Format Factory
Version 5.22.0 · Free Time · Windows 7 / 8 / 10 / 11 (32-bit and 64-bit) · ranked #191 in the library
A conversion workhorse that turns almost any media file into almost any other one, with batch queues, disc ripping, basic trimming and a repair pass for the files that other players refuse to open.
Read the installation section below before you start. The order of the steps matters on this release.
About this release
Overview
Format Factory exists to solve one recurring problem: a file arrives in the wrong format and something downstream will not take it. It converts video, audio, image and document files across a very wide list of formats, handles disc sources, extracts audio out of video, joins and splits files, and repairs damaged media that a player rejects. The scope is deliberately broad, which is why it tends to stay installed long after whatever prompted the download in the first place.
The workflow is queue based. You pick an output format, add as many source files as you like, adjust the profile if the default is not right, and let the queue run. Profiles cover the sensible targets by name rather than requiring codec knowledge, but every profile opens into a settings panel with bitrate, resolution, frame rate, sample rate, channel count and codec selection exposed for the cases where the preset is close but not correct.
Around the conversion core sit a set of small tools that are individually unremarkable and collectively very useful: a trimmer for cutting a section without re-encoding, a joiner for stitching clips of the same format, a muxer for combining separate video and audio streams, a screen recorder, a disc ripper for video and audio discs, and a media info panel that reports exactly what is inside a file. This build has the advertising panel and the bundled offers removed.
What it does
Feature breakdown
Very wide format coverage
Video, audio, image and document conversion across dozens of container and codec combinations, with sensible named presets in front of the technical settings.
Batch queue
Queue any number of files with different sources and one output profile, then leave it running. Failed items are reported at the end rather than stopping the queue.
Trim, join and mux
Cut a section out without re-encoding, stitch same format clips together, and combine separate video and audio streams into one file.
Disc ripping
Video and audio disc sources ripped directly into the chosen output format, with title and chapter selection before the queue starts.
Damaged file repair
A repair pass that rebuilds broken indexes and recovers playable content from files that ordinary players refuse to open.
Media information panel
Reports container, codec, bitrate, resolution, frame rate, channel layout and duration so you can see exactly why a file is being rejected elsewhere.
Changed in this build
Version 5.22.0
- Hardware accelerated encoding extended to newer GPU generations for the common video targets.
- Additional output presets covering current phone and tablet screen resolutions.
- Queue engine reworked to process several small files in parallel rather than strictly one at a time.
- Repair pass improved on truncated recordings from action cameras and dash cameras.
- Interface refreshed with a dark theme and clearer per-item progress in the queue list.
Installation
Follow these in order
- Extract the archive to any folder.
- Pause real time protection if your engine objects to the bundled codec libraries.
- Run setup as administrator, or use the portable build if you prefer no installation.
- Decline any file association changes you do not want during setup.
- Open the application and set a default output folder in options.
- Restore protection once the first conversion has completed successfully.
Release notes
From whoever packed it
- The advertising panel and bundled third party offers are removed from this build.
- A portable build is included in the archive for use from a stick without installing.
- Hardware encoding is off by default. Enable it in options if your GPU supports it, since it is several times faster.
System requirements
Minimum and recommended
| Operating system | Windows 7 SP1 or newer, 32-bit or 64-bit |
|---|---|
| Processor | Dual core 2 GHz or faster, more cores speed up batch conversion directly |
| Memory | 2 GB minimum, 4 GB recommended for high resolution video |
| Graphics | Optional. A supported GPU enables hardware accelerated encoding |
| Storage | 300 MB for installation plus room for output files |
Questions about this release
Answered before you ask
- Does converting reduce quality?
- Re-encoding always loses something. Use the trim tool or a container change where possible, since those copy streams without re-encoding.
- Can it convert a whole folder at once?
- Yes. Add a folder to the queue and every supported file inside it is processed with the same profile.
- Why does a file fail to convert?
- Usually a damaged source. Run the repair tool over it first, then queue it again.
Download
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