Linux: What software to encode video?
 

Ok so I took the bold step to convert my OS to SUSE 9.1. Linux. Initially got it working fine on dual boot and then re-installed, removing M$ completely.

Whereas I'm delighted with my brand new OS, I would be grateful if I could have a few pointers as to which software I require to continue encoding K(S)VCD's using Linux. I could google my answers but I would prefer to get it from the 'horses mouth', so to speak.

Hi fingerbob,

The only choice for Linux and other U*IX compatible OS'es, is basically Mencoder and/or FFMpeg.
And you're going to have to install the RPM's yourself, with all dependencies.

Maybe it's too late for me to suggest this, but FreeBSD already has integrated KVCD support (KVCD4NIX) on their "ports" collection: http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/url.cgi?f...xvcd/pkg-descr

There's also Fresbie, a FreeBSD distribution, with "pre-installed" desktop packages and other stuff, which is really awesome :!:
http://www.freesbie.org
I'm playing with that right now, as I write ;)
That already has ffmpeg installed, and other utilities :)

-kwag

Karl,

that Freesbie looks really nice!
One question: Does it support NTFS access/Exchange via Captive or something similair?

Is that FreeBSD based system compatible with all unix apps. installers. Like if I do programm something in Purebasic for Linux that this will also run?

As I told you Im doing a Capture-Editing applikation which would also run then on linux. :) Im aware that dshow acces wont be supported by linux versions.

Yep :D
It's built in. Look:
"Driver is in current source tree..."
http://iclub.nsu.ru/~semen/ntfs/ FreeBSD will run almost all Linux applications, as it has an emulation layer. Basically, it HAS Linux libraries installed, and it runs them at the same speed and some times faster than if you were running them on Linux :) I haven't tried Purebasic on FreeBSD, at least on the latest version, 5.3
I did try it on FreeBSD 5.2.1, and there were problems. I think with the linker. Can't remember now.
I'll have to try it again.

-kwag

Just downloaded it! 8)

Ill burn that ISO file on a CD and will directly reboot to Freesbie and watch kvcd.net under Freesbie :)

"Yep Inc. dont be that happy before everything is setup correctly" *lol

God damn Andrej ( :oops: pardon my French), that's exactly what I did first when I finished downloading FreeSBIE: to browse kvcd.net with it's FireFox :mrgreen:.
Though, I had a problem: my wireless keyb+mouse are not recognised by BSD.
And browsing the forum with no mouse is a hard task :lol:
Cheer buddy

:arrow: &/"§&%"§$(/&(/&"§(/&"(/§&("/& :evil:

Mouse and Keyboard are doing well, but where the hell can I set up the network configuration???? Only via the Terminal??? 8O

:lol:

Piece of cake :cool:


Run a terminal, and type "sysinstall"

Then go to "configure" then "Network"
There you should see your interfaces, and you can select "DHCP", so it picks up IP address automatically :)
If you have installed Freesbie on your had drive, you only need to do this once, as the configuration will be retained by writing "deltas" into the "rc.conf" file on your /etc directory ;)

-kwag

Say Karl, FreeSBIE comes with USB enabled by default doesn't it?
If not then that's maybe why I cant use my mouse.
Can I try sysinstall also?
Because I can use the keyboard as the connector is not USB :arrow: plain PS/2 connector.
BTW, howcome Andrej can't access the net and needs to do sysinstall, and I can?
Cheers

I'm almost sure your problem is the chipset on your mouse.
But yes, you should try sysinstall, and try to "auto detect" the mouse, and see if it works.I don't know, because on my machine it detected the network just fine :roll:

-kwag

Crikey you guys have hijacked my thread! :(

All I really wanted was to find some software on Linux that allowed me to encode to KVCD and file-predict. MPlayer might be good to use - I'll need to clue myself up more on 'compiling from source' - I've got a funny feeling that having a reliance on rpm's isn't the best way to utilize Linux.

The same goes for FFMpeg.

I'm on Suse 9.1 and I think I'll stick with it - bit too early in the day for me to be jumping distro's so fast.

Any other pointers would be welcome (thanks though Kwag)

you can use as said ffmpeg or mencoder at 2pass mode as 1pass prediction tools are not available for linux. Also look for petercheats patches on mencoder/ffmpeg sources which do give more DVD compilant and better looking results.


Karl,

Freesbies Networkconfiguration via sysinstall wont work. Gateway, Mask, IP is entered but the browser cant connect to the network :(

Hmmmm ..... maybe latest Knoppix is an option as it worked fine under my machine and finally captive is included. Well Ill see ... Thanks anyway :)

Errmm,
Andrej, I don't want to start a flame, but from my experience with my small firewall appliance:
I tried m0n0wall (FreeBSD based) and some small Linux distro.
And I gotta tell you: when network speed comes in action, FreeBSD blows Linux away.
But since you can't use BSD anyway... ;-)
Cheers buddy

Try this: Open a terminal window, and "ping" some IP address.
Try pinging kvcd's IP, which is 209.63.57.146
If you can see replies, your problem is name server.
Edit the file /etc/resolv.conf and put a name server in there ;)

-kwag

Well, getting back to the original point of my thread, I now have FC3 setup with Mplayer working. I'm just trying to seek out an agreeable GUI for Mencoder before I kick off my KVCD testing.

I would just like to make people aware of a GUI that I found tonight that looks very promising (once it gets itself out of the pre-alpha step). The screenshots make it look like a nifty piece of kit for us Linux types. Don't think many of us can use it just yet...

http://movieconvert.sourceforge.net/

Looks good fingerbob :!:
The only problem is that it all boils down to avcodec, which is still (to me) not very useable :roll:
Have you thought about configuring "WINE" under Linux, and trying to run TMPGEnc :idea:

-kwag

@fingerbob,
I'm using FC3 also. That movieconvert sure does look promising. I got it installed finally after copying Makefile.in from the src directory to the ~/movieconvert directory. Looks like it doesn't have mpeg1/2 output yet. Another one that looks very good so far is http://tovid.sourceforge.net The gui isn't available yet but the commandline works I haven't tried it enough to say how well it works but it's a damn good start :D I tried several somewhat short avi files and encoded to half-d1 (352x480 mpeg2) and ac3 audio and it looks decent and equally important is that it's in sync! I've been looking around for a gui for mencoder for awhile and found some others that seemed to be dead ends (gmencoder, kmencoder, etc..). Anyway, thanks for posting that link.

ren

Just wanted to give hope to any other Linux users out there looking to encode KVCD. After much investigation, I've finally settled on the program AVIDEMUX which can be found at http://avidemux.berlios.de/

There are helpful forums to assist. So far I've only had the opportunity to transcode from AVI to KVCD but it works a treat (at least for me). If you've ever used DIKO, it operates in much the same way.

I will be finally trying to convert my first DVD to KVCD soon, so hopefully I can do that and report back that its good. I am not sure if I can rip straight from DVD with AVIDEMUX - I think I need DVD::RIP

I've also got an AVI source here with subtitles, so I'll report how that goes too.

(I'm using Fedora Core 3, AVIDEMUX and K3B to burn).