MP4 and FLAC explained
MP4 is a container, not a codec. It usually holds H.264 video and AAC audio, and that specific combination is the closest thing the internet has to a universal video format.
FLAC compresses audio losslessly, typically to about half the size of WAV. Decompressed, it is bit-for-bit identical to the original — the compression is mathematical, not perceptual.
- Where MP4 files come from
- Phone cameras, screen recorders, and every video streaming platform.
- Where FLAC is used
- Hi-fi music libraries and archival rips of physical media.