Problem converting RMVB to MP4

Forum Archive Home -> ffmpegX general discussion -> Problem converting RMVB to MP4

Click here for the original forum topic.

Problem converting RMVB to MP4

Calilin22 posted 2008 Dec 19 23:41

Hi everyone,

I need some assistance with converting my rmvb files to mp4 files for my ipod nano. I currently operate on Mac OSX Tiger 10.4. I installed ffmegx and I'm a new user so that might be why I am experiencing difficulties. I downloaded and installed all the necessary codecs, but when I try to convert a rmvb file to mp4, it encodes in less than a second and the resulting file does not play because "the file is not a movie file" and it as 0kb. There is nothing wrong with the original file because it plays and everything. This is also what I get when I click the i button:

FFmpeg version CVS, Copyright (c) 2000-2004 Fabrice Bellard
Fri Dec 19 20:47:24 PST 2008
Mac OSX universal build for ffmpegX
libavutil version: 49.0.0
libavcodec version: 51.9.0
libavformat version: 50.4.0
[NULL @ 0x54340c]Unsupported video codec
Input #0, rm, from '/Users/Lin/Movies/The Gem of Life - Episode 1.rmvb':
Duration: 00:42:28.6, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 652 kb/s
Stream #0.0: Audio: cook, 44100 Hz, stereo, 64 kb/s
Stream #0.1, 12.00 fps(r): Video: RV40 / 0x30345652, 720x404, 567 kb/s
Stream #0.2: Data: 0x0000
Codec type mismatch for mapping #0.0 -> #0.0

I have read previous related threads and tried inverting the audio, but it seems nothing works. Please help me =(

redwudz posted 2008 Dec 20 01:49

I'll move you to our ffmpegX forum where you may get better answers. We also have a Mac Video forum.

And welcome to our forums. :)

Case posted 2008 Dec 20 04:14

ffmpegX has several encoding engines (ffmpeg, mencoder, mpeg2enc) and decoders (ffmpeg, mplayer, quicktime) to choose from. The ffmpeg presets can not deal with RM. You'll have to pick a preset that uses mplayer for decoding, which is any mencoder preset or mpeg2enc w/mplayer.
The optional download of reallib will facilitate mplayer in decoding RM, like a plugin.

Please confirm that you have reallib installed for your CPU architecture (either PPC or Intel version of reallib).
Do try a mencoder preset for converting to MP4.

One additional thing to overcome is the fact that mencoder MP4s use an AVC level that is too high for the iPod. The only way I know how to fix that is to encode twice: Once from RM to any in-between-format, and a second time for encoding to iPod-compatible MP4, so that you can use the ffmpeg preset for iPod for your final output.

Calilin22 posted 2008 Dec 21 18:02

Yes I downloaded reallib from the ffmegx website link I believe. Thanks for your help Case, but I'm not too sure with what you were trying to explain. Can you more specifically tell me where in ffmegx I can change those presets to encode rmvb into mp4? Thanks so much!

Case posted 2008 Dec 21 19:34

1. Rename your .rmvb file to .rm . This is to maximize compatibility, so that the file is better recognized. You can always change it back after conversion.

2. Load your .rm file in ffmpegX. Try the [Play] button. This will test if ffmpegX is at all capable of dealing with the RM file. If it does play, go to the next step. If it doesn't play, most likely there's something wrong with reallib.

3. Convert to an intermediate format with a mencoder preset. I would suggest XviD mencoder, as it is good quality and pretty fast (faster than H.264).

4. Convert the XviD .avi to .mp4 with the iPod preset.

A. The presets can be found in the Target format section, in the field with the small arrow (or triangle). The drop-down menu should give options like "XviD mencoder" and "iPod H.264 640w".

B. You can't go from Real Media to iPod .mp4 in one go with ffmpegX, as it is not supported, because converting from .rm must use a different "engine" than converting to iPod formats.

Calilin22 posted 2008 Dec 22 23:12

You are a savior! However, after the second conversion it produces a separate video and audio file? Why is that? How can I fix it, or did I do something wrong?

Case posted 2008 Dec 23 14:37

Under normal circumstances, it should convert the video to .video.mp4 and the audio to (.wav then to) .audio.mp4, then mux the video and audio into a new .mp4 file and delete the temporary video-only and audio-only files.

An error somewhere in the process could stop or prevent the muxing stage. Please post the Process Information log to let us examine it for such errors.

takeTwo posted 2009 Jan 31 22:23

I seem to recall some help I read here long ago. It takes time for the muxing stage to finish, even if the Finder shows that the file exists.

I am always suspicious of using the Finder to draw conclusions whether a process is done or not.

So, launch Activity Monitor in the Applications/Utilities and see if ffmpegX is still working hard!

superpowder posted 2009 May 20 12:41

Calilin22 :

I have the exact same problem, and I tested the [play] on the ffmpegx. So I supposed the problem lies with the reallib, which I downloaded and saved in the library/ffmpegx. But sigh... still not working for me...

Where have I gone wrong? Is the reallib still not correct?

