FFMPEG using ASP.NET

Introduction

Many of us have seen that, package like FFMPEG is quite hectic to use in our web application. Many of us have already opt different modules like Media Handler etc. to convert their video files to flv and stream it over the server.

This module will help you to convert your video files to flv which can easily stream on the server. Moreover you can can get high quality flv using this code.

Background

The very basic idea behind this article is to use the FFMPEG command line argument to fulfill the requirement. All other popular modules available in the internet are based on those command lines which you can use directly to achieve your goal.

Using the code

Here is the website which I tried to develop. Its still under construction. So some bugs you may find over there. But the conversion portion is working fine.

[Sorry I have to close the link as some spamming is done in my server to this application. If anyone is interested then please contact me in my EMail id, I will help him/her as far as I can]

here are the steps...

Step - 1

Just download FFMPEG module from the internet. The latest version of FFMPEG will be a zip file which contains all the source code, FFMPEG.exe, FLVTOOL.exe and more. Extract those files into your application directory. FFMPEG.exe basically convert the video files into flv and FLVTOOL insert the metadata to the flv files. So that the video files will have all the video information.Without the metadata the video files won't be able to stream properly.

Step -2

Assign the exepath and directories.

        AppPath = Request.PhysicalApplicationPath 'Get the application path
        inputPath = AppPath & "videos\org_video" 'Path of the original file
        outputPath = AppPath & "videos\conv_video" 'Path of the converted file
        imgpath = AppPath & "videos\thumbs" 'Path of the generated thumanails
        prevpath = AppPath & "videos\preview" 'Path of the preview file

Now the main thing is the command line that executes ffmpeg.exe on the server...

string cmd as string = " -i """ & newPath & """ """ & outputPath & "\" & out & 
"""" '-i specifies the input file

Here newpath is the path of the source video file, outputpath is path of the converted video and out is the filename.

The above command line will convert the video into flv format. Now if you like to get high quality flv then use the following code..

Dim fileargs As String = "-i " & newPath & " -acodec mp3 -ab 64k -ac 2 
-ar 44100 -f flv -deinterlace -nr 500 -croptop 4 -cropbottom 8 -cropleft 
8 -cropright 8 -s 640x480 -aspect 4:3 -r 25 -b 650k -me_range 25 -i_qfactor 
0.71 -g 500 " & outputPath & "\" & out & ""

The above code will generate high quality flv. Now to insert metadata into those generated flv file use the following command line

Dim filebuffer As String = "-U """ & outputPath & "\" & out & """"

To create thumbnail use the following code....

Dim imgargs As String = " -i """ & newPath & """ -f image2 -ss 1 -vframes 1 -s 
80x60 -an """ & imgpath & "\" & thumbnm & """"

-i = input file -f = file format -vframe = video frame -s = size

Now create a function which can execute those command line

       Dim proc As New System.Diagnostics.Process()
        proc.StartInfo.FileName = exepath 
'Path of exe that will be executed, only for "filebuffer" it will be "flvtool2.exe"
        proc.StartInfo.Arguments = cmd 'The command which will be executed
        proc.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = False
        proc.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = True
        proc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = False
        proc.Start()

Step - 3

The above code will convert any kind of video into FLV now the only thing you have to do is to stream the video using any flash video player.

Points of Interest

You can easily develop any streaming video application using this code and easily build a site like youtube or sharkle. For any kind of help feel free to mail me at arinhere@gmail.com

