AVI FourCC Changer

AVI FourCC Changer is a lightweight, yet reliable utility designed to identify and furthermore, change the FourCC code of a given AVI video file.

The FourCC (short for four character code) term describes an identifier for video properties such as codec, compression, pixel format, etc and is usually associated with AVI files. Put simpler, a FourCC identifier is used to compress media streams within AVI clips.

In very rare cases, in order to be able to properly decode a video stream, the FourCC code needs to be changed. Achieving this is only possible via a third-party utility, such as AVI FourCC Changer.

This is a very simple and lightweight application, built with a single purpose: that of modifying the FourCC code for the specified file and overwriting these changes onto the original file.

Because the alterations aren’t reversible, a backup of the source videos is highly recommended. There’s no guarantee that the FourCC modifications will actually work and if they don’t, the streams may become corrupt.

Usage is not rocket science, it takes basic computer knowledge to be able to handle the application correctly. Short after you’ve selected the video file to be processed, the software will identify its FourCC code, allowing you to change it to one of the following formats: mp41, mp42, mp43 and DIV3.

Once you’ve made sure you backed up a copy of the original files, it suffices to press the ‘Apply’ button and the changes will be performed in a matter of seconds.

There’s really nothing else to say about this small utility, other than the fact that its purpose, even though simple, is carried out correctly, offering you a chance to properly decode video streams that have been encoded with an outdated or unstable codec.