What MPEG4 encoder library to use?

Question

So I have a WIN32 app that records videos using DirectShow. Now I want to convert the .AVI files to .MP4.

I rather not use a custom filter in the source, since I don't want to have to register filters(admin needed). I also dont want to use a standalone application since it should be automatised. Preferbly I just want a library with a well documented API since im rather new to this. Then I can use it from my app to convert the .AVI files when they are done being recorded. Anyone can point me in a direction? Or have comments on my method of choice?

I'd be outmost grateful for any help and thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Because MPEG-4 codecs are not royalty free, finding suitable encoder might be not as easy as you could think of it. Microsoft does not provide Windows with the encoder, except H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10) encoder in some editions of Windows 7, and only within Media Foundation (as opposed to DirectShow). If you are OK to be limited to those Windows 7 versions, Media Foundation might be a good option, MSDN offers samples to transcode file into file and it is reasonably easy and well documented.

There are third party solutions, there half made libraries you can leverage to encoder, there is FFmpeg which offers MPEG-4 Part 2 video encoder under LGPL, and MPEG-4 Part 10 through libx264 under GPL. And my understanding you might still be expected to pay royalties to MPEG-LA. FFmpeg might still be a good option to convert file to file because its command lnie interface is well documented (as opposed to libavformat/libavcodec API which are not so well documented on the contrary).

Another option is to use Windows Media codecs and compress into ASF/WMV files.

Answer 2

Libavcodec and libffmpeg -- an everything-to-everything media converter (includes library and command-line application): http://ffmpeg.org/