MOV to AVI

[underwurlde]

Hello

OK.

A MOV is a container file for pre-encoded video - beit DivX Xvid MPEG 3ivX, whatever.

An AVI is a container file for pre-encoded video - beit DivX Xvid MPEG 3ivX, whatever.

So why do MOV to AVI programs seem to insist on re-encoding the video and thus lessen quality and potentially cause audio sync probs?

Surely it must be quite simple to convert from MOV to AVI - but every time I try it with the various proggies out there it always proves to be a real pain & takes ages (due to un-necessary video re-encoding - which always seem to be via MPEG2 ??).

Q: Is there a simple proggie out there that SIMPLY strips out the Audio & Video streams & re-muxes them into the AVI container? If not, why has this not been done? Licencing?

Cheers,

Andy.

[yoda313]

Hello,

I think it has to do with mov being quicktime and that is from Apple. Isn't AVI a Microsoft creature?? I think that helps explain it a little.

Kevin

[underwurlde]

Yes, MOV is Apple, which inherently makes it a pain in the ar*e. But WHY?

So it's Apple Quicktime, and my point is: so what? If the video was encoded using say DivX then I guess that the video data held in the MOV will be exactly the same as the data held in an AVI - I'm not sure, but why would it differ? - I'm sure the codec guys don't reinvent the wheel for different platforms.... So if the video data is the same regardless of container, why is it such a bugger to convert from MOV to AVI?

I am going to try to search for MOV and AVI file structure information and *IF* I get it then I will write a simple sodding DOS program to convert from MOV to AVI! Before I do this I want to know if I'm on the right racks or not, and hence this post.

I foresee that I will find bags of uselful info with regards AVI but nothing with regards MOV..... Anyone know of any useful sites please?

Andy.

[junkmalle]

RIFF (AVI) file format:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/default.asp?url=/archive/en-us/directx9_c/directx/ht...ereference.asp

[nickpick37]

Mmmmm, I know that QuickTime Pro can export to avi, I have done it a couple of time, but it was on my Mac G3.....

[underwurlde]

Thanks JM

NickPick... Yeah you can export a movie in QT to AVI on a PC but this is what I just don't get: It asks you to choose a compression codec (beit either Video or Audio). If you choose NONE make sure that they have first invented (and then you have installed) TeraByte HDDs.

e.g. try importing and then exporting an AVI to see if you can get the original back. When you import, it takes seconds (like i'd expect it to!), when you export....

Andy