FLV to MPEG-2 Converter

FLV vs MPEG-2 — Which Should You Convert To?

If you have an old FLV (Flash Video) file and need MPEG-2, you are almost always feeding a DVD-authoring or broadcast pipeline that literally can't read Flash video. Be clear about what this is: a rescue from a dead Flash workflow into an old DVD-era codec, not a quality upgrade — MPEG-2 is older and less efficient than H.264, so a re-encode is lossy-to-lossy and an SD source stays SD. If your real goal is a file that plays on phones, browsers, and smart TVs, the right target is FLV to MP4 (H.264), not MPEG-2. Convert to MPEG-2 only when a DVD, set-top box, or institutional MPEG-2 pipeline demands it.

Side-by-side: FLV vs MPEG-2

When to Pick MPEG-2

• You are authoring a DVD-Video disc and your software (DVDStyler, DVD Flick, ImgBurn, ConvertXtoDVD) needs an MPEG-2 program stream at 720x480/576 with MP2 or AC-3 audio.
• A broadcast, satellite, or institutional pipeline (DVB/ATSC ingest, capture hardware, archival systems) only accepts MPEG-2.
• You are feeding a set-top box, HDV deck, or older player that decodes MPEG-2 but not H.264.

When to Keep FLV — or Convert to MP4 Instead

• Keep .flv only if a specific Flash-era web player, learning-management system, or courseware tool still ingests that exact extension.
• For everything else — phones, browsers, smart TVs, modern editors — convert to FLV to MP4. H.264 MP4 is smaller at the same quality and plays everywhere.
• If you just want a more broadly-readable container than .flv without DVD constraints, MP4 beats MPEG-2 on both size and compatibility.

How to Convert FLV to MPEG-2

1. Upload Your FLV File: Drag and drop your .flv onto the page or click "+ Add Files" to browse. Old YouTube/Vimeo downloads from 2008-2014, recorded webinars, and Flash-era e-learning captures all work. Batch upload is supported.
2. Set the Quality Preset: Under Advanced Options the output defaults to the MPEG-2 video codec with MP2 audio — the DVD-Video pairing. Leave the Preset on "Very High (Recommended)" so the older codec doesn't soften detail, or open File Compression for Constant Bitrate, Variable Bitrate, Constant Quality, or Specific file size.
3. Match a Resolution (Optional): Under Video resolution keep the original, pick a Preset Resolution, scale by Resolution Percentage, or enter a Width x Height. For a DVD target choose 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL); use Trim → Time Range to cut one segment from a long capture in the same pass.
4. Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and save your MPEG-2 file. No sign-up, no watermark.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MPEG-2 better than FLV for my video?

Neither is "better" in the abstract — they were built for opposite jobs. FLV was a web-streaming container that Flash Player decoded in the 2000s; MPEG-2 (ITU-T H.262 / ISO/IEC 13818, 1995) is the DVD-Video and digital-broadcast workhorse. MPEG-2 is the right answer only when something downstream — a DVD authoring tool, a set-top box, an MPEG-2-only ingest system — requires it. For general playback on modern devices, both are dated; FLV to MP4 (H.264) is the better destination than either.

Will I lose quality converting FLV to MPEG-2?

Yes, some — and that's an honest limit, not a tool flaw. FLV holds Sorenson Spark, VP6, or H.264 video, and the output holds MPEG-2, so the conversion is always a lossy-to-lossy re-encode: the source is decoded and re-compressed from scratch. No detail the original FLV already discarded can be regained, and a standard-definition FLV stays standard-definition. Keep the Quality Preset on "Very High" so the MPEG-2 encoder isn't the bottleneck.

Will the MPEG-2 file be larger than my FLV?

Often, yes. MPEG-2 is a mid-1990s codec and is roughly half as efficient as H.264, so holding the same visual quality takes a higher bitrate. In our testing, a 640x480 Flash-era FLV re-encoded to MPEG-2 at the "Very High" preset came out 2-3x larger than the source. That is the codec doing its job for disc and broadcast compatibility — if a small file matters more, use FLV to MP4 instead.

What resolution and audio should I use for DVD authoring?

Set the resolution to 720x480 for NTSC discs or 720x576 for PAL, and keep audio on MP2 or AC-3 (MP3 and AAC are not DVD-Video compliant). DVD-Video caps video at 9.8 Mbit/s, with most authored discs averaging well below that, so the "Very High" preset is plenty. Then feed the .mpeg stream into DVDStyler, DVD Flick, or ImgBurn to build the VOB/IFO disc structure.

What happens to the audio from my FLV?

FLV usually carries MP3 or AAC audio; the MPEG-2 output re-encodes it to MP2 by default — the DVD-Video standard — with AC-3, MP3, and AAC also available under Audio Codec. The primary track is preserved. Pick MP2 or AC-3 if the file is destined for a DVD; MP3 or AAC are fine for software playback only.

Can MPEG-2 play in a web browser like FLV used to?

No, and for the same underlying reason FLV no longer does — neither was built for today's web. Browsers don't natively decode MPEG-2 (H.262); it targets DVD players, broadcast gear, and desktop players like VLC. If you need a file that streams in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari, convert to FLV to MP4 for H.264 instead. The reverse direction is MPEG-2 to FLV.

How are my files handled, and how long are they kept?

Your file is uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after the conversion — no sign-up, no watermark, never shared or made public.