Mp4 Wtf?

[cjolley]

Ok, so my phone camera produces MP4 vid files.
a, WHY!?
b, I can play them (win7-64) but that's about all.

The software for converting them to something usable is either costly (ie $>0) or bug ridden (MP4Cam2AVI), or scary spamware.

What is the story?

Why can't I just burn a DVD movie with windows DVD Maker from these files?

[Brian Ellis]

Why can't I just burn a DVD movie with windows DVD Maker from these files?

Essentially because DVDs generally are MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 is a different kettle of fish, so requires conversion. Try Googling freeware video converter and you will be spoilt for choice that will convert from MP4 to DVD-compatible MPEG-2, although you may find better, easier-to-use, converters if you are willing to pay a few tens of bucks.

[Evildead666]

MEGui for converting to another file format. (MediaEncoder GUI)
MKVmerge to just remux them to MKV if that helps

[cjolley]

Thanks. I'll give those a try.
It just seems odd that it is that complicated when win can already decode them.

[Brian Ellis]

There is a difference between decoding (using one codec) and simultaneously decoding and re-encoding in real time (using two codecs) !

[Evildead666]

My Small samsung DVD quality video recorder used a samsung specific video codec, FourCC = SEDG, whereas just changing the FourCC to something else like DIVX and i could actually see the video without using ssamsungs own transcoding software.
They might have been obliged to not officially use the DIVX codec or the MPEG codec, its all probably down to licences and stuff between the software/hardware vendors.

[Evildead666]

There is a difference between decoding (using one codec) and simultaneously decoding and re-encoding in real time (using two codecs) !

They can all do it on the newer phones. Those nice little ARM chips have all the hardware needed to encode/decode realtime at least two video streams.
They just tend to have their own version of the video codec of choice. Only slightly different from the other vendors, but different nonetheless.

[cjolley]

Thanks all for the advice and info.
I ended up using the free version of "Any Video Convertor"

Nice little program. Even burns the converted files to DVD.
Obviously for casual use only, but if I had needed better vid I would have used my camcorder instead of my phone.

It is in the scary spamware category, but I would say it's SSQ* is pretty low.





* Scary Spamware Quotientâ„¢

[VJ]

I seem to have missed this thread... for video conversion, I either use Super or VirtualDub
Super:

http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html

(it has a chaotic website, the download link is at the bottom of this page: http://www.erightsoft.com/S6Kg1.html , "download super setup file")
It supports a lot of formats, containers and has all the codecs built in.

Virtualdub (gnu license):

http://www.virtualdub.org/

Jörg

[Debbie]

It's not my intention to do publicity but I find Aiseesoft Total Video Converter to be an exelent, fast converter.