How to Turn an M3U8 into 4:3?

M3U8 files have become a common way to stream and share multimedia content online. These files, which are playlists used by HLS (HTTP Live Streaming), reference small video segments that are played sequentially to deliver a continuous video stream. While M3U8 files are incredibly versatile, there may be situations where you want to convert them into a specific format or aspect ratio, such as 4:3, which was a popular standard in older video formats and devices. This guide will walk you through the process of handling M3U8 files, including bulk downloading videos to MP4 and transforming the aspect ratio into 4:3.

1. Bulk Download M3U8 Videos to MP4 with Meget Converter

Before you can manipulate the aspect ratio of videos referenced in an M3U8 playlist, the first step is to download and convert these videos in a format like MP4. Meget Converter is an excellent m3u8 downloader, offering a user-friendly way to handle M3U8 files in bulk.

Here’s how you can use Meget to download m3u8 to mp4​:

Step 1: Choose your OS, then click the download button below to to download and install the Meget software.

Step 2: Launch Meget and explore its intuitive user interface; Choose MP4 as the output format for better compatibility on the main interface.

Step 3: Navigate to the page that contains the M3U8 files you want to download, play a video and click the “Download” button to begin fetching and combining video segments referenced in the M3U8 playlist.

Step 4: You can minitor the m3u8 video download process on Meget’s interface. Once the download is complete, you can find the downloaded MP4 files within the software’s “Finished” tab.

With your videos now in MP4 format, you’re ready to proceed to the next step: converting them into a 4:3 aspect ratio.

2. How to Turn an M3U8 into 4:3?

Changing the aspect ratio of a video requires resizing or cropping the original frames. Here are several methods to convert an MP4 video to a 4:3 aspect ratio:

Method 1: Resize with Padding

Resizing with padding ensures the entire video remains visible while filling the extra space with black bars to maintain the 4:3 ratio. This method is ideal when preserving the original content is a priority.

Command:ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=iw:3*iw/4,pad=iw:ih+mod(4-ih,4):0:(oh-ih)/2" output_4_3.mp4

• scale=iw:3*iw/4: Adjusts the height to match the 4:3 aspect ratio.
• pad=iw:ih+mod(4-ih,4):0:(oh-ih)/2: Adds black bars to fill the frame.

Method 2: Crop to 4:3

Cropping removes parts of the video frame to achieve the 4:3 aspect ratio. This method is useful when the content can be focused on the central portion of the frame.

Command:ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "crop=ih*4/3:ih" output_4_3.mp4

• crop=ih*4/3:ih: Maintain the 4:3 ratio by adjusting the width.

Method 3: Resize to a Specific Resolution

If you want a fixed resolution, such as 640×480, which adheres to the 4:3 ratio, you can directly resize the video.

Command:ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=640:480" output_4_3.mp4

• scale=640:480: Resizes the video to the specified resolution.

Method 4: Use Video Editing Software

For those who prefer graphical interfaces, video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve can achieve the same results. You can export the video after importing the MP4 file and setting the project’s aspect ratio to 4:3.

Method 5: Automate the Process for Bulk Files

If you have multiple videos to process, creating a batch script can save time. For example, using a shell script:

Script Example:#!/bin/bash for file in *.mp4 do ffmpeg -i "$file" -vf "scale=iw:3*iw/4,pad=iw:ih+mod(4-ih,4):0:(oh-ih)/2" "4_3_$file" done

• Save the script in the directory containing the MP4 files and run it to process all files in bulk.

Additional Tips:

• Ensure you install FFmpeg and configure it correctly on your system.
• Test each method with a short video clip to ensure it meets your needs.
• Use higher bitrates during re-encoding to maintain video quality.

3. Conclusion

Converting an M3U8 file into a 4:3 aspect ratio might seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and steps, the process is straightforward. Meget Converter simplifies the task of bulk downloading M3U8 videos and converting them into MP4 format, while FFmpeg provides robust options for adjusting the aspect ratio to 4:3. Whether you’re working with old television footage, preparing videos for retro devices, or simply prefer the 4:3 format, these methods ensure high-quality results. Embrace these tools and workflows to make your video editing tasks efficient and hassle-free.