ASF The file cannot be opened because of header error - VLC, Media Player, free editors can open

[globalbioingredients]

As described in the subject, I have a ton of very old ASF files that I would like to edit in Premiere. VLC, Media Player, and even free editors can read these files but Premiere throws the error "The file cannot be opened because of a header error" on import. As a work-around I can pass these files through a converter but it would take a while and I'd rather not suffer a generation loss through recompression. Is there any way to make Premiere read these files and if not, is there a good program/format to get lossless conversion?
Experience level: beginner.

[Ann Bens · Accepted solution]

VLC etc are just players and very tolerate when it comes to files with errors.

If Premiere throws an error then yes you need to convert preferable to Prores (visual lossless)

Shutter Encoder encoding|converting video FREE PC|Mac

[globalbioingredients]

Good tool, thanks for the tip