How to convert .flv (flash video) to .avi or .mpg

hitrec · Member Joined: 23 Jan 2004

Some sites have flash video’s online that play in your browser, if you have the correct plugins.
Thanks to Veblin, I learned that these video’s are stored on your HD (most likely the Temp Internet Files), and that they (sometimes) have the .flv (FLash Video) extension.

The .flv files play fine in the latest VLC player (v 0.81) or a dedicated FLV player like http://www.martijndevisser.com/archives/000021.php

I wanted to try to convert to avi or mpg and could not find a guide on videohelp, so I did some research of my own.
This is A way, it worked for me, and I would like to share it with you (helping this fine board to help others).

I use the RivaFLVencoder;
http://www.rivavx.com/index.php?encoder&L=3
which is freeware and it’s based on the FFMPEG encoder (normally it is used to create .flv files from .avi or .mpg, but it can do the reverse too).
There is also FlixPro by Wildform, but that costs about $150.

Download, install and open Riva.

Klick the Browse button in the Input tab and locate the .flv file you want to convert.

Klick the Browse button in the Output tab to select the location to save your output.

The default outputname will have the extension .flv (after all it is an FLV encoder) but just click it and change the extension to .avi or .mpg

Then adjust the encoding parameters for both video and audio to your liking

Make sure you check the box Enable Audio or you’ll end up with a mute video.

It’s possible that the .flv contains an audiocodec that will not be transcoded. A solution for that is to play the original .flv and record the audio with Audacity (for instance) and to mux that recording with the .avi or .mpg you get from Riva.

Just experiment with the settings, but don’t expect miracles.

With the correct settings, you can now hit the Encode button

The FFMPEG window will popup

When FFMPEG is done with the encoding, this window will close and (hopefully) you have an .avi or .mpg.

The .avi is compressed with FFMPEG’s divx codec, as far as I know.

Again, this is only a way of converting that I tried and it worked for me.
It might be possible to use only FFMPEG, but I’m not familiar with it’s commandline, so I’m gratefull for the GUI of Riva.
Someone out there might have a much better solution, but he/she did not post a guide.

Special credits and thanks to Veblin of the streaming forum for pointing out some things to me.

Regards,
Hitrec

(Thanks for the BBCode tip Baldrick)

Baldrick · Administrator Joined: 09 Aug 2000 Location: Sweden

you must deselect "disable bbcode". click on edit on your post.

tonemgub · Member Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Location: U.S.

Total Video Converter will also do it...

http://www.effectmatrix.com/total-video-converter/index.htm

pavandude · Member Joined: 24 Nov 2004

Problem with Riva FLV Encoder is when converted to MPG, there is considerable loss in quality.
Anything which keeps the quality????

kschang · Member Joined: 08 Nov 2002 Location: United States

nord117 · Member Joined: 22 Jun 2004 Location: USA

I can't get Riva to convert a flv to avi (seems like FFMPEG is not kicking in). I get sound, but no video. What am I doing wrong here?

I tried Total Video converter also. It works, but it leaves an annoying watermark.

Thanks!

joojupxp · Member Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Location: ca

Baldrick · Administrator Joined: 09 Aug 2000 Location: Sweden

try latest super

joojupxp · Member Joined: 24 Dec 2003 Location: ca

citizenwp · **Banned** Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Location: China

There are many tools can do it if it costs.
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Today my old skin has become as dust. I will walk tall among men and they will know me not , for today I am a new man, with a new life.
http://www.flash-on-tv.com/
http://video-to-flash-encoder.com/

dommromm · Member Joined: 03 Aug 2004

It's true that the Riva FLV Encoder does a great job on converting FLV to Avi or Mpg, but not all FLV files are compatible.

I recently download a FLV file that, while it plays perfectly, the Riva program can not convert it to neither Avi or Mpg. It gives out errors relating to codecs compatible and the such.

I even tried CinemaForge and that program can't convert it either.

Just to be sure that the Riva Encoder was still working correctly, I converted another FLV file without any problems. Which now proves to me that the problem is with that FLV file. Was this file made with a newer, updated codec? If so, then what would that codec be????

Is there a way to add updates to the FLV Encoder program? Or is there a better (Superior) program that can also convert FLV to Avi/Mpg but has the latest, newest codecs already installed?

Any help will be appreciated?

Baldrick · Administrator Joined: 09 Aug 2000 Location: Sweden

tried latest super?

nord117 · Member Joined: 22 Jun 2004 Location: USA

Super is a terrific tool for flv conversion! Thanks for posting this Baldrick!

