MacMost Now 689: Converting Video With Miro

If you need to convert video into a more Mac-compatible format, try the very simple Miro Video Converter. It takes most kinds of video and converts them simply and quickly into formats compatible with iOS devices, iTunes and iMovie.

You can also watch this video at YouTube (but with ads).

Video Transcript: Hi, this is Gary with MacMost Now.
On today's episode I'm gonna show you the easiest way to convert video to a format that you can use in iMovie and other Apple software.
So I always use software like MPEG stream clip and VLC, even FFMPEGX to convert video.
They have tons of different options. They're very complex.
There's a real simple way, though, if you just want to convert some basic video and it will work in most cases.
It's software called the Miro Video Converter and it is free and it's easy to use. Let me show you.
So here on my desktop I've got an .avi file. Maybe this is something I recorded using a specialty camera that only records .avi files and I want to convert that to a QuickTime movie.
I've got the Miro Video Converter application here, which is a very simple app. You can see, you run it, you get this window.
You've got device formats that you can choose from and there are tons of different formats.
So for instance files that are formatted to specifically for the iPhone or for the iPad, I get to those options right down here.
I'm going to choose one just out of sight there called Apple Universal, which will create a nice QuickTime movie for me.
Not gonna send it to iTunes, it has that option if that's what you're trying to do.
I'm going to drag this .avi file in there and then I'm going to hit the convert button.
So what it's done here, I've got two files now on my desktop.
I've got the original .avi file and I've got the .mp4 file.
And I can double click on that. It'll open up in QuickTime player and you can see it play back just fine.
So its beauty is its simplicity, that's all it does. 
And that little checkbox to automatically send to iTunes, that's very handy if say you want to convert a bunch of videos just so you can load them onto your iPhone or iPod and play them there.
And of course, it won't play some of those .avi formats and other formats like that.
Now it doesn't work with everything. Sometimes you have to go to something else like VLC.
But for most video, it works and it's a simple solution. 'Till next time, this is Gary, with MacMost Now.

Comments: 14 Responses to “MacMost Now 689: Converting Video With Miro”

Ron

13 years ago

Thanks Gary.

I personally use Handbrake.
http://handbrake.fr/downloads.php

It's very powerful, easy to use, and supports converting multiple files in one hit.

Ronald Jenkins

This AVS video converter looks great, BUT it appears to run on windows only! When I started the download it said the file is '.exe'. I hope I missed something. I hope Macmost would not recommend a PC program.

Gary Rosenzweig

AVS? Not sure what you are talking about. This video is about the Miro Video Converter. It is for Mac. I'm demonstrating it in the video on a Mac. Sounds like you are downloading the wrong thing.

Arnold Karpoff

The video converter does not convert to .mov. I need .mov to use in teaching with PowerPoint. Any suggestions?

.mov is just a file extension. I believe you get .mp4 from a simple Miro conversion. So change the file name to .mov if you like (yes, you can do that and it works).
Or, go with something not so simple. I'm discussed MPEG Streamclip and others in past episodes.

Dean

Any way to convert a workout dvd to mp4 so I can put it on my iPad to use in hotels? Thanks

http://macmost.com/importing-dvd-video.html

Fran

I downloaded the program to use but it is an exe file ... isn't that just for window's machines? Where do I get the download for the macbook?

Sounds like you downloaded the wrong thing. Try going to their home page and download the Mac app.

Rod Stasick

Thanks for the info. I think that one of the most frustrating aspects to converting Flash movies on a website to HTML5 is finding conversion software that does the job accurately as well as creates small to medium-sized files. The problems I've had with Miro is that sometimes a .mov file converted to .mp4 will yield a video with audio/video sync problems and a .mov to .webm often gives me a picture and/or audio quality problem (pixel breakup; tinny audio). Yes, both files are usually smaller, but since you're unable to tweak anything, it becomes quite frustrating that you can't raise the quality level. I'd sure like to see some test comparisons between the available converters since it appears that HTML5 is gaining ground. Thanks!

I wouldn't use Miro for converting video for that purpose. I would only use it to convert it to watch or get it into iMovie. I would use something like MPEG Streamclip for greater control. Or, just export from whatever you are using to make the video (iMovie, FCPX, etc) in a good h264 format to begin with.

Thanks! I'll check out Streamclip.

Streamclip: nice basic interface with good amount of video and audio options , quick rendering, and the final size and look of the conversion (to .mp4) was good.
Now, if only it would convert to .webm for HTML5 use. I wonder if they are working on this possibility? Do you have a suggestion for .webm since you wouldn't recommend Miro for this?

Haven't need to look into .webm yet, sorry.

Comments Closed.

MacMost Now 689: Converting Video With Miro

Comments: 14 Responses to “MacMost Now 689: Converting Video With Miro”

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