I found the following script to convert videos to be compatible with the Sanza Fuze player. At the center of it is a script posted to the Sanza Forums. Many thanks to the script author ‘Thomas’. You can find his helpful posts on his Sanza Forum Profile Page.
Step One:
Ensure mencoder is installed, final processing step does require the use of a windows app using wine, so make sure both are installed.
sudo apt-get install mencoder wine unzip
Step Two:
Grab the freeware AVI-MUX program: Website Link , or use the code below.
Extract the zip to your windows ‘program files’ directory as configured in wine. If you haven’t done any customization it is located at: “~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files”
Accomplish all of this with:
cd ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files
wget http://www.alexander-noe.com/video/amg/AVI-Mux_GUI-1.17.8.zip
unzip AVI-Mux_GUI-1.17.8.zip -d AVI-Mux_GUI-1.17.8
Step Three:
Save the script (At the bottom) into a location that is in your path and set as executable. I kept the original authors name ‘pvc.sh’
Step Four:
Execute the conversion with:
./pvc.sh input_video.mkv output_name.avi
The Script :
Thomas (the script author) posted his script at the following location for download.
You can download ewelot’s script , and verify file integrity by running
md5sum pvc.sh
which must print the following hash value:
d9b3efdec6a32f1853f59784101d8503 pvc.sh
or copy the script below into a file into your path:
#! /bin/bash
############################################################################
# pvc.sh [-hvdo] [-x|y] [-p player] [-c codec] [-b vbit] [-a abit]
# [-k keyint] [-s start] [-l length]
#
# Portable media player video converter for linux.
#
# The purpose of this script is to convert videos into a format which
# can be played by portable media players, e.g. the SanDisk Sansa Fuze.
# It is based on mencoder and AVI-Mux_GUI.exe (under wine). The latter
# can be found at: http://www.alexander-noe.com/video/amg
#
# Examples:
# - convert a video file for the Fuze:
# pvc.sh anyvideo.mkv file.avi
# - convert chapters 3 to 5 of title 2 from an anamorpic widescreen DVD:
# pvc.sh -x dvd://2:3-5 dvdchapter.avi
#
# Notes:
# - You can reference selected chapters of DVD titles as
"
LICENSE="GPL v2 or any later version"
PINFO="\
options:
h show this help text
v increase verbosity
d dry run, display mencoder commands and exit
o force to overwrite output file
p player targeted portable player model (default: Fuze)
try '-p list' for a list of supported models
c codec video codecs used for encoding (default: xvid)
try '-c list' for a list of supported codecs
b vbit video bitrate in kbps (default: 600)
a abit audio bitrate in kbps (default: 128)
k keyint video keyframe intervall in frames (default: 15)
s start start encoding at given time position (hh:mm:ss)
l length encode for the given duration (hh:mm:ss)
x indicate the source video is 16:9 anamorphic
y indicate the source video is 4:3 anamorphic
parameters:
input name of source video to be converted, there is support
for DVD chapters like 'dvd://1:4-5' which is chapters 4-5
output output video file name
"
CHANGELOG="
1.1 - 02 Sep 2009
* bugfix: convert WINEPREFIX variable to absolute path
* bugfix: handle space in path name to the AVI-Mux_GUI.exe
(thanks to bug report by Jeff Ammons)
1.0 - 25 Aug 2009
* added option o to force overwriting output file
* added support for DVD chapters
* cleanup and more checks
* preliminary support for SanDisk Sansa View (untested)
0.2 - 24 Aug 2009
* added option d to only display commands
* removed TOFUZEOPTS in favour of new options x,y,s,l
0.1 - 23 Aug 2009
* first test release, based on tofuze() shell function
"
#--------------------
# user definitions
#--------------------
verbose=0
player=fuze
ac=mp3 # audio codec
srate=44100 # audio sample rate in Hz
#--------------------
# functions
#--------------------
shorthelp ()
{
echo "Usage: $(basename $0)" \
"[-hvdo] [-x|y] [-p player] [-c codec] [-b vbit] [-a abit]"
echo " [-k keyint] [-s start] [-l length]
"
}
longhelp ()
{
echo $(basename $0)" [$VERSION] $VINFO"
shorthelp
printf "$PINFO"
}
error ()
{
f_str="$1"
echo "ERROR: $f_str" >&2
exit 1
}
#--------------------
# get options
#--------------------
dryrun="";
player="fuze" # player model
vc="xvid" # video codec
vbit=600 # video bitrate in kbps
abit=128 # audio bitrate in kbps
keyint=15 # video keyframe interval
meopts="-ffourcc DX50"
xy=""
overwrite=""
while getopts dp:c:b:a:k:s:l:xyohv c
do
case $c in
d) dryrun=1;;
o) overwrite=1;;
p) player="$(echo $OPTARG | awk '{print tolower($0)}')";;
c) vc="$(echo $OPTARG | awk '{print tolower($0)}')";;
b) vbit=$OPTARG;;
a) abit=$OPTARG;;
k) keyint=$OPTARG;;
s) meopts+=" -ss $OPTARG";;
l) meopts+=" -endpos $OPTARG";;
x) test "$xy" && error "Options x and y are mutually exclusive."
