The QuickTime format is used for video, audio, and text files, while MP3 files are part of the MPEG standards and are popular for devices with limited storage. To convert MOV to MP3, free programs like Avidemux and SUPER can be used. QuickTime files may contain MP3 files, but the audio track may be in another format that needs to be extracted first. Many programs are available for conversion, but DRM protected files cannot be converted.
The Apple® QuickTime® (MOV) format is a media container for video, audio and text files used for menus, subtitles and navigation data. MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) files are audio files that are part of the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standards. MP3 files maintain great quality over their level of compression, making them popular for devices with limited storage space, such as portable digital players. In some cases, you may want to convert MOV to MP3 to listen to the audio part of the video as a music or audio file. Several programs will do this, and many are free.
The QuickTime® format is pervasive, commonly used for online movie trailers, for example, that incorporate copyright protection schemes or Digital Rights Management (DRM). If you buy TV shows or movies from the iTunes® Store, you’ll also be familiar with MOV files and, of course, they’re used for video on iPod® and iPhone®. In short, if you are an Apple® devotee, MOV files are everywhere. Some digital camcorders also use the QuickTime® format to save video.
Although QuickTime® files may contain MP3 files, the audio track will likely be in another audio format that must first be extracted and then converted to MP3. Luckily the right program will perform the necessary steps for you.
A popular choice for converting MOV to MP3 would be the free and open source Avidemux©, suitable for Windows®, Mac® and Linux® users. A useful feature is the optional ability to set A and B markers within the MOV file to extract only a part of the audio track, when desired.
To convert MOV to MP3 using Avidemux©, load the MOV file, choose MP3 for the Audio setting from a drop-down list of choices, and click the Audio Setup button to set bitrates and channels, etc. Determine the placement of the A and B block markers in the portion of audio to convert, (not necessary if converting the entire track), then click Audio from the top toolbar and Save. Choose your .mp3 filename and Avidemux© will encode the MOV track to MP3.
Another popular free Windows tool to convert MOV to MP3 is SUPER©, (Simplified Universal Player Encoder and Renderer); a powerful converter, useful for many conversion jobs. Drag a MOV file into the input field at the bottom of the main window or right-click in the field to access the file. Once the MOV file loads, choose the appropriate “Output Container” above, clicking to display a drop-down menu with several audio and video format choices. Once MP3 is selected, the Video part of the encoder is grayed out (disabled) and only the Audio section is available for adjustment for the desired sample rate and other options. Click the Encode button to convert MOV to MP3 easily and quickly.
Search engines will reveal many more choices of programs including shareware. Please note that DRM protected files may not be converted.
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