converting wmv and/or asf to avi or mpeg

[corumz]

I have some asf and wmv video files that I would like to convert or encode to avi or mpeg. I have had no luck doing this successfully. I end up with audio only and no video. I was able to convert asf to wmv. I've tried using two different converters.

I want to be able to distribute these files so anyone can play them and not be dependent upon windows media player.

Any thoughts and/or suggestions?

Thanks

[jimmalenko]

https://www.videohelp.com/guides.php?tools=&madeby=&formatconversionselect=ASF+to+AVI&h...or+List+Guides
https://www.videohelp.com/tools?toolsearch=&s=&orderby=Name&hits=50&convert=ASF+to+AVI&...+or+List+tools
https://www.videohelp.com/tools?toolsearch=&s=&orderby=Name&hits=50&convert=ASF+to+MPG&...+or+List+tools
https://www.videohelp.com/tools?toolsearch=&s=&orderby=Name&hits=50&convert=WMV+to+AVI&...+or+List+tools
https://www.videohelp.com/tools?toolsearch=&s=&orderby=Name&hits=50&convert=WMV+to+MPG&...+or+List+tools


However your problem comes not from Windows Media Player, but from the codec(s) used in your ASF and WMV files. For example, if you encode to XviD, then everyone is going to need an XviD codec to play your video. All Windows versions have inbuilt support for MPEG-1 without the user needing to download anything, but this support comes via Windows Media Player, so ...


Personally I'd use virtualdub1.3c to convert to AVI or TMPGEnc Plus to convert to MPEG. I'd also just choose a codec that suits your own uses, and people will just have to get the codec you use.

[Krispy Kritter]

As most everyone has Windows Media Player installed, even if it isn't your player of choice, that isn't a very compelling reason to do conversions. Not to mention that most of those files are low quality anyway, so conversion will only give you a larger file with the same or worse quality.

[corumz]

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions. The main purpose for converting to mpeg is to burn to cd so people can watch on their DVD player and not have to use the computer. I understand about the comments on quality. I'll have to consider all these and make a decision. I have a non-movie type situaiton that has a bunch of little files which I plan to combine into a single stream. There are two many to set up as chapters. This is an instructional video with each step as a separate small file, most less than 3 mb.

Thanks again for your responses.

[jimmalenko]

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions. The main purpose for converting to mpeg is to burn to cd so people can watch on their DVD player and not have to use the computer.

If you want it to be playable in a settop DVD player, then you have a number of options - VCD, SVCD or DVD are just three.

VCD or SVCD is supported by quite a nubmer of DVD players therse days, but can be a bit hit or miss. Therefore probably the best format for the widest support would be DVD itself. http://members.dodo.net.au/~jimmalenko/AVI2DVD.htm should be able to help you out with conversion to DVD-compliant MPEG-2, then all you need to do is author. I prefer TMPGEnc DVD AUthor for this (30 day fully functional free trial).

[oldfart13]

WinAVI is a nice convertor that I have used successfully for many different file types including RM and WMV. You might try that...