codecs-runner

A good tool to help you encode video and test video quality.

Dependencies

• python3.10+, pip3
• ffmpeg 5.1 installed

install requirements:

cd <project-dir>
pip3 install -r requirements.txt

Tools

• generate-yuv.py - Util for generate yuv files
• codecs-runner.py - Run encoding tasks, then compare video quality

You can use python3 <tool> -h to see usage information.

Config

Usually, the configuration is as follows, see config.example.json for more information.

{
  ...common_config,
  "tasks": [
    {
      ...other_task_config,
      "template": task_run_template
    }
  ]
}

codecs-runner config is very flexible, but you need to follow some principles:

• ffmpeg, ffprobe, vmaf_options should in common_config if you want to calculate video quality.
• Use seq_path to configure yuv sequence path
• Use output_path to configure where the encoded video output
• template value will be compiled into a "Formatted String Literal" with a lambda function inside. This means you can use any configuration in "common_config" or "other_task_config" with {config_key} grammar. You can even use some simple mathematical operations like {bitrate_and_resolution['bitrate_m'] * 1000 * 2}!
• task_name should in every task config
• repeat_target in task config is special. That means its value is a array, and task will run with every item config.
• You can use parsed yuv file info in template value:
  • filename - yuv video file path
  • name - yuv video file base name
  • width - yuv video width
  • height - yuv video height
  • framerate - yuv video framerate
  • output_filename computed output path with output_path config
• "use_bitrate_by_task_name": "{task_name}", and "repeat_target": "{the bitrate key you want use for template}" is for two-pass encoding. Because multi-pass encoding needs to use the encoded special bit rate.

Notice: The configuration items mentioned above are special for codecs runner, please do not overwrite them!

Tip for video sequence

Sequence naming must follow this rule: {don't care string}_{width}(x|_){height}_{framerate}.yuv.

The name of a test sequence should look like this: gipsrecstat_1280_720_50.yuv or gipsrecstat_1280x720_50.yuv.

You can use generate-yuv tool to convert the mp4, flv, webm video to yuv video.

Use docker

# build
docker build -t codecs-runner ./

# mount directory on the container
# notice: set seq_path to ./work, output_path to ./result, base path is /data/codecs-runner
docker run -it -v /home/codecs_videos:/data/codecs-runner/work -v /home/codecs_result:/data/codecs-runner/result codecs-runner /bin/bash