FREE video conversion tool?

Hi was wonderiong if anyone knew of a FREEWARE, not SHAREWARE, video conversion tool.

every tool i find useing google is called "shareware" but wants me to buy it.

I downloaded "aurora media workshop" wich let me install the program but wouldn't actually let me convert anything until i buy the program. LAME.

I have a huge "avi" file wich i used "GSPOT Codec information Apliance" on, qand it said it was in fact an "ASF [WMA/WMV}" despite it's .AVI extension. My WMV 9 doesn't play it.

i think perhaps because its a new file i might need WM 10 on XP, wich i can't get 'cause i'm on 98 SE.

So my theory is if a can convert it to an mpeg my WMV player 9 should be able to play it.

 

I am not aware of any freeware video conversion progs. I have been through the shareware issues you mentioned. But I was wondering if you have thought about other media players.

Divx has a free player that you can use. It states that you can use it on 98. Will another player fix your problem? Are you just wanting to play everything or want editing abilities?

In case you want to check out Divx.

Meanwhile I will see what I can find on the conversion progs. If you find something let me know.

 

I was able to find some "free" conversion programs at these 2 sites.

#1. Artzend

#2. PSP Video

Artzend has many links to freeware concerning video prgram freeware. PSP offers it's own program. I personally don't know anything about either site or their offered programs.

Check them out and see if they will work for you. Good luck.

 

yes Liberal ghost i actually found one : videozilla.

New problem though, it can't convert the file...it says the same thing the player does when i try to play it:

"File is not a video file or is an unsupported format."

could the file just be a lost cause? boo.

An no i dont want to edit... i just thought converting it into a new format would alow it to play, but the converter cant identifie it either, lame.

And yes i already have DivX, but i cant get the DivX 6 codec, eith the new player-bundle on win 98 SE, they only ofer the 2.6 player for my system. HARSH! Though, as i mentioned, the avi file diagnositc tool doesnt think its an .avi, so it must be a bad file.
ANy other programs out there to identifie a file problem?

 

What happens when you rename the file from "movie.avi" to "movie.wmv"? Windows Media Player may not be smart enough to see if a movie has been misnamed.

Also, since it's .wmv, it might also be DRM.

 

You might wanna try VLC Media Player, which you can download right from this site, under MULTIMEDIA. I'm 100% certain it'll play virtually any file you want it to if it does. Very rarely do I have any files it won't play, and I've played so many different kinds of files on it, from .avi to .wmv to .rm to .mov, and pretty much everything in between.

 

Free video conversion tools:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/MediaCoder_d4987.html
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Super_d5117.html
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_encoders/vso_divxtodvd_free.cfm
http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_tools/avi2dvd.cfm
http://www.majorgeeks.com/DVD_Flick_d5530.html
I've personally used the last two MANY times successfully, but I'd recommend downloading and printing the how-to guides from the web sites below. It just makes life easier
And there's others... but these should at least get you started

There's lots of how-to guides and other help available at:
www.videohelp.com
www.afterdawn.com

hd2k

 

Oh yeah- GOMplayer has always worked for me when it comes to an 'unplayable' video file.
Link:http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_players/gomplayer.cfm

 

This is two years old.