With so many video codecs to choose from, there will invariably come a time when you want to play back a media files on a particular device, or use it in a certain way, only to find that an incompatible format has been used. Ordinarily, converting videos between formats can something of an arduous process, but the free Mac app Media Converter aims to keep things as simple and speedy as possible.

Unlike other conversion tools, Media Converter offers a number of benefits, starting with the fact that it is free. The software offers support for a wide range of video formats and the process of converting takes nothing more than selecting the desired output format from a drop down menu before dragging and dropping the original video onto the program window.

There are a number of preset options built into the app, including output optimised for DVD use or for playback on iOS devices. If you would prefer to keep things simple, there is no need to configure any setting other than choosing which conversion preset should be used. The selection included with the app by default is likely to be enough for most people, but there are other available for free download from the Media Converter web site.

The downloadable presets plug into the app and provide additional conversion options such as support for the Ogg audio format and templates for creating Flash video or Video CDs. The idea behind using presets is that it eliminate the need for configuration, but the templates can be edited if necessary – this enables you to specify options such as video resolution, audio quality and various other settings.

Media Converter is pleasingly fast when re-encoding video, and its ease of use is very appealing. You can find out more and download a copy of the app by paying a visit to the Media Converter review page.