Video conversion software

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mortda
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video format conversion

Post by mortda »

Can some one please advice of avideo conversion program for linux.I want to be able to convert mp4 files to MPG2.
Thanks for any suggestions
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MenthaSuaveolens
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Re: video format conversion

Post by MenthaSuaveolens »

You can try VLC. Select convert videostream.
mortda
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Video conversion software

Post by mortda »

I thought I had posted this the other day but it hasn't showed up in my posts so I'll try again. What I would like to know if anyone can tell me of a video conversion software that would allow me to convert MP4 files to MPG2 format or directed me to a previous post that has had this query posted before,would be great.
Cheers mortda
ajgreeny
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by ajgreeny »

I would recommend ffmpeg in command line. for that, but if you want a GUI try winff
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by markfilipak »

mortda wrote: Sun Oct 11, 2020 6:13 pm I thought I had posted this the other day but it hasn't showed up in my posts so I'll try again. What I would like to know if anyone can tell me of a video conversion software that would allow me to convert MP4 files to MPG2 format or directed me to a previous post that has had this query posted before,would be great.
Cheers mortda
What you want to do is called "remux". That is, you want to repackage from MP4 to MPG2 -- I've heard of MPG, but not MPG2, and, apparently, ffmpeg doesn't know of MPG2 either. You do not need to do recoding (called "transcoding") and the quality will suffer if you do.

Why MPG2? Why not MKV? I do a lot of remuxing and I go for MKV because it's the most advanced and it seems that every player can play MKV.

If MKV, look at MKVToolNix GUI. It's magic, and very easy to use. If you must use ffmpeg, I can help but be aware that ffmpeg is harder than self-appendectomy.
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by Moonstone Man »

markfilipak wrote: Sun Oct 11, 2020 7:45 pm ... I've heard of MPG, but not MPG2, and, apparently, ffmpeg doesn't know of MPG2 either.
https://www.ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-codecs.html#mpeg2
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by markfilipak »

Kadaitcha Man wrote: Sun Oct 11, 2020 7:49 pm
markfilipak wrote: Sun Oct 11, 2020 7:45 pm ... I've heard of MPG, but not MPG2, and, apparently, ffmpeg doesn't know of MPG2 either.
https://www.ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-codecs.html#mpeg2
You're probably right. The OP probably meant MPEG2. Maybe the OP's MP4 is already MPEG2 encoded ... probably so. I'm mystified.

Edit: Oops! I meant M4V, not MP4. Alphabet soup, eh? MP4 is the MPEG4 AVC codec of course.

mortda, why would you transcode/downshift from MPEG4 AVC to MPEG2? Sorry, but that doesn't make sense. Do you have a player that doesn't have an MPEG4 AVC decoder? I can't imagine that, but if the player is very, very, very old, then I suppose that's the issue.

Can you clarify?
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Re: video format conversion

Post by rickNS »

+1 for VLC. Easy, reliable.

There is an output file type "MPEG-2 + MPGA (TS)".
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by bob466 »

I think OP means...Mpeg4 to Mpeg2. Image

The software you're looking for is...Avidemux...which is available from the Software Manager. Image
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Re: video format conversion

Post by bob466 »

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markfilipak
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by markfilipak »

bob466 wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:29 am I think OP means...Mpeg4 to Mpeg2. Image
I agree, though such a conversion doesn't make sense. The result will either be lower resolution or larger file.
The software you're looking for is...Avidemux...which is available from the Software Manager.
I don't agree. Conversion will take a transcoder, not a remux.
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by bob466 »

markfilipak wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:35 am
bob466 wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:29 am I think OP means...Mpeg4 to Mpeg2. Image
I agree, though such a conversion doesn't make sense. The result will either be lower resolution or larger file.
The software you're looking for is...Avidemux...which is available from the Software Manager.
I don't agree. Conversion will take a transcoder, not a remux.
Have you tried this Software ? Seems the answer is No...on both counts you're wrong...because it's exactly what is does and you can reduce the video size too...without loosing quality...I should know as I have it installed. Image
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karlchen
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by karlchen »

<mod>
mortda wrote: Sun Oct 11, 2020 6:13 pmI thought I had posted this the other day but it hasn't showed up in my posts
Upper left hand corner of the forum webpage, Quick Links => Your Posts

Merged the 2 threads about the same topic: [1] + [2]
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Hoser Rob
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by Hoser Rob »

I'd recommend using Avidemux too, but I use the appimage.

However, I'm also a bit at sea why you'd want to convert to mpeg2 video unless you want to create DVD compliant video/audio, and if so why wouldn't you just say that?

Mpeg2 video is ridiculously outdated by today's standards, DVDs came out in 1997 and the codec has to be at least as old. It's 3 generations behind HEVC. It amazes me now that DVDs needed a 9.4Gb disk to hold SD video of that quality. With HEVC you can get better quality than that in less than 1Gb (with 10 bit color, which isn't supported in mpeg2).
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by MartyMint »

I wouldn't throw Avidemux at anyone who I thought wasn't beyond a basic Linux understanding.

Stick with WinFF.
Yes, you will lose quality during the transcode.
Yes, it's clicky-clicky enough for users not interested in using the command line.
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by ZakGordon »

Another vote for Avidemux from me.

Very easy to use once you've ran around it a few times, and the results are good (although not 100% sure on the specific conversion the OP wants, others have said it will do it). I'm using it right now to put a 55 minute video together and upscale from 900p to 1080p with a audio boost for good measure, all output as MP4. For a free software it is amazingly capable (better than many paid for products i've used) and the GUI makes it a breeze to use.
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GS3
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by GS3 »

The way I understand it "remux" means keeping the same audio and video streams but putting them in a different container in which case any difference in size would be due to the header and would be minimal.

Transcoding would be re-encoding the video and/or audio streams with a different codec (or same codec with different compression level) in which case file size and video quality can be significantly altered.
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by bob466 »

MartyMint wrote: Mon Oct 12, 2020 10:28 am I wouldn't throw Avidemux at anyone who I thought wasn't beyond a basic Linux understanding.
Why...it works the same in both Linux and Windows...anyway we all have to learn at some time. Image

OP...another one you could try is...Handbrake...it does the same as Avidemux but doesn't have as many features. Image
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ZakGordon
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by ZakGordon »

Yeah Handbrake is a good free tool also :)

I should mention i use them both under Windows, not Linux, so in that respect they are in general 'easier' to use.
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Hoser Rob
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Re: Video conversion software

Post by Hoser Rob »

bob466 wrote: Tue Oct 13, 2020 9:06 pm ....another one you could try is...Handbrake...it does the same as Avidemux but doesn't have as many features. Image
Well, the OP wants mpeg2 video output for some reason, and Handbrake won't do that.
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