MP4 to AVI?

[ffutures]

Can anyone recommend a simple (and preferably free) program that will convert MP4 files to AVI? MP4 seems to be becoming quite popular, but the media player in my TV doesn't recognize the files.

Comments

[paratti.livejournal.com]

VLC plays it fine on my Windows 7 laptop.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

No problem with VLC, but sometimes I want to play files from a memory stick plugged directly into the TV while I'm using the computer for something else.

[nojay.livejournal.com]

VLC will convert video files; use the streaming option (Ctrl+S), select your MP4 file and in the drop-down menu beside "stream" choose Convert (Alt+C).

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I hadn't thought of that.

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Another option: VirtualDub (any reasonably recent version).

On the first attempt, tell it to use "direct stream copy" on both audio and video. If that works, then you'll get an AVI file with exactly the original video data in, i.e. no quality loss at all, and it'll convert very quickly as it's just literally copying the data from teh MP4 conatiner into an AVI container. If it *doesn't* work (some MP4 files are reported as containing "a codec that is not compatible with AVI files"), then switch the video handling to "fast recompress" and choose whatever codec you favour for your AVI files. Conversion is slower (because the video now has to be decoded and re-encoded), and the amount of quality loss depends on what codec and settings you choose but is never "nil" - but it's still pretty quick and straightforward.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

It doesn't seem to know that mp4 files are video files, so won't let me open them.

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

[BLINKS] Really?

Ah! You probably need an input plugin to handle it. Try this one:
http://forums.virtualdub.org/index.php?act=ST&f=7&t=15093

It's a plugin to allow VirtualDub to read *any* video files that DirectShow handles, and since DirectShow is the current/most common interface for opening video streams under Windows (it replaced the old VfW system on which VirtualDub is based), it gives access to a whole load of newer file formats. I've been using it so long now I forget it isn't just part of vanilla VirtualDub. =:o?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Still not working, unfortunately - but I've found a program called mp4toavi that works, though it's a bit slow.

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

Hm. I'm baffled. What error message/response is VDub giving?

And which version are you using?

(Don't waste any more time on it if you don't want to, it would just be good to know what the issue is in case it crops up again.)

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

1.9.11

Unable to set file name on media detector: hr=80004005

But I now have conversion working by other means, so I'd prefer not to keep messing around with it.

[averageshmoe.livejournal.com]

Have you tried Freemake Video Converter? I've been using it and have been very happy with the results. It's customizable and will convert into various formats.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately that needs Net Framework 4, which has problems with my oldish hardware.