AVC typically means H.264/AVC compression, which is the codec, not the container, and most real-world videos live inside MP4, MKV, MOV, or TS containers that can hold AVC video plus audio streams, leading people to call an MP4 “an AVC file” even though MP4 is the real file format; when a file literally ends in .avc or .h264/.264, it often represents a raw stream or special-device export that might open in VLC but may have poor seeking, bad duration data, or missing audio because only containers provide indexing and multi-track structure.
Some CCTV/DVR cameras create files with unexpected extensions even though the inner format is normal, so simply renaming to .mp4 may solve playback, but some recordings require the vendor’s player to convert; the quickest check is VLC playback plus codec info or a MediaInfo scan to confirm a standard container (MP4/MKV/TS), and if it appears as a raw AVC stream the common fix is to wrap into an MP4 container for compatibility without re-encoding.
A `.mp4` file usually functions as a proper MP4 *container*, meaning it includes video, audio, timing information, seek indexes, and metadata, whereas a `.avc` file commonly represents a raw AVC/H.264 stream or a special export format without full container “plumbing”; it may play but often shows issues like incorrect duration because much of the structural guidance isn’t there.
If you adored this information and you would like to get additional details pertaining to AVC format kindly visit the web site. This is also why `.avc` files commonly contain no accompanying soundtrack: audio may not be bundled and might live elsewhere, while MP4 typically includes both; further confusion comes from CCTV/DVR exports that use nonstandard extensions, meaning a mislabeled `.avc` might behave normally if renamed to `.mp4`, though some require proprietary exporters; overall, `.mp4` suggests proper container formatting, while `.avc` often suggests stream-only data, which leads to missing audio and poor seek accuracy.
Once you’ve determined whether the “AVC file” is mislabeled, raw H.264, or proprietary, you can pick the right fix; when VLC/MediaInfo shows a standard container—look for “Format: MPEG-4” or normal seek behavior—just renaming the `.avc` to `.mp4` often restores compatibility (after copying it), but if the file is a raw H.264 stream indicated by “Format: AVC” with sparse container details and erratic seeking, then the usual remedy is to wrap it into an MP4 container without re-encoding, adding essential timing and indexing data for proper playback.
If the file originated from a CCTV/DVR or another system using a proprietary wrapper, the most dependable method is running it through the vendor’s export tool to MP4 or AVI, because certain closed formats don’t wrap correctly without a proper export; in those cases you’re converting from a special structure to a standard one rather than renaming, and if playback still fails, won’t open, or shows incorrect duration after remuxing, it usually signals corruption or missing sidecar/index files, meaning you must re-export from the source or retrieve the matching metadata.
