Smacker video

Infobox file format
name = Smacker
icon =
extension = .smk
mime =
owner = RAD Game Tools
type code = Smk2
genre = video codec
container for = Smacker
contained by =
extended from =
extended to =

Smacker video is a video file format (with the ".SMK" file extension) developed by RAD Game Tools and is often used in computer games. Smacker video supports only 256 colors, and includes transparency support.

The compression rate can reach 1:12, but most of the quality is lost due to pixelation.

While being a palette-based format which is inherently limited to have not more than 256 colors at each frame, Smacker videos still can contain more colors in total due to trick called "palette rotation" where next frame may have its own different palette and palette colors on new palette can be adapted to display this frame better than it was possible with previous palette used. This however usually results in a bigger SMK files which look better if non-compressed content had more than 256 colors.

New versions of Smacker file format also introduce Bink audio codec support.

RAD's format for video at higher color depths is Bink video.

External links

* [http://www.radgametools.com/smkmain.htm Official Smacker Video Page]
* [http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=Smacker Technical Description For Smacker]