WinFF Review - Convert Any Video File with Ease

very good
key review info
application features
  • Clear interface
  • (3 more, see all...)

WinFF is a tool that uses FFMPEG to convert any kind of video files by using a large number of presets and a ton of other options. It's been around for a long while, so it's time to take a closer look at it and see how it has endured the passage of time.

There are so many ways of converting files on the Linux platform that it's even difficult to count them, but they can be separated into two categories of tools, and that is terminal and GUI. Some of the more seasoned Linux users will know that you don't really need an interface to convert video from one format to another, you just need the right libraries available in the system and one of the myriad of tools already available.

The only problem with the terminal is that it takes a lot of trial and error before getting the result you want, even if you have some experience in this regard. On the other hand, if you're using a tool that has a GUI, you might get the result you want more quickly. Fortunately, there are many such applications, so it's not difficult to find a very good one.

WinFF has been around for many years, and its major advantage is that it uses the FFMPEG framework to make the conversions, which means that the developers don't really need to push lot of updates for the app itself. Whenever FFMPEG gets updated, the functionality of WinFF also expands. After all, WinFF acts more like a GUI for FFMPEG more than anything else.

Installation

I tested WinFF in Ubuntu 15.04 (Vivid Vervet), and the installation went without a hitch. Running the application is a different ball game, but we'll get to that in a moment. You can choose to install it from the official Ubuntu repos and you can get the latest version from there, or you can add an official PPA and stay updated should the developer choose to make any changes.

Installing it from the PPA is a very simple procedure, and all you need to do is enter some commands in a terminal. It will only take a few moments, depending on your system and internet speed. Please keep in mind that you will need to have root access to install any package in Ubuntu (and other distros for that matter):

code
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:paul-climbing/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install winff
sudo apt-get install libav-tools
The developer provides packages for Debian and RPM-based distros, and there is also the source code available if anyone cares enough to compile it instead of installing it.

Usage

The application only has a very simple and clear interface, so it won't be difficult to use. In fact, WinFF goes out of its way to make sure that you get the format you want without having to know anything about it. The entire GUI revolves around presets, and you will find that they practically cover all the major platforms out there and resolutions.

You can pick a movie just for the phone, then choose the right preset. Want something for the tablet? change the preset to what you need. Even stuff that is less known or used, like PSP, Palm, or Zen is covered by the presets. The user just has to load the video and know what he wants to get out.

As you can imagine, users also have access to more detailed options, like the specific format, resizing, rotation, audio features, and even come limited cropping. It's all there if you know where to look. What is not there can be extended with separate parameters that can be entered in one of the tabs. The conversion process is transparent, and you can see how it works in the terminal.


The Good

WinFF has a clear interface that will help anyone get most of what they need. It can be used both as a beginner's tool, but also as a tool for experts. The developers made a great job separating the two. Also, the application can also import presets, so the functionality can be greatly extended.

The Bad

WinFF doesn't make shortcuts during the installation, at least not in Ubuntu 15.04. Users need to start it from the terminal. It's not a bad thing, but it might be an Ubuntu related problem. Also, the support for various formats is not complete, and one of the examples is MKV, which cannot be used.

Conclusion

If you need a fast and easy-to-use tool to convert almost any kind of video files on your system, then you don't need to look any further than WinFF. Granted, it feels like an old tool, but it gets the job done.

user interface 3
features 4
ease of use 5
pricing / value 4


final rating 4
Editor's review
very good
 
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WinFF (7 Images)

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