AutoX264 (Multi Encoder GUI for H.264) v. 0.18 (windows/linux)

[buzzqw]

Here my new creation.. AutoX264

AutoX264 is a cross platform application (avaiable for windows and linux) that can use several h.264 encoders to deliver outstanding encoding on mp4, mkv or m2ts

On its basic way AutoX264 use mencoder , mplayer, xterm and MP4Box.

AutoX264 can decode, using mencoder, ffmpeg, DGAVCIndex, DGIndex, FFmpegSource , near all files, from m2ts to avi, to mkv

AutoX264 also support MeGui X264 profiles

WARINING FOR UBUNTU USER: make sure you select options avaiable in your mencoder build.
b_adapt=2 isn't actually avaiable in ubuntu 's mencoder build (for example...)

here the link to AutoX264 0.18 version

Linux : http://www.64k.it/andres/data/autox264/autox264.tar.gz (not update, is 0.17)
Windows : http://www.64k.it/andres/data/autox264/AutoX264_v0.18.171.1640.rar
windows update : http://www.64k.it/andres/data/autox264/autox264.exe

AutoX264 Manual: http://www.64k.it/andres/data/autox264/manual/AutoX264%20Guide%20(Windows%20v.%200.15).html

For Windows User: use the full pack and update with the executable

For Linux User: make sure you have installed mencoder/mplayer/mp4box.
You should already have installed xterm and gtk2 libs
Optionally you can install mkvtoolnix (for mkv muxing), and wine (and avisynth).. for using the windows full package (already tested and working)
For using MeGui profiles, just create a "profiles" folder and put here the xml files

here some image












the application is tested on Ubuntu 8.04, Fedora 10 64bit, Debian Lenny 32bit, Windows XP SP3

BHH

[buzzqw]

update the windows build (soon the linux) to 0.8

add support to subtitle and AVS input

BHH

[buzzqw]

update the windows and LINUX build to 0.8 (plus some bug fixes)

BHH

[VistaXP]

What's the difference between this and AutoMKV if encoding in X264? Would one give out better quality than the other?

[deadrats]

just a suggestion, but maybe you could bundle the mencoder/mplayer with your front-end, only because the mplayer website sucks balls and trying to find the appropriate downloads is a ball breaking experience (i had to go through mulder's website to find a windows build of mplayer, just to much of a pain in the ass.

as for the gui, the windows version looks nothing like the screenshots you posted (i'm guessing those screenshots are from within gnome, as they have a very gnome centric theme to them).

also, i'm curious, how does mencoder fit into the equation? x264 is both a codec and an encoder, at least that is what i have been led to believe, which means that mencoder doesn't actually do the h264 encoding, it just acts like a front end to x264, which means you made a front end to a front end for X264, is that just about the gist of it?

while i'm at it i just tried it with a 1920x800 mkv that uses the x264 codec and ac3 audio and i got an error message saying that it was unable to detect the aspect ratio, through up another quick error and then it crashed and was closed down by windows.

furthermore, it doesn't seem to store the program paths, when i relaunched it, it said that some program paths were not set (even though i set them the first time i tried to use it) and when i checked, the path section was empty.

sorry, don't trying to break balls here, just giving you some feedback.

oh, and i'm using XP64 with SP2.

[buzzqw]

@VistaXP

automkv rely on avisynth for decoding the stream and then pass to x264 for encoding.
Also in automkv you can use a powerfull arsenal of filters
so, strictly speaking automkv can give better quality (if used correctly)

autox264 use mencoder both for decoding and encoding (with x264)

@deadrats
don't use mencoder and mplayer builds from official site
BUT from sherpya http://oss.netfarm.it/mplayer-win32.php , are much more updated!
remember that you need mencoder, mplayer, and mp4box

mencoder isn't a front end, but a fully fuctional encoding application, that within is codec has x264 (the same code as x264.exe)
I have built a GUI for mencoder, with special interest only for the x264 section of mencoder

about your error is probably due to old mplayer.
also.. when mplayer isn't able to compute aspect ratio, you must write it in gui, so autox264 can resize correctly

autox264 don't store path. Simply put autox264 in a folder with mencoder.exe, mplayer.exe, mp4box.exe

BHH

[buzzqw]

update windows version (same link as above)
a little better resizing
added mkv support
added info on mencoder build used

BHH

[buzzqw]

(actually for windows.. later for linux)

addeed support for MeGui X264 profile's

in the same place as autox264.exe create a folder "profiles", copy in "profiles" all xml files from megui x264 profiles's

BHH

[buzzqw]

update again the windows build (linux later)

rearranged gui
added possibility for saving program path

BHH

[buzzqw]

update the linux build too

BHH

[freebird73717]

Buzz do you ever rest! You are constantly updating your multitude of software!

It's been months since I've updated my own software. Mainly due to lack of any spare time.

Take care brother and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[buzzqw]

thanks freebird73717!

i love to develop application.. i like

so.. someone get updates.. someone not.. it's a round-round

A Very Merry Christmas to you and your family! and Heppy New Year too!!!

BHH

[buzzqw]

update the linux build

fixed alphabetical order of profile
fixed not profiles found when lauching auto264 from a link

BHH

[Wakewatcher]

This looks promising for me. I have many many small files to convert. Does it have a 'batch' mode and is it possible to use it from the windows command line? Thanks!

