[Plugin: Video Embed & Thumbnail Generator] Encoding never starts

Hi DoctorWombat, my guess is that the version of ffmpeg installed at Dreamhost is old enough that libvpx requires -vpre flags in order to work. This was true until fairly recently. Have you tried changing the path to FFMPEG to /usr/local/dh/bin ? Apparently that is a newer version (I found that at https://wiki.dreamhost.com/FFmpeg )

Hi Kyle, thanks for getting back to me. I changed the plugin settings to /usr/local/dh/bin, but unfortunately the same thing happens – clicking “encode” on a video creates some blank files on the server and the progress bar is unresponsive.

Is there any way I can add those -vpre flags somewhere, like in kg_callffmpeg.php?

My super logged in through SSH to try to install FFMPEG manually, but ran into a few snags, but he did notice that apparently the “new” version of FFMPEG on dreamhost is the same as the older one (0.7 or something). So I’m beginning to think this is just a problem on DH’s end.

One other thing to try is only encoding a webm video. If that works, then it’s a problem with libvpx.

You can try hacking kg_callffmpeg.php to add -vpre slow -vpre ipod640 to $ffmpeg_ipod_options

If Dreamhost is running such an old version it sounds like I should include this as an option in the plugin settings, since Dreamhost is one of the few shared hosts that actually allows access to FFMPEG.

Oh! Sweet — encoding it as WEBM and as OGV both work great. Thanks for that. So it just seems to be Mobile/H.264 encoding with the problem.

Unfortunately adding that line didn’t seem to have any effect. Is there a specific place I had to put it?

$ffmpeg_ipod_options = ' -acodec '.$aaclib.' -ab 128k -s '.$ipod_movie_width.'x'.$ipod_movie_height.' -vcodec libx264 -threads 1 '.$movie_rotate.' -b '.$ipodbitrate.'k -bt 800k -f ipod -vpre slow -vpre ipod640 "'.$encodevideo_info['mobilefilepath'].'"';

When I click “encode”, it just spits out the encoding text as a string.

Encoding Mobile M4V. -acodec libfaac -ab 128k -s 640×360 -vcodec libx264 -threads 1 -b 1080k -bt 800k -vpre slow -vpre ipod640 -f ipod “/home/doctorwombat/path/to/my/video.mp4”

Sorry I haven’t responded in a while. I know that the order does make a difference but I’m not totally sure what the order needs to be. Try adding the two -vpre tags right after -vcodec libx264.

Also, for some reason I kept saying libvpx in my earlier messages, but the problem is with libx264.

I’m getting the same issue (encoding not starting) with pacifichost. the bar never moves…

testlink25, you should check with Pacifichost to verify that libx264 is installed. It’s not listed on their ffmpeg page https://www.pacifichost.com/ffmpeg-hosting.shtml

Kyle,

Just as an FYI I was having a simialr problem with ffmpeg and the encoding not working, I applied your hack where you stated, right after the vcodec libx264 and I am now encoding with the progress bar working. I am only encoding the mobile/h.264

I also want to thank you for the time that you have been putting into this and wish I could contribute more, especially being in the film/video industry. (If I knew more about coding I would totally be onboard helping you out)

Best of luck,
Jim

You shouldn’t have to hack the plugin to get this to work anymore. After this discussion I added an option in the plugin settings page to add vpre flags.

I apologize, I miss read and missunderstood the caption for the add vpre flags check box. Checking this box corrects the problems for users on cirtexhosting.

Thanks again