How to convert MOV files created by a Kodak digital camera

[peliopoulos]

How to convert MOV files created by a Kodak digital camera

Tools:
mencoder

Some users of Kodak digital cameras have had problems converting MOV files to AVI and other formats. See http://www.assassinationscience.com/johncostella/kodak/ for a more detailed discussion of the problems.

I have found that mencoder will allow a user to convert the MOV file to a raw, uncompressed format.

1. Download the MPlayer package from
http://www.mplayerhq.hu/homepage/design7/dload.html

2. Run the file to install it on your hard drive. (e.g. in C:\Program Files\MPlayer)

3. Open a command window in your mencoder directory. To do this in Windows XP,
(a) click the 'Start' button, and click on 'Run'
(b) at the command prompt, type 'CMD' and click 'OK'

4. Enter the following command on the command line:
"C:\Program Files\MPlayer\mencoder" "C:\Movies\input.mov" -oac pcm -ovc raw -o "C:\Movies\output.avi"
where C:\Movies\input.mov is the name and location of the Kodak MOV movie and C:\Movies\output.avi is your desired output file.

5. Process the output.avi file in your favourite video processor (e.g.
VirtualDub, TMPGEnc, etc.)

The resulting file is huge (over 300MB for a one minute video), but you can
work with it. As well, some enterprising person can figure out some additional mencoder options to save themselves some processing time (see http://www4.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1.txt for more info on mencoder).

[triff]

Hello,

Interessant, since it works with anything Mplayer understands, which means a lot of formats ...

I just wanted to point you at :
http://mp4cam2avi.sourceforge.net/
which convert very quickly and without quality loss the .mov from certain camera (free softawre).

(At least for my kodak DX4530 which make .mov with H263 video and ulaw audio, it worked on the tests I made)


Cordially,

[peliopoulos]

Thanks for the pointer Triff. The "mp4cam2avi" solution is much better than using mencoder. It even converted my "problem" mov's.

[Bjs]

There's another tool called "super" which dose this as well , and more ... as well as being free .

[triff]

There's another tool called "super" which dose this as well , and more ... as well as being free .

With some quality loss if I understand good :
"As SUPER ® is a simple GUI, the quality of the rendered files or the played files DOES NOT depend on SUPER ®
The speed, rendered quality or the variety of the codec selection are the result of the great work achieved
by the respective authors of ffmpeg , mencoder , mplayer , x264 , ffmpeg2theora , libavcodec library & the
theora/vorbis RealProducer's plugIn."

So it will be reencoded (with quality loss)

[Bjs]

Really , I have yet to see any quality loss in the mov files I have converted too date .

Its the only thing I use it for , and have no time for testing all the settings , as far as I am concerned with its performance , its gold and leaves all others for dead .

Atleast those involved with the project are forward thinkers , and are coming up with a genuine product , unlike some I could mention , programs that is ...

[rweinstein]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum, but this blog came up on my search for Kodak .Mov file conversions, which by the way is a big pain in the $%^&!

I am glad to see others researching as well, I thought I was all alone. I converted my Kodak .MOV's to AVI's with a lot of loss and the files were gigantic! I used another program and it was a little better, but I am still searching for better conversion quality. I can't believe that all the latest DVD burning and creation software does not do this.

My question is about this "Super." Can someone point me to the freeware link or give me the name of this software? I cannot find it in any searches. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Rodney

[Baldrick]

super 1

have you tried MP4Cam2AVI ?

[chryslerdude]

super 1

have you tried MP4Cam2AVI ?

Hi Video-dudes!

I have an horribly annoying problem. I have been knee deep in Kodaks special-MOV-file-soup, ever since purchasing my first Kodak cam... an LS443.

It was a really nice cam, and made good pictures... BUT the fun stops here... right at the annoying MOV format, that nobody likes, and that no converter seems to accept. I have tried to many to mention here, and its the same deal with the LS443, or my new V570.

