VLC Linux 2.5.0 save/convert (MKV to MP4)

[user19423]

Bonjour,

This is not a complain, this is rather a question to better understand what is going on. I am a total beginner with VLC, but I write asm for 35 years (so I can understand technical explanations).

I am currently converting a 5.9 GB MKV video into an MP4 file (on a 6-Core MacPro running Linux).

To speedup the process, I am using a RAM disk (both for the source and the destination files).

The VLC GUI keeps showing a fast-scrolling progress-bar repeatedly going from 0 min to 1:59 (the movie duration).

After 3 days running the conversion, the output file is 3.8 GB large (and does not seem to continue growing) but I have no clue about when / if this job will stop.

- Is there a way to find the time remaining for the task?
- Is there a better way (to convert files) than using the GUI?
- Is VLC using paralellism (only 2 threads seem to be active)

Just curious, I would appreciate insights as VLC seems to have (rare) qualities that make it valuable for many other tasks.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

There is no VLC 2.5.0 as of year 2013.

It seems like you have enabled either loop or repeat. Then it will never end.

[user19423]

> There is no VLC 2.5.0

Right, this is VLC 2.0.5.

> It seems like you have enabled either loop or repeat. Then it will never end.

The REPEAT PLAYING option should not be taken into account for SAVING / CONVERTING (used without playing).
VLC should NOT use the "replay" option to save-a-file-on-disk-forever.

Anyway, thank you for this great product - and for the prompt reply!

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

There are valid use for streaming output with loop or repeat mode. You enabled it, the player obeys.

[user19423]

> There are valid use for streaming output with loop or repeat mode

Which one(s)?

This is not "streaming" here but merely converting and *saving a file on disk*. So, when the "repeat" mode is taken into account, the output file is repeatedly reset to a zero length and then saved again with the expected contents... but if you try to interrupt the infinite loop you will never get the whle file on disk - only a partial (corrupted) copy.

Therefore, and as you seem convinced of the fact that this VLC behavior is more than relevant, let me know how, up to you, producing a corrupted file can be useful.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

This discussion has been had way too many times. I am not reopening it.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Which one(s)?

Digital signage.