What is OGV?

OGV files are Ogg containers with Theora video codec and Vorbis audio. Created as a completely free and open alternative to patented video formats like H.264, OGV requires no licensing fees and can be freely implemented by anyone. Theora is based on VP3 codec donated by On2 Technologies, offering reasonable quality at moderate bitrates suitable for web streaming.

OGV is used by open-source projects, Wikipedia video content, HTML5 video implementations (Firefox, Chrome support), and organizations avoiding patent-encumbered formats. While technically inferior to H.264, OGV's zero-cost licensing makes it attractive for free software projects. Used by Wikimedia Foundation for educational videos. Less common than WebM (VP8/VP9) which largely replaced it for modern web video.

Did you know? OGV is completely free from patents and licensing fees - truly open!

History

Xiph.Org Foundation developed Ogg Theora as a free video codec to compete with proprietary formats and enable patent-free multimedia on the web.

Key Milestones

  • 2001: On2 donates VP3 to open source
  • 2002: Theora development begins
  • 2004: Theora 1.0 released
  • 2009: HTML5 video debates
  • 2010: WebM (VP8) emerges
  • Present: Niche use in open-source

Key Features

Core Capabilities

  • Patent-Free: No licensing costs
  • Open Source: Fully free implementation
  • Theora Codec: VP3-based compression
  • Vorbis Audio: Open audio codec
  • HTML5: Native browser support
  • Metadata: Comments and tags

Common Use Cases

Open Web

Patent-free web video

Wikipedia

Educational video content

FOSS Projects

Free software applications

Education

Academic institutions

Advantages

  • Completely free and open
  • No patent or licensing fees
  • Browser support (Firefox, Chrome)
  • Open-source implementation
  • Good for free software
  • Wikipedia standard format
  • Ethical alternative

Disadvantages

  • Lower quality than H.264
  • Larger file sizes
  • Limited device support
  • Superseded by WebM/VP9
  • Slower encoding
  • Not industry standard

Technical Information

Format Specifications

Specification Details
File Extension .ogv, .ogg
MIME Type video/ogg
Video Codec Theora
Audio Codec Vorbis, Opus
License BSD-style, patent-free
Browser Support Firefox, Chrome, Opera

Common Tools

  • Players: VLC, Firefox, Chrome
  • Encoders: FFmpeg, ffmpeg2theora, VLC
  • Converters: HandBrake, Miro Video Converter
  • Editors: Kdenlive, OpenShot, Blender