Extract and inspect resolution, codec, and duration metadata from video files.
When a video fails to play, the first thing to check is its metadata. People often confuse the file extension with the actual video format. In reality, a video file is composed of two distinct parts: a Container and a Codec.
Extensions like .mp4, .mkv, and .mov represent the container. Think of a container as a ZIP archive.
It holds multiple streams of data together (a video stream, an audio stream, and sometimes subtitle streams) and keeps them perfectly synchronized during playback. The container format does not dictate how the video itself is compressed.
The Codec (Coder/Decoder) is the algorithm used to actually compress the massive amounts of video data. Common codecs include:
If a browser can read an MP4 container, but the video inside is encoded with H.265, the browser may play the audio but show a black screen because it lacks the license or hardware to decode the H.265 video stream.
This tool uses a WASM build of FFprobe to parse the container headers locally and instantly tell you exactly which codec is inside, helping you debug playback issues.
What is the primary role of a video 'Container' (like .mp4 or .mkv)?
