Video is just like plumbing.  90% of it is real easy.

It’s that other 10% that’s a bitch.  And takes special knowledge and special tools and all the rest.

My own big video site deals quite a bit with that other 10%.  That is, this is a site designed for budding videophiles who already have the basics down.  There are glossaries and indexes and such, but if you don’t know what the words "bitrate" and "aspect ratio" mean, this’ll be jumping into the deep end.

When you get there, click on the format you’re dealing with.  Remember, some of it can be a bit confusing, such as MKV and OGG formats are placed under ‘AVI’, since that’s what they are, albeit with a ‘shell’ around them.  "SVCD" translates to "MPEG", "DVD" translates to "VOB" and "title sets".

If my site doesn’t answer your question, head for VideoHelp from the Links.  It’s got the best selection of guides around.  If you have a specific question, the Doom9 forum will be your best bet.  It’s also an excellent resource for programs.

Video, as a whole, is a vast, vast field, and each format has its own quirks and peculiarities.  It can be extremely frustrating at times, but, as noted in the beginning, no other computer field offers the same great rewards.