xy=1
meopts+=" -aspect 16:9";;
y) test "$xy" && error "Options x and y are mutually exclusive."
xy=1
meopts+=" -aspect 4:3";;
h) longhelp; exit -1;;
v) verbose=$(($verbose + 1));;
\?) shorthelp
echo "Try '$(basename $0) -h' for more information."
exit -1;;
esac
done
shift `expr $OPTIND - 1`
#--------------------
# get parameter
#--------------------
if [ ! $# = 2 ]
then
echo "ERROR: Wrong number of parameters."
shorthelp
echo "Try '$(basename $0) -h' for more information."
exit -1
fi
infile="$1"
outfile="$2"
#--------------------
# checkings
#--------------------
# handling of special source media or streams
if echo "$infile" | grep -q "//"
then
# some kind of special source media or stream
# test for special dvd chapter syntax
if echo "$infile" | grep -q -E "^dvd://[0-9]+:[0-9]+"
then
meopts+=" -chapter $(echo "$infile" | cut -d ":" -f3)"
infile="$(echo "$infile" | cut -d ":" -f1-2)"
fi
else
# regular file
test ! -f "$infile" &&
error "Input file '$infile' not found."
fi
# output file
test -f "$outfile" && test -z "$overwrite" &&
error "Output file '$outfile' exists. Use option '-o' to overwrite it."
# programs
for p in mencoder wine winepath
do
! type -p $p > /dev/null 2>&1 && error "program $p not in search path"
done
test "$WINEPREFIX" || WINEPREFIX=$HOME/.wine
test ! -d "$WINEPREFIX" &&
error "Directory WINEPREFIX=\"$WINEPREFIX\" does not exist."
# convert to absolute path
WINEPREFIX="$(cd "$WINEPREFIX" && pwd)"
amgexe="$(find "$WINEPREFIX" -name "AVIMux_GUI.exe" | head -1)"
test -z "$amgexe" &&
error "Cannot find AVIMux_GUI.exe file.
You might have to provide the path to the AVIMux_GUI software by
using the WINEPREFIX environment variable on the command line."
#--------------------
# start
#--------------------
log=$(mktemp "/tmp/tmp_log_$$.XXXXXX")
amgscript=$(mktemp "/tmp/tmp_amg_$$.XXXXXX")
tmp1=$(mktemp "/tmp/tmp_vid_$$.XXXXXX")
# mencoder message level
meopts+=" -msglevel all=$(expr 3 + $verbose)"
# player specific settings
exit_after_info=""
fps=""
container=""
case $player in
fuze) w=224 # width in pixel
h=176 # height in pixel
fps=20 # video frames per second
container="avi"
;;
view) w=320
h=240
fps=30
container="lavf -lavfopts format=mp4"
;;
test) w=640
h=480
;;
list|help)
echo ""
echo " List of supported portable media players:"
echo ""
echo " fuze - SanDisk Sansa Fuze (default)"
echo " view - SanDisk Sansa View (experimental)"
echo ""
exit_after_info=1
;;
\?) error "The player '$player' is not supported by this program."
;;
esac
# combine video options to be passed to mencoder
vopts="-vf pp=li,expand=:::::$w/$h,scale=$w:$h,harddup"
test "$fps" && vopts="-ofps $fps $vopts"
test "$container" && vopts="-of $container $vopts"
case $vc in
mpeg4) vcopts="-ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vbitrate=$vbit:vmax_b_frames=0:keyint=$keyint"
vcopts1="$vcopts:turbo:vpass=1"
vcopts2="$vcopts:vpass=2";;
xvid) vcopts="-ovc xvid -xvidencopts bitrate=$vbit:max_bframes=0:max_key_interval=$keyint"
vcopts1="$vcopts:turbo:pass=1"
vcopts2="$vcopts:pass=2";;
x264) vcopts="-ovc x264 -x264encopts bitrate=$vbit:bframes=0:keyint=$keyint"
vcopts1="$vcopts:turbo=1:pass=1"
vcopts2="$vcopts:pass=2";;
list|help)
echo ""
echo " List of supported video codecs:"
echo ""
echo " xvid - Xvid MPEG-4 Part 2 codec (default)"
echo " mpeg4 - mpeg4 MPEG-4 Part 2 codec from libavcodec/ffmpeg"
echo " x264 - H.264 MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC codec (experimental)"
echo ""
exit_after_info=1
;;
\?) error "The video codec '$vc' is not supported."
;;
esac
test "$exit_after_info" && exit 0
# reject invalid combinations of player and codec
test "$player" == "fuze" && test "$vc" == "x264" &&
error "x264 video codec is not supported by SanDisk Sansa Fuze."
