A video converter is a piece of software necessary to convert a video file from one format into another, either recording captured directly through a multimedia device of you own, or single files available through different means, or from one device's video format to another.

This means that if you are able to download a picture in an AVI format, you can use a video converter to obtain a new file either in MPG, ASX, MOV, QT, SWF, FLV, DVD, VOB, VRO, DAT, VCD, SVCD, MJPEG, RM, RMVB, DVR-MS, MKV, OGM, WMV, DV, MOV, YUV or any other popular video format, and vice versa.

Video converters work similarly but depending on the developer of the software, each program has different capabilities. Some of them are limited to convert any video format into a specific, single one, as an example, anything to WMV, but a large number of them can work with any video format to any other.

Some video files are protected to avoid piracy while others are not supported due to manufacturers' limitations. However, you may find trouble converting a few formats, although, in a few cases you will be able to find legitimate software to unprotect such files and proceed with changes.

A video converter may support multiple file conversion; file merging, video editing functions, filtering, and other enhancing and compressing tools to improve video quality after conversion, or cleaning defective or corrupted shots.

Another advantage of video converters is that developers continuously updates these programs, as technology advances require, adding support for MP3 AVI, DivX, Windows Media upgrades, and many other video formats emerging every day.

Some video formats codec’s for conversion include: 3ivx 3GP 3G2 3GP ASF (Advanced Systems Format) Audio Video Standard (AVS) Cinepak CoreAVC CorePNG Dirac DivX FFmpeg MPEG-4 Firebird Flash HDX4 Huffyuv Indeo 3/4/5 KVCD Lagarith LCL MainConcept MJPEG MP4 MPEG-1 Video MPEG-2 Video MPEG-4 ASP MPEG-4 ASP MPEG-4 AVC MPEG-4 AVC MPEG-4 AVC Nero Digital Pixlet QuickTime RealVideo Snow Wavelet Sorenson AVC Pro Tarkin Theora VC-1 WAX Windows Media Video (WMV) x264 Xvid

Some popular video converters: Xilisoft 3GP Video Converter , a program for video conversion that works with mobile devices. Xilisoft Video Converter, with support for different multimedia devices. STOIK Video Converter , powerful freeware utility with a video compression utility. AimOne Video Converter, a batch video converter. Puma Video Converter, processes and supports multiple video codec’s.

Video converts with add-on functionality: AVS Video Tools, a utility that burns DVDs, rip, edit and convert video files, including cam recorders. AVS Video Converter, rip DVDs as well as splits, cut, capture and extract video files. Replay Converter, program that converts both video and audio files, including iPod, flash, and media. Videora iPod Converter, convert iPod files and export PC video files into mobile format.