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Best Free Audio / Video Format Conversion Program
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 Go straight to the Quick Selection Guide |
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Introduction
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There are many different audio and video formats out there, and most devices (such as the iPod) and programs (such as Windows Media Player) will only take a few specific formats. A DVD or WMV movie will not play on an iPod, for example, without being converted into an MP4 file. Many commercial programs will do this conversion for you, but there are a few good ones that will do it for free. None of these programs are quite perfect, and they tend to fall into a few general categories:
While some are better than others overall, which one is best for you will depend on what sort of program you need. Note: I don't own DVDs, so I'm not qualified to review DVD rippers. If you want to review them, or have software suggestions, leave them here. |
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Discussion
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Device-oriented ProgramsPazera Video Converters Suite
Also recommended:
Hybrid Programs
Also recommended:
Custom-oriented ProgramsIf you need to make complex, custom jobs, FFCoder is the standout choice for its coherence. Like most programs in this review, it has an excellent device preset list, the ability to convert multiple files at once, and a simple, sleek interface. Unlike them, it supports highly advanced configuration for each of the dozens of video formats and codecs, down to lighting and rendering settings. Despite a few dependencies (listed below) and a learning curve for any tweaks past the presets, this is the best converter for almost any power user, device owner or not. Also recommended:
Audio-only ProgramsPazera Free Audio Extractor is the audio-only program in the above-mentioned Pazera Video Converters Suite. It supports both video and audio input and output to many formats, and is slightly simpler than some of its sibling programs. Otherwise, it is perfectly identical. Also recommended:
Tested and not recommended:
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is really a package of several separate device converters with a common launcher. Each converter is powerful, with several presets for device, custom tweaking/profiles, multiple-file support, all in a simple text-based interface. If you don't mind the launcher, you could effectively use it as a hybrid converter.
For even easier device conversion, there is 
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Related Products and Links
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1.2 
Unrestricted Freeware 
NT/98/Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7
This category is maintained by volunteer editor Arithmomaniac. Registered site visitors can contact Arithmomaniac by clicking here.
- Article type:
Comments
An alternative video convertor worth looking at might be xxxxx
But apparently I'm not able to post the URL without getting the error:
"Your submission has triggered the spam filter and will not be accepted."
Just to expand a bit more on what Anupam has said underneath for the benefit of new visitors or others unfamiliar with WOT (Web Of Trust). We remove these submissions for good reason. Sites do not attract an orange or red WOT rating for no reason. Occasionally the rating of a new or small site can be manipulated for malicious purposes by "false voting", but in this case WOT provides a system whereby the rating can be re-assessed and corrected. Suffice to say that if a site remains orange or red rated there are very good reasons why you should not go there. This is why only green rated links are allowed here.
The mention of the software, and the link has been removed... as the site has got poor rating on WOT... and as per our site policy, we do not allow links to such sites. Sorry.
If the file you're converting is under 50 megs then I've found fileminx handy: http://www.fileminx.com
Online so no need for any .net frameworks installed!
I disagree with Handbrake being 'not recommended.' Do give it a second look.
I've used it for quite some time and I've never had crashes. Currently running on a Win7 x64, quad-3.4GHz. I use quite high settings to get great rips of my dvds for my MCE and media players. They can take about 2-3hrs, but on normal quality which is fine for most people and portables, takes under 30min for a 2hr movie. It can queue too. I just did 6 movies, at the high settings I use, queued overnight while I slept. Also did an excellent job with a Blue-Ray.
Yes, it pretty much only H.264 in MP4 or MKV now, but as XVID was the best thing years ago, H.264/MKV is the trend now. If you want to do XVID, there is still the older 0.9.3 version, but I don't think you can find it on their site. As the site says, there is Google.
When doing a decrypted DVD (use DVDFab free version) you can pass and convert AC3 and DTS tracks, subtitles and Chapters, using MKV.
It can take almost any video file you have and convert it.
Should you have a problem playing MKV/H.264 files, look for some codec packs or simply download the free DIVX codec pack from divx.com.
Oh, did I mention Handbrake can be used on Windows, Mac OS and Linux?
Handbrake is considered more of a DVD Ripper, rather than converter. So, it has been covered in the Best Free DVD Ripper article. Thanks for the information though :).
Where it's featured as:-
"Good quality in transcoded video, supports multi-platform, small file size.
Slow speed in transcoding. It doesn't rip protected DVDs unless you pair it with third-party tools."
Surely that makes it a converter not a ripper? In its own right, what's it going to rip? If it's your own home video, that's just copying. If in the process you transcode, that's just converting.
Another video converter to add to the already long list of converters out there.
