Video formats that don't work with vshare (mencoder/ffmpeg)

I've been doing a few tests with different video formats to see how well they convert, thought i would share my results

I first needed to install the extra codecs as some of videos were not converting. If you dont have it installed on your server you can get it here --> http://www3.mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/releas ... 22.tar.bz2 (guide to install - http://forums.theplanet.com/index.php?s ... 64541&st=0 )

Problem formats: (remember this is down to mencoder and ffmpeg and so is not any problem with vshare)

3gp - not properly supported - only converts in mencoder and the file plays back jerky and has no sound.

rm (realvideo) - rm files mainly come with RV10, RV20, RV30 and RV40 codecs, mencoder and ffmpeg are supposed to support only RV10 and RV20. though i noticed some RV20 files cant be converted by either mencoder or ffmpeg and sometimes only 1 of them can convert a RV20 file. Since most of the .rm clips are in the RV30 and RV40 format they wont work at all.

mp4 - This format can have different codecs so i guess results will vary but the ones i tested used the AVC codec which seems most popular. they converted fine but took a long time to convert. The FLV filesize was also about twice as big as the orginal file when converted with ffmpeg and just under 3 times as big when converted with mencoder. so although they work its not great that converting them is just going to use up more space and bandwidth than the orginal file!

The rest of the formats seemed to work well with good FLV filesizes but i guess with many different codecs for filetypes like AVI results could vary.

So from my testing i would disallow the uploading of 3gp and rm files and keep your eye on mp4 uploads.

General info:

ffmpeg supported codecs - http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/general.html#SEC3

see the bottom of this page for some good info on the different video filetypes and codecs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_compression

The codecs require root access to the server correct? Meaning you have to have the host install it.

correct

Leki who is your host? If you have a video site of course.

GhostFreak check ur PM

Is there a way to upload an MP3 file as a video.
Any help I do have a lo of files that i want my audience to be able to listen. But the is no image.
Please help out.
Thank you