How to Convert h264.MP4 to avi?

[skorpinok]

Hi, how to convert h.264.mp4 videos to avi without loss of quality? please suggest me good software for this.
thanks.

[jagabo]

Remux with AviDemux. But why do you want to convert to AVI? If it's to play in a Divx/DVD player a simple remux won't work.

[dragonkeeper]

Without loss of quality. Not possible anytime you convert from 1 format to another your gonna have some quality loss, it you do a good job on the re-encode you still will have minimal loss but it's still there. In order to keep your quality loss at a minimum if your convert from h264 to xvid or either divix you can count on the file size being about 30% larger. At least that was the experience i had when trying to convert to avi files that would play on my DVD player.

In the end i wound up building a HTPC. Best thing i could have done at least my wifey thinks so .

But to answer your question when i tried i wrote an Avisynth script that allowed me to load the file into encoder of my choice. Avisynth along with Virtualdub will allow you to do this.
1.Write one line script, something along the lines of
DirectShowSource ("path tpo file" , fps="use mediainfo to get this number")
2. Load file in VirtualDub set video processing to full and chose your filters and compressor i.e xvid.
chose file save as whatever.avi.
sounds very simplistic and most often it is audio sync issues will most often be your problem. And if the video is not in mp3 or AC3 you should to convert it to such.

[bandit65]

@ Skorpinok: I've had CCTV footage backed up in .h264 format and searched the Net blue and blind for a way how to view the backed up files. Here's the link to download a converter from .h264 to .avi and then view it in VLC player. btw no loss os quality etc..

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/24910358/VideoConver.exe

Hope it helps

[Baldrick]

Do you really think anyone will touch that exe file? Please give more info.

[frankzen]

So I guess I too am outta luck ? I have a movie encoded with h264 -mpeg-4 AVC (part10). It came with an mp4 extension...and I'd like to play it on my standalone DVD player, but it does not recognize the file. All the movies I can play on this machine seem to have avi extensions and were mostly encoded with MPEG-4 Video (xvid) . Is there no hope ???

[Baldrick]

frankzen: Not without quality loss. But it will still look okey. Use any of https://www.videohelp.com/tools/sections/all-in-one-video-converters and convert to avi with xvid/divx video and mp3 audio.

[frankzen]

OK thanks very much. I think I'll give VLC, Handbrake and WinFF a try (I'm on Linux)...and we'll see what happens. Too bad these DVD players don't support more advanced codecs.

[deadmeow]

If you just want to convert from h264/.mp4 to divx/xvid/.avi, I would suggest using xvid4psp. Then you can play the files on your DVD player.

If you want to upgrade from your DVD player, you can get a digital Media Player that will play virtually all types of files and extensions (divx,h264,mp4,mkv,avi, etc..). and you can watch it on your TV with no problem. They run around 100 dollars or so.

I have an Asus O!play media player which plays everything great. Also the WD TV Live is popular in the forums here.

[jagabo]

Yes, try Xvid4PSP with the "XviD HQ Ultra" preset. But turn off the "Quarter pixel search", "Global motion compensation" options, And set B-frames to 1 or 2. The defaults will trip up many players.

[frankzen]

If you just want to convert from h264/.mp4 to divx/xvid/.avi, I would suggest using xvid4psp. Then you can play the files on your DVD player.

If you want to upgrade from your DVD player, you can get a digital Media Player that will play virtually all types of files and extensions (divx,h264,mp4,mkv,avi, etc..). and you can watch it on your TV with no problem. They run around 100 dollars or so.

That's a great idea. Didn't even know they were available. Got any brands names ?

I have an Asus O!play media player which plays everything great. Also the WD TV Live is popular in the forums here.

Thanks for the ideas.

[frankzen]

Yes, try Xvid4PSP with the "XviD HQ Ultra" preset. But turn off the "Quarter pixel search", "Global motion compensation" options, And set B-frames to 1 or 2. The defaults will trip up many players.

Apparently it's only available for Windows...I'll either have to transfer the file to my wife's computer or find a Linux equivalent.

[jagabo]

[QUOTE=frankzen;2109034]

get a digital Media Player...

That's a great idea. Didn't even know they were available. Got any brands names ?I have a Western Digital WDTV Live. I've been pretty happy with it although it has a few quirks. Newer versions are the Live Plus (includes Netflix streaming) and the Live Hub which has a built in hard drive for storage.

There are zillions of others: http://www.iboum.com/net-media-players.php

[frankzen]

[QUOTE=jagabo;2109059]

get a digital Media Player...

That's a great idea. Didn't even know they were available. Got any brands names ?I have a Western Digital WDTV Live. I've been pretty happy with it although it has a few quirks. Newer versions are the Live Plus (includes Netflix streaming) and the Live Hub which has a built in hard drive for storage.

There are zillions of others: http://www.iboum.com/net-media-players.php

There sure are!! Gonna be tough to pick..this is gonna be a major project!

Thanks for everyones help. What a great forum.

[jagabo]

Gonna be tough to pick..this is gonna be a major project!

A lot of them are no longer available or only available in some regions. So that will narrow the choices down a bit.

[jyeh74]

I used Xvid4PSP but when I open the .264 file and try to convert it to mp4, it says "error FFVideo Source: Video Track is unseekable"

What does this mean?


I am trying to find something to convert .264 file to avi or mp4. Is there a simpler free program to use?

[Ai Haibara]

If you've got a *.264 file, you probably have a raw h.264 video stream, not an MP4 as this old topic suggests. (Run it through Mediainfo to be sure, if you aren't.) You generally need to mux it into a video container before you can do anything with it.

Give avc2avi a try, see if it does what you're looking for. Otherwise, you can use mkvmerge (from mkvtoolnix) to mux it into an MKV. It's probably better to use MKV over AVI, since the source IS a raw h.264 stream, but it's your call.

[jagabo]

If it's really a raw h.264 stream you can use Mp4Box to wrap it in an MP4 container.

[screenshot]

If you've got a *.264 file, you probably have a raw h.264 video stream, not an MP4 as this old topic suggests. (Run it through Mediainfo to be sure, if you aren't.) You generally need to mux it into a video container before you can do anything with it.

Give avc2avi a try, see if it does what you're looking for. Otherwise, you can use mkvmerge (from mkvtoolnix) to mux it into an MKV. It's probably better to use MKV over AVI, since the source IS a raw h.264 stream, but it's your call.

where does it save the avi?
it said that it did something successfully, but i cant find any new files created...

and how should i use the mp4box? i kinda need to convert a .h264 file to an .avi too...

[restore-chappy]

This is what i use,it just changes the container and is fast with no re-encoding

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mp4cam2avi/

[screenshot]

i think i have an actual .h264 file and that program cant find these files... but i think avc2avi worked nicely... or perhaps i just used mkvmerge... cant remember...