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MOV to MPEG converter

This makes an MPEG out of the MOV you already have. MPEG is the usual choice for DVD and Video CD content ripped to disk. Your file never leaves your computer.

Need the other direction? Convert MPEG to MOV

How to convert MOV to MPEG

  1. 1 Drop your MOV .mov or .qt file onto the page, or click to browse for it.
  2. 2 Set the quality, or leave the default, which keeps the file small without anything showing.
  3. 3 Convert. The work happens on your own machine, so how long it takes depends on your computer and the file.
  4. 4 Download the MPEG, or add more files and do the whole set in one go.

Why convert MOV to MPEG

  • Plays on almost anything, including very old players.
  • Copes well with a patchy signal or a damaged recording.
  • Authoring discs for older players.
  • MOV: proRes masters are very large compared to delivery formats.

MOV compared with MPEG

How the two formats differ on the things that decide whether a conversion is worth making.

MOV compared with MPEG
PropertyMOVMPEG
File extension.mov.mpeg
CompressionLossy or losslessLossy
TransparencyYesNo
Typical file sizeDepends on modeSmaller
Browser supportSome browsersNo browser support
Introduced19911993
Developed byAppleISO/IEC MPEG
StandardProprietaryOpen

Quality and what changes

MPEG stores the same content under a different set of rules, so what matters here is compatibility rather than picture quality. Convert once from the best source you have rather than through a chain of intermediate files.

  • One MPEG limitation to keep in mind: no browser support and few modern devices accept it.

Questions about MOV to MPEG

Can I open an MPEG in a browser?

No. No mainstream browser renders MPEG natively, so it will download rather than display. That is fine when the file is heading into desktop software or an archive, and a problem if it is going on a web page.

Is my MOV file uploaded anywhere?

No. The whole thing runs inside the browser tab you already have open. Your MOV is read straight from your own disk, converted on your machine and handed back as an MPEG. Nothing is sent anywhere, nothing is stored and there is no account.

Is there a file size limit?

There is no server-side limit because no server sees the file. The real ceiling is your device memory, since the input and the output both have to fit in the tab. A few hundred megabytes is usually fine on a desktop machine and considerably less on a phone.

Can I convert several MOV files at once?

Yes. Add as many as you like and they are processed one after another, then offered as separate MPEG downloads or as a single ZIP. Speed depends on your own processor rather than on a queue.

Does the converter work offline?

Yes, after the page has loaded once. The engine is cached by the browser, so you can disconnect, reload and keep converting. That falls out of doing the work locally rather than being a separate mode you switch on.

Related conversions

Format references