ffmpeg produces empty files

[letter17]

I've seen a few threads on this topic, but I haven't been able to get the file to output correctly.

The original file is:
Quicktime Movie
1.8 GB
1440 X 1080
Codecs: Integer (big endian), Apple Intermediate Codec)
Duration: 02:34
2 Channels
Total Bit Rate: 100,061

I've tried both FLV and H264 using ffmpeg.
I'm trying to go 720 x 400 on the size. I've tried several audio formats and i've tried the invert mapping as well.

When clicking encode, it finishes instantly and the file size on disk is 0

[Case]

What I think happens is that ffmpegX isn't able to decode (read) the AIC by itself. Try setting "Decode with Quicktime" in the Options tab.

To be sure, see the Process Information log, accessible by clicking the blue (i) in the ffmpegX Progress window. If you post that content, we might be able to help you decypher that log.

[letter17]

With the decode with Quicktime:
Encoding started on Mon Feb 2 13:24:51 MST 2009
FFmpeg version CVS, Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Fabrice Bellard
Mac OSX universal build for ffmpegX
libavutil version: 49.0.0
libavcodec version: 51.9.0
libavformat version: 50.4.0
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '/Users/letter17/Desktop/Bones theme acoustic guitar.mov':
Duration: 00:02:34.1, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 100103 kb/s
Stream #0.0(eng): Audio: pcm_s16be, 48000 Hz, stereo, 1536 kb/s
Stream #0.1(eng), 29.97 fps(r): Video: Apple Intermediate Codec, 1440x1080
Codec type mismatch for mapping #0.0 -> #0.0

Without the decode with Quicktime:
FFmpeg version CVS, Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Fabrice Bellard
Mac OSX universal build for ffmpegX
libavutil version: 49.0.0
libavcodec version: 51.9.0
libavformat version: 50.4.0
Mon Feb 2 13:28:05 MST 2009
ones theme acoustic guitar.mov':
Duration: 00:02:34.1, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 100103 kb/s
Stream #0.0(eng): Audio: pcm_s16be, 48000 Hz, stereo, 1536 kb/s
Stream #0.1(eng), 29.97 fps(r): Video: Apple Intermediate Codec, 1440x1080
Codec type mismatch for mapping #0.0 -> #0.0

[tomlee59]

The "codec mismatch" error usually means that you should click "invert mapping" in the audio tab. That might not solve all your problems, but at least this one should go away.

[letter17]

with invert mapping and decode with quicktime:
Encoding started on Mon Feb 2 17:14:28 MST 2009
FFmpeg version CVS, Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Fabrice Bellard
Mac OSX universal build for ffmpegX
libavutil version: 49.0.0
libavcodec version: 51.9.0
libavformat version: 50.4.0
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '/Users/letter17/Desktop/Bones theme acoustic guitar.mov':
Duration: 00:02:34.1, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 100103 kb/s
Stream #0.0(eng): Audio: pcm_s16be, 48000 Hz, stereo, 1536 kb/s
Stream #0.1(eng), 29.97 fps(r): Video: Apple Intermediate Codec, 1440x1080
Output #0, flv, to '/Users/letter17/Desktop/Bones theme acoustic guitar.mov.ff.flv':
Stream #0.0, 29.97 fps(c): Video: flv, yuv420p, 720x400, q=2-15, 200 kb/s
Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 22050 Hz, stereo, 56 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.1 -> #0.0 [sync #0.0]
Stream #0.0 -> #0.1 [sync #0.1]

with just invert mapping checked:
FFmpeg version CVS, Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Fabrice Bellard
Mac OSX universal build for ffmpegX
libavutil version: 49.0.0
libavcodec version: 51.9.0
libavformat version: 50.4.0
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '/Users/letter17/Desktop/Bones theme acoustic guitar.mov':
Duration: 00:02:34.1, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 100103 kb/s
Stream #0.0(eng): Audio: pcm_s16be, 48000 Hz, stereo, 1536 kb/s
Stream #0.1(eng), 29.97 fps(r): Video: Apple Intermediate Codec, 1440x1080
Mon Feb 2 17:15:23 MST 2009
Output #0, flv, to '/Users/letter17/Desktop/Bones theme acoustic guitar.mov.ff.flv':
Stream #0.0, 29.97 fps(c): Video: flv, yuv420p, 720x400, q=2-15, 200 kb/s
Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 22050 Hz, stereo, 56 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.1 -> #0.0 [sync #0.0]
Stream #0.0 -> #0.1 [sync #0.1]

