FFMPEG basics

[Legiondare]

Which distro is this? o_o

[metalx1000]

@Legiondare: I was Using Linux Mint in the video. Are you having some troubles? I know FFMPEG is constantly changing.

[MeshugenahScientist]

Hi Kris!

The bulk convert worked, but with one problem: the quality of the converted files is so low that I can see those little squares.

I've been looking elsewhere for solutions, including one of your own with a likely title, but I've not arrived at a solution.

I tried..

ffmpeg -i InputFile.wmv -ar 22050 -ab 56 -acodec mp3 -r 25 -f mp4 -b 400 -s 320x240 OutputFile.mp4 ..

.. but I got an error message mentioning the "mp3".

That was from another site anyway, not from you.

Please help!

[metalx1000]

@MeshugenahScientist: Well, try replacing "-acodec mp3" with "-acodec libmp3lame"

But, the code you got there is still pretty low quality. You could try a shorter command that will try to keep the conversion to the same quality as the original.

Try this:

ffmpeg -i InputFile.wmv -sameq Output.mp4

[MeshugenahScientist]

@metalx1000

Worked perfectly, thanks.

So that I don't take up your (unpaid) time unnecessarily, can I ask you to please recommend a book that I could buy to tutor me in making use of linux in these and other ways?

I can copy&paste the CLI commands I find, or am given, but if I learn the Linux CLI myself, I'll be able to formulate my own CLI commands.

[metalx1000]

@MeshugenahScientist: The only Shell Script Book I've liked is one called "Wicked Cool Shell Scripts". It's by Dave Taylor. I think it's the same Dave Taylor that does the Shell Scripts each month in the Linux Journal Magazine.

If you do plan on Buying either the Book or the magazine, I ask that you do so through my site at filmsbykris(dot)com/amazon

It will help support my site because I get a commission if you use that site, and it doesn't coast you anything extra. Thanks

[MeshugenahScientist]

@metalx1000

Yes, of course .. I've read where u ask that on your website. It's the least I can do4your help :)

I'd encourage others to visit, & 2buy boox thru yr site; that way u can have more resources to support your efforts. Those r my thoughts anyway.

[MeshugenahScientist]

Thanks4the vid, Kris.

Just listening2a vid playing in b/ground on FilmsByKris. Will look@it seriously after typing this

I'm@a loss trying2convert vids in BULK. Here's what I tried:

me@me ~/FolderFullOfVids $ ffmpeg -i *.avi *.mp4

..but it never works. I'm using LinuxMint12 & it requires that I mention each filename; it won't let me use a wildcard so that it can convert ALL the vid files in the "FolderFullOfVids" to the format I want (.mp4)

Anyway I'm picking up good tips ... so thanks again

[MeshugenahScientist]

@Kris

No need to answer that Kris .. I've already seen your detailed video answering this question. Thanks yet again.

[metalx1000]

@MeshugenahScientist: No problem. You'll need to put it in a "for loop".

something like this:

for i in *.avi;do ffmpeg -i "$i" "$i.mp4";done

or even better for naming the output file:

for i in *.avi;do ffmpeg -i "$i" "$(echo "$i"|cut -d\. -f1).mp4";done

[MeshugenahScientist]

@metalx1000

Already done (but thanks for caring to reply Kris).

The relevant vid on your site explained perfectly. So perfectly in fact, that all I had to do was copy+paste the text you typed just above the vid.

But of course, I went through the vid listening carefully to your instructions while you typed the command, to kinda take notice of what each character was saying to the machine.

The only thing that I don't get is the..

-f1

..part. But I'm sure I'll get it soon enough.

cont'd..

[metalx1000]

@MeshugenahScientist: This video will help you understand the -f1: watch?v=xdiZpPsw7mQ (sorry about the bad audio on that one.) but, basically we are using the "cut" command to split the file name at the "." so, file.jpg is split into two fields. field 1 and field 2. Or f1 and f2 f1 = file f2 = jpg so basically we are talking "file.jpg" removing the ".jpg" and leaveing "file", which we then add "_char.jpg" back onto to get "file_char.jpg" hope that makes sense.

[MeshugenahScientist]

@metalx1000

..cont'd from previous.

This is just like the DOS days. One young IT guy who never saw DOS said I'm lucky to have seen the days of DOS.

Of course the *nix CLI is more complex but more powerful. I can even see shades of its industrial strength on my little laptop, for example, when it said "This incident will be reported." (I had tried to "sudo" from an account I'd put safely outside the admin group. Well, I think that's what I did, anyway, if it makes sense! *LOL*)

cont'd..

[MeshugenahScientist]

@metalx1000

..cont'd from previous.

I've been converting vids to .mp4 to be able to play on my iPad. I'd bought it when no other comparable machine was available, but I'll never buy another Apple product again, because of the restrictiveness, but also another HUGE matter with Apple that I won't mention here.

Another black mark against iPad is that it won't allow me to arrange my vids (or books) into categories; the vids ALL go into the (invisible to user) Videos Folder. I hope I'm wrong.

[DMIBinario]

great tutorial.....thx = )

[simonwessel]

good stuff. gief moar plx :)

[MeshugenahScientist]

@simonwessel

En svensk! * LOL *

Jag antar att de inte undervisar engelska på Blekinge Tekniska Högskola.

Jag säger inte att du är dum. Vi kan göra en deal. Vi kan handla vår kunskap med varandra.

[simonwessel]

@MeshugenahScientist Dude, it's the lingua franca of the Internet :)

[MeshugenahScientist]

@simonwessel

Dude, I don't know what "lingau franco" means, but if it's good, that's me!! :D

*LOL*

OK, well we can talk in English then.

I'm very interested in your university in that it "..focuses on applied information technology AND sustainable development;.." I capitalized "and" from text I found on Wikipedia.

The "applied" aspect tells me that it focuses on the practical, rather than the theoretical (as has been the "great" tradition of studying).

Can I message u thru YT's PM?