Convert an MP4 video to AVI to watch it on a DVD player with DivX or Xvid support, on an older TV or car screen that reads videos from USB, or to open it in a legacy editing program. We create the AVI with Xvid video and MP3 sound, the combination those devices understand. One video at a time, up to 100 MB, with no sign-up.
How to convert MP4 to AVI
- Select your MP4 video (up to 100 MB).
- Click “Convert to AVI”.
- Wait while we re-encode the video: usually a few seconds.
- Download the AVI and copy it to the USB stick or disc.
When AVI makes sense
AVI is an old format: today MP4 plays on more devices and takes up less space. But many devices from the 2000s and early 2010s cannot play the H.264 of an MP4 and do play AVI files with DivX or Xvid:
- DVD players with the DivX logo or USB port.
- Older TVs and car screens that play videos from a USB stick.
- Legacy programs, such as old versions of editing or presentation software.
If your device or program plays MP4, keep the MP4: it looks better and weighs less.
What the AVI contains
- Xvid video (MPEG-4 Part 2) at high quality, re-encoded from the MP4.
- MP3 sound at 192 kbit/s, which those devices play without trouble.
- At most 1280 × 720 (720 × 1280 in portrait), the limit of the DivX HD profile: larger videos are scaled down to fit, and smaller ones keep their size.
- Only the first video track and the first audio track, without metadata.
Limitations
- Very old players that only accept standard definition (up to 720 × 576) may not play an HD AVI.
- The AVI is usually larger than the MP4, because Xvid compresses less than H.264.
- The video is always re-encoded, so very long videos have to be trimmed first; the message tells you the limit. One video at a time, up to 100 MB.
- To go back to the modern format, use AVI to MP4.
Frequently asked questions
Will the AVI play on my DVD player?
If the player shows the DivX or Xvid logo, or its manual mentions those formats, it should. Very old models that only play standard definition may need a smaller video than 1280 × 720.
Why is the AVI larger than the MP4?
Because Xvid, the codec those devices understand, is older and compresses less efficiently than the H.264 in the MP4. To keep the same quality it needs more space.
Does the video lose quality when converted to AVI?
A little, because it is always re-encoded, but at the quality we use the difference is hard to see. Videos larger than 1280 × 720 are also scaled down to that size.
Why did my Full HD video become 1280 × 720?
Because 1280 × 720 is the maximum of the DivX HD profile, the one most players with DivX support. A larger AVI would not play on many of them.