Hamster Video Converter : http://videoconverter.hamstersoft.com/en/
I found a good mp3 batch converter
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Audio-Convertors/Switch.shtml
i am using it and its doing a great job ... and its fast too ... and very simple
New X-media Recode 2244 is out with lot of improvement. It is a live project, author regularly updates encoders/libraries, so pay attention on this one...
D
Do this kind of programs install all codecs supported upon installation? Will my computer be full of codecs?
No, these programs do not install any external codecs. They use codecs internally to convert from one format to another, but they do not load your system with it.
Another freeware video converter :
http://www.freemake.com/free_video_converter/
Claims to convert many formats, and supports devices too. Also features DVD Burning, photo slideshow creation, YouTube publishing, and video editing too.
Downside is that it requires .NET 4.0 :(.
That's NOT a downside, if you don't like .NET Framework then I suggest you switch to Linux or something.
That being said, I do believe that 4.0 is an overkill at this point.
Anything that requires something to be installed to work is a downside. I hate dependencies, but if I already have it, then it is less burdensome.
This is especially true for those of us that like portable programs.
Many people do not like to install the heavy .NET frameworks, and therefore, I called it a downside. Its not a problem for users with large hard disks, but for those with smaller hard disks having less space, installing these .NET frameworks is a problem.
Thanks for the warning, I am currently using Mediacoder (used to use XMedia Recode but wanted something with internal codecs) however think I would like to switch.
BonkEnc is a great open source audio converter (currently it supports MP3, MP4/M4A, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, AAC and Bonk files). It also have a portable version at http://portableapps.com/news/2010-07-04_-_bonkenc_portable_1.0.15
The AAC audio encoding format is the successor to MP3 and sounds better than MP3 at similar bit rates. Most of these products use the inferior libfaac encoder. Use the free NeroAAC encoder instead: http://www.nero.com/enu/technologies-aac-codec.html
Check out this one:
AVIAddXSub http://www.calcitapp.com/AVIAddXSubs.php
It has a unique feature. It can streamline subtitles into an avi file in 1-2 minutes making them compatible to the most home dvd players.
No re-encoding no quality loss. Been using it with 100% success.
Unfortunately there no PC media player that can read this subs except DIVX player.
This software might be out of place here, because this section is about conversion, whereas this software performs other job than conversion.
Re: Pazera audio converter. Have never used a converted before. Want to be sure it leaves original file unharmed, just produces another file in new format.
Just noticed this MPEG 1@2 to AVI worth a try-
http://www.clonead.co.uk/
And to breaking protection-
http://www.dvdfab.com/en/passkey.htm
Only free during Beta ?
I really do not like products which remain free in beta stage. These are meant to "use" the people to try their beta product, and find out problems. Once the problems get sorted, and product is out of beta, it goes commercial. I think that is not fair.
Can iWisoft Free Video Converter save the subtitles in a .mkv video? for now this seems to me to be the only function that's lacking. I was using SUPER© until now, but it's very buggy.
I mean from a .mkv
like converting mkv to avi and the avi to have the mkv's subtitles.
Try using RipBot264.
Google for it and get it from the doom9 forum thread.
You will need install some codecs and avisynth before you can start using it though.
Advance users can also try out MeGUI.
Miro Video Converter requires .NET Framework 3.5.
30~50 MB additionals for downloading, arrghhh
no thanks!
If you have an updated operating system then you shouldn't need it, and even if you do it's just a one time download, if you still can't live with that then SWITCH TO LINUX! jeez!
Eusing... famous for free Eusing Registry Cleaner, have now come up with a free video converter.
http://www.eusing.com/free_video_converter/video_converter.htm
I don't get why you don't recommend Any Video Converter, as it's the only one that can embed subs.
All your suggested converters are therefore useless to me.
Its ridiculous to say that all other converters suggested here are useless, just because they do not have a feature that you want to see. I am sure many people do not agree with you on this. The software listed here are excellent. As MC below said, we are not here to cater to your personal needs, but to the needs of all. In that respect, the review is an excellent one. Take it, or leave it. If you have a suggestion to make, you are welcome to do it, but just don't make all other software seem useless.
Unfortunately this site does not exist to provide a personal service for you. That said, we appreciate the suggestion and no doubt the editor will consider it if he feels it has value for his article. With such a stack of programs available in this category though it's impossible to include all of them and too much choice only leads to confusion. For most average users, the feature you highlight will not be a major consideration.
Whoa! Comment explosion!
I have over 8 programs in the review queue, but I promise to look at at least two a week.
Arithmomaniac
Is mediacoder mentioned in the comments and media cope which i have are same?
I have format factory too but its results are inferior sometimes whereas media cope gives best quality video/audio conversion. Format factory is nowhere to it though it support too many formats.
No, MediaCope is a different software. I had tried MediaCope in the past, and although it has a lot of functions, but I tried the conversion tools, and I did not find them good. FormatFactory is superior, as it allows more flexibility over what you can control regarding conversion, and I think that's important. MediaCope has still some way to go.
