Zamzar: The easy file converter with an exotic name
September 24, 2008
Have you ever needed to show a YouTube video at an inservice where there is no Internet service, or there’s a firewall that makes the Great Wall of China look like a picket fence? Have you ever needed to convert a word document to PDF? Have you ever needed to convert JPG image files to TGA format to show them on the Jumbotron at a local ball park? Have you have ever had a WAV audio file you recorded to MP3?
At one point, I’ve need to do all of these tasks, and although you can pay money for some really spiffy conversion programs, there is a free, online alternative, Zamzar. Zamzar converts most image, audio, and video format within a day (I have been getting my files done within a couple hours recently).
This service is particularly useful for getting YouTube videos for use in the classroom, or professional development. YouTube and most other video services store those files in flash (FLV) format. Since Zamar is not blocked, I can even do this from my school site behind the fire wall. Here are the steps I took recently to locate a video for our staff meeting:
- The principal asks me if I can get the video of Dalton Sherman addressing the Dallas ISD from YouTube for staff meeting after school;
- I Google “Do You Believe AND Dalton Sherman AND YouTube“. The first link is for the YouTube page. I copy the URL at the end of the entry. You don’t even have to go to the YouTube page.
- I go to Zamzar - Free online file conversion by URL, which lets you put in a URL for a YouTube video (or BlipTV, TeachersTube, Revver, etc.) and convert it.
- I paste in the URL I copied in step 2, specify which format I want (.wmv or .avi works for Windows Media Player), enter my email address, and click on convert.
- I get an email within an hour. I click on the link in the email, then click on download converted file. Voila! -ALICE MERCER
Zamzar - Free online file conversion by URL
Zamzar - Free online file conversion
Videos I’ve recently gotten for staff meetings:
Dalton Sherman, “Do You Believe in Me?”
Taylor Mali, “What Do Teachers Make?”
Nokia Ad Spoof “Walkthroughs and Learning Objectives”
