Command line tool to take AVI samples

[Dean C]

I run a video-sharing site and I want to automate the process of uploading content to my site. Is there a command-line tool I can use which will take ONE input avi, and generate an x second sample of it. I have been playing around with VirtualDub scripting and specifically the VirtualDub.video.SetRange function but what works for one video, won't work with another.

I'm stumped!

[Baldrick]

ffmpeg!

[voktys]

i have tried this command for cutting some avi part:

ffmpeg -ss 180 -t 60 -y -vcodec copy -acodec copy -i long_input_file.avi short_output_file.avi

but ff show me this error message:

[NULL @ 015781B0]Invalid and inefficient vfw-avi packed B frames detected
Assertion failed: st2->time_base.den == ast2->rate, file libavformat/avidec.c, line 1029

This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.
Please contact the application's support team for more information.

pls help me

[Soopafresh]

Try a different version of FFMPEG


http://tirnanog.fate.jp/mirror/ffmpeg/

If that doesn't work, try to unpack the bitstream on the source AVI file

http://www.moitah.net/download/latest/MPEG4ModifierCL.zip

Batch processor for above utility

http://www.burrrn.net/download/Packed%20Bitstream%20Remover.zip

[voktys]

oh god, different version work successfully.
very very very much thx man!!!
...u save me too much works.

[voktys]

i have one little problem with this:
ffmpeg -ss 180 -t 60 -y -vcodec copy -acodec copy -i long_input_file.avi short_output_file.avi

ss=180 = start frame is 4500, but cutting avi video is possible only in keyframes, that means really start frame is for example 4399, but audio is always cutted "in frame" 4500, not 4399. after this is audio in output avi desynced.
exist any way to fixed this ffmpeg command?

[jimmalenko]

I have been playing around with VirtualDub scripting and specifically the VirtualDub.video.SetRange function but what works for one video, won't work with another.

Vdub possibly uses frame numbers, and not timecodes. This would explain why you cannot get a consistent x second preview, without knowing the original frame rate.