Burrn is a great audio converter/burner all in one, never fails:
http://www.burrrn.net/
How about Xrecode for audio stuff? Works great (there's even a portable version).
http://xrecode.en.softonic.com/
I like,
command line ffmpeg, bad to the bone in the right hands...while you are at it, add command line (movie thumbnailer) mtn.exe args to get a contact sheet of the vid you convert automatically after converting...
binaryweasel
FF rules...The best in business.
How about viDrop? It's GPLv3 licensed.
Re. iWisoft Free Video Converter
The download link here is to easy-video-converter.com, which says that it is copyrighted iWisoft Corporation. Meanwhile and for the same video converter, or one with the same name anyway, Softpedia and CNET link to flash-swf-converter[DOT]com, which says to be copyrighted flash-swf-converter[DOT]com.
I always do cross-checking, like the concept of getting second medical opinions from doctors, f.e. (though I haven't seen a doctor in nearly 20 years), so this involves a little searching and I found another website for downloading a video converter with the same name, www.iwisoft.com, which says to be copyrighted iWisoft Inc.
Check for cross-links
I then checked the three websites to see if they link to each other, for I've found this to sometimes happen when this website provides a download link to one website while Softpedia and/or CNET link to other sites, sometimes two other websites, and there's sometimes a match. That happens for Moyea FLV Editor Lite, f.e. In that case, you all provided download links to websites with different domains or domain names, but it doesn't take much time to find that there is cross-linking between these websites. So then a person can be comfortable with downloading from any of the cross-mapped, say, websites.
But I'm not yet finding this for iWisoft Free Video Converter and I'd expect the maker of this converter to be a company named iWisoft and to have a matching website domain name. None of these three download websites link to iwisoft.com, .org, .net, .info, .mars, .etc, though; while of course iwisoft.com rather inherently does, but it's the fourth website. easy-video-converter.com, flash-swf-converter[DOT]com and iwisoft.com provide iWisoft Free Video Converter and I have not found any cross-mapping between any of the four websites, yet. And the website interfaces markedly differ. There's no resemblance.
So, "what gives"? Why does easy-video-converter.com call its converter iWisoft Free Video Converter, instead of Easy Video Converter? It'd be too sensible, right? And the same question of course applies to flash-swf-converter[DOT]com, which should call its converter, duh, let's see now; heh, maybe Flash SWF Converter might fit.
Who are these goofballs? Why isn't iwisoft.com being used? Is it a phony that just happens to have the right name, while one or more of the other three websites provide the real iWisoft converter? What's going on?
Will the real iWisoft please stand up so that the audience can know which of these four characters (websites) is the real iWisoft? It's time to stop playing games.
Update:
There is not really cross-mapping, but I did find a couple of cross-links and that iwisoft.com is the original website. A link to it should be included when providing links at other websites for downloading this company's products, I believe.
Take a look at XVID4PSP, MeGUI, Avidemux, FFCoder, MPEG StreamClip, and any more you can find because these are great encoders with a lot of advanced options. Sure the ones above are easy to use but with the exception of MediaCoder they offer no real advanced options that one needs and Mediacoder is probably the most buggy program mentioned on this whole web site. I am not saying that these are bad choices that you have because they are all great converters. Anyway the power is in Avisynth and I tend to look for programs that are compatible with it and I mostly use those programs. If you need a good source for free Video Encoders check out this web site. ( mind you a lot of the programs listed at this forum are out of date but there are still a whole lot that are regularly updated and at least worth mentioning). http://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/video-encoders
Anyway just a suggestion, because there are a lot of encoders out there that are absolutely as good as most commercial programs (HCenc, D2mp, XVID4PSP) and are free, and the reason they are so good is because of Avisynth.
I used A LOT of encoders, and so far XviD4PSP is one I liked the most.
Thanks for the tip ... I was wondering what made XVID4PSP both so slow and so powerful.
Avidemux probably won't get reviewed in this category ... but I'll take a look at all of them.
Arithmomaniac
How about:
- Free Video Converter - Extensoft: nice interface, works well, limited editing possible, codecs are configurable, no nags
- Prism Converter - NCH Software: efficient, seems faster than Free Video Converter, codec configuable, clear interface.
Using this together with K-Lite Codec Pack full.
I tried iWisoft but the nag screen irritated me and also found it hanging several occasions.
Think this section could have an update - there is a lot more free stuff available (eg Avidemux, VirtualDub, ). Also to address free codecs, which ones to choose.
I used NCH for a bit, but I really dislike fact that, even after I try to minimize the install, I still end up with lots of undesired programs and links and registry additions. (I use a install watcher... lots of junk comes with NCH products.)
