Information Addicts

Have you ever downloaded a file or document from the internet, only to find out that you couldn’t run or open it because you didn’t have the right program installed?
Or have you wanted to convert an Adobe PDF file, to a Microsoft .DOC (word) file or even the other way around for example?

Every now and again I receive a file that I cannot open, and although there are file converter applications that can be installed on your computer, the problem starts when you work on a different computer, possibly at work, or you’re traveling, and using an internet cafe computer, etc, and the converter program is not installed, then you are stuck.

So how can you easily convert files from one format to another?

I have found a good solution, and that is to use a free online conversion website. A few exist on the internet, and after many hours of trial and error, I have found Media Convert and Zamzar to be the most efficient.  Each of these sites have strengths and weaknesses but I feel the first one (Media Convert), is the better option, take a look below for more information.

Media Convert.

Is very simplistic to use,  and you can convert files on the fly (straight away) up to 150MB in size. If you want to convert bigger files then you are out or luck. Depending on the file size and your internet speed I found it to be quite fast. It can convert many files including, Raw text, HTML, XHTML, Microsoft Word, RTF, PDF, as well as image and sound files to name but a few.
When the file has been converted you have the choice to open it, download it, or even send the file to your mobile phone, how cool is that?
The two downsides to Media convert is that it is very ad intensive, and you can only convert files up to 150MB (however this will be adequate for most users), but other than that, it is great for free.
For more information click here.

Zamzar.

Like Media Convert, Zamzar can convert many files types, even video files, up to 100MB for free. If you are willing to pay, you can convert files up to 1GB, you are also given storage space to store your converted files (up to 100GB), your files are converted quicker, and you have an inbox to manage all your files, but you only receive this, if you sign up and pay a monthly fee.

What I dislike about Zamzar is the fact that once the file is converted, a link is sent to you via email. It is not converted on the fly like Media Convert. This has 2 disadvantages, firstly you have to open your email each time, and secondly if you work away from your home computer, and you don’t have access to email or a web-mail account, you then have no way to retrieve the file.
The only way around this is if you sign up for a paid account, but not everyone wants to pay to convert a file. When you receive the email, you then need to click on the link provided which takes you to the Zamzar website, and click on another link to download it, to many clicks for me.

Don’t get me wrong, Zamzar works quite well, but out of the 2, I prefer Media Convert.

Give them a try and let me know how you get on.

Do you already use an online file converter, if so which one?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 at 1:00 pm and is filed under PC Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.