Video consumption is breaking records day after day, and with the extraordinary advancement of mobile devices, it is increasingly common to see users loading entire series to “add an episode” when they have free time. However, the natural differences in codecs and resolutions can complicate playback on certain platforms, creating the need to convert videos. That’s when XMedia Recode steps in, one of the most complete tools in that regard, with portable builds, and above all, free.
Last week I decided to load a video on my Kindle Fire (5th Gen.), but I missed a small detail: it was encoded with 10-bit x265, at 1080p resolution. In other words, the video was pure break dance, and poor VLC Player didn’t know what to do to improve the situation. In similar cases, other users would simply look for a “smaller” copy, with a friendlier codec and lower resolution, but there’s another option: convert videos.
This is especially convenient if we have access to a powerful desktop system. With so many threads available, why not put them to work? Now, finding good software can be a bit uncomfortable. There are many options on the market, but they are either very expensive or not very intuitive. XMedia Recode is a classic that combines the best of both worlds. On one hand, its interface makes it very easy to understand, and on the other, it’s free.
Convert Videos with XMedia Recode
XMedia Recode is compatible with a large number of formats, including the “old” DVDs (as long as they are not protected), but to convert a single video, it’s enough to use the “Open File” option. The “Format” tab lets us choose a profile or preset to simplify the conversion. For example, selecting “Amazon - Kindle Fire”, the program automatically applies a combination of codec and bitrate more suitable for the device.
The “Video” tab has an impressive number of advanced parameters that give us room to experiment. Average bitrate or constant quality? You can choose that and much more, depending on the codec used. However, I personally find the processing “Mode” very valuable. Sometimes full conversion is unavoidable, but if you only need to extract content from a container format (say, get H.264 video from an MKV), the “Copy” mode will be much more practical and fast.
Something similar happens with the “Subtitle” tab. If an MKV file has multiple embedded subtitles, you can specify their injection into an MP4 video, or extract it directly as .srt to use or edit later. In the “Filters/Preview” tab you have more than a dozen filters at your disposal, and in that section you can also reduce the resolution of the video, and the “Chapter Editor” will allow you to create as many chapters within a video as you need, or edit existing ones. Once you’ve finished configuring the conversion, click “Add Task”, and then “Encode”.
The time XMedia Recode requires to complete the task depends on the number of operations, and how robust our hardware is. The official page offers a CUDA-compatible build, so if you have an Nvidia graphics card, you can reduce the wait by applying its firepower. Personally, I can say that I converted a ten-minute MP4-H.264-1080p video to AVI-XVID-720p in less than seven, and that was without too many optimizations.
In summary, if you want to convert videos and you have doubts about the strategy to adopt, XMedia Recode is an excellent first step. Start with the profiles and automatic modes, and once you've grasped its essence, you'll master it like a true “multimedia Victorinox”. Good luck!
Official site and download: Click here.
