Linux only: Convert audio files from inside your favourite music/playlist manager with transKode, a free plug-in for Amarok. If you've never installed an Amarok script, it's simple—grab the package ending in .tar.bz from the link below, head to the Tools->Script Manager menu, then hit the "Install" button and point to where you put that package. The plug-in is highly configurable, being based on the Mplayer multimedia tool, and accessible by right-clicking a file from the playlist. transKode is a free plug-in for Linux systems running Amarok only.

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Windows only: Windows Media Center can play back virtually any video file you've installed a codec for, but if you're rocking a Windows Media Center extender—like your Xbox 360, for example—you can only play back a few supported Windows Media video types by default. Freeware application Transcode 360 runs on your Media Center computer and transcodes and streams movies encoded in the popular DivX and XviD formats to your Media Center extender so can still watch your BitTorrent videos on your extender just like you can on your regular Media Center. If you've turned your Windows PC into a Media Center powerhouse, the freeware, Windows-only Transcode 360 is a must-have.