Looking for encoding solution

[JCasanova]

Hi all.

I'm looking for an encoding solution for my Plex Media Server running FreeNAS 9.3. Perhaps someone here knows what I'm looking for. I understand that this will probably need more than just an encoding solution and will require some scripting.

Here are the requirements of the encoding platform:

• Ability to watch at least two directories for new files added and begin encoding on files that are copied to each directory and output to different output directories (directory A input goes to directory A output and so on).
• Support for x264 or h264 output and ability to take popular video codecs as input.
• Support for AAC 5.1 and stereo and ability to take popular audio codecs as input.
• Support for MKV files as output and AVI, MP4, MKV as input.
• Support for multiple video tracks.
• Support for multiple audio tracks.
• A way to queue jobs so it doesn't run parallel jobs.
• (not required but extremely helpful) Ability to add audio/video track to pre-existing file - example: A 1080p version of a video is added to the input directory. A 720p version of the video (same file name) already exists in the destination directory so encoder takes pre-existing file and adds the 1080p video track to the file containing the 720p video track.

 

[cyberjock]

Yeah, if you had that quite a few people would be talking about it. Sadly, it doesn't exist, at least not yet.

You're welcome to script something up yourself though. And the community would be very thankful if you provided the script after you wrote it. :)

 

[JCasanova]

Yeah, if you had that quite a few people would be talking about it. Sadly, it doesn't exist, at least not yet.

You're welcome to script something up yourself though. And the community would be very thankful if you provided the script after you wrote it. :)

I'm willing to start working on a script but I need some suggestions on an encoder that will handle at least the following:

• Support for x264 or h264 output and ability to take popular video codecs as input.
• Support for AAC 5.1 and stereo and ability to take popular audio codecs as input.
• Support for MKV files as output and AVI, MP4, MKV as input.
• Support for multiple video tracks.
• Support for multiple audio tracks.

I also have yet to find a decent encoder that will allow me to add or at least combine MKV files to add multiple video tracks.

It might be something I need to script but I need a way for the encoder (or script) to determine the properties of the audio track. If it is only stereo then it needs to convert (or copy) to AAC stereo but if it is, say, 5.1 it needs to convert/copy to an AAC 5.1 track AND an AAC stereo track.

 

[cyberjock]

handbrake exists for FreeBSD and works via the CLI. In a jail you could do some pretty wicked stuff with it. Create a cronjob that executes a script every 5 minutes and write a script to check a directory and do its magic. Wait patiently and it'll finish. ;) Even better would be to give it a very low niceness so the CPU slowly converts the video without seriously sacrificing the performance of the FreeNAS server.

 

[JCasanova]

Handbrake doesn't support multiple video tracks in files. It was my first choice until I learned that.

 

[cyberjock]

You expect to have multiple video tracks in a file? I haven't seen a single video file that had multiple video tracks.

 

[JCasanova]

Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist...

MKV supports multiple video tracks.

XMedia Recode can add multiple video tracks to MKV files. http://www.videohelp.com/tools/XMedia-Recode

 

[cyberjock]

I didn't say it doesn't exist, did I?

I was simply saying that I haven't seen a single video file that had multiple video tracks, so clearly that "limitation" isn't a serious show-stopper unless you're going to tell me you use something so frequently that it's a show stopper for you. If so I do have to wonder what you do that requires multiple video streams.

 

[pschatz100]

I realize that this thread is getting off-topic of FreeNAS, but I have to ask: Why would you want multiple video streams in one file? Plex supports the notion of mulitple versions of a video in separate files.

 

[Ericloewe]

I realize that this thread is getting off-topic of FreeNAS, but I have to ask: Why would you want multiple video streams in one file? Plex supports the notion of mulitple versions of a video in separate files.

I imagine some DVDs have multiple video tracks (different angles and stuff), since the spec supports such a feature (not that I've ever seen such a thing...).

 

[krikboh]

There are "adult" DVD's with multiple video tracks. They allow a "choose your own adventure" storyline.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ericloewe]

There are "adult" DVD's with multiple video tracks. They allow a "choose your own adventure" storyline.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right, DVD menus rely heavily on video tracks. I was thinking more along the lines of simultaneous video tracks, but I can see menu structures being a bigger problem (no extras, since would be extra video tracks).

 

[cyberjock]

Yes, DVDs and Blu-Rays support multiple video streams, but I've never actually seen it in use except for once. :P