Converting to/from video formats

[SimonP]

As wonderful as VRD is (one of my favourite programs of all time actually), it cannot handle all formats so sometimes we'll need to edit a file in a different format and want to convert it to one that VRD can handle rather than use some second-rate editor that just leaves us frustrated.

So, could I have some recommendations for good conversion programs please - free or paid-for.


Xilisoft Video Converter Ultimate is one of the best I've found so far

MovieShop works quite well and can edit lots formats but it has the worst UI ever!


What is your favourite converter?

 

[phd]

That's a loaded question.

It will depend on the source video format and desired output format.

 

[Redboy]

What is your favourite converter?

Not really but I do like Nero for converter...

I do have SONY VIDEO ( Vegas Video Editing 8 ) something but it is overkill for me too many UI, too confused and drain times...I never use again...

 

[SimonP]

Thanks. I have Nero but have only ever used the Burning Rom program, I keep forgetting there's a whole lot of other stuff there I'll give it a try.

 

[txporter]

My favorite after years of tinkering with various programs is avisynth + whatever encoder needed (I generally use x264 for H.264 video and HCenc for MPEG2 video, on the rare cases I need XVID, I use xvid_encraw). These are all command line encoders that marry well with avisynth. There are enough plugins for avisynth that you can handle basically anything you throw at it if you know what you are doing.

 

[Anole]

a few I use

I also only use Nero only for their Burning Rom program.
... because it'll burn two DVDs at once!
Maybe I should look at it again...

When there's a need to make a proper DVD out of some random format I've downloaded, I use ConvertXtoDVD.
It's inexpensive, and probably far more capable than I even give it credit for.
A friend had some 1080 HD video clips she took with her Sony still camera at a family weekend.
I turned that into one video file with chapter marks, and made a DVD she could give out to relatives.
VRD could have done the job, but in this case, there was no editing to do.

When I get some file that won't play on my all-mode upconverting DVD player, and want to make a decent XviD, I run it through the free SUPER.
It's kind of a Swiss Army knife, and the biggest problem is deciding which of the 500 options to use.

Also bought WinAVI about 5 years ago.
It's okay, and did some basic tricks for me back then.
I tend to not think of it any more. There are just other good solutions.
If it has gotten much better in the mean time, it might be interesting to revisit.
Thanks for reminding me, my license is for all future versions.

PS: all the above has been discussed on the forum in years past, so nothing really new.