MOV to AVI, what to use?

[cellarboy]

I have loads of MOV files with I wish to convert AVI or MPG for use on VCD. Can anyone tell me the best/easy way to convert?
I use TMPGencoder and Nero 5.5 to make VCDs.

[Truman]

http://www.vcdhelp.com/tmpgenc.htm

[BadAsh]

The link Truman pointed out has a reference to a Quicktime plug-in for TMPGEnc but I'll just tell you now that that thing is old and most likely won't work for many of the new Quicktime MOV files out there.

I would recommend using either MOV2AVI, RAD Video Tools or a combination of the two.

MOV2AVI is a DOS command-line tool and can be quite difficult to use unless you are a master of each and every A/V setting it provides.

RAD Video Tools is a Windows GUI and pretty easy to use but at times it can not handle the Audio Extraction.

I usually recommend that you use MOV2AVI to extract the Audio into a WAV file and then use RAD Video Tools to extract to an uncompressed (or compressed if you wish) AVI file. You can mux the two files later with TMPGEnc, bbMPEG or the encoder of your choice.

To extract the Audio with MOV2AVI use the following command:

MOV2AVI filename.mov -w

If you have a long path and file name, especially one with spaces, make sure to surround the file name with quotes:

MOV2AVI "C:\My Video\Long File Name With Spaces.mov" -w

When extracting the Video with RAD Video Tools just make sure to set it up for a Video only extract.

You should note that RAD Video Tools and MOV2AVI are capable of extracting both Audio and Video to one new AVI file, however, different versions of the MOV format and certain encryption methods may cause problems.

In general I first try to do the A/V extraction using Quicktime Pro but when that doesn't work I use MOV2AVI to strip the Audio and then get the Video with RAD Video Tools.

Should you have the time and desire to do so you can learn to use the full command-line for MOV2AVI and will gain better control of a full extraction but if you want something easy just use RAD Video Tools.

If you want to easily mux both of the A/V files in order to do some filtering and/or editing you can load both files in VirtualDub and save out a new AVI.

For any of the methods described above you will definitely need alot of disk space. For example, for an average length theatrical trailer you will need at least 1GB of space for an uncompressed AVI extract.

The "Conversion" section here should be updated with these tips because I think I have answered this question at least 4 times in 4 different threads over the past couple of months. I believe the conversion section currently recommends using the Quictime plug-in for TMPGEnc and as I pointed out earlier, that thing rarely works.

Well, good luck and happy encoding.

[biney59]

I have tried MOV2AVI to extract the wave file with the MOV2AVI filename.mov -w command, but it never works. COuld someone please tell me how to make it work?

[Vejita-sama]

I use Rad Tools to encode the video (with the huffyuv codec) and Total Recorder to record the audio. You can find total recorder at:

http://www.highcriteria.com/download/totrec32.zip

Total recorder will basically just record the MOV file as it plays. However, it starts/stops only while the MOV is playing, so no editing/shifting of the file is required.

[flaninacupboard]

yep, the MOV plugin wont deal with sorenson encoded files. unless you install quicktime 4(?) pro.
then it works fine. i tried using RAD tools. looks nasty, big files, takes long time.

[Vejita-sama]

Not sure what 'looks nasty' means, but the large files are because it converts file my saving them in AVI format. It's basically like a firewire intra-movie use. If you use the huffyuv codec you'll have reasonable file sizes and it doesn't take that long (at least on my Tbird 1.2Ghz).

[cellarboy]

Thanks for all your suggestions...
I have been using the MOV plugin for TMPGenc, but have had some problems with most files. I haven't yet tried MOV2AVI... I have used Quicktime 5 Pro to export files as AVI but find the file is so huge it's unworkable or won't fit on my hard drive!
If anyone else knows any other ways, please post them here.
Thanks again for all your help.