Requesting Conversion Software Recs

[neadods]

Can anyone recommend a good free or shareware Windows program to convert .avi files to .mp4 files?

Comments

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Why not just use VLC Player (a freeware program) - which allows you to play both formats without needing to faff about converting...

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Because I want to watch them on the ipad instead of the laptop.

ETA: I used to have VLC player for the ipad, but it crashed constantly, and an .avi is so much larger than an .mp4 that I had to make a big point of separately uploading the files.

In this particular case, I want to upload something to the iPad that iTunes doesn't have... but I do. *cough*

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't have an iPad, but can't you d/l VLC player and use that on it?

ETA: NM, read your ETA

[easy-living.livejournal.com]

If it's a one-time thing, would it be easier to find an MP4 version of the file? The .mp4 format seems to have largely supplanted .avis in cough many places online.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Let me rephrase... my last two magic fairies got taken out back and shot and I don't know which magic fairy to be in league with next. I also don't know where any remaining ones might point me to the magic cabbage patch where Brimstone grows.

[easy-living.livejournal.com]

Checks own magic cabbage patch
Hmm, my preferred cabbage patch has the entire run but only in .avi format, probably because it's a 1998 show. I shall check a few other cabbage patches,,,

Another cabbage patch with the entire run in .avi, and two patches with nothing. Bah. Sorry, it was worth a try.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

That would be my problem. I have the avi (and a retro-legitimizing DVD set, for that matter). But I can't watch it on the ipad :(

I think the magic cabbage patches are getting nervous on account of what happened to my two.

[easy-living.livejournal.com]

The magic cabbage patches I visit don't seem to be getting nervous - they only let in cabbage-eaters they know, not the internet public at large, which keeps them a bit safer. But they typically don't upload old shows in new formats if they already have the older format available. .avi used to be the most common lower-def format, that switched to MP4 maybe a year or so ago and it's relatively unusual to find .avis of new shows now. But there's not a big demand for MP4s of old shows, I guess.

[jennetj.livejournal.com]

I use Freemake Video Converter to go the other way (mp4 to avi) because my DVD player won't play mp4s, but will play divx avis. It's free and works very well. I'm pretty sure it works the other way as well.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'll check it out.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

I use MPEG Streamclip for everything.

http://www.squared5.com/

It is amaze.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

*runs to click* Thank you!

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

I don't know for certain if it _can_ do it, but VLC converts many things to many things. You may need to dig around a bit installing codexes (codices? codii?) however.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Ooo! I didn't know it could convert as well as play!

[silmaril.livejournal.com]

In my version, it's under the Media menu, with "Convert/Save."

[acroyear70.livejournal.com]

handbrake (which still needs VLC installed because it uses VLC's libraries to handle the assorted input file formats). it is better on the mac than the PC but should do the job.

I use the mac version all the time to produce files for my tablets.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I've got VLC - I'll check this out, thanks!

[settiai]

I second HandBrake. I use it a lot for converting things for vidding purposes, and it always works perfectly.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I'll check it out.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

I have both Handbrake and Freemake Video Converter, because Handbrake is a better converter, but Freemake will create .avi files (which my DVD player will read, while not reading mp4s). Both are fine; Freemake has more wrappers/formats that it will write.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Thank you!