[buzzqw]

it a a queue mode!
also you can "look" at command queue and copy&paste&edit it at your taste

BHH

[Wakewatcher]

hmmm.. Not working. I downloaded it and put it in a folder along with copies of mencoder.exe, mplayer.exe and mp4box.exe Doesn't seem to need mkvmerge.exe. (whatever that is.) If I hit "Preview" lots of windows flash on my screen and mplayer comes up and does play video. However when I hit "Start" some windows command box comes up faster than I can read and disappears so I don't know what it says. Anyway it happens so quick it must be crashing. -thx-

[buzzqw]

i have succesfully encoded your sample (simply hitting start)

i can suppose you have a old mencoder build, try updating from sherpya site (for windows) http://oss.netfarm.it/mplayer-win32.php

or if you use linux try updating the mplaye and mencoder build

you can also add it to queue... then copy the line from queue to a comman box (or xterm) and launch it, for catching the error

BHH

[Wakewatcher]

Thanks. It wasn't clear to me which software release to get off that page. I'm running windows vista 64 bit version.

[buzzqw]

so.. if Windows use the Sherpya build's

BHH

[Wakewatcher]

Is it one of these? http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=205275&package_id=248631&release_id=646389

[buzzqw]

yes!

you can use a specified one's or the "runtime detection"

http://downloads.sourceforge.net/mplayer-win32/MPlayer-rtm-svn-28126.7z?modtime=122896...6&big_mirror=0

BHH

[Wakewatcher]

Thanks. I've been playing with this since.. A couple of observations. First of all great wrapper you have put around mencoder and mp4box! I noticed that when this runs if you pause the cmd window that the initial Vdecoder fails. (Then it looks like it uses something from ffmpeg and continues.) I set the quality to 30 for both min and max and resize to a multiple of 16 for both height and width (544 x 368) to get better compression and it gives me a similar size to what I am looking for but the reduced keyframe doesn't seem to take. That is if I set to 4 like I do with x264 I don't get the same crisp scrubbing so something is not quite right. (Although I see the parameter is set in the mencoder parameter string so not sure what's happening.) The good news is that I've got the generated bat files to look at and hopefully can figure something out. A couple of years ago I used an mencoder solution but had better luck with x264 until I ran into this .MOD file problem. Maybe x264.exe has been updated since I last downloaded it. Also I notice that if I turned the audio off "No Audio" that no output file is produced. Thanks for your help. I think I'll go try to get some sleep now.

[buzzqw]

thanks Wakewatcher

fixed muxing on No audio (both for linux and windows build)

BHH

[Wakewatcher]

Generating a nice file size for me now without the audio but I am still having problems with keyframes (I think.) Can you point me to a good reference for mencoder and the h264 encopts parameters so I can study them. (I found this: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML/en/mencoder.html but doesn't give any real details.)

Also just a thought. I have your "great" tool in my video tools folder but my subject material is on another drive. I think it would be nice if when then choosing the 'save file' that it defaulted to the folder of the 'open file' rather than the home directory of autox. (You likely still have to change directories but it isn't so far to click.)

Also I can't figure out how to set the presets. I assume that what those are is after I have made changes to the options I can save that as a preset. But so far I haven't figured out how to save my options.

[buzzqw]

about keyframes
could you post the command line (take it from queue)

this is the FULL mplayer and Mencoder manual with all x264 options explained (tecnical) http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1.html
this is the more readable manual http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML/en/index.html , but not options is explained (just the most important one's)

about output folder.. i can do something.. let's wait new update

about preset.. you cannot save it
you can "load" the profile and change the x264 values in gui, but you cannot save it within gui
you should open the xml profile files and edit it

thanks for your test!

BHH

[Wakewatcher]

I didn't find it in the Queue. But here is the generated Batch File.

"C:\vep\bin\mencoder.exe" -vf harddup,crop=704:480:0:0,scale=544:368,hqdn3d=2:1:2 -sws 2
-aspect 1.3333 -priority idle -of rawvideo -o autox264.h264 -nosound -ovc x264 -x264encopts
rf=18:threads=auto:bframes=3:direct_pred=auto:me=hex:subq=6:turbo=2:frameref=3:aq_mode=2
:aq_strength=1.0:psy-rd=rd=1.0[0.0]:keyint_min=4:level=4:qp_min=30:qp_max=30 "K:\MOV002.MOD" -nosound 
"C:\vep\bin\mp4box.exe" -add autox264.h264 -fps 29.970 "K:\autoxfile.mp4"

I also noticed that the video size is different than expected. I'll upload files and pm you the address if you would like to look at them.

[buzzqw]

removed the link, thanks for pointing it out

some consideration about sample encoded with avs video converter:
the encoded sample don't have b frames, so it's only p frames AND I frames, that's way is so seekable
also.. you have to edit to 4 (or more, i suggest 25) the "Maximum GOP size" (the "keyint" NOT the "keyint_min")
you found it in More X264 Options (2), first at top left
after that you can seek wherever you want

BHH

[buzzqw]

update windows build
now autox264 propose the same input folder as output folder
when saving with extension "mkv" autox264 set automatically mux to mkv

BHH

[Wakewatcher]

Do you mean same output folder as input folder? Also I noticed that I can't type a path in the box. (I sometimes have multiple paths path\test1\file and path\test2\file for testing purposes. I noticed that while it took test2 in the text box that it still pointed to test1. (vista 64 bit if that matters.)

[buzzqw]

please redownload the autox264.exe

i have changed a lot under the hood, and something too on output folder

i added support for avisynth
plese download http://www.64k.it/andres/data/autox264/applications.zip
and unzip into a folder named "applications"

BHH