AVC usually means H.264/AVC compression, which is the compression technology rather than the file container, and common formats like MP4, MKV, MOV, or TS just include AVC video alongside audio, leading to mix-ups where users call an MP4 “an AVC file” even though MP4 is the container; when you see extensions like .avc or .h264/.264, they often represent raw streams or specific device exports that may open in VLC but can lack proper seeking, accurate timing, or audio because containers normally deliver indexing and multi-track support.
Some CCTV/DVR setups save recordings under odd extensions even when the data is perfectly normal, so simply renaming to .mp4 may fix playback, while other clips are proprietary and need the vendor tool to convert; the simplest way to identify the format is to load it in VLC, view codec info, or check with MediaInfo to see if it’s a true container (MP4/MKV/TS), and if it shows a raw AVC stream the typical solution is to wrap it into MP4 to get better compatibility and seeking.
A `.mp4` file generally provides a complete MP4 *container* with video, audio, subtitles, metadata, and timing/index data that ensures smooth playback, while a `.avc` file often signals a raw AVC bitstream lacking container features; it may still display video, but players can struggle with jumping in the timeline due to missing structural cues.
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 well-indexed structure, while `.avc` often suggests raw H.264, which leads to missing audio and poor seek accuracy.
In case you adored this information in addition to you would like to be given details with regards to AVC file viewer generously pay a visit to our own internet site. Once you confirm what your “AVC file” actually represents—misnamed MP4, raw H.264, or proprietary—the next action is straightforward; if MediaInfo or VLC identifies it as a regular container like MP4 (showing “Format: MPEG-4” or smooth seeking), renaming `clip.avc` to `clip.mp4` usually works, provided you make a backup; if instead the file is raw AVC (often shown as “Format: AVC” with minimal metadata and clumsy navigation), you should remux it into an MP4 container without re-encoding to add the indexing and timing structure missing from raw streams.
If the file comes from a CCTV/DVR or a system with its own wrapper, the safest approach is usually using the vendor’s playback/export tool to create an MP4 or AVI, since some proprietary formats won’t convert smoothly without a correct export; in those situations you’re converting from a custom structure into a standard container rather than just renaming, and if playback is corrupted, won’t open, or the duration stays wrong even after remuxing, it often means the recording is incomplete or missing companion index files, so the real fix is re-exporting from the device or finding the required metadata files.