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Create Image from flash file Shyju.K 21:44 4 Aug '09   How can i use FFMPEG to create a thumbnail image of a flash movie in my ASP.NET application ? .Do u have any sample code ? Please share ThankYOu Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Create Image from flash file arinhere 22:05 4 Aug '09   Hello, What's ur flash movie file format? If its flv then image can be derived using this process...if its swf then follow this link Convert SWF movie to Image [.jpg, .gif, .png, .bmp][^] Let me know..how it goes... Thanks Arin Mail: arinhere@gmail.com http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/archive/2008/04/16/8399645.aspx Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Working project with realtime video conversion and Image generation Member 4521586 3:48 13 May '09   Have implemented realtime conversion and streaming http://videos.sandeepthakur.org/uploadclip.aspx any one need this ??????????? sandeep Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Working project with realtime video conversion and Image generation Member 3085790 0:44 11 Aug '09   pls update me on the source code for asp.net c# for ffmpeg implementation. my id asuthosh.t@hotmail.com Thanks Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink C# Code ramyamr 22:50 14 Dec '08   Thanks for the nice article. I have made the code in c# to grap a thumbnail and here is the C# code but without any output!!! try { string AppPath = Server.MapPath("."); string InputFilePath = AppPath + "\\folder\\video.wmv"; string NameWitoutExt= Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(InputFilePath); //string OutPutFilePath = AppPath + "\\Videos"; string Imgpath = AppPath + "\\folder\\Images"; string ImgName = Imgpath +"\\"+ NameWitoutExt + ".jpg"; string thumbargs = "-i" + InputFilePath + " -vframes 1 -ss 00:00:07 -s 150*150 " + ImgName; Process thumbproc = new Process(); thumbproc = new Process();thumbproc.StartInfo.FileName = AppPath + "\\ffmpeg\\ffmpeg.exe"; thumbproc.StartInfo.Arguments = thumbargs; thumbproc.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false; thumbproc.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = false; thumbproc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true; thumbproc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true; thumbproc.Start(); string Error = thumbproc.StandardError.ReadToEnd(); string Output = thumbproc.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd(); thumbproc.WaitForExit(); thumbproc.Close(); } catch (Exception ex) { Response.Write(ex.Message); } I have Run this code but nothing happened :( Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 3.67/5 (2 votes) Re: C# Code arinhere 2:39 29 Dec '08   Try this one...this is the C# version of the functionality, written by jesalg http://www.calistomind.com/2008/03/12/how-to-manipulate-video-in-net-using-ffmpeg/[^] Arin Mail: arinhere@gmail.com http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/archive/2008/04/16/8399645.aspx Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink i have some questions Sosyopat 12:14 21 Nov '08   First thank you for this article its very helpfully. Now i wondered three things. First how i can take video duration as a string value? if ffmpeg.exe gives error how we can cathc it? How we can take more captures from flv movie (5 or more). Greetings From Turkey. Thanks. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: i have some questions arinhere 6:20 22 Nov '08   Hey, Thanks for your comment. First of all about the video duration, you can get all video information using simple ffmpeg command and I hope from there you can easily get the video duration in a string. FFMPEG supports multiple capture of video file. To capture multiple images use the following command line. " -i """ & newPath & """ -f image2 -ss 1 -vframes 1 -s 400x300 -an """ & prevpath & "\" & prevnm & """" newPath=video file path prevpath=folder name, where the captured images will be stored I hope this help... Thanks - Arin Please rate this article if it helps you.. Arin Mail: arinhere@gmail.com http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/archive/2008/04/16/8399645.aspx Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Converting a 3gp file into flash file by using this ffmpeg.exe i got one error can any one help me.......... vijaya_sarathy 1:23 12 Jul '08   i want to convert the any video file into .flv format.. it is worked local server perfectly.. but it is not worked in web server... security exception will be displayed.. i used ffmpeg.exe tool only... pls help me Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Converting a 3gp file into flash file by using this ffmpeg.exe i got one error can any one help me.......... arinhere 22:34 13 Jul '08   its permission problem...check that full permission including "execute" was given to the "FFMPEG.EXE" file...if its isn't then won't work.... moreover check ASPNET permission was given to your application... lemme know ur results.. thanks Arin Mail: arinhere@gmail.com http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/archive/2008/04/16/8399645.aspx Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Source Code knoami 20:59 19 Jun '08   Could you please upload the source code for this article? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 3.00/5 (2 votes) Re: Source Code arinhere 23:30 19 Jun '08   sorry I can't...i have done this for someone else...and its against the policy...if you r a single user and try to develop something like this..then contact me on my e-mail...I'll try to help you as far as I can... thanks Arin Mail: arinhere@gmail.com Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 3.00/5 (2 votes) Re: Source Code AJirafe 22:15 18 Nov '08   Hi, I sent to you e-mail with request about the source code. Can you reply, please? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 1.00/5 (2 votes) comments mgp22 7:34 21 May '08   Can you please comment the code more clearly? what is "out" ?? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: comments arinhere 22:32 25 May '08   Out is the generated flv file name... Arin Mail: arinhere@gmail.com Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Thank you! mgp22 7:51 26 May '08   Thanks for the help! Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Thank you! arinhere 8:42 26 May '08   If this article helps you then please rate this... Thanks Arin Mail: arinhere@gmail.com Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 (2 votes) question mgp22 7:31 21 May '08   I am confused by this code and what the filebuffer is used for.. i would like to generate the flv file and insert metadata using flvtool2 ALL in one process. possible? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: question arinhere 22:30 25 May '08   Look, The process is very simple. First try to catch the dataflow. To generate flv using this method, first we have to use FFMPEG for generating FLV file and then you have insert the metadata in the created FLV using flv2tool. and as you need it's all happen in one process but not using a single command line. The output file or generated flv file you got is perfect in nature with all it's features. Whenever you generate flv using any of the module available in the market you can see that, no such module is there that can generate Full featured flv using a single command line. As we have to use 2 different tools for these executions. The process I used here is similarly to "exec" command used in PHP. The code is tested in the server. I'll post the URL soon. For filebuffer -- Here I used filebuffer just as a string name. You can use anything there as you wish. Let me know if you have any more query.... Thanks -- Arin Arin Mail: arinhere@gmail.com Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: question vijaya_sarathy 1:26 12 Jul '08   WARNING: The bitrate parameter is set too low. It takes bits/s as argument, not kbits/s Unable to find a suitable output format for '|' i got this error while using your coding..... Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote) C# Version jesalg 11:11 7 Apr '08   Here's my version in C# - http://www.calistomind.com/2008/03/12/how-to-manipulate-video-in-net-using-ffmpeg/[^] Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote) Re: C# Version samsudeen 21:16 18 Apr '08   What configuration to be made to make it work in online?please tell urgent Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 1.50/5 (2 votes) Re: C# Version jesalg 21:36 18 Apr '08   Make sure you have the right permissions. The directory in which you have FFMPEG files need to have read and execute permissions (all files!) and the directory where you intend to put the converted files need to have write permissions. If that doesn't work then try commenting out - process.WaitForExit(); - I've had problems with it in shared hosting environment where it just hangs the process every now and then. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.71/5 (6 votes) Re: C# Version Jovialwhispers 2:46 27 May '09   The link to C# version is blocked. Please provide another working link. Thanks in advance! Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote) Nice article Rajib Ahmed 9:40 7 Apr '08   Nice article. I just have one question... Why is your icon of "Orochimaru"? Sasuke, I could understand, but Orochimaru? Rajib Ahmed Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 1.00/5 (1 vote)

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