Submit to del.icio.us
|
digg it!
|
Submit to Slashdot(Note: Caleb, this is for you. 🙂 )
With the rise of online file sharing, we’ve been introduced to a wide plethora of file formats. For pictures, you have *.gif, *.jpg, *.tif, and *.png as the major contenders. With documents, you mainly deal with *.pdf, *.doc, and *.rtf. However with video, you face several formats competing in compression, quality, price, speed, and compatibility factors.
It’s hard to even begin naming the top 5 video formats without assistance! You’ve got Real Media *.rm, MPEG4-wrapped *.avi, MPEG2 *.vob, Windows Media *.wmv, Flash *.flv, and Apple *.mov. AVI alone branches into several subgroup formats since it is a wrapped format extension! Often, people just want an ideal, common format that works with most software, compresses with a high ratio, looks decent, and costs nothing. (Sigh) If only there is such a format!
One of my friends was sorting out all the various formats and weighing the value of each one. I know this is debatable (and I kind of disagree with him) but he concludes that the best one was MPEG-1. It satisfies each of the criteria factors … fairly. Meaning, it is mediocre all around … but not really stellar. What’s great is that nobody needs to download a codec. MPEG-1 compatibility is built into 99% of all video players! While most players can play *.mpg files, it is difficult finding a compression program to actually create such a file. I guess software makers assume that it is an ancient format and that playback functionality, alone, is sufficient. They may be right, but I don’t see anybody getting rid of the *.gif format anytime soon!
Fortunately, there are a few programs with MPEG compression that still exist. The best one I found is TMPGEnc. Like the DivX converter, it works like a dream; straightforward and easy. You simply specify the input video and audio file (if both streams are separated), set the quality, and start the conversion! For the really n00b types, you can use the wizard instead what with the basic pre-configured compression profiles.
One tip, turn the preview function off. Unless you want to see your video in super slow motion, you’re really wasting processing power.
The one drawback I can think of is that TMPGEnc only accepts *.avi files as input formats. So, you have to find a way to convert your file to *.avi first before *.mpg. I don’t know … To me, that’s unnecessary double work and time. Does anybody have other suggestions? Feel free to leave any comments, questions, or suggestions below.
Check back next month on how to convert the other way around from *.mpg to *.avi!
November 16th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
great stuff! =) easy UI and great options! =) 3 thumbs up!
February 8th, 2008 at 4:08 am
Good iPod programs except itunes–free all
-iPodwizard
-iTunes (you know what it does)
-iHack (comes with iPodwizard)
-iUpdate (iHack but then for the mini (sometimes iHack doesn’t work))
-iPodlibrary (putting .txt files on your pod)
-Plugin for winamp (using winamp to transfer music to your pod and music to your pc)
-GoPod (for uncapping volume)
-iPod Agent (a lot of functions… i think i’m gonna use it to)
Those are the programs i use very often ^^^ … the progs that i know of but don’t use are:
-iStory Creator (making iStories)
-eupod pro (for boosting volume)
-Pod Player (play music thats on your pod with your pc(you can put it on your ipod and launch it from there))
-MarkAble (convert any audiofile in a type for an audiobook)
-MarksMan (bookmark your audiobooks)
-GoogleGet (gets the latest news from news.google.com)
-iArt (get album art for iTunes)
-iRemote (skin yor itunes interface)
-CopyPod (copy songs from your iPod to your PC (winamp does the same))
-Anapod Explorer (a lot of functions!!! intergrated with your windows explorer(runs on win98)
-Anapod reinitializer (same as the the ipod update restore button)
-BiblePod (transfers peices of the bible to your pod)
-Cpod (create notes for the ipod(use .txt files and ipodlibary(works much better)))
-EphPod (lot of functions(transfer songs,latest news, weather, e-books, contacts, movie listings))
-iAppoint (transfer your outlook calendar to your iPod)
-iDirectionz(store simple driving directions on your iPod)
-iPod music liberator (Like CopyPod and winamp… i prefer winamp btw)
-iPodsync (sync your iPod with your outlook contacts and calendar)
-K-Pod (sync your email inbox with your iPod)
-MyPod (manage mp3 and playlists and sync them to your iPod)
-OutPod (let you create ipod contacts with outlook)
-Palm2iPod (transfer your calendar and contacts from your palm to your iPod)
-PodSecret (store encrypted files on you iPod (wtf is that?))
-Podutil (Like CopyPod, iPod music liberator and Winamp… i prefer winamp btw)
-SharePod (sort of p2p program to share the songs on your ipod with a friend)
-vPod (like itunes,winamp,anapod…but this one sucks)
-XPlay (a lot of functions, including wma to mp3 convert)
-iPod to PC transfer
-iPod-Ex[tras] (create contacts files for your iPod)
-iPodEject (eject your iPod from your PC)
-iTunes art importer(same as iArt)
http://www.ipodtopctransfer.com
September 10th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I’ve been using “Any Video Converter” free version (http://www.any-video-converter.com/products/for_video_free/), which I’ve found actually will convert ANY video – flv, vob, mpg, avi, into your choice of avi, mpg, mp4, or other formats. It has a friendly GUI, and several compression and quality options. I like it better than DivX, Dr DivX, WinAVI, or some others, which are only “kind of” free until you need a specific codec or choose a certain option, then get the “download full version” message which takes you to a page where you have to pay. While there are “pro” versions of Any Video, I’ve wondered what they might do that the free version doesn’t, unless you’re SERIOUSLY into audio/video and a “pro” yourself. It only asks if you want to upgrade AFTER finishing a conversion. I use mine to convert avi to NTSC mpg-2 before putting THAT file into Nero to burn to DVD; Nero makes a much bigger mpg, which sometimes won’t even fit onto a DVD, whereas Any Video can sometimes make them small enough to get two, or even three, on one disc, and with MUCH better quality (and sound) than Nero does on it’s own.
September 10th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Oh yeah, Any Video Converter doesn’t tell me I need to allow an ad display to update automatically in order to use it – isn’t “adware” considered to be “malware”? Go figure…
July 28th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Any video converter is good for me. never had problems