CLI Encoding/Renconding videos on old PC?

[bulava]

Hello,

I've an old PC (P-III 1.2 GHz Tualatin) which works nice even in 2011 but it's lying somewhat idle. I would like to put that PC to encode or re-encode video files. It's used only as dedicated download torrent PC from the last 3 years.

File Sources: mostly x264, with high FPS (50) and somewhat high bit rate (to save on size).
Re-encode: what's the best option? again in x264 or xvid or what? FPS is 25.
Playback: On PC and in SD resolution only. Typically I follow 640x352.

Example source from CCCP-Insurgent-2007-01-01:

Filesize: 688 MiB
Format: MPEG-4
PlayTime: 00:47:59.615
1 video stream(s), 1 audio stream(s), 0 subtitle stream(s).

Video Stream 0:
Length: 00:47:59.600
Frames: 143980, 50.000 fps, 1806 Kbps
Codec: avc1 (Family: )
Dimensions: 640x352, AR: 16/9

Audio Stream 0:
Codec: AAC LC, A_AAC/MPEG4/LC, AAC Low Complexity
Bitrate: 192 Kbps
Bitrate Mode: VBR
Sampling Rate: 48 KHz
Channel(s): 1 channel
Resolution: 16 bits per sample

Example output using Any Video Converter:

Filesize: 478 MiB
Format: MPEG-4
PlayTime: 00:47:59.600
1 video stream(s), 1 audio stream(s), 0 subtitle stream(s).

Video Stream 0:
Length: 00:47:59.600
Frames: 71990, 25.000 fps, 1289 Kbps VBR
Codec: MPEG-4V (Family: )
Dimensions: 640x352, AR: 16/9

Audio Stream 0:
Codec: MPEG-1 Audio, MPEG-1A,
Bitrate: 100 Kbps
Bitrate Mode: VBR
Sampling Rate: 48 KHz
Channel(s): 2 channel
Resolution: 16 bits per sample


I've tried most of the GUI tools, most of them doesn't allow me to do any other job. Say, can't even use a browser properly. Only exception is Any Video Converter, which is somewhat light, allows me to watch movies (VLC) while re-encoding. But still for large files (1GB above x264 files) it doesn't help much.

My question is, what CLI tool is better in my case (Goal is to save system resources like RAM or Processor usage)

I also wish to use that PC properly; download good quality files from torrents and re-encode to SD quality so that I could play and watch some quality videos on that old PC. VLC 1.0.5 works like a charm with almost all the files.

Please advice and big thanks

[jagabo]

I've tried most of the GUI tools, most of them doesn't allow me to do any other job. Say, can't even use a browser properly.

Just set the process priority to Idle or Low. Unless you are running out of memory you will hardly be able to tell the encoding is going on in the background. Some programs allow you to specify the priority on the command line. Any CLI program can be started with low priority with:

Start /low program.exe arguments...

Use h.264 if you want small file sizes. Try x264.

[bulava]

Just set the process priority to Idle or Low. Unless you are running out of memory you will hardly be able to tell the encoding is going on in the background. Some programs allow you to specify the priority on the command line. Any CLI program can be started with low priority with:

Start /low program.exe arguments...

Use h.264 if you want small file sizes. Try x264.

Never ran out of memory. I'll take your suggestion, thank you.
But what CLI program(s) should i try mostly for x264 re-encoding? Any reference?