14 DAY TRIAL // When it comes to converting media for use on portable devices, there is no shortage of applications. Since all these applications have to do is piggyback on the built-in video conversion capabilities in QuickTime, conversion applications are a dime a dozen, and all they truly offer is a graphical front end to the codec that is behind the scenes. Considering this, criteria for a good converter is very clear, but it is amazing how many applications fall short. The better ones offer additional options such as batch jobs or basic video editing. MP4 Converter does it all.
What it does
MP4 Converter is a utility for converting video files for use on various portable media players. Between an extensive list of supported devices, presets and advanced options as well as additional features such as batch jobs and clip cutting, there isn't much not to like about this application feature-wise.
Working with it
The workflow for converting movies has become rather standard, and MP4 Converter does not stray from it. Movies are either opened or added to the list via drag and drop, next the options for the conversion are set and then the entire process actually begins, leaving you with a shiny new converted movie once it is done.
Configuring the setting of the conversion if very a flexible affair. For people who don't need options, the General options let you choose from a lot of presets, grouped by device. After selecting the preset, you can further fine-tune the quality of the video and audio, although the default settings are more than adequate. Since the presets list contains all kinds of devices that you likely do not have, a good thing to do is to go in preference and uncheck them all, leaving you with a list of only the presets you can actually make use of.
For people who like advanced options, the next tab lets you go into every setting and tweak it as you like. While the selection of options is comprehensive, the actual interface leaves a lot to be desired. Things like aspect ratios have to be entered manually, into the text field. At the same time, things like the frame rate has to be configured by selecting 'Custom' from the drop down menu, which is the only option other than the default 'Auto,' at which point you will be greeted by a text field into which you can enter the actual values. Besides the incoherence, also very annoying is the fact that the width of the options are is set in stone, never getting wider no matter how much you resize the window, and all of the drop down menus are bigger than the space set aside for them, so they all cross over into the descriptions on the right.
Extras
MP4 Converter lets you do two things that most other converters don't: batch jobs and movie clipping.
Batch jobs are amazingly easy to work with. Simply drag all of the files you want converted to the list. By default they will be automatically processed with the current preset settings, but you can go in and change each movie as needed. Once you are done, simply hit convert and they will all be processed in turn. Depending on your system, you can change how many files will be converted at the same time.
Clipping movies via the Trim function should also be simple in theory, and it is the only problem is in actual practice. When using the function, a new window will appear with the movie in it and two start and end indicators. Instead of actually letting you drag the two indicators to the desired location, you have to play the movie to the desired point and then make use of the set begin or end buttons. This would not be nearly as bad if playback was reliable or if the scrubbing the tracking bar always worked. Unfortunately, a lot will depend on the movie you are converting, its original format as well as its size. Although the option sounds good in theory, actually using this interface is actually more time consuming than it is worth. To get the same result, you can simply make use of the Duration and Start Time options in the advanced settings. Unfortunately, even here the incoherence of the options can be seen. The starting time is specified in an hour:minute:second format, while the duration needs to be specified in seconds, so you will need to do some math to convert all those hours and minutes into numbers the applications likes.
Last but not least, one of the oddball features of this application is how you can change the language is in on the fly. Found in the tools menu, it will let you choose between English, German, Japanese and Chinese simplified. Why this is not accomplished via localizations is beyond me but, even so, it is better than programs that offer no localizations at all.
The Good
Very good feature-wise, with plenty of presets and all the advanced options you need. Batch jobs are as easy as working with single files and conversion is quick.
The Bad
Unfortunately, the incoherent nature of the advanced options can be a pain, save for the Trim interface. It is not major and you can still get the job done, but it could have been far cleaner and simpler to use without a lot of clearly redundant steps.
The Truth
If you get past the inconsistencies, MP4 Converter is a pretty solid application that can get the job done the vast majority of times. With a level mix of robust conversion and ease of use, this should be a useful tool for those converting their first movie and those on their thousandth alike.
Here are some screenshots, click to enlarge:
