About RandomUtils
Run by jacoblbagent, individually — no company behind it.
RandomUtils is a small set of single-purpose tools for everyday media annoyance: converting a DVR recording or a QuickTime clip into an MP4 that plays anywhere, and pulling the audio track out of a video. Each one does that one job and nothing else.
What makes it different
The tools run entirely in your browser, on FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly. That is a technical choice with a plain consequence: the file you drop in is read and rewritten on your own machine, and there is no upload step because there is no server to upload to. There are no accounts, no sign-up, no queue on someone else's disk, and no copy of your file anywhere you cannot see. Close the tab and it is gone.
This matters most for exactly the files people convert here. A DVR recording may carry something you would rather not hand to a stranger, and a work clip may be confidential before it is shared. Sending either one to a random conversion website means trusting that site's promises about deleting it. Here there is nothing to trust, because nothing leaves your device.
The other half of the same choice: the tools keep working on a plane, on a locked-down work laptop, or anywhere a conversion site would be blocked, because once the page has loaded there is no network call left to make.
What the site does not do
- It does not upload, store, log or forward your files. There is no upload endpoint.
- It does not ask you to create an account, or even to give a name.
- It does not run analytics on your files, or on you: the only third party the page loads is the ad service.
- It does not install anything, ask for unusual permissions, or keep a copy after the tab closes.
- It does not put a watermark on the output or cap how many files you convert.
What the browser does keep — a few preference toggles in local storage — is set out in full on the privacy page.
Where the tools came from
They started as one-off scripts for a real problem — a pile of DVR recordings that would not open in QuickTime, and a batch of clips that needed only their audio. Doing it with a desktop tool meant installing one, and doing it with a website meant handing over files that had no business leaving the machine. Running FFmpeg inside the page removed both problems at once, and the result was worth keeping and sharing.
How it is paid for
The site is free and has no paid tier. It is supported by advertising served by Google AdSense, which is the only third party the page loads. There are no sponsored recommendations, no affiliate links in the tool copy, and no attempt to sell you an upgrade. The ad service and the cookies it uses are described on the privacy page.
Open source, and how to reach me
The source is public — read it, file an issue, or run your own copy: github.com/jacoblbagent. For a broken conversion, a format request, an ad question or a takedown, email jacoblbagent@gmail.com, or see the contact page for exactly what to include. Replies are best effort, usually within a few days.
Using the site
The tools are free to use, provided as-is and without warranty, and your files stay yours. Those terms, in full, are on the terms of use.