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C h a p t e r 7 Understanding Audio/Video Technology 77

can’t upgrade a lower resolution one. That is, you can’t turn a standard resolution
picture into high definition; you can’t add resolution that isn’t there to begin with.

Converting Existing Videos to YouTube Format

When creating a new video from scratch, it’s easy enough to configure your record-
ing device to use the recommended settings. But what do you do if you want to
upload an existing video that’s in a different format?

The task of converting videos from one format to another is the province of a video
converter program. This type of software automatically performs video file format
conversion and in the process can convert files from one resolution or size to
another. If you have a lot of existing videos you want to upload to YouTube, you
need one of these programs. Some of the most popular video conversion programs
include

• AVS Video Tools (www.avsmedia.com/VideoTools/)
• M2Convert Professional (www.m2solutionsinc.com/products/pro.html)

• Movavi VideoSuite (www.movavi.com/suite/)

• Power Video Converter (www.apussoft.com)

• RER Video Converter (www.rersoft.com/video/video-converter.html)

• VIDEOzilla (www.videozilla.net)

• Xilisoft Video Converter (www.xilisoft.com/video-converter.html)

Using one of these converter programs is typically as easy as selecting the file to
convert, choosing an output format, and then clicking the Convert button. Other
settings (such as resolution or frame rate) are sometimes available, but the basic
conversion process is most often a one-click operation.

The Big Picture

There’s a lot you could learn about video technologies, but you don’t have to knock
yourself out—unless you really want to. Just remember to shoot in the highest pos-
sible resolution (720p or 1080p HD are great), using any popular video file format.
You can then upload said file to the YouTube site, which will automatically convert
it to the FLV file format and make it available at lower resolutions for those viewers
with slower Internet connections or smaller displays.