Best way to convert .mov files to .avi???

Hi, I'm getting kind of desperate here. I've been trying to export .mov files in compressor as .avi files. The video is coming out the same quality and is working fine but the audio is totally out of sync from the beginning, even though the clips are about 30sec long each.


MOV files are MOV file containers containing any valid, QT plug-in compatible audio and video compression combination. An AVI file is an AVI file container containing compatible audio and video compressed data. So the first step here is to determine what compression formats are in your MOV file, determine what compression formats you want in the output file, and then decide which application provides the best work flow for you between the two.

So, whats the best method to converting .mov files to .avi?


Depends on what you mean by "best" and what you mean "AVI" here. Normally I would not use AVI at all since official support for this file container was dropped more than a decade ago. And, if I had to create an AVI file, I would probably use Visual Hub, MPEG Streamclip, HandBrake, or Toast, depending on which compression format I wanted to target, at what dimensions, and for what end use. Basically, you need to tell us more about what you want to use the AVI for.

Okay, I'm just reading straight off the info.
Dimension: 1280 x 720
codecs: XDCAM EX 720p24 (35 Mb/s VBR). Integer (Big Endian). Timecode
Total Bit Rate 35, 565
size: around 200mb
I don't really mind what the compression rates for the AVI output file is. I just want it to remain at the same picture and sound quality. I actually just tried MPEG Streamclip and it came out grainier than the original MOV file


You still haven't said what you want to use the files for.

If you plan to do any editing, I would recommend conversion to AIC/AIFF (Big Indian Integer is fine) in an MOV file container. This would be edit-compatible with any QT, iMovie, and/or Final Cut.

If creating computer playback file for QT, I would probably try H.264/AAC multi-pass compression with unrestricted video data rate in an MOV, MP4, or M4V container depending player application and compression work flows available to you.

If to be an TV compatible file, I would again use H.264/AAC (or H.264/AC3) with video data rate restricted to about 4.5 mbps.

If you must have an AVI file container, then I would probably use an XviD or DivX audio/video compression combination. (But this is a work flow I rarely use and then only for SD content for my sister.)

As to the MPEG Streamclip conversion, what compression formats did you use and at what data rates? Some compression formats are much more efficient than others. All lose quality as the data rate is decreased.

I you want original quality, why don't you simply archive the original files and use them for playback. Frankly I am still at a loss as to why you want to create non-QT (AVI) files here.

Okay, I have the files already in .mov as I was saying. So, I'm trying to convert them for my actress' editor (who requested them in AVI) because he uses Adobe Premiere Pro on a Windows Platform. I'm not sure which Premiere Pro version he has, nor do I know which formats it accepts as a result.


You really know how to make things difficult. This adds a whole new set of questions. According to Adobe, if using v3.2.0 or later, there is direct support for XDCAM EX content stored to an SxS card which is not dependent on the "wrapper" (MOV or AVI in this case). So the fist question is what Premier Pro version is she using. Adobe also keeps referring to this content as "Sony XDCAM EX" content which makes me wonder if they are only supporting XDCAM EX content stored on a Sony manufactured camcorder or if the support is generic for any XDCAM EX camcorder manufacturer using the format, which was of course, "developed" by Sony. If the latter, then the next question becomes can the SxS content be be "imaged" for import/capture using Premier Pro's SxS built-in camcorder/card reader routine. If it can be imaged, then, as a non-Windows user, I simply do not know the best method for doing so. If it can't be imaged, would you be willing/able to send her the SxS card itself (or a cloned copy thereof) for her use. On the other hand, if she is using an older version of Premier Pro that does not support native XDCAM EX/Linear PCM editing, you need to ask her what specific compression formats she needs to be wrapped in her requested AVI file container. Until you know more/answer these questions, you cannot proceed further.

I also tried using Mpeg Streamclip to convert the files to a AVI with a divx compression. Some worked, but most of them would get to 85% or 95% then drop off and say "compression error"... (settings were: quality 100%, frame rate 23.97 (what the video is), frame size 1280 x 720, Upper field dominance) ... I thought I put everything there right... SO what is happening is that about 85% of the clip will be there just fine, but then, all of a sudden, the video in the last few seconds will freeze on a frame and audio will be the only thing playing.


Since you did not supply complete specific settings, it is difficult to tell for sure. For instance, if your target video data rate is set too low for the HD content, then at the 85-95% point the application may determine that it is impossible to achieve the target average data rate and stop compressing changes in the video scenes and you end up with either a frozen frame or a black screen. Have had this happen to with other encodes using MPEG-4/AVC. Basically the codec is simply reducing the current instantaneous video rate in an attempt to achieve the targeted "average" data rate by the time the end of the file is reached and the current date rate is simply too low to display more than a black screen or a picture in motion.

Is it usually this difficult to convert formats like this? I thought it would be a quick fix, but it seems I'm running into a bunch of different problems.
No, but then in a normal work for you would already know what format the editor actually wants to use for editing. As I indicated previously, it is unclear at this time whether she wants to edit content in the "native" format in Premier Pro or needs to have you convert the content to a different editing compression format. iMovie '09, for instance would normally use AIC (Apple Intermediate Codec)/AIFF (Linear PCM) for editing HD content.