Convert an avi file (IV50 codec) to a Quicktime file

I found this old CD of video clips that are all .avi files, I've found out the codec is IV50 (Indeo v5). They won't open in VLC in Mac OS X but do open in WMP9 on my Windows machine. Does anyone know of a converter program that supports converting from IV50 to some usable Quicktime format (hopefully MPEG4)?

UPDATE: Thanks for the answers, I looked into ffmpeg and it looks like it will be useful in the future if I need to do anything else with video. The solution I ended up going with was importing the clips into, of all things, Windows Movie Maker and exporting with a usable codec.

roflwaffle

Posted 2009-07-23T21:26:46.280

Reputation: 1 640

Answers

ffmpeg and MEncoder (comes with Mplayer) are probably the two most comprehensive video conversion/decoding/encoding tools available. I'd suggest giving them a try.

I think MEncoder may utilise codecs on the system [not certain about this], so I would try doing the conversion on a windows PC that is capable of playing them as that way you know you have a valid codec for the format.

Simon P Stevens

Posted 2009-07-23T21:26:46.280

Reputation: 5 025

ffmpeg does not use the codecs in the OS, and I know from previous experience it doesn't support IV50. Not sure about mencoder though. – Badaro – 2009-07-24T17:52:43.673

@Badaro: Thanks, I've updated with your new info. Post back if you get it working so we can come up with a definitive answer for future reference. – Simon P Stevens – 2009-07-24T19:01:07.707

YMMV, but I did a quick test, and while mplayer/mencoder can play the file using the installed DirectShow codec, my attempts to convert an IV50 file to another format using it resulted in a corrupted file. – Badaro – 2009-07-24T19:25:34.230

I would guess that if MPlayer can play the file it is almost certainly possible to convert it. What command line are you using? – Simon P Stevens – 2009-07-24T19:30:51.567

It converts the file but the output doesn't play properly. Here's a commandline I tested: mencoder -oac lavc -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=300:vpass=1 output_xvid.avi -o sample_teste.avi – Badaro – 2009-07-24T19:56:37.697

Looks like it should work. Do you need to do a second pass? – Simon P Stevens – 2009-07-25T14:04:16.710

Try this website and click on convert tab on the left side.... and select your avi file and then choose a output formate "mov" which is a Quicktime media file format.... hope this tip will be working for you... Freefileconvert

Waqas Ahmed

Posted 2009-07-23T21:26:46.280

Reputation: 111

While meGUI is not the most user-friendly tool around, it's an amazing converter with high-quality presets for MP4. Also, since it uses AviSynth for input, anything that plays in WMP will work on it.

Badaro

Posted 2009-07-23T21:26:46.280

Reputation: 543