#Sticky info for Linux: Since new version needs ffplay and it can't be found as a static build for Linux, you have to both install ffmpeg package and copy the binaries that I included, ffmpeg and ffprobe manually to /usr/bin/.
#I created script to automate installations: install_vct_apt.sh for Debian, Ubuntu;
#install_vct_yum.sh for Fedora, Centos, etc. Just download it, run and it will download all prerequisites and install VCT in your home dir.
For other distros you need to do it manually. Please scroll to the end of this file to see how, and read INSTALL_README.txt included with download to learn how.

** 64-bit MacOS don't work with recent mono releases: WinForms are not ported to 64-bit, so it doesn't work. That's why I didn't include it in main release. Older Macs (I have OSX Lion 10.7) seem to work with some GUI rendering issues. Plase try the Windows release with Crossover for Mac on new Macs, although performance is not on par with natively compiled ffmpeg binaries.

v1.10.0.0 added option "keep subtitles", ffmpeg bump to v8.0

You can download binaries and source code from Sourceforge:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/videoconvertertranscoder/files/

and source code from GITHUB, plus releases with binaries:

https://github.com/zbabac/VCT

VCT is frontend for ffmpeg tool which I believe, is the best tool for video/audio files manipulation It is command line tool, so it may be inconvenient for those users that can only work with some kind of GUI. I've created this tool because I needed some app that can help me convert my entire video library quickly to the H.264 or H.265. Handbrake can do it, but I have to click to every file, select path, etc.

I wanted to achieve 4 goals:

1. to have ability to manually edit any command option of ffmpeg

2. ability to transcode MP4 to MKV and vice versa (thus full length movie transcoding take 2 minutes compared to 2 hours of full conversion)

3. ability to set conversion options and then drag many files onto the VCT to encode them all with same options

4. ability to encode each video (or audio) separately and to add them all to batch list (kinda like Handbrake)

Licensed under Apache v2.0, so you are free to use the source code for any purpose you like, open source or commercial. Just be kind and mention the source!

If you find a bug, or you have an issue, please use discussion board to contact me. If you use GitHub, you can open issue there. If program is declared an open source, it doesn't mean that there is no support. On contrary, you can contact developer directly and get the most out of it!

IMPORTANT NOTE about FPS options: if input video file is loaded via "Input File" button, then exact FPS is loaded from file. In that case, either "Slow Motion" or "Set FPS" can make sense, not both. But, if you first set options, and then load bunch of files via "Multiple Input Files", then you must know files FPS and how much to slow down. In that case, both check boxes can be used, but, BE CAREFUL, or the result may not be satisfactory! If you load audio file (mp3, aac, etc.), those 2 check boxes are ignored, but they can be set as preparations for the next bunch of files loaded via "Multiple Input Files". In any case, if using "Multiple Input Files" option to load bunch of files to be encoded with same options, you MUST SET ALL OPTIONS FIRST, THEN CLICK TO LOAD FILES.

NOTE FOR LINUX: Please go to the bottom of this readme to see how to install. Source code for Linux is the same, in theory you could use monodevelop to build and test but I never tried it.

**If you want to use precompiled binaries with Linux, I strongly suggest to use automated installation scripts install_vct_apt.sh and install_vct_yum.sh. They will download end unpack VCT to ~/VCT_mono/ and copy ffplay, ffmpeg and ffprobe to /usr/bin/ and set correct permissions. You can also manually unpack VCT_Linux_mono_binary.zip to some other location (read those scripts and modify them to your needs). I am now mainly using Linux and I can confirm that VCT with Mono gives superior performance, since native Linux FFmpeg binary is used.

VCT has its limitations:

• when you define options and drop multiple files "Multiple Input Files" button or to the list, you can't use subtitles;
• you can only encode file with single audio stream, unless you edit the FFmpeg command manually;
• if there is subtitle stream inside input file, it will not be copied to output, unless you edit command manually (planned for next major release);
• if selecting audio stream when dropping multiple files, you must know how many streams there are and which one is the one you need (if selecting files one by one, you can use Info button to check codec data).

That's why I left option to manually edit ffmpeg command, for all of you that know, or are willing to learn this tool. You can also manually edit commands in batch list.

ffprobe is included in 1.5.0 so when you click Input File, it is parsed and Info button apears. You can click it so see codec details and thumbnail from video. This could have been acieved with ffmpeg, but ffprobe produces JSON output and I wanted to play with it; and it was fun!