It's sad, because otherwise the single product might be OK, but I just have no respect for company that tries to install tons of things you never ask for.
Products from NCH software are good, but they install other crap on the system, which I do not like.
I have used Iwisoft Converter briefly, and I did not see any nag screen with it.
Avidemux, Videodub are mainly for video editing, and as such they are not suitable for this category. They are covered in the Best Free Video Editor. Free codecs are also not eligible for this category of audio/video conversion. Codecs are a different category altogether.
You can avoid the NCH crap by ticking several boxes during install. They put some crap in the start menu but that is easily removed.
Nag screen - not right wording - it opens Internet Explorer when you close the program. Unwanted...
Agree on other comments, however you can use these editors to convert between formats so avoids having a seperate program.
NCH looks a little too aggressive, but I downloaded the other one and will take a look at it next week.
Arithmomaniac
Thanks for the reply. I have not used Avidemux, or Videodub much, so I didn't know about that. Thanks for the information.
Could anyone recommend me program to easily JOIN video files of the same type? Unfortunately iWisoft Free Video Converter doesn't provide such option.
I realize that I can convert and merge files but every time I have to use preset that doesn't match original video parameters - what I need is to just seamless join without changing any properties like bitrate etc.
virtual dub is a great free program to join video files...it joins two 700 mb files in about 3 mins.
http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/guides/avs/merge-video-files-with-AVS-Video-...
Format Factory also supports ripping DVD to general video files and converting music CD to audio file.
Ah, so Miro Video Converter was included. That's great :).
Another open source video converter is there now.
Ultimate Video Converter : http://uvideoconverter.sourceforge.net/
Currently said to be in development, and the home page says that more codecs will be added soon. Don't know what it supports currently. I am planning to check it out.
I still like iWisoft Free Video Converter the best pretty much...besides that converting when with it always fails :/... also its update nag.
I get this error. :/
Total Memory: 2097151(KB), Avail Memory: 2097151(KB)
Total Virtual Memory: 2097024(KB), Avail Virtual Memory: 1652924(KB)
The following information can be found in file: C:\Program Files\iWisoft Free Video Converter\CrashReport\1100317_023949_main.txt
Error Code: C0000005 (EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION)
Module Name: C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
Instruction Address: 0X77593035
Base Offset: 0X00053035
-----------------stack track-----------------
But I have lots of memory left...so... :(
But sometimes it works. :)
Still... :(
Will iWisoft or Format Factory convert a song from a CD into an MP3 file, or do you need son other software to rip the file from the CD first?
Thanks
iWisoft is not a CD/DVD ripper. I think FormatFactory is, but I don't have it installed.
Arithmomaniac
For as long as I can remember I have used Mediacoder and Format Factory for all video conversion and I am very happy with both but at times I get bored and decide to install new software to review just for the heck of it. Since I have been making a lot of DVD's lately I decided to try some new conversion software. I love iWisoft video converter, it is great. I think that I would like it better than Format Factory but I have never been annoyed more by something than when it opens a browser every time the program starts.
I also tried Aura Free Video Converter and was very surprised. This program is great. It supports 26 input formats and 20 output formats where format factory only supports like 15 output formats. The app is simple and has some advanced formats, not as many as some others but overall this program is worthy of review. Check it out. http://www.aura4you.com/free-video-converter.php
Format Factory now installs the Ask toolbar and is persistant in its efforts to do so! Wish I had known that before I installed it! :(
Do you have any kind of firewall on your system? I have observed that setups which contain Ask Toolbar, ask for internet access during installation. If you deny the access, the somehow the option to opt out of Ask Toolbar does not appear. But, if you allow the access, then the option appears, and you can choose not to install the toolbar.
Yes and the firewall caught it but it still installed and tried to deploy before it got caught by WinPatrol then when I used Your Uninstaller to remove it the flaming thing tried to reinstall instead of uninstalling. Persistant little devil!
Yes, these toolbars, and such things can be quite a menace... and can give you a hard time once they get installed on the system. If you have System Restore on for your PC, then you can try that.
Nowadays many reputed software come bundled with Ask Toolbar, or such things, and you have to be very careful while installation.
Aura is just Any Video Converter with a different name - everything else is identical
A new video converter has been released : Miro Video Converter ... from the makers of Miro, the video/tv player. The video converter is free, and open source.
While the video converter does not have advanced options to allow changing the file parameters, or batch options, but it allows simple, one click conversion for many devices.
Can be got here : http://mirovideoconverter.com/
I took a look at Miro converter and it is a good converter. If it supported more output formats it would be great but it only supports mp4 and ogg theora as output. It does have support for mobile devices as well.
Thanks! I had no internet for spring break (to my surprise), but will hopefully update the article soon.
Arithmomaniac
Take your time :)... I just made a suggestion that I came across.
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