HOWTO: Install and use the latest FFmpeg and x264

[FakeOutdoorsman]

Excellent howto I have always used a compiled ffmpeg but after the last couple of updates from svn I was having a lot of compile errors but this worked great!
I just built this on Debian Lenny and aside from one small change to the dependences line no problems, well done!

Thanks. It's nice to know it works on Debian as well.

[Nixie Pixel]

I just wanted to thank FakeOutdoorsman for this excellent, well-maintained guide. It really is valuable and well done, I keep coming back to it whenever I make a new install or have problems.

Thank you again!

[Mars73]

Thanks for the docs, I also keep coming back to this when doing a new Ubuntu install.
One thing I keep asking myself and this is more of a general linux question about compiling etc is this: what if I have some programs that use ffmpeg like Avidemux or some other frontends, then decide to update ffmpeg and/or x264, do I also have to compile those frontends again?
Or do they automatically pick up the new libraries?

[Bachstelze]

Thanks for the docs, I also keep coming back to this when doing a new Ubuntu install.
One thing I keep asking myself and this is more of a general linux question about compiling etc is this: what if I have some programs that use ffmpeg like Avidemux or some other frontends, then decide to update ffmpeg and/or x264, do I also have to compile those frontends again?
Or do they automatically pick up the new libraries?

It depends whether they link the libraries statically or dynamically. If they were compiled with the libraries linked statically, the libraries are built in the program at compile time, so obviously, you have to recompile the program if you want it to use another version of the library. If they were compiled with the library linked dynamically, they will use the new one if (and only if) there was no ABI change between the version of the library the program was compiled with and the one you're using.

[mc4man]

what if I have some programs that use ffmpeg like Avidemux or some other frontends

You would also need to keep in mind whether the app uses it's own internal ffmpeg or the system ffmpeg or libs

For instance avidemux provides it's owm ffmpeg, what ffmpeg or ffmpeg shared libs are installed is irrelevant.

[FakeOutdoorsman]

I just wanted to thank FakeOutdoorsman for this excellent, well-maintained guide. It really is valuable and well done, I keep coming back to it whenever I make a new install or have problems.

Thank you again!

Thanks, Nixie Pixel!

[Mars73]

You would also need to keep in mind whether the app uses it's own internal ffmpeg or the system ffmpeg or libs

For instance avidemux provides it's owm ffmpeg, what ffmpeg or ffmpeg shared libs are installed is irrelevant.

Thanks. I saw it indeed on the wiki pages of avidemux.
I'm more and more learning the cli of ffmpeg and mencoder, this way I'm free of any gui. WinFF does has some nice options though and be able to put in your own parameters and be able to save it as a preset. (and as I can see it, it uses your own compiled ffmpeg)

[Sn3akyP3t3]

I understand the tutorial is undergoing changes due to adding the ability to add --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb to the ./configure at this time.

I'm tying to install a missing dependency in Hardy Heron LTS 8.04 "libopencore-amrnb-dev". I've enabled both universe and multiverse repositories, but it is not available for this kernel. What is the recommended way to install this as a workaround?

[FakeOutdoorsman]

I understand the tutorial is undergoing changes due to adding the ability to add --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb to the ./configure at this time.

I'm tying to install a missing dependency in Hardy Heron LTS 8.04 "libopencore-amrnb-dev". I've enabled both universe and multiverse repositories, but it is not available for this kernel. What is the recommended way to install this as a workaround?

Are you modifing the tutorial on the first page to fit Hardy, or are you following the Hardy version of the tutorial?

Install FFmpeg and x264 on Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04 LTS

Hardy does not have libopencore files in its repository, so they must be compiled. I was having trouble compiling libopencore-amr in Hardy Heron so I temporarily removed that section from the Hardy version of this tutorial. I must admit that I didn't spend that much time on it and meant to return to it, but I had to work over the weekend.

I'll try to take a look at it again today.

Update: I noticed I accidentally left the --enable-libopencore-amrnb and --enable-libopencore-amrwb options in the FFmpeg configuration in the Hardy version of the tutorial. I just removed those.

[mc4man]

Never tried to build the opencore on hardy, should be resolvable though...

An easy way to get them pre-built would be from the rvm mplayer ppa, he has builds for hardy (though they're 0.1.1 versions

https://launchpad.net/~rvm/+archive/mplayer/+packages

edit;
on a vanilla hardy with basic build tools the 0.1.2 built fine, a checkinstall would suffice though would be simple to edit the karmic .diff to build as packages