Video Conversion For Mobile / PC

[msinfo]

Hello Friends.

1. Using Ubuntu from past few months. I am now facing problem with video conversion.
2. I have mplayer installed, and then installed = winff, pytube, handbrake, Transmageddon, and other converters.
3. But none of them were able to convert videos/audios, and displayed messages, stating some codecs, componenets were missing.
4. Then I installed mobile media converter. It was hassle free and converted audio/videos sucessfully.



5. So I want to know what I missed while using Winff, and other converters, why they were asking for more codecs, components, even while I was having mplayer installed.
6. I presume, with mplayer we get all codecs, and above converters do conversion using mplayer codes. Am I right here ?
7. Or can anyone, put some light on this video conversion process and its background (how it all works in union. . . )

Thanks for consideration.

[WasMeHere]

Hi msinfo

Sometimes the multimedia software brings its own codecs (instead of relying on the general libraries). But if you do the tasks suggested in the following thread, your general libraries should be updated.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=766683

Have fun finding out
Olle

[nhasian]

You mentioned that you used handbrake. What error messages did it give you? I've used handbrake in the past to convert videos for both iphones and android phones with no problems. Its just time consuming on slower CPUs

[msinfo]

Hey ! Olle Wiklund
Thanks for showing above thread. It gave little light on confusion, and helped in getting medibuntu easily.

Hey ! nhasian
Thanks for consideration. But since Handbrake is Apple products centric, I could not use it. I have Sony Ericsson Naite, so I was looking for 3gp or Mobile mp4 format. I can't exactly say what was error message, but it said I lacked codec or something needed for conversion.

Ok! Till now I have understood, Medibuntu will help me with all audio video libraries. Next, I need converter and I have to define presets (if in defaults I could not find one I am looking for) manually, to get conversion done.
(Am I correct ?)

But what I have to read in order to gain knowledge about tweaking conversion parameters like bit rate, frame, aspect ratio, etc in right manner for my mobile device or pc (specially converting 700 mbs movies into 400 hq mk videos, without loosing quality, but saving space.)

[WasMeHere]

Have a look at this thread
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=786095

[msinfo]

Hmm. . . It's really big thread. Need few days to read and understand it. Probably Iam getting some structure in mind regarding video conversion using ffmpeg and x264.

Thanks for guidance.

[WasMeHere]

Hmm. . . It's really big thread. Need few days to read and understand it. Probably Iam getting some structure in mind regarding video conversion using ffmpeg and x264.

Thanks for guidance.

You are welcome!

I suggest that you do some trial and error, using the scripts in the first post in the thread, and I guess that FakeOutdoorsman might help you, if there is something you cannot get working, providing that you post in his thread.

Good luck

[FakeOutdoorsman]

5. So I want to know what I missed while using Winff, and other converters, why they were asking for more codecs, components, even while I was having mplayer installed.

By default the version of ffmpeg from the repository requires installation of an additional package to enable more encoders. See Option B or Option C here:

HOWTO: Easily enable MP3, MPEG4, AAC, and other restricted encoders in FFmpeg

7. Or can anyone, put some light on this video conversion process and its background (how it all works in union. . . )

Instead of giving you a huge block of text perhaps some examples would be most useful to you if you want to use ffmpeg directly. Unfortunately, some devices are very picky so you may have to do some experimentation. Otherwise, WinFF should now work for you once you followed the link above. What version of Ubuntu do you have? This will determine your ffmpeg syntax.

To get started you probably don't need to compile and install FFmpeg. The version from the repository should do fine for now.

[msinfo]

Hey, FakeOutdoorsman Thanks for considering this problem of mine.

A
1. So ubuntu, doesn't add additional encoders in default installation of ffmpeg.
2. I have info about getting all encoders/codecs. (link provided by you above).

3. How can I convert video or audio using Winff or any other converter, when I can't find preset of my choice.

4. Will audio/video converters would be using mine installed codecs, or they would use their custom codecs.

5. Can I make custom presets in Winff or any other converter.

6. How can I know what should be right values for factors like bitrate, frame, resolution etc. for various devices like pc, mobile, etc.

7. Can anyone please, give me a example of command line code, for converting an .avi movie to 3gp, and another one to .mkv. By keeping that as a base I would try to experiment with conversion process


System info:
3.2 Ghz Intel P4
815 Gigabyte MB
2GB RAM
10.04.3 LTS (Lucid Lynx)

[WasMeHere]

Hey, FakeOutdoorsman Thanks for considering this problem of mine. ...

7. Can anyone please, give me a example of command line code, for converting an .avi movie to 3gp, and another one to .mkv. By keeping that as a base I would try to experiment with conversion process

B
Where is option, for closing this thread as solved issue. I tried but could not find it, as I did with my previous threads.

C. System info:
3.2 Ghz Intel P4
815 Gigabyte MB
2GB RAM
10.04.3 LTS (Lucid Lynx)

Last first: At the top of page with your thread, click on Thread Tools. You get a drop down menu, with the last option 'Mark this thread as Solved'

I will come back with a couple of simple examples to make 3gp and mkv files (but I will be busy for a while now).