Video Compression 1 |
| qpeq | Q-Team - QPEG 1.1 Format video codec |
| RGBT | Computer Concepts - 32 bit support |
| RT21 | Intel - Indeo 2.1 codec |
| RVX | Intel - RDX |
| SDCC | Sun Communications - Digital Camera Codec |
| SFMC | Crystal Net - SFM Codec |
| SMSC | Radius - proprietary |
| SMSD | Radius - proprietary |
| SPLC | Splash Studios - ACM audio codec |
| SQZ2 | Microsoft - VXtreme Video Codec V2 |
| SV10 | Sorenson - Video R1 |
| TLMS | TeraLogic - Motion Intraframe Codec |
| TLST | TeraLogic - Motion Intraframe Codec |
| TM20 | Duck Corp. - TrueMotion 2.0 |
| TMIC | TeraLogic - Motion Intraframe Codec |
| TMOT | Horizons Technology - TrueMotion Video Compression Algorithm |
| TR20 | Duck Corp. - TrueMotion RT 2.0 |
| V422 | Vitec Multimedia - 24 bit YUV 4:2:2 format (CCIR 601). For this format, 2 consecutive pixels are represented by a 32 bit (4 byte) Y1UY2V color value. |
| V655 | Vitec Multimedia - 16 bit YUV 4:2:2 format. |
| VCR1 | ATI - VCR 1.0 |
| VIVO | Vivo - H.263 Video Codec |
| VIXL | Miro Computer Products AG - for use with the Miro line of capture cards. |
| VLV1 | Videologic - VLCAP.DRV |
| WBVC | Winbond Electronics - W9960 |
| XLV0 | NetXL, Inc. - XL Video Decoder |
| YC12 | Intel - YUV12 codec |
| YUV8 | Winnov, Inc. - MM_WINNOV_CAVIAR_YUV8 |
| YUV9 | Intel - YUV9 |
| YUYV | Canopus - YUYV compressor |
| ZPEG | Metheus - Video Zipper |
The following list shows the FOURCC values for DIB compression (a technique used to reduce the file size of bitmap images without losing any image quality).
| Compressor Code | Description |
| CYUV | Creative Labs, Inc - Creative Labs YUV |
| FVF1 | Iterated Systems, Inc. - Fractal Video Frame |
| IF09 | Intel - Intel Intermediate YUV9 |
| JPEG | Microsoft - Still Image JPEG DIB |
| MJPG | Microsoft - Motion JPEG DIB Format |
| PHMO | IBM - Photomotion |
| ULTI | IBM - Ultimotion |
| VDCT | Vitec Multimedia - Video Maker Pro DIB |
| VIDS | Vitec Multimedia - YUV 4:2:2 CCIR 601 for V422 |
| YU92 | Intel - YUV |
Source: Microsoft.com
