Editor's Review - ffmpegX | | |
Features
Stability
Usability
Interface
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| | ffmpegXis a tool that allows you to trans-code your video files.
The interface of this application looks simple, but in fact it provides you a lot of advanced functionalities. Basically, 'ffmpegX' is a well designed front end for several video tools. The processing is done by another application, 'ffmpegX Progress', that is opened only when you press the 'Encode' button. I still can't figure out why these applications don't have a 'close' button, which is grayed out.
Besides the distribution package, you may need to download some extra packages in order to use the full power of 'ffmpegX' . These packages can be distributed with 'ffmpegX' because of their Open Source licensing, but the application provides you the required steps so you can easily install those add-ons.
The list of input/ouput formats is decent. It can read video formats like: MPEG-1, MPEG-2, or MPEG-4, DivX, XviD, VOB (unencrypted), VIDEO_TS, MOV, DV, Real Video files, Flash video files, and even some audio formats. The list of supported input is not complete. The output list looks like this: DivX, XviD, MP4, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DV, MOV, 3GP, etc. Besides the decent support, the video and the audio configurations allow you to fine tune the parameters of the encoding quality.
The conversion works quite smooth. Usually the whole conversion process outputs the right thing. In some weird cases the whole process fails, but it reports it as a success. If you study the process information, then you may find out that went wrong.
'ffmpegX' also provides you a 'Options' area where you can change the behavior of this program. Unfortunately I couldn't find the option that should turn off the annoying sound which announces that the trans-coding is finished. It sounds like an annoying cash register.
The 'Tools' section provides you various functions. These features allow you to do some extra things besides the trans-coding, such as: dvd4 which re-compresses a VOB file within 4GB, some DVD authoring support, multiplex or demultiplex, join, fix a broken file, build a disk image with the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders, add pulldown flags to a 3:2 aspect ratio of a NTSC film format, or convert a SVCD to DVD.
The application comes as a non-time limited trial, which has several features disabled. It doesn't have any other restrictions such as a nice and fluffy watermark. Registering the application, besides the support to the producer, also unlocks the full functionality, and it removes any registration prompt.
Pluses: it has a great support for various file types, it is quite easy to use while it manages to provide advanced functionality, it includes a set of tools that extends the trans-coding functionality.
Drawbacks / flaws: the lack of the 'close' button for the used applications; annoying sound that can't be turned off.
In conclusion: this is one of the best video encoders for Mac OS X. The producer offers the trial without any time and video alteration limitations, so you can enjoy this application with minimal restrictions. Anyway, you can support the producer at any time.
version reviewed: 0.0.9x r2
ffmpegX Publisher's Description ffmpegX is a Mac OS X graphic user interface designed to easily operate more than 20 powerful Unix open-source video and audio processing tools including ffmpeg the "hyper fast video and audio encoder"
Reads the following input formats: MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DIVX, XviD, non-encrypted VOB and VIDEO_TS, Quicktime .MOV, .DV, .WAV, Real Audio, Real Video, H.263, MP4 H.264, PGM, YUV, PPM, AC3, PCM8/16 bits, mulaw/Alaw, WMA-1/2, SUN AU format, MP2, MP3, AAC, 3GP, FPS1, ALAC, and even more formats
Converts the above formats to DivX, AVI XviD, H.264 MP4, MOV, DV, 3GP, Sony PSP, MP2, MP3, AAC, AC3, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, VCD, CVD, SVCD, KVCD, KSVCD, DVD, KDVD and MPEG-TS with complete control over encoding options.
Super-fast. Many conversions are faster than realtime. DIVX encoding on a G5 dual is twice as faster as realtime.
Queue encodings in the ffmpegX Progress window.
Includes a full-featured universal video player (mplayer) supporting VOB and text subtitles, with choice of fonts, font sizes and international text encodings including Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Greek and more.
Supports subtitles in VobSub, SubRip, MicroDVD, SubViewer, Sami, VPlayer, RT, SSA, AQTitle, JACOsub and MPsubt formats
Allows creation of DVD selectable subtitles
Includes a subtitle converter with OCR from VOB image format to SRT text format.
Includes a bitrate calculator to control best image quality and target filesize.
Includes an automatic crop tool.
Includes a series of video tools like split, join, fix, mux, demux.
Compresses a non-encrypted DVD to 4GB without reencoding it.
Reauthors SVCD as DVD.
Creates DVD image files from VIDEO_TS folders.
Converts SRT subtitles to DVD Studio Pro 1.5 format.
Creates AVI or MPG files with two audio tracks.
Authors as VCD or K/XVCD (.bin/.cue files for burning with Toast by dropping the .bin into VCD window).
Authors as SVCD, CVD or K/XSVCD (two .img files to be burned in Toast under Multitrack XA window).
Authors as DVD (/DVD/ folder for burning in Toast DVD mode, and .img file for burning in Disk Image app or Toast disk image mode).
System Requirements Mac OS X 10.3 or later. |
