converting video/audio formats programs

whats the point of having a video/audio format converter?

You can just change the format through the extensions(eg .avi to .wmv) in windows couldn't you, whats the difference?

 

This explanation may break the ice. More about containers and video formats. YWIA.

 

codecs are entirely different. AVI/mpegs/mp4/mkv/wmv/mov. Not all software is capable of decoding each codec.
Changing the extension won't work, the software still won't be able to read it.

There are some software vlc and gomplayer that can decode almost all the different codecs.

 

You can not change the encoding or the container format by simply changing the file's extension. You need to transcode it from one format to another.

Changing the file extension is just that changing the extension. Players like VLS media player that can play a semi-finished or semi-corrupted video file will still be able to play the clip, as they do not look at the extension. Other players like windows media player may or may not be able to play the file depending on whether the extension/format is supported by them or not.

 

You obviously speak from a PC user perspective. If you're watching videos and listening to music on your PC, then no, you don't actually need a converter. There are codecs which can be installed to support any format ever invented.

However, standalone devices (DVD/DivX players, ipods and clones, mobile phones, etc.) have a very limited format support, and you can't install a missing codec. So if you wish to watch/listen content on these devices, you need to have your media in a supported format.

 

i take it that converting the format from avi to wmv would deteriorate the quality of video to wmv quality? and converting wmv to avi would improve the quality to avi quality? or am i wrong

 

You cannot simply change the extension to convert media files, there's a wealth of media conversion tools, and the best of the bunch are even free.

Everything about media files etc... here : http://forum.doom9.org/

More specifically about conversion and the tools recommended here : http://forum.doom9.org/forumdisplay.php?f=78

 

nope, you cant just change the extensions.

personally, im still looking for that perfect-quality multi-pass video encoder that does it 'just as you want'

but sadly, I dont think it exists yet.

 

It would really depend on what's in the AVI. AVI is not a format (codec) but a container (as already mentioned in post #2), as opposed to WMV which is microsoft's proprietary codec. You can cram video/audio streams encoded in many different codecs (WMV included) in an AVI container, see this Wikipedia container comparison page.
WMV is in no way a lesser format anymore, version 9 is in fact superior to AVI. It was originally designed as a streaming codec, but improved over the years and now v9 supports even the HD (720/1080p) quality. WMV compression is still something to improve upon though.

In no way can a change of format/codec improve the quality (bitrate, resolution) of the original source.

 

If top quality is needed than you should take a look at x264 Encoder, and MEGUI or VirtualDub as wrappers.

 

lol, ive tried all 3 (and more) in the past.

having aspect ratio problems with YouTube, black letterbox-type problems, even using the suggested 1280x720 / 30fps and 128 bitrate audio, its really ~ Snipped as per TOS ~ !