[Hidden-tech] video conversion software

[Michael Billingsley]

Hi Folks -

Have you fussed endlessly with Internet video clips, hoping to get  
them to run smoothly on your computer... or more importantly, wanted  
to convert those (or your own) for use on your website or to be  
downloadable to media-player cellphones?

I've been experimenting for a while for video conversion and  
compression software beyond the usual QuickTime, Adobe and wmv.  
formats, especially as I eventually want "value-added" downloads to  
increase - after people notice that I'll provide video that is  
compatible with cellphone play.

The most versatile viewer/converter (sort of like the  
GraphicConverter of video) is a French programme that is multi- 
platform.  It takes up very little space, runs on Windows, Mac, Linux  
and other platforms - converts to all the needed formats that... from  
the Web... will convert clips to play on most common cell phones, and  
includes all kinds of tweeking add-ons for trimming clips, changing  
video and audio levels, etc.

The software is VLC (VideoLanConverter) and owes its creation to a  
ton of people.

For a full capabilities and compatibilities list, as well as download  
portals and mirrors for Windows and Macs (Intel and PPC, v. 5 and 4.)  
etc. see - http://www.videolan.org/vlc/features.php?cat=input    This  
works pretty well on earlier Macs, too, ie. my 1.67 GHz G4 PowerBook  
laptop, as it maximizes processing without overloading the CPU too much.

---

Are you taking advantage of RealPlayer Downloader?

Especially if you've been tempted to do some downloading from the  
Internet for teaching or demonstration (ie. from Atom Films, or as  
clips ie. trailers as played on distributor's or reviewer's websites)  
remember that RealPlayer's latest versions include a RealPlayer  
Downloader... which you can set to auto-downloader to a "holding bin"  
every clip that you watch on your browser.  Just move it to your  
"Startup Items" of your Mac through your System Preference pane.

When, at the end of the day, you review those accumulating clips and  
you click "Download" - the temporarily cached version automatically  
gets moved to the RealPlayer Download folder on your hard drive.  On  
the other hand, if you don't click download, or clear the list, all  
those clips are wiped from cache and don't burden your temp storage  
any longer.

Each clip is stored, by your choice, as either a RealPlayer,  
QuickTime, Adobe Media Player, or VLC clip.  I choose VLC because its  
codec, smoothing, loss-less play of HD movies, and low overload on  
the processor are all admirable.  I can do full-screen play through  
VLC that are impossible through RealPlayer or Adobe Media Player.

There may be better full-spectrum video play/compress/conversion  
tools out there, but I haven't run into any yet.

Enjoy

Michael Cerulli Billingsley
Location Recording - CD Mastering - Audio FX/Solutions
office 802-254-3975 studio 802-254-2504
C104 The Cotton Mill, Brattleboro, VT 05301
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