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Windows media wmv audio file. What is a wmv file and how do i open a wmv file? More information about the WMV file format

If you have a computer installed antivirus software can scan all files on the computer, as well as each file separately... You can scan any file by right-clicking on the file and selecting the appropriate option to scan the file for viruses.

For example, in this figure, file my-file.wmv, then you need to right-click on this file, and select the option from the file menu "Scan with AVG"... Selecting this option will open AVG Antivirus, which will scan this file for viruses.


Sometimes an error can result from incorrect software installation, which may be due to a problem encountered during the installation process. It may interfere with your operating system link your WMV file to the correct application software influencing the so-called "File extension associations".

Sometimes simple reinstalling CyberLink PowerDVD may solve your problem by correctly linking WMV with CyberLink PowerDVD. In other cases, problems with file associations can result from poor software programming developer and you may need to contact the developer for further assistance.


Advice: Try updating CyberLink PowerDVD to the latest version to make sure you have the latest patches and updates.


It may seem too obvious, but often the WMV file itself may be causing the problem... If you received a file via an email attachment or downloaded it from a website and the download process was interrupted (for example, a power outage or other reason), the file may be damaged... If possible, try getting a fresh copy of the WMV file, and then try opening it again.


Carefully: A damaged file can cause collateral damage to previous or pre-existing malware on your PC, so it is very important that you have an updated antivirus running on your PC at all times.


If your WMV file related to the hardware on your computer to open the file you may need update device drivers related to this equipment.

This problem usually associated with types of media files that depend on the successful opening of the hardware inside the computer, for example, sound card or video card... For example, if you are trying to open an audio file but cannot open it, you may need to update sound card drivers.


Advice: If, when you try to open a WMV file, you get SYS file related error message, the problem could probably be related to damaged or outdated device drivers that need to be updated. This process can be facilitated by using a driver update software such as DriverDoc.


If the steps did not solve the problem and you're still having problems opening WMV files, it could be due to lack of available system resources... Some versions of WMV files may require a significant amount of resources (e.g. memory / RAM, processing power) to open properly on your computer. This problem occurs quite often if you are using fairly old computer hardware and at the same time a much newer operating system.

This issue can occur when the computer has a hard time completing a task, as the operating system (and other services running in the background) can consume too many resources to open wmv file... Try closing all applications on your PC before opening Windows Media Video File. By freeing up all the available resources on your computer, you will provide a better environment for trying to open the WMV file.


If you completed all the steps above and your WMV file still won't open, you might need to do equipment upgrade... In most cases, even with older hardware versions, the processing power may still be more than adequate for most custom applications (unless you're doing a lot of CPU-intensive work like 3D rendering, financial / scientific modeling, or heavy multimedia work) ... In this way, it is likely that your computer does not have enough memory(more commonly called "RAM", or random access memory) to perform the task of opening a file.

Have a problem opening a .WMV file? We collect information about file formats and can explain what WMV files are. Additionally, we recommend the programs that are most suitable for opening or converting such files.

What is the .WMV file format for?

File extension .wmv is a video compressed using one of Microsoft's proprietary codecs. WMV allows you to store and transfer movies and video clips without compromising on quality. The WMV format has a rather long history: the first codec was released in 1999.

Most of the files .wmv placed in an .asf container. The file created in this way can get the extension .wmv or .asf. The ASF container can optionally implement a Digital Rights Management system to prevent unauthorized copying and distribution.



In addition to the Windows platform, WMV files are supported by a number of devices - for example, they can be played on the Xbox game console or on mobile phones using the Windows Mobile operating system.

Because the WMV format is associated with Microsoft codecs, Mac OS or Linux applications may have difficulty playing them. For example, Apple iPhone users cannot view WMV videos on their devices. In this case, you can use a video converter to access the contents of the WMV file.

Software to open or convert WMV files

You can open WMV files with the following programs: 

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The WMV Video file format

WMV files are placed in an ASF - Advanced Systems Format container. These files often contain both Windows Media Video video and Windows Media Audio audio data. WMV files can support the use of DRM protections that prevent users from copying information. And it is this characteristic that makes this format a popular commodity among companies selling digital copies of video and audio recordings online. WMV files can be downloaded and viewed on both Mac computers and personal computers. The WMV format is the most recognizable format in its family, competing with certain types of MPEG-4 and Real Video. WMV files are used for online sales, portable devices, Microsoft's Zune players, and Xbox 360 devices.

