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Groups > linux.debian.user > #225256 > unrolled thread

Mencoder and ffmpeg

Started byRodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com>
First post2020-07-25 20:40 +0200
Last post2020-07-27 21:30 +0200
Articles 9 — 6 participants

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  Mencoder and ffmpeg Rodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com> - 2020-07-25 20:40 +0200
    Re: Mencoder and ffmpeg Carl Fink <carlf@panix.com> - 2020-07-26 00:40 +0200
      Re: Mencoder and ffmpeg rhkramer@gmail.com - 2020-07-26 01:20 +0200
      Re: Mencoder and ffmpeg David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2020-07-26 03:20 +0200
    Re: Mencoder and ffmpeg Long Wind <longwind2@yahoo.com> - 2020-07-26 03:20 +0200
      Re: Mencoder and ffmpeg Carl Fink <carlf@panix.com> - 2020-07-26 03:50 +0200
        Re: Mencoder and ffmpeg Long Wind <longwind2@yahoo.com> - 2020-07-26 05:30 +0200
    Re: Mencoder and ffmpeg Thomas Amm <debili@open-email.net> - 2020-07-26 23:20 +0200
      Re: Mencoder and ffmpeg Rodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com> - 2020-07-27 21:30 +0200

#225256 — Mencoder and ffmpeg

FromRodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com>
Date2020-07-25 20:40 +0200
SubjectMencoder and ffmpeg
Message-ID<Awxfr-7qH-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
Hi all.

I wanted to capture my webcam streaming and audio using ffmpeg but banged
against `a sea of troubles': sync problems, video freezing, video stuttering,
background noise, choose of one format rather than other...  Mencoder instead
at once easily, with:

  $ mencoder tv:// -tv driver=v4l2:width=640:height=480:device=/dev/video0:forceaudio:alsa:adevice=hw.1,0 -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=64:mode=3 -o webcam.avi

did perfectly the job.  But Mencoder is hardly ever used compared with
ffmpeg...

I wonder why so much difference in this case between the two respective
behaviours and wish to know what you listers think about all that...

thanks for any help

cheers

rodolfo

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#225275

FromCarl Fink <carlf@panix.com>
Date2020-07-26 00:40 +0200
Message-ID<AwAZH-1ft-11@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to#225256
On 7/25/20 2:39 PM, Rodolfo Medina wrote:
> Hi all.
>
> I wanted to capture my webcam streaming and audio using ffmpeg but banged
> against `a sea of troubles': sync problems, video freezing, video stuttering,
> background noise, choose of one format rather than other...  Mencoder instead
> at once easily, with:
>
>    $ mencoder tv:// -tv driver=v4l2:width=640:height=480:device=/dev/video0:forceaudio:alsa:adevice=hw.1,0 -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=64:mode=3 -o webcam.avi
>
> did perfectly the job.  But Mencoder is hardly ever used compared with
> ffmpeg...
>
> I wonder why so much difference in this case between the two respective
> behaviours and wish to know what you listers think about all that...

Hi, Rodolfo,

Of course, anyone would have to guess to answer your question, since we
can't ask all the people who don't use mencoder and do use ffmpeg "Why?"

I've used both, and for me the reason I prefer ffmpeg is that its syntax is
simpler. Not simple, but better documented and more understandable.
-- 

Carl Fink                           nitpicking@nitpicking.com

Read my blog at blog.nitpicking.com.  Reviews!  Observations!

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#225276

Fromrhkramer@gmail.com
Date2020-07-26 01:20 +0200
Message-ID<AwBCp-1I4-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to#225275
On Saturday, July 25, 2020 06:36:12 PM Carl Fink wrote:
> On 7/25/20 2:39 PM, Rodolfo Medina wrote:
> > Hi all.
> > 
> > I wanted to capture my webcam streaming and audio using ffmpeg but banged
> > against `a sea of troubles': sync problems, video freezing, video
> > stuttering, background noise, choose of one format rather than other... 
> > Mencoder instead
> > 
> > at once easily, with:
> >    $ mencoder tv:// -tv
> >    driver=v4l2:width=640:height=480:device=/dev/video0:forceaudio:alsa:a
> >    device=hw.1,0 -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=64:mode=3 -o
> >    webcam.avi
> > 
> > did perfectly the job.  But Mencoder is hardly ever used compared with
> > ffmpeg...
> > 
> > I wonder why so much difference in this case between the two respective
> > behaviours and wish to know what you listers think about all that...
> 
> Hi, Rodolfo,
> 
> Of course, anyone would have to guess to answer your question, since we
> can't ask all the people who don't use mencoder and do use ffmpeg "Why?"
> 
> I've used both, and for me the reason I prefer ffmpeg is that its syntax is
> simpler. Not simple, but better documented and more understandable.

