python-3.xffmpegconvertersvideo-conversion

Convert .mp4 to .mpeg4 using Converter


I have an MP4 file, which I would like to convert into an MPEG4 file. TO do this, I have found the PythonVideoConvert package. On the PyPI page, the following code is given:

from converter import Converter
conv = Converter()

info = conv.probe('test/test1.avi')

PATH = 'C:/Users/.../'

convert = conv.convert(PATH +'Demo.mp4', PATH + 'Demo.mpeg4', {
    'format': 'mpeg4',
    'audio': {
        'codec': 'aac',
        'samplerate': 11025,
        'channels': 2
    },
    'video': {
        'codec': 'hevc',
        'width': 720,
        'height': 400,
        'fps': 25
    }})

When I run this code, a convert object is created. However, there is no .mpeg4 video in the PATH directory.

Therefore, I have two questions:

  1. Is the code above correct for converting a .mp4 file into a .mpeg4 file
  2. What do I need to run to save the converted video as a .mpeg4 file?

Based on Selcuk's comment, I ran the following code:

for timecode in convert:
    pass

This gives the error:

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "<ipython-input-60-14c9225c3ac2>", line 1, in <module>
    for timecode in convert:

  File "C:\Users\20200016\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\converter\__init__.py", line 229, in convert
    optlist = self.parse_options(options, twopass)

  File "C:\Users\20200016\Anaconda3\lib\site-packages\converter\__init__.py", line 60, in parse_options
    raise ConverterError(f'Requested unknown format: {str(f)}')

ConverterError: Requested unknown format: mpeg4

So, my suggested format seems incorrect. What can I do to convert a video into .mpeg4?


Solution

  • I don't think PythonVideoConverter is meant to be used in Windows.

    I was getting an exception AttributeError: module 'signal' has no attribute 'SIGVTALRM', because SIGVTALRM is not a valid signal in Windows.

    The default path of FFmpeg an FFprobe command line tools, also doesn't make sense for Windows.

    We may still use the package in Windows, but it's recommended to set ffmpeg_path and ffprobe_path.
    Example:

    conv = Converter(ffmpeg_path=r'c:\FFmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe', ffprobe_path=r'c:\FFmpeg\bin\ffprobe.exe')
    

    We also have to disable the timeout feature, by setting timeout=None argument.


    mpeg4 is not a valid FFmpeg format, but we can still use it as a file extension.
    (format is FFmpeg terminology usually applies container format).

    When non-standart file extension is used, we have to set the format entry.
    Setting 'format': 'mp4' creates MP4 file container (may be created with the non-standart .mpeg4 file extension).


    Complete code sample:

    from converter import Converter
    
    conv = Converter(ffmpeg_path=r'c:\FFmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe', ffprobe_path=r'c:\FFmpeg\bin\ffprobe.exe')
    
    #info = conv.probe('test/test1.avi')
    
    PATH = 'C:/Users/Rotem/'
    
    convert = conv.convert(PATH + 'Demo.mp4', PATH + 'Demo.mpeg4', {
        'format': 'mp4', #'format': 'mpeg4',
        'audio': {
            'codec': 'aac',
            'samplerate': 11025,
            'channels': 2
        },
        'video': {
            'codec': 'hevc',
            'width': 720,
            'height': 400,
            'fps': 25
        }},
        timeout=None)
    
    # https://pypi.org/project/PythonVideoConverter/
    for timecode in convert:
        print(f'\rConverting ({timecode:.2f}) ...')
    

    We may see the media information of Demo.mpeg4 using MediaInfo tool:

    General
    Complete name                            : C:\Users\Rotem\Demo.mpeg4
    Format                                   : MPEG-4
    Format profile                           : Base Media
    Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/mp41)
    File size                                : 207 KiB
    Duration                                 : 10 s 148 ms
    Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
    Overall bit rate                         : 167 kb/s
    Writing application                      : Lavf58.45.100
    FileExtension_Invalid                    : braw mov mp4 m4v m4a m4b m4p m4r 3ga 3gpa 3gpp 3gp 3gpp2 3g2 k3g jpm jpx mqv ismv isma ismt f4a f4b f4v
    
    Video
    ID                                       : 1
    Format                                   : HEVC
    Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
    Format profile                           : Main@L3@Main
    Codec ID                                 : hev1
    Codec ID/Info                            : High Efficiency Video Coding
    Duration                                 : 10 s 0 ms
    Bit rate                                 : 82.5 kb/s
    Width                                    : 720 pixels
    Height                                   : 400 pixels
    Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
    Frame rate mode                          : Constant
    Frame rate                               : 25.000 FPS
    Color space                              : YUV
    Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
    Bit depth                                : 8 bits
    Scan type                                : Progressive
    Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.011
    Stream size                              : 101 KiB (49%)
    Writing library                          : x265 3.4+28-419182243:[Windows][GCC 9.3.0][64 bit] 8bit+10bit+12bit
    Encoding settings                        : ...
    Color range                              : Limited
    Codec configuration box                  : hvcC
    
    Audio
    ID                                       : 2
    Format                                   : AAC LC
    Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
    Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
    Duration                                 : 10 s 148 ms
    Duration_LastFrame                       : -70 ms
    Bit rate mode                            : Variable
    Bit rate                                 : 79.1 kb/s
    Maximum bit rate                         : 128 kb/s
    Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
    Channel layout                           : L R
    Sampling rate                            : 11.025 kHz
    Frame rate                               : 10.767 FPS (1024 SPF)
    Compression mode                         : Lossy
    Stream size                              : 98.0 KiB (47%)
    Title                                    : IsoMedia File Produced by Google, 5-11-2011
    Language                                 : English
    Default                                  : Yes
    Alternate group                          : 1
    

    In MediaInfo output, the MP4 file container applies "MPEG-4" format...

    Note:
    The HEVC video format applies H.265 video codec - in most cases the codec is considered to be more relevant then container.