Guasinton · Member Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Location: Spain

other program is CinemaForge 2.0

Remyisme · Member Joined: 15 Jan 2006 Location: here

that's the message that i got from Virtualdub after converting a flv file with cinemaforge& super and than opening it with VD:

VirtualDub has detected an improper VBR audio encoding in the source AVI file and will rewrite the audio header with standart CBR values during processing for better compatibility. This may introduse up to 0 ms of skew from the video stream. If this is unacceptable, decompress the *entire* audio stream to an uncompressed WAV file and recompress with a constant bitrate encoder. (bitrate: 128.0=0.0 kbps)

cantckaja · Member Joined: 20 Jul 2004

i used super but theres no sound, how can i fix this?

BorgmanJayce · Member Joined: 20 Feb 2004 Location: United Kingdom

I find that I'm having the same problem as cantckaja in that when I try to encode a file using SUPER, I can encode the video fine but the sound isn't encoded at all... Anybody know why this is so?

darkflux · Member Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Location: United States

when i try Riva, if i add ".mpg" it encodes mpeg-2 video, but no sound. if i add ".avi", i get MPEG-2 sound, but messed up (or NO) video. SOLUTION: encode BOTH, them "MUX" using VirtualDub with "Direct Stream Copy" for audio, choose vid codec for AVI. if you encode the MPEG2 file (in Riva) at 2000 kb/s, then re-enc using 1000 kb/s (or less as needed), it should turn out ok.

UPDATE: for some odd reason, if i set the settings to:
.MPG 320x240 framerate:30 bitrate:2000 audio bitrate:128 sampling:44100 STEREO
it converts OK! then i can do whatever with it. i think it was the "STEREO" setting that did it, but it's something to try! good luck all!

Gregg · Member Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: Miami, FL

Hi,

I have two flash video files which are actually .exe files. Is it possible to convert those and how?

Ai Haibara · Posted: Apr 27, 2006 20:12

Perhaps, but you'd need to extract the SWFs from the EXE projectors, first. (Note that there are utilities out there that'll do this for you, but I don't know what they are - I've only ever done it manually.

)

Second, the SWFs have to have FLV video streams within them. (If the FLV streams are encoded using VP6 rather than the FLV codec, that can cause problems with converting as well, I believe.)
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darkflux · Member Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Location: United States

Ai Haibara is right, Gregg, there are programs that can "extract" the SWF data inside other files, but it's rather cumbersome to learn, and quite a process at that! i gave up on trying to learn it after the first DAY! you can try if you like; try searching google for "swf extract" (in quotes), or something similar. you'd be better off though, trying Camtasia Recorder to just screen capture the video (and audio), for this situation. SWF .exe files weren't meant to be decompiled, but quite simply to provide an easy way to play SWF files without a separate player. your PC (P4 3.0Ghz correct?) should be able to handle the moderate load required to screen capture quite well, as i have a similar PC at home.

Iv3_imt · Member Joined: 07 Sep 2005 Location: Australia

hello...
im new to this program..
i just downloaded this
i read from the guide as above that for input, i choose the flv.file
but why cant i choose flv files ?
when i klik browse (for input), message box will appear
and i try to locate my flv files
but this only shows me video files
and under type of files, there none choice other than "video files'
so how can i use this program to convert flv to avi??

which one better, Riva or Super?
thank you

darkflux · Member Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Location: United States

Iv3_imt,
1. be sure you're browsing in the proper folder (the one your FLV is in).
2. be sure your FLV has the .flv extension on it (sometimes you can download them without it adding an extension).
3. you can also drag & drop the file into Riva. this has worked for me.

FLV files SHOULD show up when browsing. they do in mine, this is why i mentioned checking that the filename ends in .flv
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darkflux

Iv3_imt · Member Joined: 07 Sep 2005 Location: Australia

thank alot..
i get it know
what i need to do is by putting .flv in my file' names
it works now..
im so happy..
thank you

mmm im sorry that i ask question which is out of the topic
im looking for freeware to put audio in the video..
i mean.. i have a fanvideo
and i want to change the song in that video with other song..
do u know what software i can use to do so (to separate audio n video and then putting audio into that video)?
hope i make sense
thank you

darkflux · Member Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Location: United States

since it's relating to the same problem, i think it's okay...
anyways, VirtualDub works with both avi and mpeg files, however, it only CREATES avis. it's kinda tough to find a freeware MPEG editor, so if your file doesn't NEED to be mpeg, i'd stick with VDub. otherwise, you might try Womble MPEG Video Editor. it's one of the few programs that doesn't need to re-encode the video to add or delete audio files.
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Iv3_imt · Member Joined: 07 Sep 2005 Location: Australia

so i can use Vdub to add or delete audio files from video?
are there any guides here in regard to this?
thank you