AVC generally means H.264/AVC video compression, which is the encoding layer, not the wrapper, while the actual file format is usually a container like MP4, MKV, MOV, or TS that can hold AVC video along with audio tracks such as AAC, so people sometimes mix things up and label an MP4 as "an AVC file" despite the container defining the type; files ending in .avc or .h264/.264 usually contain raw AVC streams or custom exports that VLC may handle but often with weak seeking, incorrect duration, or no audio due to missing container-level indexing.
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 recontainerize it into MP4 to get better compatibility and seeking.
A `.mp4` file works as a full-featured MP4 *container*—with organized video, audio, indexes, timing data, and metadata—while a `.avc` file typically lacks these container elements and is simply a raw AVC stream or device-specific file; it can decode, but players may show sluggish seeking since crucial structural information isn’t included.
This is also why `.avc` recordings often have silent-only output: audio wasn’t packaged or lives separately, whereas MP4 generally combines video and audio; plus, many CCTV/DVR systems output bizarre extensions, so a file might actually be MP4/TS but mislabeled and fixed by renaming, while others rely on proprietary wrappers needing vendor software; put simply, `.mp4` means a real container with indexing, and `.avc` usually means just the encoded stream, which explains missing audio, limited seeking, and compatibility problems.
Once you determine what kind of "AVC file" you have, the solution varies based on whether it’s mislabeled, raw H.264, or a proprietary export; when VLC or MediaInfo indicates a real container like MP4 (you may see "Format: MPEG-4" or normal seeking), simply renaming `clip.avc` to `clip. In case you loved this short article and you would love to receive more information relating to
AVC file type kindly visit our website. mp4` often solves compatibility—just make a copy first; if the file is a raw bitstream instead, typically shown by "Format: AVC" with sparse container info and glitchy seeking, the fix is to wrap into an MP4 container without re-encoding, adding the indexing and timing structure raw streams don’t have.
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 convert reliably 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.