Software recommendations for converting movie codecs on Windows?

[primaldivine]

I am doing a survey to gather information on the most popular softwares that Windows Isadora users prefer to work with to convert movie files to various codecs.
Tips and info welcome here!! Thanks for sharing!

The info submitted will be further researched and then selectively integrated into the Knowledge Base article online here:
http://troikatronix.com/support/kb/optimizing-for-speed/

Here is what I have been given so far as a starting point:

§  **Microsoft Moviemaker **(Freeware): Allows exports to WMV format but not QKT (and not HAP). Does export MP4 in a usable H264 format (NB ALl mp4 codec files on Windows will be read by the Quicktime engine.

§  **Expression Encoder **(Freeware): Useful for batch processing (converting multiple files at the same time), to WMV codec, but the interface is a little trickier to learn.

§  Batch Export Utility (Freeware): An older application, but works well with all Quicktime codecs and HAP.

§  Sony Vegas Movie Studio($):  Low cost commercial software that supports many output formats with full control of dimensions etc.

§  Adobe Photoshop ($): Commercial imaging software. The latest versions allow conversion of video files to Quicktime and other formats.

[jhoepffner]

I am not on windows but I use sometime MPEG stream clip. It's free, works on macOs and windows, do batch convert and, on mac for what I know, export to quite every possible format:

http://www.squared5.com

[DusX]

@jhoepffner

great suggestion.. I forgot about this utility.

[fifou]

Maybe AviDemux (Mac/PC). Simple edit and reencode avi files (best for PC).
Still updated and it's free :
http://avidemux.sourceforge.net/

The best for mp4 is IMHO Handbrake :
https://handbrake.fr/

Best
Philippe

[primaldivine]

thanks guys. very helpful tips

[Marci]

Generally I use Adobe Media Encoder (https://www.adobe.com/products/media-encoder.html) or Handbrake.

[dbini]

I'm not on windows any more, but:

Mpeg Streamclip is my default.

Handbrake for more difficult jobs.

Final Cut Pro for major tweaks and edits.

When I used to use Windows for video, it was mainly Sony Vegas.

[Fred]

@primaldivine I am really into virtual dub, particularly as Isadora supports Hap codec via direct show (so hap encoded AVI files) virtual dub is the best way to do this, it will also let you make videos with multichannel audio that will play out discreet outputs when using the DS player. But to be honest, adobe media encoder is pretty amazing and hardware accelerated.

[DusX]

@Fred

Have you found any way to create Hap Avi's with a file size similar to Movs?
My tests (although playing back fantastically) create avi files many times larger than mov files using the same Hap (meaning goth hap, or hapq).

I have tested at least a dozen processes in the last week.

[Fred]

@DusX nope, so far no issues but I'm running from 4 ssds in raid 0