In my very limited experience and recollection:

   * this (the difference in "sea of troubles) is somewhat surprising because 
mencoder is sort of a front end for ffmpeg (or maybe ffmpeg is a backend for 
mencoder, and perhaps one of several backends?)

   * in my experience, ffmpeg has a bazillion options, thus, it is a big 
program, and, if you choose the wrong ones, you can really bog the program 
down (like converting format and frame rates, and audio formats, and syncing 
the audio, and ...)

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#225282

FromDavid Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk>
Date2020-07-26 03:20 +0200
Message-ID<AwDux-2P2-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to#225275
On Sat 25 Jul 2020 at 18:36:12 (-0400), Carl Fink wrote:
> On 7/25/20 2:39 PM, Rodolfo Medina wrote:
> > 
> > I wanted to capture my webcam streaming and audio using ffmpeg but banged
> > against `a sea of troubles': sync problems, video freezing, video stuttering,
> > background noise, choose of one format rather than other...  Mencoder instead
> > at once easily, with:
> > 
> >    $ mencoder tv:// -tv driver=v4l2:width=640:height=480:device=/dev/video0:forceaudio:alsa:adevice=hw.1,0 -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=64:mode=3 -o webcam.avi
> > 
> > did perfectly the job.  But Mencoder is hardly ever used compared with
> > ffmpeg...
> > 
> > I wonder why so much difference in this case between the two respective
> > behaviours and wish to know what you listers think about all that...
> 
> Of course, anyone would have to guess to answer your question, since we
> can't ask all the people who don't use mencoder and do use ffmpeg "Why?"

Perhaps they read
https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2020/04/msg01297.html

> I've used both, and for me the reason I prefer ffmpeg is that its syntax is
> simpler. Not simple, but better documented and more understandable.

Cheers,
David.

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#225281

FromLong Wind <longwind2@yahoo.com>
Date2020-07-26 03:20 +0200
Message-ID<AwDux-2P2-3@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to#225256

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

 
i have somewhat similar experiencei have used mplayer for very long time, rarely used ffmpegand i use modified mencoder example heavily:
http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML/en/tv-input.html#tv-examples
perhaps mplayer is better documented than ffmpeg

BTW i want ffmpeg script that record desktop plus audio. i don't have time to read its manual. Thanks!
btw2: mplayer for buster has bug, it can't play file sometime.


 
 
    On Saturday, July 25, 2020, 2:39:36 PM EDT, Rodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com> wrote:  
 
 Hi all.

I wanted to capture my webcam streaming and audio using ffmpeg but banged
against `a sea of troubles': sync problems, video freezing, video stuttering,
background noise, choose of one format rather than other...  Mencoder instead
at once easily, with:

  $ mencoder tv:// -tv driver=v4l2:width=640:height=480:device=/dev/video0:forceaudio:alsa:adevice=hw.1,0 -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=64:mode=3 -o webcam.avi

did perfectly the job.  But Mencoder is hardly ever used compared with
ffmpeg...

I wonder why so much difference in this case between the two respective
behaviours and wish to know what you listers think about all that...

thanks for any help

cheers

rodolfo

  

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#225285

FromCarl Fink <carlf@panix.com>
Date2020-07-26 03:50 +0200
Message-ID<AwDXz-2YR-11@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to#225281

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

On 7/25/20 9:12 PM, Long Wind wrote:
> BTW i want ffmpeg script that record desktop plus audio. i don't have 
> time to read its manual. Thanks!

https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Capture/Desktop

-- 
Carl Fink                           nitpicking@nitpicking.com

Read my blog at blog.nitpicking.com.  Reviews!  Observations!

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#225288

FromLong Wind <longwind2@yahoo.com>
Date2020-07-26 05:30 +0200
Message-ID<AwFwl-45h-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to#225285

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

 Thank Carl!i have some success with ffmpeg.

