Any Video Converter(free)

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lowrider69

Senior member
Aug 26, 2004
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I used this program years ago on XP and from what I recall it was a good program. I was thinking of using it again but this time on Windows 7 x64. What I can't recall is if this program installs codecs all over the place on a system or just to the program files folder where the program is contained. I was going to fire it up in a VM to test the new version but I don't have the time yet. I just don't want codecs all over the f'n place and conflicts....or malware. My system is pretty basic, I only use WMP 12, that should give you an idea.


Anybody who uses the program and has an opinion on it please chime in.

Thanks.
 
akugami

akugami

Diamond Member
Feb 14, 2005
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You planning to transcode video? If so, why not give Handbrake a shot?
 
Gooberlx2

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
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Thankfully, most of the good recent freeware transcoders (handbrake, xmedia recode, avidemux, etc...) simply store their required libraries (ffdshow, etc...) in their own application directories, rather than fracking with system codecs and registries.
 
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lowrider69

Senior member
Aug 26, 2004
422
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Gooberlx2 said:
Thankfully, most of the good recent freeware transcoders (handbrake, xmedia recode, avidemux, etc...) simply store their required libraries (ffdshow, etc...) in their own application directories, rather than fracking with system codecs and registries.
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I think Any Video Converter stores it's libraries in it's own application directories, just not sure.

Anyway, I was looking at the below page for recommendations. I'm in no rush so I'll probably try a few in a VM when I have time.

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-audio-video-format-conversion-program.htm
 
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IGemini

IGemini

Platinum Member
Nov 5, 2010
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Freemake is actually a nice program, tried it a couple days ago. Has many more video options than Handbrake. It has absolutely miserable subtitle handling though...they are burned-in only and downscaling encoded video from 1080p to 720p somehow didn't apply to them and made them off-center.
 
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lowrider69

Senior member
Aug 26, 2004
422
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Well I installed Any Video Converter in a VM running XP Pro(my host is Windows 7 x64), I used the /NOCANDY switch to skip the Open Candy offers. Basically Open Candy will give you a choice if you want to install additional bullshit like so many freeware installers do now. But using that switch bypasses the offer screen completely. Anyway, Any Video Converter installs all of it's codecs into it's own codecs folder.... Program Files\AnvSoft\Any Video Converter\gnu\avc\codecs. I did a search by file creation date and nothing relating to that program was put anywhere except in it's own program folders.

I used to really like the program because it converted a wide range of formats and I liked the way it was laid out, it was easy to use. The new version is just as good IMO. It also has a youtube downloader built into it which is cool, although I don't really have a use for it. I tested it by downloading a few Van Halen videos and it works great. I'm going to test it some more before I install it onto my host.
 
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lowrider69

Senior member
Aug 26, 2004
422
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IGemini said:
Freemake is actually a nice program, tried it a couple days ago. Has many more video options than Handbrake. It has absolutely miserable subtitle handling though...they are burned-in only and downscaling encoded video from 1080p to 720p somehow didn't apply to them and made them off-center.
Click to expand...


I just tried Freemake yesterday in a VM, I liked it a lot. I had some issues with Any Video Converter and horrible audio sync, and I tried everything to correct it, I uninstalled it and installed Freemake on my host. So far so good.
 
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Ancalagon44

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2010
3,274
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I used a free program called Super, which worked fine. Lots of support for different codecs.
 
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DarkTXKnight

Senior member
Oct 3, 2001
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does anyone have any good simple handbrake guides floating around? Ive wanted to get some of my relatives to use it on their machines.
 
IGemini

IGemini

Platinum Member
Nov 5, 2010
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Handbrake's site has its own wiki on instructions, can't do much better than that.

I ended up switching back to it for blu-ray encoding, after I found out how to reformat the subtitle inputs myself.
 
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lowrider69

Senior member
Aug 26, 2004
422
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Costas Athan said:
Format Factory.

Free simple and easy.
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Error Factory. I tried that program, major POS. It couldn't convert anything, it would spit out an error for almost all formats. Did some searching and the author mentioned something on his site about installing K-Lite codec pack, F that. I don't touch codec packs. It's also annoying because the program installs it's own codecs so I don't know why I need to install additional codecs to utilize basic features. I found many other posts on various forums with people complaining about the same thing. Freemake is awesome, probably the best video converter in terms of ease of use and reliability I have used so far. Plus it has enough settings to make me happy. By the way I have tried Super!, Handbrake, etc...
 
Costas Athan

Costas Athan

Senior member
Sep 21, 2011
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sffaddon.com
lowrider69 said:
Error Factory. I tried that program, major POS. It couldn't convert anything, it would spit out an error for almost all formats. Did some searching and the author mentioned something on his site about installing K-Lite codec pack, F that. I don't touch codec packs. It's also annoying because the program installs it's own codecs so I don't know why I need to install additional codecs to utilize basic features. I found many other posts on various forums with people complaining about the same thing. Freemake is awesome, probably the best video converter in terms of ease of use and reliability I have used so far. Plus it has enough settings to make me happy. By the way I have tried Super!, Handbrake, etc...
Click to expand...

