Advanced Systems Format

".wmv", "WMV file", ".wma", and "WMA file" redirect here. For the video codec, see Windows Media Video. For the audio codec, see Windows Media Audio.
Advanced Systems Format
This image illustrates the computer icons that Windows Vista displays for Advanced Systems Format, depending on the file name extension. From left to right, the icons correspond to .asf, .wma and .wmv files.
Filename extension
.asf .wma .wmv
Internet media type
video/x-ms-asf, application/vnd.ms-asf[1]
Type code'ASF_'
Uniform Type Identifier (UTI)com.microsoft.advanced-systems-format
Magic number30 26 B2 75 8E 66 CF 11 A6 D9 00 AA 00 62 CE 6C[2]
Developed byMicrosoft
Initial releaseProprietary: 16 September 1996; 28 years ago (1996-09-16)[3][4]
Public: 26 February 1998; 26 years ago (1998-02-26)[5]
Latest release
01.20.03
December 2004; 19 years ago (2004-12)
Type of formatContainer format
Container forWindows Media Audio, Windows Media Video, VC-1
Open format?Yes
Free format?No[6]

Advanced Systems Format (formerly Advanced Streaming Format, Active Streaming Format) is Microsoft's proprietary digital audio/digital video container format, especially meant for streaming media. ASF is part of the Media Foundation framework.

  1. ^ Microsoft (1997). "Registration of MIME media type application/vnd.ms-asf". iana.org. IANA.
  2. ^ "ASF (Advanced Systems Format)". Digital Preservation. Library of Congress. 2014-02-04. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  3. ^ "Advanced Streaming Format". Tech Insider. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  4. ^ "Microsoft Introduces NetShow, A Platform for Delivering Multimedia Content Over Intranets". Microsoft Stories. 1996-09-16. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  5. ^ Fleischman, Eric (26 February 1998). Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) Specification. Internet Engineering Task Force. I-D draft-fleischman-asf-01. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  6. ^ ASF (Advanced Systems Format) (Full draft). Sustainability of Digital Formats. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. 6 April 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2021.