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Need help?ARW to MPEG-2 Converter
ARW is Sony's Alpha-camera raw still-image format — a single uncompressed photo straight off the sensor. MPEG-2 is the older DVD- and broadcast-era video format usually carried in a .mpeg or .mpg file. This converter takes one raw photo and renders it as a short, silent MPEG-2 clip that simply holds that one image on screen — it does not animate the picture or add sound. The realistic reason to do this is authoring a still onto a DVD or playing it back on a legacy MPEG-2 device.
ARW Format at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Raw still image (one photo per file) |
| Vendor | Sony (Alpha DSLR / mirrorless bodies) |
| Bit depth | 12- or 14-bit linear sensor data |
| Color | Single Bayer-sensor capture, full latitude before processing |
| Audio | None (it is a photo) |
| Best for | Editing exposure and white balance before export |
| To view normally, convert to | JPG |
MPEG-2 Format at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Standard | ISO/IEC 13818 ("Generic coding of moving pictures"), published 1996 |
| Type | Lossy video codec, usually in a .mpeg / .mpg program stream |
| Built for | DVD-Video and digital TV broadcast (terrestrial, cable, satellite) |
| Standard-def frame size | 720×480 (NTSC) or 720×576 (PAL) |
| Efficiency | Less efficient than H.264/AVC — H.264 reaches similar quality at roughly half the bitrate |
| Audio in this conversion | None — the output is a silent clip |
| For a universal modern clip, use | MP4 (H.264) |
How to Convert ARW to MPEG-2
- Upload Your ARW File: Drag and drop your Sony raw file or click "+ Add Files." You can queue several ARW files and convert them with the same settings.
- Set the Image Duration: Under Advanced Options, use "Duration" to choose how many seconds the photo stays on screen (the default is 5 seconds per frame) — this is the full length of the resulting silent clip.
- Choose Background Color and Resolution: Pick a Background Color (White by default) to fill any letterboxing, and set Video resolution to "Keep original," a fixed size, or a preset such as 720×480 for DVD playback.
- Convert and Download: Click "Convert" to render the MPEG-2 file. No sign-up, no watermark. Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically after a few hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the MPEG-2 clip have any sound?
No. ARW is a photo with no audio track, so this conversion produces a silent video — a single still held on screen for the duration you set, with no audio stream at all. If you want a soundtrack, add one afterward in a video editor before authoring your DVD.
Will my raw file's dynamic range survive the conversion?
Only partly. A Sony ARW holds 12- or 14-bit linear sensor data with wide highlight and shadow latitude. MPEG-2 video is 8-bit, so the wide tonal range is baked down to a fixed exposure and white balance during conversion. For the best-looking result, finish your exposure and white-balance edits while the file is still raw — or convert to JPG first if you only need a viewable photo.
Why would I choose MPEG-2 instead of MP4 for a photo clip?
MPEG-2 is mainly worth it for one job: DVD authoring or playback on older MPEG-2 hardware, where the disc and player expect that exact format. For anything you plan to share, upload, or play on a phone or modern TV, MP4 with H.264 is far more universal and reaches similar quality at roughly half the bitrate. If that describes you, use ARW to MP4 instead.
What resolution should I pick for a DVD?
Standard DVD-Video uses 720×480 for NTSC (North America, Japan) or 720×576 for PAL (most of Europe, Australia). Choose the preset that matches the region of the player you'll burn for. For a clip you will only watch on a computer, "Keep original" preserves the raw's full pixel dimensions.
Can I make a slideshow from several ARW photos in one file?
The converter's Merge strategy controls this: leave it on per-image to get one MPEG-2 clip per photo, or merge to combine the queued stills into a single clip where each image shows for the duration you set. That merged file is the closest thing to a simple slideshow without a separate editor.
Is MPEG-2 still a current format in 2026?
It is legacy but not dead. MPEG-2 was standardized in 1996 (ISO/IEC 13818) and is still the core format for DVD-Video and a lot of existing digital-TV broadcasting, so hardware and players continue to support it. It is simply less efficient than newer codecs like H.264 and HEVC, which is why anything new on the web ships in those instead.
Is my Sony raw file kept private?
Yes. Your ARW is uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically after a few hours. There is no sign-up, no watermark, and your files are never shared or made public.
Which Sony cameras produce ARW files?
ARW is the raw format written by Sony's Alpha (α) line — its mirrorless bodies and the older DSLT/DSLR cameras. Each shot is saved straight from the sensor before any in-camera JPEG processing, which is why the files are large and why you convert them to view the picture or turn it into a clip.
Can this converter burn a DVD, or does it only make the MPEG-2 file?
It only produces the MPEG-2 stream (.mpg / .mpeg). To end up with a playable disc you still feed that file into DVD-authoring software, which builds the VIDEO_TS structure and any menus. Setting the resolution to 720×480 (NTSC) or 720×576 (PAL) here makes that later authoring step cleaner.