Quick tips for common usage:

I use this tool regularly for 2 tasks

• 1 to full convert bunch of HD files from smartphone (they are too big, 1 minute - 200 MB). At Convert Tab use preset slower, quality 25 and get 5-10 times smaller files without loosing quality - you can experiment with values - for SD video, use quality 21 - then select multiple files and drag them to the list of button Multiple Input Files

• 2 to transcode MKV movies to MP4 quickly without changing quality. Set few options first, like stream numbers, etc. and then just select all of them in Windows Explorer and drag them to the button Input File(s) to Transcode on Transcode tab. Then just click Start. It takes 1-3 minutes per movie (depending on the length of the movie, avg. movie is 90+ minutes long);

If you want files to be stored in different folder than input files, then select first Output path where you want to store the new video or audio files, then you will be able to select which files you want to convert/transcode (Input files or Multiple files).

You can use drag&drop instead to click "Input File(s)..." buttons. Just drag file(s) on those buttons from Windows Explorer.

Latest version 1.9.7

Content:

• Features
• GIT source code location
• Change logs
• Known issues
• Prerequisities
• Visual Studio usage
• Monodevelop Linux usage
• Linux usage

Features:

• 3 tabs: Transcode, Convert and Record

• Transcode tab: select multiple files (mkv, m4v or mp4) and add them to batch list for automatic conversion to other video container (mp4/m4v --> mkv, mkv --> mp4)

• Convert tab: 2 options to convert - either by setting options then selecting multiple files (mixture of audio and video files) - or by selecting files one by one, for each file different options possible

• selection of options: encode quality, encode speed, audio bitrate, create video file only, create audio file only, stream copy

• option to select which audio stream to encode (for multi language movies)

• option to insert .SRT subtitle as a stream in the video file (soft subtitles)

• advanced options: it is possible to manually edit ffmpeg command in the text box, or directly in the batch tasks list

• conversion tasks are stored in a list which can be edited (command edit, select, delete task):

• you don't have to start encoding immediately after adding from "Transcode" or "Convert" tabs

• you can add one or more files with different options several times by choosing 1 input file each time or/and selecting multiple files at once,

• only after you populate your list completely, by clicking "Start" all tasks will be executed,

• conversion can be canceled,

• encoding progress displayed in status bar

• Pause/Resume encoding tasks

• File Info button to display attributes and Play button to open new window and play media file

• Record tab: enter address (link) of the Internet or local stream

• check stream and display stream attributes in JSON format (codec, streams, title, etc)

• play live stream in separate window

• each recording or playing process is run in separate window, user can perform other tasks like Transcode or Convert

Help/walkthrough is available in both Binary installation and Source. When installed, Start menu folder is created with links to VCT.exe, help (pdf), license and uninstall option.

GIT:

To get latest source, please use GIT either on GITHUB or SF! https://sourceforge.net/projects/videoconvertertranscoder/

Added git repository. It is now preferred method to get source code. To clone use:

git clone https://github.com/zbabac/VCT.git

Please contact me via discussion board if you want to collaborate or send me an email: zlatko.babic@mail.com.

Change log

v1.10.0.0 added option "keep subtitles", ffmpeg bump to v8.0

On the GUI only check box "Keep Subtitle" is added, but it is applied for Transcode as well as Multiple Files options. When checked, you will copy all subtitles to the output file. This doesn't apply when you add external subtitle, so take care of that. You can keep subtitles and add a new one ONLY by manual edit of the ffmpeg command. ffmpeg is updated to the lates version 8.0 "Huffman".

v1.9.7 Functionality the same as 1.9.5.6. but with updated GUI look: Windows and Linux with mono have similar look; fixed issues with lower resolutions (works from 1200x800 and higher); for res. 1920x1080 and higher works with scaling up to 150%.

v1.9.6.2 The same as 1.9.5.7, but with a fix for Linux exceptions with mono 6.8-6.12 and with .NET framework 4.8 and updated Newtonsoft dll.

v1.9.5.7 Copy specific time range to output in Transcode Tab, works also in Convert tab

• **When copying only certain time range in