I was very excited when I came across this string, but after trying MP4cam2Avi, I experience that clicking ONCE on the output-file, my explorer crashes on nano second later, and db-click takes mediaplayer down too...

Did I do something wrong...?

PLEASE HELP ME, IM ABOUT TO CRUSH MY v570

[peliopoulos]

Hi chryslerdude,

I don't know offhand what is wrong with your computer (I'm the original poster and I'm using mp4Cam2avi). It sounds like there is something wrong with your Quicktime codecs maybe. I would try the mencoder solution that I posted or even use a program like PocketdivxEncoder or Mediacoder. Both these programs are really GUI frontends for mencoder.

Good luck

[chryslerdude]

Hi peliopoulos

Thanks for answering on this old subject.

I have not installed quicktime, as I dont like it very much. Never really did... I have instead VLC media player, so maybe thats why the codec is messing up. VLC plays MOV, but I dont think it looks very good. On the other hand, Im not sure of the quality of the files in the first place. I just tried to find a codec, but maybe I have to install Quicktime?

I'll have to go out now, and cool down... he he, but will try the Mencoder later. Thanks again!

[james10s]

Hi, what's the best way to convert video clips (up to 5 minutes long each) on my digital camera to DVD. The clips are between photos, all on the camera's SD memory card. I'd like to save all the clips on a DVD (for permanent storage and viewing on a DVD player). Suggestions welcome. I also have a pioneer hard drive recorder (530h-s) but find I'd have to somehow save the pictures and video clips at the same time. [Perhaps it's the only way?] Thank you.

[chryslerdude]

Hi James!

Funny how life is full of coincidences.. I sold my Kodak TODAY...!

Anyway, you dont have to burn all the photos aswell when you make a video backup DVD.... just copy all the the HD, and then pick the videofiles in your burner program, to burn onto DVD. If you dont have a "modern" DVD player, you mithe want to buy one, as many (most) newer players play MPEG4 of a normal data DVD.

If you have a Kodak, it probably make MOV files, and you're in for a lot of nasty pointless converting before you can watch them, and you might get stuck like me.

Good luck

[CSXno674]

Hello, I'm new here and have a question.

I use a Kodak Z730 for my video clips. It records using the dreaded ".mov" file format. Whenever I try to switch the format to ".avi" when using Kodak Easyshare Software, my computer freezes, so that method is no longer an option. My goal is to make these videos into .avi so I can encode them using "Windows Media Encoder 9" into .wmv file formats, so they are usable on "Windows Movie Maker."

Is there any software that will allow me to convert to .avi from .mov or convert directly to .wmv from .mov that is free? I have tried tons and tons of file format converting programs, and either they don't accept '.mov' or are way too complicated for an ordinary human like me to understand.

Anyways, thanks for the help in advance.

[TerryAllingham]

Thank You Thank You!!! The program MP4Cam2AVI works great in converting my MOV files (taken from a LUMIX camera). I had tried all kinds of settings using SUPER, but the quality was much worse, whatever I did. But MP4Cam2AVI works great!

[Crollo]

What's wrong with using Handbrake for conversions? To be honest I'd say it's the best for universal conversion.

[jntaylor63]

Does anyone know of a tool that will let em combine to an mp4 or mkv WITHOUT conversion? My Blu-Ray player will play MP4 / MKV so I just need to combine an mux to one of these formats.

I tried the mkvtool kit program and I combined my MOV to a single MKV, but the Blu-Ray player would not play them. (But the PC would)

THX, JNT.

[jntaylor63]

Looks like MP4Cam2AVI can merge and not reencode. If it can create MP4 files greater than 4GB, I'm sold.

[Crollo]

There is no possible way to 'convert' something to a entirely different container and codec without re-encoding. It's like asking if you can move all your stuff to a new house without using trucks to transport them.

[Well, you can avoid using trucks by actually moving everything using only your hands, but that'd be painful.]

[jvcbpl]

The best tool i ever used for mp4 to avi