[tomlee59]

Does this also fail with h264? I know you mentioned h264 in your original post, but it wasn't 100% clear if you tried all permutations of flv, h264 and invert/not invert mapping.

Converting to FLV has a problem with "invert mapping" in ffmpegX.
Try reversing the streams in QuickTime Pro (yes, you need Pro) before converting (and without "invert mapping").

I do not know if the same issue (and solution) applies to h264.

[letter17]

h264 provides the same results. I can do them again and send the error messages.

Is there another solution w/o having to buy QT Pro? Can I have my boss save the file in Final Cut to something else?

[Case]

Output #0, flv:
Stream #0.0, 29.97 fps(c): Video: flv, yuv420p, 720x400, q=2-15, 200 kb/s
Stream #0.1: Audio: mp3, 22050 Hz, stereo, 56 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.1 -> #0.0 [sync #0.0]
Stream #0.0 -> #0.1 [sync #0.1]

1/ 200 kbps was for 320x240, it is not enough for 720x400. That resolution and framerate should use ~1938 kbps.
2/ I see no error message that stops the process. Are you sure it was finished?

Is there another solution w/o having to buy QT Pro?

Another way is to encode twice. The first conversion will have the stream order the way ffmpeg likes it (video before audio), so that the second will encode to FLV without inverted stream mapping.

Can I have my boss save the file in Final Cut to something else?

That wouldn't change the stream order. ffmpegX would still see
Input #0
Stream #0.0: Audio
Stream #0.1: Video
which still needs stream mapping inverted for ffmpeg processing.

[letter17]

when trying h.264 at 1938 on the framerate and using two pass encoding I get:
Encoding started on Tue Feb 3 08:45:13 MST 2009
MEncoder dev-CVS-060307-04:23-4.0.1 (C) 2000-2006 MPlayer Team
FIXME:Hardenabling SSE and SSE2 without detection
Mac OSX static build for ffmpegX
CPU: Intel (Family: 6, Stepping: 8)
CPUflags: Type: 6 MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled for x86 CPU with extensions: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2
Exiting... (error parsing cmdline)
The ofps option must be a floating point number or a ratio (numerator[:/]denominator): -vop

it's the same error if i have invert mapping checked or unchecked - and same error if i have two pass turned checked or unchecked.

when trying for FLV, it tells me:
Stream #0.0, 29.97 fps(c): Video: flv, yuv420p, 720x400, q=2-15, 1938 kb/s
Stream #0.1: Audio: aac, 48000 Hz, stereo, 96 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0.1 -> #0.0 [sync #0.0]
Stream #0.0 -> #0.1 [sync #0.1]

I've tried mp3, aac, passthrough. different bit rates and it's all the same

[tomlee59]

The reference to "ofps" generally means that no valid output framerate has been specified. Make sure that you have chosen an actual value, and that no funny characters made their way into the box -- only numbers.

As for the flv attempts, is that the entire logfile? If so, then it hasn't done anything yet; maybe you just need to wait? Or did it in fact exit with an error, and you just truncated the log? If the latter, please post the whole shebang (at least the end part that describes what it's complaining about).

[letter17]

i think i figured it out. to an extent anyway.
The boss had Final Cut set to use H264 as it's the compression format when exporting. I changed it to DV NTSC and it seems to be encoding with ffmpegX just fine. Unfortunately, I'm doing it remotely, so I can't totally see what is going on.