mpeg

The number of video conversion programs available makes choosing a good one difficult. Though it's basically functional, the lack of features and problematic setup make VidConvert for Mac a less desirable option.

VidConvert is available as a free trial version with a three-minute conversion time limit; the full, unrestricted program requires payment of $7.99. The program installs quickly. Unfortunately, after initiating the program, the user must complete an additional download from a separate site before conversion can take place. This second download requires Terminal operations, which is a lot to ask of all but the most experienced Mac … Read more

Google has reached a licensing agreement with MPEG LA over patents that cover video compression, clearing the way for wider adoption of the Web giant's VP8 video codec and its streaming-video platform WebM.

The deal grants Google the right to sublicense the VP8 as well as the techniques in the forthcoming VP9 codec, which is already under development. MPEG LA also agreed to abandon its efforts to form a VP8 patent pool, which would have allowed it to cross-license its video patents.

Financial terms of the arrangement were not revealed.

"This is a significant milestone in Google's … Read more

The diversity of video compression formats means some files fail to open in different players. For those who do not want to search for the extra downloads or add-ons for your favorite media player, Streamclip for Mac may be a good option for your system.

Unlike other choices, MPEG Streamclip for Mac comes as freeware, making it easy to try out and justifying its lack of available features. Simple installation had the program up and running within 5 minutes. Unfortunately, the confusing interface was difficult to interpret and there were no instructions easily available. More specifically, the cluttered and technical … Read more

Xilisoft DVD Creator 7 is the latest iteration of this popular Mac OS DVD burning app. It is available from the App Store as well as numerous download sites. The full version of Xilisoft DVD Creator 7 costs $39.99 and installs easily.

Xilisoft DVD Creator 7 lets you create your own video DVDs complete with basic video editing, special effects, titles, and DVD menus. With support for most video formats (including AVI, MPEG, WMV, DivX and others), Xilisoft DVD Creator 7 can handle your video files from almost any video camera or operating system. Creating a DVD starts with … Read more

Being able to rip your DVDs just like you would your CDs would be awesome, right? 123 DVD Converter will do it for you, but it all comes with a price tag. Even though this software produces high-quality video in tons of formats, it is a little overpriced for what it does and has a difficult barrier to entry.

Even though the interface is very easy to navigate, 123 DVD Converter expects you to know how to rip DVDs already. If you don't, you'll be confused trying to find and rip the clip you actually want. For the … Read more

The Free Convert to Divx AVI WMV MP4 MPEG Converter is an application for converting your video files into another supported format.

The features of this application are pretty simple. All you need to do is click Add to select a video and then click Convert to start the process. The time varies, depending on the file size. Also, the Format and Profile options that you choose will influence the conversion time. AVI video format seems to take longer (10 to 15 minutes for a 15-minute video), but MPEG-4 video is done in about 2 minutes for the same video … Read more

HandBrake is a free application for converting all types of videos into MPEG-4 files. You might be overwhelmed by the busy interface and numerous options, but once you get started, you'll find that HandBrake offers features that will help any user get up to speed quickly.

HandBrake's interface holds all the tools you need but the wide variety of options can confuse users -- especially beginners. We quickly found that the program's preset options were the quickest and easiest way to convert files. In fact, the moment you find the Presets tab, you'll find the best … Read more

A new compression technology represents a significant improvement over today's standard, a new study found. The result could help pave the way for video with at least four times the pixels of today's 1080p standard.

The new compression technology, called HEVC or H.265, is significantly better than today's prevailing standard video codec, called AVC or H.264, researchers from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland, concluded.

"The test results clearly exhibited a substantial improvement in compression performance, as compared to AVC," the researchers said. "As ultra-high definition television has recently … Read more

The good news is, VLC Beta was released today, giving Android users a long-awaited taste of do-it-all media player VLC. The bad news is, VLC's developers say the app is meant only for power users and hackers, meaning most of us should probably wait on downloading it.

Just like its bigger brothers on Mac and Windows, VLC is a free and open-source multimedia player that can open just about any media file out there. It offers an audio and video media library with full search capabilities, and supports subtitles and network streams, including HLS.

While VLC Beta is available … Read more