How to Convert AVI Codecs
By David Wayne
If your AVI video won't play in your media player, you can convert the video to the correct format with free AVI-converting software. Windows Media Player plays WMV files, and Apple QuickTime plays MOV files. Most DivX players play AVI files, but if your file doesn't load in your DivX or XviD player, changing the video codec will correct the problem. With AVI-converting software, you can prepare video for Internet streaming or playback on a hand-held device. You can also use video-converting software to re-size your video.
Any Video Converter
Download and install Any Video Converter from the download site (see Resources). Click the "Start" menu and "AnvSoft" to start the program.
Click "Add Video" and search for your AVI video. Double-click the video to add it to the converter. Click the "Profile" drop-down menu and choose the output format for your converted AVI. Any Video Converter also converts AVI videos to audio files for playback in a music player.
Click "Video Codec" in the "Video Options" sub-menu. Choose the playback codec to use in your AVI file container. AVC offers XviD, MPEG and WMV codecs. Click "Convert" at the top of the screen.
Freemake Video Converter
Download and install the Freemake Video Converter video-converting freeware application (see Resources). Click "Start" and "Freemake Video Converter."
Click "Video" to add AVI files to the converter. Click one of the output format options at the bottom of the screen. Choosing "To AVI" will allow you to change the playback codec to XviD or MPEG-4. Click the "Preset" menu in the option window and choose your playback device. Freemake offers conversion for HD, DVD and mobile players.
Click the "Save to" menu. Double-click the folder you want to save your converted video in, and click "Convert."
Free Video Converter
Download and install Koyote Software's Free Video Converter (see Resources). Click "Start" and "Free Video Converter" to launch the application.
Click "Add Files." Double-click your files to add them to the program and check the box next to each file in the conversion window. Click "Output Format" at the bottom of the window. Choose a file format from the option window.
Click the "Codec" menu and choose a video codec for your file. The most common AVI codecs are MPEG, DivX and XviD. Click the "Size" menu and choose a larger or smaller resolution if you need to. Cell phone video is usually 320 pixels by 240 pixels or less.
Click "Convert Video" to convert and save the file.
References
Tips
- According to the Video Spark website, AVI is a file container that plays back audio and video information simultaneously. Your video codec may be in DivX or MPEG format while the file containing your video remains an AVI file.
Writer Bio
David Wayne has been writing since 2010, with technology columns appearing in several regional newspapers in Texas. Wayne graduated from the University of Houston in 2005, earning a Bachelor of Arts in communications.