# combine audio options to be passed to mencoder
aopts="-srate $srate -af resample=$srate:0:1,format=s16le"
case $ac in
mp3) acopts="-oac mp3lame -lameopts cbr:br=$abit";;
ac3) acopts="-oac lavc -lavcopts acodec=ac3:abitrate=$abit";;
*) acopts=""; echo "unknown audio codec";;
esac
# mencoder two-pass encoding
msgprefix="
# $(basename $0) is executing:
"
test "$dryrun" && msgprefix=""
rm -f divx2pass.log
echo "$msgprefix\
mencoder $meopts $vopts $vcopts1 $aopts $acopts \"$infile\" -o \"$tmp1\" 2>$log
"
if [ ! "$dryrun" ]
then
mencoder $meopts $vopts $vcopts1 $aopts $acopts "$infile" -o "$tmp1" 2>$log
fi
err=$?
test ! $err -eq 0 &&
cat $log &&
error "mencoder failed at first pass with error $err."
echo "$msgprefix\
mencoder $meopts $vopts $vcopts2 $aopts $acopts \"$infile\" -o \"$tmp1\" 2>>$log
"
if [ ! "$dryrun" ]
then
mencoder $meopts $vopts $vcopts2 $aopts $acopts "$infile" -o "$tmp1" 2>>$log
fi
err=$?
test ! $err -eq 0 &&
cat $log &&
error "mencoder failed at second pass with error $err."
if [ "$player" == "fuze" ]
then
# create AVIMux_GUI script file
cat < $amgscript
CLEAR
LANGUAGE English
LOAD $(winepath -w "$tmp1")
SELECT FILE 1
ADD VIDEOSOURCE
SET OPTION CLOSEAPP 1
SET OPTION DONEDLG 0
SET OPTION OVERWRITEDLG 0
SET INPUT OPTIONS
WITH SET OPTION
UNBUFFERED 1
OVERLAPPED 1
ADD_IMMED 0
ADD_IMMED 1
USE CACHE 1
AVI FORCE MP3VBR 0
MP3 VERIFY CBR ASK
MP3 VERIFY RESDLG 0
M2F2 CRC 1
AVI FIXDX50 1
AVI IGNLCHUNKS OFF
AVI TRY2FIXLCHUNKS 0
WITH CHAPTERS
IMPORT 1
FROMFILENAMES 0
END WITH
END WITH
SET OUTPUT OPTIONS
WITH SET OPTION
UNBUFFERED 1
THREAD 1
LOGFILE 0
STDOUTPUTFMT AVI
END WITH
DESELECT AUDIO 0
WITH SET OPTION
END WITH
DESELECT SUBTITLE 0
WITH SET OPTION
NO AUDIO 0
ALL AUDIO 1
NO SUBTITLES 0
ALL SUBTITLES 1
OPENDML 1
LEGACY 1
RECLISTS 0
FRAMES 0
PRELOAD 0
MP3 CBR FRAMEMODE 0
MAXFILESIZE OFF
AVI AC3FPC 2
AVI MP3FPC 1
AVI DTSFPC 2
AVI ADDJUNKBEFOREHEADERS 0
OGG PAGESIZE 65025
AVI RIFFAVISIZE 999
AVI HAALIMODE 0
OVERLAPPED 0
MAXFILESIZE 2030
MAXFILES OFF
NUMBERING OFF
NUMBERING $Name ($Nbr)
AUDIO INTERLEAVE 2 FR
SPLIT POINTS OFF
STDIDX 4000 FRAMES
PRLAC BYTE
END WITH
WITH SET OPTION MKV
LACE 3
LACESIZE general 1 500
LACESIZE mp3 1 500
LACESIZE ac3 1 200
LACESIZE dts 1 100
LACESIZE aac 1 200
LACESIZE vorbis 1 50
CLUSTERSIZE 512
CLUSTERTIME 30000
CLUSTERINDEX 0
HARDLINKING 0
NONCLUSTERINDEXMODE 1
HEADERSIZE 0
HEADERSTRIPPING 0
USE_A_AAC 0
PREVCLUSTERSIZE 1
CLUSTERPOSITION 1
LIMIT1STCLUSTER 1
DISPWH 1
CUES 1
CUES VIDEO 1
CUES AUDIO 1
CUES SUBS 1
CUES AUTOSIZE 1
CUES MINIMUMINTERVAL 2000
CUES SIZERATIO 20
CUES TARGETSIZERATIO 980
CUES WRITEBLOCKNUMBER 1
CUES AUDIO ONLY_AUDIO_ONLY 0
TIMECODESCALE MKA 10000
TIMECODESCALE MKV 500000
FORCE_V1 1
FORCE_V2 0
FLOAT_WIDTH 32
RANDOMIZE_ORDER 1
2ND_COPY_OF_TRACKS 1
END WITH
START $(winepath -w "$outfile")
EOScript
# run AVIMux_GUI via wine
echo "$msgprefix\
wine \"$amgexe\" \"$(winepath -w "$amgscript")\"
"
if [ ! "$dryrun" ]
then
wine "$amgexe" "$(winepath -w "$amgscript")"
fi
else
mv "$tmp1" "$outfile"
fi
#--------------------
# clean-up
#--------------------
for f in $log $amgscript $tmp1
do
test -f $f && rm $f
done
exit 0
