As the demand for video online and in devices like video iPods increases, so are the options for getting it into the proper format. With some practice and patience, a variety of tools exist to help transfer home movies and other video to online and portable formats.
In some cases freeware programs exist, in others programs you already own may include a video converter.
As an example, the popular Nero software supplied with some cameras and computers includes a program called Recode which allows users to convert videos to sources compatible with iPods and other portable playback devices.
One of the more recent improvements in video encoding is the H.264, or AVC, encoding standard.
Use of this latest standard is becoming widespread throughout the video production and online video businesses because of its ability to create high-quality video with considerable detail in both compressed and high-definition formats.
The Nero Recode software allows users to insert video from DVD's and other sources and customize the output to match the desired device.
A set of custom profiles including Mobile, Portable and High-Definition are built into the Recode software. Recode can also be used to prepare video from cameras to be burned onto CD's and DVD's in a few clicks.
Nero Recode also allows for simple trimming and editing of movies, as well as adding chapters to DVD's and creating single DVD's from multiple videos and sources.
Other common commercial programs found with numerous computers and cameras that often include conversion software are Adobe Premiere, Ulead Video Studio, and Roxio Easy Media Creator.
If you want to get video onto your mobile phone, one of the most popular free programs is Israel-based MediaCell Video Converter (www.download.com).
The program includes phone-specific profiles for dozens of cell phones including Apple, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Sony and Palm Treo.
MediaCell also provides modes for popular portable video players including the Sony PSP and Video iPod. The program has been noted for its very fast preparation of converted video files.
Another easy-to-use free program is Any Video Converter. This program offers a variety of conversion options including DVD creation, Flash movies, and movies for various portable devices including iPod, PSP and Zune.
One of the more useful features of Any Video Converter is its ability to burn a PAL-format DVD that can be sent to viewers in Europe and other countries using that alternate video format. Any Video Converter can also be found at www.download.com.
If you hope to get your video up on YouTube, remember that in most cases it must be shorter than 11 minutes in length, and less than 100MB in size. If you have movies that have been shot on video cameras or DVD's, you may well find you need to use a program like the ones above to shrink your video before it can be uploaded.
One other tip about YouTube – do not convert your video to Flash before uploading to YouTube (which uses Flash). Better quality can be achieved by using a format such as MP4 or MOV, which will show less degeneration when put through the YouTube compression process.
Tom Meek is a computer and media consultant working with businesses and individuals on high-tech needs. Another Day In Cyberville is published weekly in print and online via The Gainesville Voice, a weekly publication of The New York Times Regional Newspaper Group. You can reach Tom Meek at adayincyberville@gmail.com.
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