Using a movie file

[Charles Belcher]

I have xLights v4.2.5 on virtual window 7 via Parallels on my MacbookPro
Reading the manual on inserting a movie file on a mega tree via the "Picture" effect and following the instructions to ffmpeg at the command prompt.

The first movie file I tried returned "Unable to parse option value "-1" as pixel format"  Error setting option pix_fmt to value -1 and
Error applying options to the filter.  Error opening filters.

I tried another movie and placed it in the same Temp folder on C drive root and it failed also.  It was a 21.4meg mp4 file.

It returned "filterSize 256 is too large, try less extreme scaling or increase Max_Filter_Sixe and recompile and also Error opening filters.

Where do I go from here?

Charles

[gerry]

Hi,
Can u copy and paste the commands you used or a screen shot in case there is a syntax error.

[Charles Belcher]

Attachment

[sean]

To everyone, if you could describe the steps when you have an issue with as much detail as possible.

Even better, make a movie. Either use screencastomatic or jing to record your windows session as you duplicate what you did OR use your phone and record a movie.

It makes it so much easier for us to understand.

you should be using ffmpeg to create thousands of files

ffmpeg -i frozen.mp4 -r 20 -s 50x50 f-%d.png

will take frozen4.mp4 as an input
-r 20 says to resample the movie to 20 fps from whatever it is currently running at (normally 30fps)
-s 50x50 resizes the movie to 50x50 pixels
output files created will be
f-1.png
f-2.png
...
f-9999.png

be sure to put in the dash as i think i look for this pattern to start "something"-1.png

go to the pictures effect and give the first frame picture, f-1.png

xlights should start flipping frames

[sean]

how big is stars.mp4? Can you post it someplace where i can try the conversion?

[Charles Belcher]

Sean,

mp4 was under 3meg.  I just sent you a dropbox link.

Charles

[flyinverted]

I have made a big use of FFMPEG this year to play videos on the 18 panel P10 matrix.
Most of the videos I have used have been 1024 resolution or greater.
Many of the videos are more than an hour long and I only want a specific 30 seconds worth.  You can capture specific points of time with ffmpeg. Any errors I have received have been due to my own typing mistakes.

Here is a great reference for FFMPEG and all that you can do with it.

https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html

[Charles Belcher]

I have made a big use of FFMPEG this year to play videos on the 18 panel P10 matrix.
Most of the videos I have used have been 1024 resolution or greater.
Many of the videos are more than an hour long and I only want a specific 30 seconds worth.  You can capture specific points of time with ffmpeg. Any errors I have received have been due to my own typing mistakes.

Here is a great reference for FFMPEG and all that you can do with it.

https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html

Yes, I have that site bookmarked already.  Did you look at my screen capture.  I typed the commands exactly like the manual says to. 

Charles

[flyinverted]

Hi Charles, send me the link to your file.

[sean]

Charles; your mp4 converted fine on windows

I dont know what error you are getting,. i have not seen it before.

[sean]

the command i used was

ffmpeg -i "2015 Stars.mp4" -r 20 -s 50x40 s-%d.png

[Charles Belcher]

Sean's command works which is

ffmpeg -i "2015 Stars.mp4" -r 20 -s 50x40 s-%d.png

The command on page 76 in the manual does not work, which is

ffmpeg -i yourmovie.mp4 -s 30x50 f-%d.png

Mystery solved.  Thanks.

[sean]

Sean's command works which is

ffmpeg -i "2015 Stars.mp4" -r 20 -s 50x40 s-%d.png

The command on page 76 in the manual does not work, which is

ffmpeg -i yourmovie.mp4 -s 30x50 f-%d.png

Mystery solved.  Thanks.

Both commands work. The issue is your mp4 file has spaces in the filename. You need to include filename in quotes

These work

ffmpeg -i "2015 Stars.mp4" -r 20 -s 50x40 s-%d.png
ffmpeg -i "2015 Stars.mp4"          -s 50x40 s-%d.png

This does not work because it looks like you are giving an output file called Stars.mp4 and an input file called 2015

ffmpeg -i 2015 Stars.mp4 -r 20 -s 50x40 s-%d.png

[Charles Belcher]

the manual I downloaded has the following:

ffmpeg -i yourmovie.mp4 -s 30x50 f-%d.png

It does not show quotes on the movie file and it has a f after 30x50 rather than the s

[Gilrock]

Charles you can use an "f" or you can use an "s" or you can use "whateverfilenameyouwant".  The important part is  the -%d.png.  Plus having to put quotes around a filename with spaces in it is something everyone learns at one point or another when you do command line operations on windows.  If you don't use spaces you don't need the quotes.  I hope that was clear.