Case posted 2009 May 20 13:26

superpowder :

I have the exact same problem

How much the same? Converting to what settings? Did you use a mencoder preset, an mpeg2enc w/mplayer preset, or some other settings? What does your Process Information log say?

superpowder :

I tested the [play] on the ffmpegx.

What was the result of that? Did it play or not? If it did play, then reallib is fine. If it did not play, then something is wrong with your reallib.
The computer details in your profile are incomplete. Please fix that, so you may get better help on this forum. In the Apple menu (upper left corner of your screen), choose About This Mac. The next window will show basic but important information, like Mac OS version, processor (CPU) type and speed, and the amount of installed memory.
Is your Mac PowerPC or Intel? You will need the reallib version that matches your CPU type.

superpowder posted 2009 May 20 13:40

I tried converting the .rm file to ipod 640. Took less than a minute and the result file could not be read.

When I tested the [play], it didn't play for .rm files but works fine for .avi files. I have yet to try other formats.

I'm using a Mac PowerPC.

I had downloaded the mpeg2enc and mencoder preset and saved it in the library/application support/ffmpegx.

tomlee59 posted 2009 May 20 13:56

superpowder :

I had downloaded the mpeg2enc and mencoder preset and saved it in the library/application support/ffmpegx.

But did you install these? Downloading is not enough. First you have to unzip (if zipped), and then you point the installer to wherever it is that the unzipped versions live. The installer will then do the rest.

superpowder posted 2009 May 20 14:02

When I had 1st launched the ffmpegx it had prompted the installations of all 3 presets. But after the installation was complete, I realised that they were not parked in the library, so I manually did a transfer to place them in library.

Case posted 2009 May 21 01:07

superpowder :

After the installation was complete, I realised that they were not parked in the library, so I manually did a transfer to place them in library.

Please make sure you are looking at the correct Library folder, as Mac OS X has 3 of those. Note that the binaries (mencoder, mplayer, mpeg2enc, reallib folder) should be located in /Library/Application Support/ffmpegX/ , that is the Library folder in the root (highest folder level) of the boot volume. That is different from the Library folder in your home directory (user folder).
The ffmpegX installer should also have installed other stuff in /Library/Application Support/ffmpegX/ (gocr, mp2enc, subtitle2pgm, tcextract, vcdxbuild, vcdxgen, yuvdenoise, yuvscaler).

superpowder :

I tried converting the .rm file to ipod 640. Took less than a minute and the result file could not be read.

That won't work, as explained above in other posts in this topic. "Reading .rm" and "converting to iPod" require two separate parts of ffmpegX that prevent doing this in ONE conversion. You'll need two conversions for this, when doing it with ffmpegX.

superpowder :

When I tested the [play], it didn't play for .rm files

Then reallib was not installed correctly (likely), or the real codec is not supported by reallib (unlikely).

superpowder :

but works fine for .avi files.

Then mplayer is in working condition.

superpowder :

I'm using a Mac PowerPC.

Then this reallib PPC version is for you. Move the unzipped reallib folder manually to /Library/Application Support/ffmpegX/ .

superpowder posted 2009 May 21 02:19

I had already downloaded the reallib PPC version previously and placed it in the Library/application support/ffmpegX/ together with the mpeg2enc and mencoder presets. Still .rm files don't play.

Case posted 2009 May 21 04:25

Further investigation: Your PPC reallib folder should have 47 items and be 16.6 MB in size. Correct?
You moved the complete folder, not just the files inside it. Correct?

Try this: play the .rm file in RealPlayer. Pause playback, so you can have a look at its properties without it reaching end of file: menu Window > Clip Info (Cmd-I).
In the General tab, it should list a four letter codec (e.g. RV40). In the Streams tab, it should list codecs for video and/or audio by name (e.g. RealVideo 10), per stream from the dropdown menu. Please tell us the codecs in your problematic .rm file.

superpowder posted 2009 May 21 09:16

the reallib is 16.6mb, correct.

the codec for the .rm file is:

RealVideo 9

64 Kbps Stereo Music - RealAudio (RealAudio 8)

Case posted 2009 May 21 15:55

Those codecs (RealVideo 9, RealAudio 8) are supported by reallib.
Then I guess it failed due to your setup (installation). Not sure what is wrong, though.

Is is possible for you to share this file online, so that I may have a try at converting?
If you don't have server space, try a hosting service like YouSendIt.com, SendSpace.com, Send2deliver.com, Uploaded.to, MobileMe. Then you could pm me the URL to the file.

superpowder posted 2009 May 21 20:27

The file was downloaded from http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6OD459LR.

Is it better if I just thrash all the ffmpegX related app and files, then reinstall again?

Case posted 2009 May 24 00:47

There seems to be a file error in the RMVB at 0:06:27. At that point, my RealPlayer plays nothing while the progress bar continues. MPlayer w/reallib freaks out over it and loses sync and stops a bit later.
I could convert the first ten minutes with ffmpegX.

superpowder posted 2009 May 24 06:07

So I should try converting an alternative RMVB to see where the problem really lies, I guess.

Click here for the original forum topic.

Forum archive - Problem converting RMVB to MP4

Problem converting RMVB to MP4