Free online M4V to AMV converter

Many older portable media players accept AMV but cannot play an M4V file, so an M4V recording must be recoded before it can be copied to the device. AMV also produces much smaller files, although with substantially lower resolution and quality than most M4V sources.

What the M4V format is

M4V is an MPEG-4 Part 10 container commonly holding H.264 video and AAC audio. Apple uses it for movies and television episodes distributed through iTunes and the Apple TV app; QuickTime and video-editing applications can also create M4V files, and HandBrake can use the extension for compatible MPEG-4 output.

An M4V file may be ordinary unprotected video or an Apple FairPlay-protected purchase. A converter can process the former, but standard conversion software cannot legitimately decode DRM-protected content. M4V may also contain multiple audio tracks, subtitles, chapters, or metadata that AMV cannot preserve.

What the AMV format is

AMV is a proprietary, highly constrained video format used mainly by older low-cost portable media players and MP4 players. It is based on an AVI-like structure but uses an AMV video codec and commonly IMA ADPCM audio. Typical device profiles use small frame sizes such as 160×120, 160×128, or 220×176, low frame rates around 12–25 frames per second, and modest video bit rates.

Its main advantages are compatibility with hardware that has limited processing power and small file sizes. AMV is unsuitable for modern phones, web playback, editing, or archival storage; the target player’s manual or bundled conversion utility determines the accepted dimensions, frame rate, audio settings, and file extension.

How to actually convert M4V to AMV

Using FFmpeg

Use a current FFmpeg build that includes both the AMV video encoder and AMV IMA ADPCM audio encoder. Check for them with ffmpeg -encoders | grep -E 'amv|adpcm_ima_amv'; on Windows, replace grep with findstr "amv adpcm_ima_amv".

1. Confirm the player’s required frame size. The following example targets 160×120, a 15 fps profile commonly used by older players.
2. Run ffmpeg -i input.m4v -vf "scale=160:120:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=160:120:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,setsar=1" -r 15 -c:v amv -b:v 200k -c:a adpcm_ima_amv -ar 22050 -ac 1 output.amv.
3. Copy output.amv to the player and test playback. If the device rejects it, use the exact dimensions and audio rate specified by that device rather than changing settings at random.

The scaling and padding filters preserve the source proportions and add black borders when necessary. To fill the entire frame instead, use scale=160:120, accepting image distortion. If FFmpeg reports an unknown AMV encoder or muxer, that build cannot create this format; use the AMV conversion utility supplied with the player instead.

Using the player’s bundled converter

Many AMV players include a Windows utility named AMV Converter, AMV Video Converter, or a similar vendor-specific program. Open the M4V through File → Open or Add file, select the player’s model or required resolution, choose AMV as the output format, set the destination folder, and start conversion. This option is often more reliable than a generic encoder because it applies the device’s required codec profile and audio parameters.

You can also convert the file on the 101convert.com website for free without installing software. Upload only non-DRM video and verify the resulting resolution and playback on the target device.

Quality, compatibility, and limitations

AMV conversion is normally a lossy transcode: the M4V is decoded and then re-encoded at a much lower resolution and bit rate. Keep the original M4V for archiving, because converting it back to MP4 or M4V cannot restore discarded detail.

Do not rename an M4V file to .amv; changing the extension does not change its codecs or container. Generic AVI output is also not necessarily valid AMV. The most common compatibility failures are unsupported frame dimensions, a frame rate outside the player profile, stereo or high-rate audio, and an encoder profile the device does not recognize.