<p>You should get a SWF decompiler (perhaps one of the trails for: <a href="http://www.sothink.com/product/flashdecompiler/" rel="nofollow">Sothink SWF Decompiler</a>   or <a href="http://www.decompiler-swf.com/" rel="nofollow">Decompiler SWF</a>) and use that to find the nested movie file, and extract that.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-08T18:37:42.393Z
Sadly, I think this is the only way out of my situation. Will confirm and let you know.
bchang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T09:14:28.550Z
2011-07-06T09:14:28.550Z
Davy Landman
<p>swfextract from SWF Tools looks like it does what you want: <a href="http://wiki.swftools.org/index.php/Swfextract" rel="nofollow">http://wiki.swftools.org/index.php/Swfextract</a></p>

<p>It'll probably give you an FLV, but you can then use ffmpeg or similar to turn it into a better container format.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T14:32:06.413Z
Of course having said that without trying it, I'm now struggling to get it to do that. Looks like you could build something to do this on top of it but it doesn't do it on its own.
DRMacIver
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T14:19:26.097Z
2011-07-06T14:19:26.097Z
DRMacIver
<p>If you're on a <strong>Mac</strong>, there's an app called <a href="http://www.macroplant.com/adapter/" rel="nofollow">Adapter</a> that is supposed to <a href="http://nofilmschool.com/2011/07/adapter-favorite-audio-video-image-converter/" rel="nofollow">handle SWFs</a>.</p>

<p>If you're on <strong>Windows</strong>, you might try <a href="http://www.freeswfconverter.com/" rel="nofollow">Free SWF Convertor</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-07T07:18:02.083Z
Also tried Adapter with no luck. I suspect that it's choking on my “compressed” SWF
bchang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T01:33:01.930Z
2011-07-06T17:49:18.800Z
2011-07-06T17:49:18.800Z
Alex King
<p>If your lucky, <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/" rel="nofollow">VLC might be</a> able to play it. Then you can use its Convert/Save functionality to get it into a usable format. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T01:03:18.457Z
No dice… `avformat error: av_open_input_stream failed`
bchang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T00:30:34.270Z
2011-07-06T00:30:34.270Z
TheLQ
<p>Sony Vegas can read <em>some</em> SWF files and then you can render to any of its supported formats, including H.264. The free trial is at <a href="http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/trials/vegaspro" rel="nofollow">http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/trials/vegaspro</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-07-06T14:34:11.997Z
2011-07-06T14:34:11.997Z
Dithermaster
<p>I have a client who has misplaced the original source video, only has an SWF, and would like to use it in a non-flash environment. </p>

<p>Is there any way to do this?</p>

<p>So far, I've tried <code>ffmpeg</code> but it's failed, complaining about the compressed SWF.</p>

<p><code>[swf @ 0x101807c00] Compressed SWF format not supported</code></p>

<p>Any help would be appreciated.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-15T20:18:53.617Z
This question seems more broadcast and compression specific than AV Production! Inviting experts to a new site proposal [Broadcast and Media Technologies](http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/36807/broadcast-and-media-technologies) which aims to capture more architectural and theoretical views around subjects like this. Join and invite others.
Dipan Mehta
<file-formats><video>
Is there a method (or tool) to convert video from a SWF container to another more portable format (e.g., H.264)
bchang
# Is there a method (or tool) to convert video from a SWF container to another more portable format (e.g., H.264)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-07-05)

I have a client who has misplaced the original source video, only has an SWF, and would like to use it in a non-flash environment.

Is there any way to do this?

So far, I've tried `ffmpeg` but it's failed, complaining about the compressed SWF.

`[swf @ 0x101807c00] Compressed SWF format not supported`

Any help would be appreciated.

**Tags:** file-formats, video

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This question seems more broadcast and compression specific than AV Production! Inviting experts to a new site proposal [Broadcast and Media Technologies](http://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/36807/broadcast-and-media-technologies) which aims to capture more architectural and theoretical views around subjects like this. Join and invite others.  

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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2011-07-06. Score: 3

You should get a SWF decompiler (perhaps one of the trails for: [Sothink SWF Decompiler](http://www.sothink.com/product/flashdecompiler/) or [Decompiler SWF](http://www.decompiler-swf.com/)) and use that to find the nested movie file, and extract that.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Sadly, I think this is the only way out of my situation. Will confirm and let you know.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2011-07-06. Score: 0

swfextract from SWF Tools looks like it does what you want: <http://wiki.swftools.org/index.php/Swfextract>

It'll probably give you an FLV, but you can then use ffmpeg or similar to turn it into a better container format.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Of course having said that without trying it, I'm now struggling to get it to do that. Looks like you could build something to do this on top of it but it doesn't do it on its own.  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2011-07-06. Score: 0

If you're on a **Mac**, there's an app called [Adapter](http://www.macroplant.com/adapter/) that is supposed to [handle SWFs](http://nofilmschool.com/2011/07/adapter-favorite-audio-video-image-converter/).

If you're on **Windows**, you might try [Free SWF Convertor](http://www.freeswfconverter.com/).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Also tried Adapter with no luck. I suspect that it's choking on my “compressed” SWF  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2011-07-06. Score: 0

If your lucky, [VLC might be](http://www.videolan.org/vlc/) able to play it. Then you can use its Convert/Save functionality to get it into a usable format.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: No dice… `avformat error: av_open_input_stream failed`  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2011-07-06. Score: 0

Sony Vegas can read *some* SWF files and then you can render to any of its supported formats, including H.264. The free trial is at <http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/trials/vegaspro>


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