What is MIME type "video/audio"?

A MIME type is a string that tells browsers and other tools how to handle a particular kind of file.

The MIME type video/audio is not a standard Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) registration. It appears to be a custom or experimental label used for files that are designed to carry both video and audio streams in one container.

This type signals that the file is meant to combine two media elements. In practical terms, a file like MP4 may be tagged with this MIME type when its purpose is to deliver synchronized video and audio content together. This can help media players or web applications decide which decoders or playback tools to use.

Main Use Case: It designates files where audio and video must stay in sync during playback.
Other Uses: It can be employed in interactive media apps, specialized streaming scenarios, or editing workflows where both media forms are managed as a unit.
Key Fact: Standard MP4 files are usually given the MIME type video/mp4 (or audio/mp4 if the focus is solely audio). Therefore, video/audio is likely a custom marker meant to emphasize the dual nature of the file’s content.

This MIME type helps systems handle the file appropriately by indicating that support for both video and audio is necessary. For further details on how MIME types function, please visit Media Type on Wikipedia.

Associated file extensions

.stem.mp4

Usage Examples

HTTP Header

When serving content with this MIME type, set the Content-Type header:


    Content-Type: video/audio

HTML

In HTML, you can specify the MIME type in various elements:


    <a href="file.dat" type="video/audio">Download file</a>

Server-side (Node.js)

Setting the Content-Type header in Node.js:


    const http = require('http');    
    
    http.createServer((req, res) => {    
      res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'video/audio');    
      res.end('Content here');    
    }).listen(3000);

Associated file extensions

.stem.mp4

FAQs

Is video/audio a standard IANA MIME type?

No, video/audio is not a standard media type registered with the IANA. It is a custom or experimental label, whereas standard video files typically use types like video/mp4 or video/mpeg. It is often used internally by specific applications to emphasize that a file contains both video and audio streams.

Which file extensions use the video/audio MIME type?

This MIME type is most frequently associated with the .stem.mp4 extension. While standard .mp4 files can contain both video and audio, the .stem.mp4 variation and this specific MIME type are often used in specialized music production or DJ software workflows.

Will web browsers play files served as video/audio?

Playback is not guaranteed because browsers do not natively recognize video/audio as a valid video format. While some browsers may detect the underlying MP4 container via "sniffing," it is highly recommended to serve files as video/mp4 for reliable playback across Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

How do I configure Apache to serve .stem.mp4 files?

You can map the extension manually in your .htaccess or server config file. Add the line AddType video/audio .stem.mp4 to ensure the server sends this specific MIME type headers. However, if the file is meant for general web playback, consider mapping it to video/mp4 instead.

How do I add support for video/audio in Nginx?

To serve files with this MIME type in Nginx, you must edit your mime.types file or the types block in your server configuration. Add the entry video/audio stem.mp4; and reload Nginx using sudo nginx -s reload to apply the changes.

Why would an application use video/audio instead of video/mp4?

Developers might use video/audio to trigger specific handling logic in proprietary software, such as forcing a decoder to look for synchronized multi-track audio. It acts as a flag to differentiate these specialized files from generic video files found on the web.

General FAQ

What is a MIME type?

A MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) type is a standard that indicates the nature and format of a document, file, or assortment of bytes. MIME types are defined and standardized in IETF's RFC 6838.

MIME types are important because they help browsers and servers understand how to process a file. When a browser receives a file from a server, it uses the MIME type to determine how to display or handle the content, whether it's an image to display, a PDF to open in a viewer, or a video to play.

MIME types consist of a type and a subtype, separated by a slash (e.g., text/html, image/jpeg, application/pdf). Some MIME types also include optional parameters.

How do I find the MIME type for a file?

You can check the file extension or use a file identification tool such as file --mime-type on the command line. Many programming languages also provide libraries to detect MIME types.

Why are multiple MIME types listed for one extension?

Different applications and historical conventions may use alternative MIME identifiers for the same kind of file. Showing them all helps ensure compatibility across systems.