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How to use Lion to convert mac video to wma or mp3

I work with a lot of video and audio formats. I heard a rumor that Lion is supposed to have built in converters that are very fast. I need to covert a gb or iT audio to mp3 or wma so I can send something to a (blugh) client with Windows.
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dale

Comments: 8 Responses to “How to use Lion to convert mac video to wma or mp3”

    13 years ago

    There are no "converters" like that in Lion. Something like that would be found in an application, not really in the OS.
    You can use all sorts of software to convert audio.
    If it is already in GarageBand format, you can simply export from that into mp3. Or, export as full quality (aif) and then use Audacity to convert to mp3.
    But there are also tons of audio conversion tools.
    I'm a little confused on what you want, though, since the title says "video" but the question you wrote pertains to audio.

    dale
    13 years ago

    I heard something about Lion having built in converters that would change both video and audio formats and it was really fast. I cannot recall but it was from some source that seemed reliable. Thanks for the info. Yeah I use a lot of converters and wanted to spiffy up desktop... keep it all in program etc...

    As far as video, I sometimes need to send an iMovie to a windows user, etc...

      13 years ago

      Just stick to standard formats, like h264 in an mp4 file, and you will have cross-platform videos that should work fine.

        dale
        13 years ago

        I do not understand. If I do a movie in IMovie, it does not play in windows. Is there a different way to save the movie in IMovie so it can play in windows. You write... 'stick to standard formats' I am assuming that there is a setting in iMovie that is h264 that will cross platforms.

        In an earlier reply you wrote... save gb files in mp3. I do not know how to do that.

        I read that once a version of iTunes would change ACC back to mp3, but my updated version of Leopard would not do that and I thought along with the Lion it would allow iTunes to have that option again.

        Thanks for your responses. Later I will try and share exact details of video files I am converting and want a easy quick way.

        Current problem today is I have several audio files in gB that I need to send to a client that runs windows and do not know an easy way to do change gB files to mp3.

        dale

          13 years ago

          How are you exporting from iMovie? What command, exactly, are you using?
          To export from GarageBand in MP3 format, choose Share, Export. Then select Compress Using: MP3.
          You can do the same in iTunes. To set to MP3, go to iTunes Preferences, General, Import Settings and switch to MP3. Then Control+Click on a song in your library and select "Create MP3 Version" then Control+Click on that new version created and select Show in Finder.

            dale
            13 years ago

            Thanks again. With both iTunes and GB, it was confusing and you cleared it up. In iTunes it is labeled 'import' when it is an export I wanted to make but changing import allows iT to now create a mp3 copy. It works.

            In GB it says, "burn to cd in mp3." But instead of burning, which I did not want to do, it places new version in mp3 where I want it, then one would burn it.

            The problem was Mac not making clear instructions and my ignorance.

            With the iMovie.... what export would you suggest for windows users... the XML version or quick time, etc... I think you have just about got me running again.

            Oh yeah... on OSX daily, there is a post about the built in converter in Lion. I have not looked at it yet but this was the source of the information I began with. It says something about covering direct through Lion audio and or video file formats... but I have not studied it yet or seen if it converts both ways... windows formats and mac formats.

            dale
            Below is heading of the post on OSX daily.

            How to Convert Audio to M4A with Mac OS X Lion’s Built-In Encoder
            OS X Lion’s audio encoder is confirmed to support AIFF, AIFC, Sd2f, CAFF, and WAV files, but other formats are likely supported for m4a conversion as well. Here’s how to use it:

              13 years ago

              I would export as QuickTime from iMovie. Choose an mp4 with h264 compression.
              That conversion utility will only give you m4a, which isn't what I think you want.

    dale
    13 years ago

    Gary... THANKS!
    The source I heard this from seemed reliable and claimed that Lion would covert covert video and audio formats.

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