Mpeg4 files play jerkily in Totem Movie player

There could be a problem with the way the camera has encoded the video -- you can try re-encoding it.

Try installing the package "ffmpeg", place the video in your home dir, and then run the following command from a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T, or terminal from applications menu).

ffmpeg -i NAME_OF_VIDEO.mp4 -sameq NAME_OF_VIDEO-reencode.mp4

you can also try some other video formats, like ogv, or avi (h264, i think)

ffmpeg -i NAME_OF_VIDEO.mp4 -sameq NAME_OF_VIDEO-reencode.ogg
ffmpeg -i NAME_OF_VIDEO.mp4 -sameq NAME_OF_VIDEO-reencode.avi

Note there will be some loss of quality during the re-encode process, but hopefully not too much.

Thanks.

What I am happy to do is either translate them into AVI or an earlier version of MPEG.

I went to FFMPEG.org/download.html but I couldn't figure out how to download it!
Sorry, I'm a layman and not a computer whiz!

It said main source repository snapshot or browse.
How do I download and run it? Am I in the right place?

You very helpfully put this-
ffmpeg -i NAME_OF_VIDEO.mp4 -sameq NAME_OF_VIDEO-reencode.mp4

HOW do I get it to go!
All I see is a line of code!

Hmmm...

Thanks!

you can install ffmpeg from the repository (software centre, search for "ffmpeg"). Do not download it from the net, as that would be an insecure -- software installed from the repository is checked to make sure that it not malicious and (as best one can) ensure that it does what it says on the tin. The packages are digitally signed to ensure the contents are not tampered with.

To input that line of code, you have to open a terminal where you can cut and paste it, changing NAME_OF_VIDEO to your actual video name, eg

ffmpeg -i myvideo.mp4 -sameq myvideo-reencode.mp4

I decided to change them from MP4 to AVI.

I cut and pasted this in -
ffmpeg -i NAME_OF_VIDEO.mp4 -sameq NAME_OF_VIDEO-reencode.avi

BUT I couldn't figure out how to change it to this -
ffmpeg -i P3270002.mp4 -sameq p3270002-reencode.avi

I highlit it in the Terminal but I couldn't delete it. It kept going to the end of the code and adding what I typed in there instead.

How do I solve this?

How do I run this is the next question?

Then how do I create a file or prog. that I can use again and again and again?

Thanks!

Thanks too, I went thru the software centre and downloaded FFMPEG like you suggested. I googled the info on using terminals in Ubuntu and followed that.

Thanks!

Sorry, is this working for you? You need to press enter when you finish the line, in order to have the computer run the command.

> highlit it in the Terminal but I couldn't delete it

Terminal is a CLI 'command_line_interface' not a 'text_editor'.
To edit a cmd you can move the cursor (arrow key) to edit or remove the line with backspace key.
Only hit [Enter] if you're certain about the cmd. CLI is also case sensitive.
http://linuxcommand.org/learning_the_shell.php

> how do I create a file or prog. that I can use again

ffmpeg is already an application, just using CLI.
http://packages.ubuntu.com/maverick/ffmpeg

Lots of GUIs are available in repositories.
e.g. Soundconverter, xcfa, ...

or as context menu in Nautilus by adding a script.
https://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/audio-convert

Hi, I have installed the ffmpeg player and the restricted codecs.

Under the 'installed software' it says I have it installed.

WHERE tho?
I can't find it anywhere!
HHHHHEEEEELLLLPPPP

it is not a graphical program, it will not have an icon. The program can only be accessed by providing direct commands, like what I wrote earlier.

Thanks Sam_, that solved my question.

To play MPEG's on my old slow system I converted them from MPEG4 to MPEG.

I used FFMPEG and WINFF as the GUI.

I converted them to DVD [mpeg2] and set the conversion to vhs/pal fullscreen.

I Then used the BRASERO cd/dvd burner under Apps. and not the main Brasero prg. The cd/dvd burner has a setting -

check box like [tick] Leave DVD open to add info later
Handy!