Thanks, Leki... I got the ffmpeg to work (the problem in fact was a codec that wound up installed in the wrong folder) but now when I go to convert videos, it's getting to the step "create thumbnail" then just dying.

Code:
2007-09-04 21:16:32 Running cron.php

2007-09-04 21:16:32 CRON: 0

2007-09-04 21:16:32 Video (3) Conversion starting...

2007-09-04 21:16:32 File: /home/thewall/public_html/video/Consuela9.wmv

2007-09-04 21:16:32 -------------------------------------------------------------

2007-09-04 21:16:32 UPDATE  video SET
				UID='2',
				space = '7',
				addtime='1188965792',
				adddate='2007-09-04',
				vkey='1614500356',
				active='0'
				where VID=3

2007-09-04 21:16:32 -------------------------------------------------------------

2007-09-04 21:16:32 Video id: 3

2007-09-04 21:16:32 Calling ffmpeg-php -> ffmpeg_movie()

2007-09-04 21:16:32 Get video duration - START

2007-09-04 21:16:32 Get video duration - END

2007-09-04 21:16:32 DURATION: 0

2007-09-04 21:16:32 Create Thumbnail - START
It's not getting the duration of the movie, and not creating the thumbnails, certainly not converting. And that's as far as it gets.... in the admin panel it's just listed as "converting" but isn't really. No thumbnails are actually created (although GD is installed - http://thewall.net/phpinfo.php )

sigh... thanks for your attention to this! Guess I'll figure it out eventually, maybe someone here can post something that helps.

Miss being able to search the old posts but do like the new forum better...