Technical details of WMV files

WMV files are compressed using codecs developed by Microsoft. The ASF container format encodes data using the WMV codec. Windows Media Video 9 Professional codecs allow users to receive streams with a resolution exceeding 300,000 pixels (size on screen - from 528x576), as well as a bitrate of 1000 kbps. This high performance makes WMV files ideal for HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. WMV 9 Advanced Profile is not compatible with previous versions of WMV 9 formats. WMV 9 format is the default format for Microsoft Silverlight. In addition, the WMV 9 format is comparable to the H.264 Main and High Profile formats, but does not support, in particular, multiple reference frames technology, and context-dependent binary arithmetic coding (CABAC). The difference between WMV 9 and competing formats is best seen at low bitrates.

More information about the WMV file format

Further development of the format AVI... Developed by Microsoft at the very end of the 90s as part of an initiative Windows Media(creation of a set of hardware and software tools aimed at improving the multimedia capabilities of modern Windows-compatible computers). The very name of this format translates as Windows Media - Video.

Video files saved in this format have the extension wmv or asf. (There is a special kind of format - WMA (Windows Media - Audio), intended for storing sound, such files have the wma extension.) Compared to AVI format WMV has various additional features, in particular, means of protection against unauthorized copying.

Currently, this format is rapidly gaining popularity. It is used to distribute full-size films and video clips.

History of Windows Media Video

Windows Media Video is the name of a whole set of video codec technologies developed by Microsoft. This is part of the structure Windows Media... Codecs Windows Media Video were originally developed for low bit rate streaming applications. However, in 2003 Microsoft released specifications for a video codec based on Windows Media Video version 9, and submitted it to SMPTE for standardization. The standard was formally approved in March 2006 as SMPTE 421M, thereby making Windows Media Video 9"Not private". Earlier versions of the codec (7 and 8) are still considered proprietary because they do not fit into the SMPTE 421M standards.

Windows Media Video Format

WMV built not only on Microsoft's internal technology. It is assumed that WMV version 7 (WMV1) based on Microsoft's custom version MPEG-4 Part 2... However, since WMV 9 was standardized as an independent SMPTE standard (421M, also known as VC-1), it is correct to believe that WMV has separated enough in a direction other than MPEG-4 to be considered a unique codec in its own right. In April 2006, there were 16 companies holding the VC-1 patent. Microsoft is also a member of the MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 Patent Consolidation.

Video stream is usually combined with audio stream Windows Media Audio and consists of Advanced Systems Format files with the extensions .asf or .wmv.

Files WMV Playable by MPlayer or Windows Media Player, the latter is only available for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh systems. There are many third party players for different platforms like Linux which uses the FFmpeg implementation in codecs WMV.

Primarily, WMV compressed in ASF container files. For storage WMV also used containers AVI or Matroska. Final files are named .avi if they are AVI container files, .wmv or .asf if they are ASF, .mkv if they are MKV files. WMV can be stored in AVI files if using VirtualDub encoder software and codec WMV9 VCM... Microsoft Windows Media Player for Mac does not support all WMV encoded files except the ASF container file. More files can be viewed with Flip4Mac and QuickTime or MPlayer for MacOS X.

WMV can support DRM if compressed in ASF files.

In addition to being the most popular codec for transmitting video over the Internet, WMV is also used to distribute high-quality video on standard DVDs in a format Microsoft has named WMV HD (Windows Media Video High Definition). This format can be played on computers or compatible DVD players.

The WMV video format is one of the most popular among users of operating systems from the Windows family. This extension came about thanks to the developers at Microsoft.

Two Windows codecs are used to package and compress files. Media files can only contain video, audio, or be mixed. The WMV extension is used to store audio files and play them. Video files with the WMV extension are not uncommon on the World Wide Web.

Why choose WMV files?

They are chosen for their comparatively high video and audio quality and are small in size. Thus, such a file will take up a minimum of space on the hard disk.

Note that playing files with the WMV extension does not require substantial hardware power. The WMV format compares favorably with various additions and improvements. Files with this extension are protected from unauthorized copying. To play video in WMV format, the software must have special codecs.

If you want to know what programs are used to reproduce media content in such an extension, then see our selection on this site.

Top related articles

File extension .wmv
File category
Example file (33.9 MiB)
(11.2 MiB)
Associated programs MPlayer
Microsoft Windows Media Player
PowerDVD
RealPlayer
VideoLAN VLC Media Player