Although Windows Media Video (WMV) files are great, it’s more common to use the MPEG4 (MP4) format. This means that you may need to convert WMV files to MP4 quite often. Fortunately, there is a list of capable video converters on the market that support a multitude of video formats.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the better options available. Note that some of the recommendations are online only, while others are applications that require a software download first.
Also, if you have MKV or MOV files you want to convert to MP4, we have tutorials for those too.
Software converters
Handbrake (Windows/MacOS/Linux)
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Handbrake seemed to be on the wane back in 2006 when the software’s first creator, Eric Petit, disappeared off the face of the Earth, but development continued with the help of a few ambitious people who were motivated to update and revise the existing world-changing software. Open Source Video Converter now boasts one of the most comprehensive software packages for ripping and converting video files for playback on a number of popular devices and platforms. The interface is elegant and well-designed, if a bit intimidating, offering a number of customizable, borderline advanced features that take some getting used to before you can really take advantage of their capabilities and intuitive uses. The HandBrake tutorial and forums are always available if you need help without having to spend a lot of time messing around with the program.
Other noteworthy features include plenty of video editing tools for splicing, adjusting frame rates, adding subtitles and various video effects, all of which can be viewed in the live preview window. Power users can even queue multiple codes for faster batch processing and accelerated results without tedious manual input. Handbrake simply can’t be beat when converting files to MP4 or MKV format, but it’s also not for beginners who don’t want to learn the software. In late 2016, a new version of the software, 1.0.0, was released with completely overhauled presets, including new presets for the latest mobile devices, new MKV presets, and VP9 video encoding. Handbrake has since been updated and is currently at version 1.3.3.
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MediaCoder is a capable program with great conversion features. The interface, while confusing at first glance, is relatively simple once you get the hang of it, offering plenty of customizable features to convert videos to a specific output format of your choice. Whether you want to batch process a number of AVI files to MPEG or compress the files for a reduced amount of memory, MediaCoder can handle it.
You’ll find additional settings for modifying the output — including the ability to convert video to grayscale, quarter pixel, cartoon, or high-quality mode — as well as bitrate adjustments for the audio and video components of your file. Speed and resulting quality are A’s with fast conversions and an emphasis on maintaining native quality across all formats.
MediaCoder is an exceptional piece of software, but it’s aimed more at tech geeks than first-time users trying to do a quick conversion. But if you prefer to focus on details and your primary interest is high-quality, low-loss transfers, MediaCoder is a safe bet.
Web-based converters
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Not everyone wants to download a standalone application to fulfill their video conversion needs. Fortunately, CloudConvert is one of the best online tools for easy file download and conversion. The free site allows users to select files – from FLV and MLV files to 3GP and MPEG4 – from their Google Drive or Dropbox account, or drag them directly into a browser window from their desktop. The entire conversion process takes place in the cloud, and output settings — such as aspect ratio, codec, bitrate, and resolution — can be adjusted from the thin web app interface before converting files. After the conversion, you can simply press the download button to download the file directly to your computer.
The web-based service lacks the feature set and speed of standalone programs for Windows and MacOS, but it’s adept at converting a range of files without deviating from its intuitive interface. Batch conversion and folder tracking help users tackle larger projects without messing with more complicated software.
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Online-Convert’s video component offers options to convert your files to 11 popular formats, including MP4, AVI and MOV. There are additional options for making some minor changes, including changing the screen size, sound quality, bitrate, and other minor adjustments.
Online-Convert is easy to navigate, and if you’re not sure where to find something, you can use the search function at the bottom right of the page to find out quickly. For example, if you want to know if Online-Convert can perform the desired conversion. There are also special conversion options for almost every imaginable device.
Loading and converting video files will not be a problem for most users. However, if you want to transfer files larger than 100 MB or convert more than four files at once, you will need to upgrade to the premium membership option. Consequently, you will need to consider the cost of a premium account if the use of your device involves large video conversion or simultaneous conversion of various files as you will have to pay extra for such tasks anyway.
However, you don’t have to feel obligated to pay for a premium subscription, as Online-Convert’s site is reliable and easy to navigate, with plenty of different formatting choices. Online-Convert is all in one place, so you don’t have to waste precious space with additional software or browser extensions to cover your conversion requirements. In addition, not many other sites in our review contain a hash generator.
In the past, the amount of time and money you had to invest to achieve a conversion from WMV files to MP4 was not worth it to anyone. These days you can find plenty of software and several web converters that can get the job done quickly and easily. Even better, in most cases you can do it for free. Note that there may be a slight learning curve at first, but most of these tools are relatively intuitive. If you need multiple simultaneous conversion capabilities, we recommend investing in a paid subscription for optimal performance.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn