clever FFmpeg-GUI, small FFmpeg UI, fully portable, no installation.

[ProWo]

Thanks again for excellent software!
One feature request: add more AAC options such as type of bitrate encoding (TVBR, CVBR, ABR, CBR).

This are the options for aac codec (aac_at, libfdk_aac not not available for licensing reasons).

Native FFmpeg AAC Encoder (aac)

The native FFmpeg AAC encoder. This is currently the second highest-quality AAC encoder available in FFmpeg and does not require an external library like the other AAC encoders described here. This is the default AAC encoder.

By default, the native encoder produces AAC-LC, which is a "low complexity" profile of baseline AAC. It actually supports the more powerful "main" and "long-term prediction" profiles (documentation), but these are less tested.
Examples

Constant bit rate using -b:a:

ffmpeg -i input.wav -c:a aac -b:a 160k output.m4a

Variable bit rate using -q:a:

ffmpeg -i input.wav -c:a aac -q:a 2 output.m4a

Effective range for -q:a is around 0.1-2. This VBR is experimental and likely to get even worse results than the CBR. Native FFmpeg AAC Encoder does not do CBR audio encoding.

So the most I can insert vbr as an option, with worse quality.

One suggestion: add ability to view command line parameters being used. Would be helpful for anyone interested in exact commands being used after deciding on all the options in the GUI.

I will not implement this for several reasons

[ProWo]

October 22, 2023 release version 3.1.5.
Fixed: bug in fix timestamps, bug in video encoding with LUTs, bug in HDR10 handling with smpte2084 files without HDR10 metadada, typos.
Added: automatic return to UI after audio filter selection, automatic selection of colorspace and colorrange if this info is missing from the source.
Improved: video filter handling, cutting code.

[ProWo]

Review by undercash
Sounds interesting but no possibility of batch encoding (like a whole folder for example).

I didn't implement this on purpose, because I don't think mass processing multiple videos with the same settings makes sense.
But if it is desired, there are other GUI's that offer this.

btw
Value for money: 7/10, for a free program, really?

[mannequin80]

October 22, 2023 release version 3.1.5.

still have a minor issue introduced with one of the latest betas - setting Output Folder the 1st time doesn't stick (it dumps the output file in the last folder used). setting it again after 1st operation is complete works correctly.

[ProWo]

still have a minor issue introduced with one of the latest betas - setting Output Folder the 1st time doesn't stick (it dumps the output file in the last folder used). setting it again after 1st operation is complete works correctly.

Thanks for the hint.
Found the bug. It will be fixed in the next beta.

[ProWo]

Newest beta (v3.1.5.01), online now.
Fixed: little bug in output folder selection.
Added: output folder info and quit button on start screen.
Changed: button symbol (after encode audiostream), automatic return to select source screen after multiplex, cut and join.

[Ennio]

Hi ProWo

When importing a file for demuxing, I can only choose 1 stream at a time, if I'm not mistaken.
Is it possible to include extracting more than one track (or all, if need be) in one same run? Particularly for P7 Dolby Vision dualtrack-duallayer MP4 files I'd be happy with.

[ProWo]

Hi ProWo

When importing a file for demuxing, I can only choose 1 stream at a time, if I'm not mistaken.
Is it possible to include extracting more than one track (or all, if need be) in one same run? Particularly for P7 Dolby Vision dualtrack-duallayer MP4 files I'd be happy with.

Will see what can be done.

[ProWo]

Newest beta (v3.1.5.02), online now.
Added: You can now select the streams to extract.

@ Ennio
Try it

[Ennio]

Ho Prowo

Thanks for quick response. FYI this is MediaInfo on my source mp4

Video #1
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : HEVC
Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                           : Main 10@L5.1@High
HDR format                               : SMPTE ST 2086, HDR10 compatible
Codec ID                                 : hev1
Codec ID/Info                            : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration                                 : 2 h 7 min
Bit rate                                 : 77.1 Mb/s
Width                                    : 3 840 pixels
Height                                   : 2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0 (Type 2)
Bit depth                                : 10 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.388
Stream size                              : 68.6 GiB (99%)
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.2020
Transfer characteristics                 : PQ
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.2020 non-constant
Mastering display color primaries        : BT.2020
Mastering display luminance              : min: 0.0001 cd/m2, max: 1000 cd/m2
Menus                                    : 4
Codec configuration box                  : hvcC

Video #2
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : HEVC
Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                           : Main 10@L5.1@High
HDR format                               : Dolby Vision, Version 1.0, dvhe.07.06, EL+RPU, Blu-ray compatible / SMPTE ST 2086, HDR10 compatible
Codec ID                                 : dvhe
Codec ID/Info                            : High Efficiency Video Coding with Dolby Vision
Duration                                 : 2 h 7 min
Bit rate                                 : 76.6 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0 (Type 2)
Bit depth                                : 10 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.002
Stream size                              : 69.8 MiB (0%)
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.2020
Transfer characteristics                 : PQ
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.2020 non-constant
Mastering display color primaries        : BT.2020
Mastering display luminance              : min: 0.0001 cd/m2, max: 1000 cd/m2
Codec configuration box                  : hvcC+dvcC

Audio
ID                                       : 3
Format                                   : E-AC-3
Format/Info                              : Enhanced AC-3
Commercial name                          : Dolby Digital Plus
Codec ID                                 : ac-3
Duration                                 : 2 h 7 min
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 640 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel layout                           : L R C LFE Ls Rs
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 31.250 FPS (1536 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 583 MiB (1%)
Title                                    : English (eac3 5.1)
Language                                 : English
Service kind                             : Complete Main
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1

Menu
ID                                       : 4
Format                                   : Timed Text
Codec ID                                 : text
Duration                                 : 2 h 7 min
Encoded date                             : 2023-10-04 18:34:14 UTC
Tagged date                              : 2023-10-04 18:41:49 UTC
Menu For                                 : 1
Source duration                          : 7642134
Source frame count                       : 12
Source stream size                       : 279
Stream size                              : 279
00:00:00.000                             : Chapter 1
00:12:39.383                             : Chapter 2
00:22:44.696                             : Chapter 3
00:35:04.769                             : Chapter 4
00:48:36.038                             : Chapter 5
00:59:11.506                             : Chapter 6
01:10:34.271                             : Chapter 7
01:24:45.413                             : Chapter 8
01:34:49.141                             : Chapter 9
01:41:50.812                             : Chapter 10
01:51:18.296                             : Chapter 11
02:00:19.378                             : Chapter 12

I'm wondering what to think of clever FFmpeg's extract window:


[Attachment 74566 - Click to enlarge]

Is this proper? I'd at least expect the two videostreams being listed. Mind that it's a dualtrack-dual layer file where BL and EL+RPU are muxed in separate hevc streams. Also wondering what the numbers in the "Stream" column would represent. As for output result I can't tell you yet as I'm demuxing at the very moment.

Though still demuxing all tracks, I took a look in output folder. Which shows two videostreams being built and a chapters.txt file.
No sign of audio whatsoever - yet.

[ProWo]

I don't have video files with multiple videostreams.
Could you cut 30 sec of your source file and post it here.
So i can have a look.

[Ennio]

Extraction complete. I have to correct myself. Initially thinking two videostreams being demuxed (because of .mp4 extension) it turns out the second mp4 stream is the audiotrack.

So endresult is baselayer.mp4, audiostream.mp4 and chapters.txt.
EL+RPU was not extracted.

I don't have video files with multiple videostreams.
Could you cut 30 sec of your source file and post it here.
So i can have a look.

I'll be happy to do so, if you can show me how to take a small part from such a mp4. I know how to do it for mkv with MKVToolNix, but as you undoubtedly know in matroska container P7 DoVi always has BL and EL+RPU interleaved in one hevc stream.

[Ennio]

Had a quick tour-de-force on how to convert STDL mkv to DTDL mp4

Here you go, hope it's not too big.

[mannequin80]

Will see what can be done.

speaking of streams, is it possible to implement ability to change their order before multiplexing?

[ProWo]

Newest beta (v3.1.5.03), online now.
Fixed: little bugs.
Added: can now handle multiple videostreams in one file, sample video encoding.

[ProWo]

speaking of streams, is it possible to implement ability to change their order before multiplexing?

Found a way. Will be implemented in the next beta.

[Ennio]

Newest beta (v3.1.5.03), online now.
Fixed: little bugs.
Added: can now handle multiple videostremas in one file, sample video encoding.

Thanks Prowo. Will test further and report back.

[Ennio]

Hi Prowo

Selecting & extracting multiple streams seem good so far. One thing: can you add back the possibility to choose between output in container and elementary streams?
Thanks for your work.

[ProWo]

Hi Prowo

Selecting & extracting multiple streams seem good so far. One thing: can you add back the possibility to choose between output in container and elementary streams?
Thanks for your work.

Found a way for h264 and hevc streams. Will be implemented in the next beta.

[Ennio]

Found a way for h264 and hevc streams. Will be implemented in the next beta.

Thanks for this. Extracting multiple videotracks in one pass would defy its purpose when elementary outputs are desired. Since I would have to run each mp4 through clever FFmpeg again to obtain hevc

[mannequin80]

Found a way for h264 and hevc streams. Will be implemented in the next beta.

i have a slightly off-topic question but perhaps with your knowledge of ffmpeg you might know the answer:

is there a way to modify the header of a raw stream x265/hevc hdr file without re-encoding? there're (slightly) confusing discussions regarding this topic across the internet (including ffmpeg board) that go back years but i can't find any answer or proper tools to do just that. i know that ffmpeg utilizes "hevc_metadata" to modify certain x264 metadata but it's not clear if they ever got around to properly support x265/hdr matadata regardless of many related tickets listed on the ffmpeg board. there was an attempt at a tool that does just that (https://github.com/SK-Hardwired/nv_hevc_hdr_patcher) but it seems to be unfinished/outdated as it breaks the header entirely instead when used. i'm interested in modifying things like Mastering display data (--master-display), Maximum content light level/Maximum frame average light level (--max-cll), Color primaries (--colorprim) which are supported by x265-params but only for encoding/re-encoding. wondering if it's possible at all. thanks!

[ProWo]

i have a slightly off-topic question but perhaps with your knowledge of ffmpeg you might know the answer:

is there a way to modify the header of a raw stream x265/hevc hdr file without re-encoding? there're (slightly) confusing discussions regarding this topic across the internet (including ffmpeg board) that go back years but i can't find any answer or proper tools to do just that. i know that ffmpeg utilizes "hevc_metadata" to modify certain x264 metadata but it's not clear if they ever got around to properly support x265/hdr matadata regardless of many related tickets listed on the ffmpeg board. there was an attempt at a tool that does just that (https://github.com/SK-Hardwired/nv_hevc_hdr_patcher) but it seems to be unfinished/outdated as it breaks the header entirely instead when used. i'm interested in modifying things like Mastering display data (--master-display), Maximum content light level/Maximum frame average light level (--max-cll), Color primaries (--colorprim) which are supported by x265-params but only for encoding/re-encoding. wondering if it's possible at all. thanks!

What exactly are you going to do?
Are there problems with HDR10, hevc and ffmpeg?
If you want to change HDR10 content to SDR with tonemapping, you need to re-encode, no header tricks will help.

[mannequin80]

What exactly are you going to do?
Are there problems with HDR10, hevc and ffmpeg?

i'm experimenting with injecting hdr10plus metadata to (same) hdr10 only content. those are the values that don't get transferred because they are not part of the hdr10plus json but of the hevc header. to properly match the way content is going to be treated by various devices those values need to be matched to the original values. modifying them without re-encoding seems to be issue for now.

[ProWo]

i'm experimenting with injecting hdr10plus metadata to (same) hdr10 only content.

what for? If the video is already HDR10.

[mannequin80]

what for? If the video is already HDR10.

mainly to learn new things but, arguably, hdr10plus provides better hdr due to utilizing dynamic metadata (vs hdr10 static metadata) which allow the devices to set up tone mapping and brightness levels frame by frame (or scene by scene), just like Dolby Vision. as a result, the appearance of the content is optimized for the capabilities of the screen.

[Ennio]

Sorry for jumping in and asking, but do elementary hevc streams carry headers in the first place? Or is HDR metadata written in the frame packets? Where I know that DoVi's RPU binaries are written as SEI messages, I can imagine same for HDR/HDR10+.

[mannequin80]

but do elementary hevc streams carry headers in the first place? Or is HDR metadata written in the frame packets? Where I know that DoVi's RPU binaries are written as SEI messages, I can imagine same for HDR/HDR10+.

yes, a proper name for it would be something like SEI-headers/messages stored in hevc_metadata so, essentially, they can be modified at the bitstream filter level. multiple patches to address just that were introduced at ffmpeg project but it seems like none of them made it (as far as i can see) because no agreement was made on it's nomenclature.

[Ennio]

Thanks for clarifying, mannequin80

[ProWo]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 1, 2023 release version 3.1.6.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New:
Possibility to extract single or all streams.
Possibility to reorder the streams in the muxing grid.
Unsharp filter in video encoding.
The confirmation after successful task execution has been removed.
Automatic return to start screen after multiplexing.
Sample video encoding.
Can now handle multiple video streams in one file.
Output folder info on start screen.
Quit button on start screen.

Fixed:
Bug in output folder selection.
Other little bugs.

Improved:
The complete streams analysis recoded.

Changed:
Welcome screen.
Eia 607/708 captions extraction.
Background colors.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Ennio]

Multiple track extracting working like a charm for both container and elementary outputs.

Thanks a bunch, ProWo