    On Saturday, July 25, 2020, 9:45:50 PM EDT, Carl Fink <carlf@panix.com> wrote:  
 
  On 7/25/20 9:12 PM, Long Wind wrote:
  
  BTW i want ffmpeg script that record desktop plus audio. i don't have time to read its manual. Thanks!  
 
 https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Capture/Desktop
 -- 
Carl Fink                           nitpicking@nitpicking.com 

Read my blog at blog.nitpicking.com.  Reviews!  Observations!   

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#225302

FromThomas Amm <debili@open-email.net>
Date2020-07-26 23:20 +0200
Message-ID<AwWdQ-5LF-7@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to#225256
On Sat, 2020-07-25 at 18:39 +0000, Rodolfo Medina wrote:
> Hi all.
> 
> I wanted to capture my webcam streaming and audio using ffmpeg but
> banged
> against `a sea of troubles': sync problems, video freezing, video
> stuttering,
> background noise, choose of one format rather than other...  Mencoder
> instead
> at once easily, with:
> 
>   $ mencoder tv:// -tv
> driver=v4l2:width=640:height=480:device=/dev/video0:forceaudio:alsa:ad
> evice=hw.1,0 -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=64:mode=3 -o
> webcam.avi
> 
> did perfectly the job.  But Mencoder is hardly ever used compared with
> ffmpeg...
> 
> I wonder why so much difference in this case between the two
> respective
> behaviours and wish to know what you listers think about all that...
> 
> thanks for any help
> 
> cheers
> 
> rodolfo
> 

Mencoder basically uses the same libraries as ffmpeg (and a few more,
IIRC). Having used both for years for standard (ripping, replaying,
recencoding) tasks as well as for somewhat exotic stuff like streaming
video sources from gadgets live into VJ mixers using all kind of filter
in between I would say that mencoder is the app of choice if it gets the
job done because it has much simpler options.
FFMPEG comes into play whenever simpler options fail. As you noticed
there are more options than anyone could memorize trying to cover even
the most exotic use-cases. 
Your command line, BTW, looks very much like my standard section in
.mplayer/config for live streaming/encoding from a webcam. I'd suppose
reading the extra HTML-doc for mplayer. It's a relatively easy read.
Getting into FFMPEG is certainly worth it, too - if you have specific
needs. 

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#225379

FromRodolfo Medina <rodolfo.medina@gmail.com>
Date2020-07-27 21:30 +0200
Message-ID<AxgYV-1Dk-3@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to#225302
Thomas Amm <debili@open-email.net> writes:

> On Sat, 2020-07-25 at 18:39 +0000, Rodolfo Medina wrote:
>> Hi all.
>> 
>> I wanted to capture my webcam streaming and audio using ffmpeg but
>> banged
>> against `a sea of troubles': sync problems, video freezing, video
>> stuttering,
>> background noise, choose of one format rather than other...  Mencoder
>> instead
>> at once easily, with:
>> 
>>   $ mencoder tv:// -tv
>> driver=v4l2:width=640:height=480:device=/dev/video0:forceaudio:alsa:ad
>> evice=hw.1,0 -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=64:mode=3 -o
>> webcam.avi
>> 
>> did perfectly the job.  But Mencoder is hardly ever used compared with
>> ffmpeg...
>> 
>> I wonder why so much difference in this case between the two
>> respective
>> behaviours and wish to know what you listers think about all that...
>> 
>> thanks for any help
>> 
>> cheers
>> 
>> rodolfo
>> 
>
> Mencoder basically uses the same libraries as ffmpeg (and a few more,
> IIRC). Having used both for years for standard (ripping, replaying,
> recencoding) tasks as well as for somewhat exotic stuff like streaming
> video sources from gadgets live into VJ mixers using all kind of filter
> in between I would say that mencoder is the app of choice if it gets the
> job done because it has much simpler options.
> FFMPEG comes into play whenever simpler options fail. As you noticed
> there are more options than anyone could memorize trying to cover even
> the most exotic use-cases. 
> Your command line, BTW, looks very much like my standard section in
> .mplayer/config for live streaming/encoding from a webcam. I'd suppose
> reading the extra HTML-doc for mplayer. It's a relatively easy read.
> Getting into FFMPEG is certainly worth it, too - if you have specific
> needs. 


Thanks...  I've always only used ffmpeg but now after this my last experience
I'm interested in learning to use mencoder as well...  But it seems to me that
the real problem with it is the lack of support...  I recently wrote to mplayer
mailing list with no answer, whereas mencoder specific mailing list looks
inactive with its 3 years ago last post...

rodolfo

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