I never had a problem with it. I haven't installed any codec packs. I have installed ffdshow tryouts.
 
Costas Athan

Costas Athan

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Sep 21, 2011
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lowrider69 said:
Which is a codec.

"ffdshow tryouts is a DirectShow and Video for Windows codec with support for a wide range of audio and video formats"

Try Format Factory without any additional codecs installed.
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You are wrong here. ffdshow isn't a codec pack. See an analytical explanation here ==> http://www.vistax64.com/660465-post6.html and of course you can google it for additional info.

VLC uses libavcodec to play several video and audio formats and SUPER is just the front-end for other third party back-end encoders which are installed along with it. Of course without any coding or decoding code there isn't a magical way to re-encode video/audio or just play it.
 
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lowrider69

Senior member
Aug 26, 2004
422
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Costas Athan said:
You are wrong here. ffdshow isn't a codec pack. See an analytical explanation here ==> http://www.vistax64.com/660465-post6.html and of course you can google it for additional info.

VLC uses libavcodec to play several video and audio formats and SUPER is just the front-end for other third party back-end encoders which are installed along with it. Of course without any coding or decoding code there isn't a magical way to re-encode video/audio or just play it.
Click to expand...

Then sourceforge.net should change their explanation of it, because it clearly states:

"ffdshow is DirectShow and VFW codec for decoding/encoding many video and audio formats, including DivX and XviD movies using libavcodec, xvid and other opensourced libraries with a rich set of postprocessing filters."


http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow/

I'm not an expert with codecs, decoders, etc...the way things are worded it seems like it's a single codec that can decode/encode various formats.

Try uninstalling ffdshow and then use Format Factory and see how well it goes.
 
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lowrider69

Senior member
Aug 26, 2004
422
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henry48 said:
Any Video Converter is an easy to use video converter for free - just choose the source file and the output format and go. If you need, there are plenty of advanced options, as well as batch conversion, file merging, and cutting the frame.
​
Click to expand...

Read the above posts.
 
Costas Athan

Costas Athan

Senior member
Sep 21, 2011
314
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sffaddon.com
lowrider69 said:
Then sourceforge.net should change their explanation of it, because it clearly states:

"ffdshow is DirectShow and VFW codec for decoding/encoding many video and audio formats, including DivX and XviD movies using libavcodec, xvid and other opensourced libraries with a rich set of postprocessing filters."


http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow/

Try uninstalling ffdshow and then use Format Factory and see how well it goes.
Click to expand...

The description is fine! It doesn't say that it is a codec pack it says it is a codec. Singular number. It is a DirectShow filter. See also VFW (which is also mentioned in the description) and read about Multimedia frameworks.

edit: In the bottom line install ffdshow it won't mess your system in anyway like a codec pack may do.

As for the Format Factory it is just a front-end like SUPER. Go and delete the back-end programs of SUPER (if there are not listed in Windows "Uninstall a program" - probably they are not - do it manually, locate them in the installation folder) and try to re-encode something. Of course nothing will happen! Without the appropriate compression/decompression code it is impossible to re-encode or play a video or audio file!
 
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lowrider69

Senior member
Aug 26, 2004
422
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Costas Athan said:
The description is fine! It doesn't say that it is a codec pack it says it is a codec. Singular number. It is a DirectShow filter. See also VFW (which is also mentioned in the description) and read about Multimedia frameworks.

edit: In the bottom line install ffdshow it won't mesh your system in anyway like a codec pack may do.

As for the Format Factory it is just a front-end like SUPER. Go and delete the back-end programs of SUPER (if there are not listed in Windows "Uninstall a program" - probably they are not - do it manually, locate them in the installation folder) and try to re-encode something. Of course nothing will happen! Without the appropriate compression/decompression code it is impossible to re-encode or play a video or audio file!
Click to expand...

lowrider69 said:
Which is a codec.

"ffdshow tryouts is a DirectShow and Video for Windows codec with support for a wide range of audio and video formats"

Try Format Factory without any additional codecs installed.
Click to expand...

Which is a codec. I quoted my response for you.


Anyway, it's not a codec pack which is what you said it was,

Costas Athan said:
You are wrong here. ffdshow isn't a codec pack.
Click to expand...

it's a single codec that can encode/decode various formats.

Format Factory is a front end that installs it's own codecs for encoding/decoding. My point is they suck. Again, uninstall ffdshow tryouts and try Format Factory using the default codecs it installs with the program.

Why did install ffdshow tryouts in the first place?
 
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