Cool Video Tools
I had a client ask me today to help with converting a bunch of WMV video files (Windows Media – Video) so that he could store them on his T-Mobile G1 and watch them. After a bit of digging, I found a wonderful tool called HandBrake that exists to do nothing but convert videos between formats.
In true geekspeak:
HandBrake is an open-source, GPL-licensed, multiplatform, multithreaded video transcoder, available for MacOS X, Linux and Windows.
The important thing here is that it’s “open-source” and “GPL-licensed,” which is to say that it’s free.
Oh, and it works beautifully. In no time flat I had converted all of the WMV files to MP4 files that should work flawlessly on his Android-based G1 phone. HandBrake would do a nice job of converting Windows videos to download to your iPhone or iPod Touch, too.
The other task he gave me was to replicate a DVD that he had produced a couple of years ago (just so we’re clear, he owns the content, so this is not about making illegal copies of commercial DVDs!)
For that, I turned to my old friend ImgBurn. This wonderful tool — also free — will read and write CD’s and DVD’s. In this case, I was able to rip the entire DVD to an ISO file, then pop in a blank DVD and burn an exact duplicate.
There you go! Two new toys to add to your toolbox.
