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How to Convert Video File Formats

As you are probably aware, videos can use a wide range of file formats encompassing both containers and video codecs. And at times you may need to convert the format your videos are in to ensure that it can be viewed, to compress it, or for some other reason.

The good news is that there are actually several methods that you can use to convert video file formats, and it is up to you to decide which one will be the best fit.

Video Converter Software

Video converter software are essentially software designed specifically to convert the file formats that videos are in. Because that is their specialty they normally support a wide range of input and output formats, and can convert videos of any size relatively quickly too.

Although some video converter software are free, they generally have more limitations than their paid counterparts. That is especially true in terms of the formats that are supported and control over the video parameters such as the resolution, and bitrate or frame rate.

Many of the software may include presets for popular devices and platforms as well, which will make converting videos to the ‘right’ format a lot easier. The paid software may have many other features, including basic editing tools that can be used to prepared videos.

Web-Based Video Converters

Web-based video converters are essentially websites that will convert video formats without requiring any software to be installed. However they do tend to support a more limited range of formats, and often have a maximum upload limit.

The time that it takes to convert videos using web-based video converters is much slower, especially seeing as the video needs to be uploaded and then downloaded once the conversion is done. On top of that the output quality of the videos can vary.

One of the best web-based video converters to convert MOV to MP4 online is Online Video Converter. It is simple, straightforward, and has a generous 100MB upload limit that should let you convert most short videos.

Other Software That Can Convert Videos

Aside from actual video converters, there are other types of software that can sometimes be used to convert videos. Some of the most common are:

  • Most video editors seeing as they can import videos and export them in different formats.
  • Certain media players such as VLC Media Player or DivX Player that are able to encode videos.

While these software aren’t really designed to act as video converters they may be able to get the job done in a pinch.

Conclusion

At the end of the day all of the options listed above can be useful in different circumstances – which is why knowing about each one can help.

In order to figure out which option you should use, you should think about what you need out of a video converter in terms of convenience, formats, file size, and any other features that you could find handy. That should let you narrow down your options and make a more informed decision.