Step 1: Attach your MPEG files using the button above or by bring and position.
Step 2: Click the 'Optimize' button to start the optimization.
Step 3: Collect your converted M4V files.
MPEG to M4V Optimization FAQ
How do I re-encode MPEG to M4V without quality loss?
+
Upload your MPEG file and set Quality to High Quality in the conversion options. That re-encodes the video at the highest quality setting (CRF 18 for H.264 and VP9 output), which keeps the most detail at the cost of a larger file. The default, Balanced, uses the standard setting. The M4V output gets a codec its container supports: H.264 for MP4, MOV and MKV, VP9 for WebM.
Which codec does the M4V output use?
+
It depends on the M4V container. MP4, MOV and MKV output use H.264, which plays on practically every phone, browser and TV. WebM output uses VP9. AVI, WMV and MPEG output use the older codecs those formats were designed for.
Will my audio track survive MPEG to M4V?
+
Yes, the main audio track comes through, re-encoded to a codec the M4V container plays, for example AAC in MP4 and MOV or Opus in WebM. Most conversions keep only that one track (the one with the most channels), so alternate languages and commentary are dropped. MP4 to MOV, and AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, VOB or M4V to MKV, keep every audio track.
Can I keep the original framerate going from MPEG to M4V?
+
Yes. The frame rate is kept unless you change it: a 24 fps MPEG stays 24 fps in the M4V. The Frame Rate setting can also convert to 60, 30 or 24 fps. It changes the rate only; it does not deinterlace the video or remove 3:2 pulldown.
What is the file size difference between MPEG and M4V?
+
It depends on what happens to the video. MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings copies the video stream unchanged, so the size stays close to the source. Most other pairs re-encode it: a high-bitrate MPEG usually comes out smaller, while an already heavily compressed one can grow. Smaller File under Quality gives the smallest output, and H.265 in the Codec setting (MP4, MOV and MKV) is usually smaller than H.264 at similar quality but plays on fewer devices.
Will the M4V file play on iPhone / Android / Smart TV?
+
MP4 with H.264 plays on practically every phone, browser and TV. MOV with H.264 plays on Apple devices and most TVs but not on every older Android phone. MKV needs an app such as VLC on iOS, and WebM is at home in browsers. There is no device preset on this page, so choose the target format your device supports.
How long does converting a 1-hour MPEG file to M4V take?
+
There is no fixed time: it depends on the length, the resolution and the target format. Conversions run on our servers' CPUs with software encoders; there is no GPU acceleration. MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings copies the video stream and is the quickest. A re-encode to H.264 takes longer, and WebM (VP9) is the slowest target, several times slower than H.264 in our tests.
What is the max resolution supported for MPEG to M4V?
+
The converter has no resolution cap of its own; the limit is the upload size allowed on your plan, and the resolution stays as it is unless you choose 1080p, 720p or 480p. There is no HDR processing or tone mapping. When the video stream is copied (MKV to MP4 or MOV with the default settings), HDR10 passes through untouched. A re-encode drops the HDR10 mastering metadata, and with a Quality, Resolution or Frame Rate setting some pairs also reduce the video to 8-bit colour, so an HDR MPEG can look washed out.
Is my MPEG video private during M4V conversion?
+
Yes. Uploaded MPEG files are processed on our own conversion servers, no person reviews them, and they are never shared. The upload and the converted M4V are both deleted automatically about 24 hours after the conversion, which leaves time to download the result. See /privacy/ for the full policy.
Can I crop or trim during the MPEG to M4V step?
+
Not in the same step — use /video-trim/ or /video-cutter/ to clip the MPEG first, then queue the MPEG -> M4V conversion. Trim-then-convert is faster than re-encoding the whole file just to crop the output.
Why is the M4V file blurry compared to the MPEG source?
+
Usually the output was compressed harder than the source. Open the conversion options, choose High Quality under Quality, keep Resolution at Original and convert again. There is no CRF or bitrate field on this page; High Quality is the setting that keeps the most detail.
Does the MPEG to M4V converter support subtitles?
+
On some pairs. MP4 to MOV keeps every text subtitle track. AVI, WMV, MPEG, FLV, VOB and M4V to MKV keep every subtitle track: text subtitles are copied or converted to SRT, and picture-based subtitles such as DVD or Blu-ray ones are copied as they are. MP4, MOV and WebM to MKV keep only the first subtitle track (as ASS), and MP4 to WebM keeps the first one as WebVTT. Other pairs, including MKV to MP4 or MOV and WebM to MP4, drop subtitle tracks, and the converter does not burn them into the picture. Subtitles that are already burned in stay, because they are part of the video frames.
