AGABlaster - New CDXL Player Released

[BULI]

Originally Posted by BULI

I'm still happy user of AGA_Blaster (great program ) look:
[ Show youtube player ]

Because I was using old AGA Conv 0.9.5.4-bin, today I copped a new version AGE Conv 0.9.7-bin on my Ubuntu 18.04 via Windows 10, and I have a problem like:
How I can instal this libraries?

I found solution:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test sudo apt upgrade libstdc++6
strings /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6 | grep GLIBCXX_3.4.2[5-9]

Should be:
GLIBCXX_3.4.25
GLIBCXX_3.4.26
GLIBCXX_3.4.27
GLIBCXX_3.4.28
GLIBCXX_3.4.29

[BULI]

I made a BadApple anim for AGABlaster, and I used AGAConv with parameter --color-mode=aga3, is any chance to decrease colors in conversion like 2 color or 4 colors for black&white video?

[movec]

Originally Posted by BULI

I made a BadApple anim for AGABlaster, and I used AGAConv with parameter --color-mode=aga3, is any chance to decrease colors in conversion like 2 color or 4 colors for black&white video?

Reducing the bitplanes doesn't necessarily give you black/white, it only gives you less colors. If your picture only was black/white it might work though
However, yes there is a lower limit in planes, because it inserts a black background color and one additional color as a workaround for a bug in ffmpeg. So AGA2 should work, but for some reason I limited it to AGA3.

However, you can convert it to gray scale format if you edit the script and add one ffmpeg option. Then you get a gray scale picture:

edit the file 'agaconv' as follows:
In line 254 insert the text marked in red:
FFMPEG_COMMAND= ... "[0:v] format=gray,fps=${ ...

Note the comma after 'gray'. With this change everything (when using ffmpeg) works as before, but you get gray scale pictures only now.

Let me know how this works for you. It could be easily added as an option.

[Lisko]

Bad apple demo is already only two colors: black and white so I don't think that changing the colors during the conversion it's of much help

[BULI]

Originally Posted by movec

Reducing the bitplanes doesn't necessarily give you black/white, it only gives you less colors. If your picture only was black/white it might work though
However, yes there is a lower limit in planes, because it inserts a black background color and one additional color as a workaround for a bug in ffmpeg. So AGA2 should work, but for some reason I limited it to AGA3.

However, you can convert it to gray scale format if you edit the script and add one ffmpeg option. Then you get a gray scale picture:

edit the file 'agaconv' as follows:
In line 254 insert the text marked in red:
FFMPEG_COMMAND= ... "[0:v] format=gray,fps=${ ...

Note the comma after 'gray'. With this change everything (when using ffmpeg) works as before, but you get gray scale pictures only now.

Let me know how this works for you. It could be easily added as an option.

Thanks a lot, I will check it

[xboxown]

Hey guys...is there away using parameters I can enable GUI of agablaster where with the mouse button I can scroll back and forth the video I am playing, pause/play and show how many minutes I have watched and total number of minutes or seconds the video have? Much appreciate it.

[movec]

Originally Posted by BULI

I found solution:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test sudo apt upgrade libstdc++6
strings /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libstdc++.so.6 | grep GLIBCXX_3.4.2[5-9]

Should be:
GLIBCXX_3.4.25
GLIBCXX_3.4.26
GLIBCXX_3.4.27
GLIBCXX_3.4.28
GLIBCXX_3.4.29

FYI: I just updated agaconv 0.9.7 with Ubuntu 20 binaries (using default gcc 9) and ham_convert 1.8.7 (latest stable version).


The next version will have a proper installer and will be a single application (no separate script anymore).

[movec]

Originally Posted by xboxown

Hey guys...is there away using parameters I can enable GUI of agablaster where with the mouse button I can scroll back and forth the video I am playing, pause/play and show how many minutes I have watched and total number of minutes or seconds the video have? Much appreciate it.

AGABlaster does not have a GUI when playing videos. All commands are key board commands. It does support a file requester for selecting videos and playlists (since version 0.9.90).

[nujack]

Originally Posted by movec

FYI: I just updated agaconv 0.9.7 with Ubuntu 20 binaries (using default gcc 9) and ham_convert 1.8.7 (latest stable version).

I doesn't get the latest version executed under WLS10 with Ubuntu 18.04.6(see attachment). Do you have any hint for me how I get it running or can you provide an older archive for me please?

Furthermore I receive the following exception when I try to convert an mp4-file to CDXL:

Planes: 8, maxColors=256
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'myfirstfilm.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    encoder         : Lavf57.83.100
  Duration: 00:00:08.45, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 263 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 320x200, 260 kb/s, 20 fps, 20 tbr, 10240 tbn, 40 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
Output #0, u8, to 'tmp-myfirstfilm-keep_ratio-normal-256-lores-320-20fps-28000-stereo-ff/myfirstfilm-stereo.raw':
Output file #0 does not contain any stream

The mp4-file I have created before with the following command:

ffmpeg -r 20 -i tmmplay_%3d.png -pix_fmt yuv420p myfirstfilm.mp4

I would like to create an HAM8-CDXL-clip from png-pictures with resolution 320x200. What would be the best way to do it?

[onkelarie]

This tool is incredible, thanks for the update! Nothing beats converting good old 80's blockbuster movies to cdxl format and view them on the Amiga

[stevelord]

At the risk of nerdsniping, archive.org's VHS Vault is an excellent source of material for AGAConv and AGABlaster. It has a grab bag of everything from old ads, to TV shows and movies, even music videos. Being VHS rips they often have commercials and idents too.

As an aside, I've just filed my next WhatIFF article on using AGAConv and AGABlaster to do full motion video on a 68000 Kickstart 1.3 Amiga, complete with a walkthrough on converting a Laurel & Hardy movie. This follows on from my earlier tutorial in the last issue for AGA machines.

[mech]

can anyone else download this off his site with a real amiga and latest Ibrowse?
Edit: never mind,i see its google drive.

[movec]

Originally Posted by nujack

I doesn't get the latest version executed under WLS10 with Ubuntu 18.04.6(see attachment). Do you have any hint for me how I get it running or can you provide an older archive for me please?

Use the new version 1.0. It comes with a PPA installer which downloads automatically the right binary.

Originally Posted by nujack

Furthermore I receive the following exception when I try to convert an mp4-file to CDXL:

Planes: 8, maxColors=256
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'myfirstfilm.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    encoder         : Lavf57.83.100
  Duration: 00:00:08.45, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 263 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 320x200, 260 kb/s, 20 fps, 20 tbr, 10240 tbn, 40 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
Output #0, u8, to 'tmp-myfirstfilm-keep_ratio-normal-256-lores-320-20fps-28000-stereo-ff/myfirstfilm-stereo.raw':
Output file #0 does not contain any stream

The mp4-file I have created before with the following command:

ffmpeg -r 20 -i tmmplay_%3d.png -pix_fmt yuv420p myfirstfilm.mp4

I would like to create an HAM8-CDXL-clip from png-pictures with resolution 320x200. What would be the best way to do it?

AGAConv can only encode videos with an audio track. Above video does not have an audio track.

[movec]

Hello everyone,

AGAConv 1.0.1 is released - this is the first version that comes with a PPA installer!

I have tested on Linux and Windows 10 (with the Ubuntu App) and also with ham_convert.

• Added support for configuration files (default and user configs).
• Eliminated the agaconv script and integrated its functionality into agaconv.
• Added 'auto' modes to several options, simplifying its use.
• Added manual (man page on Linux). Also available on-line as AGAConv Manual
• Increased width and height range (with ffplay one can try out CDXL HD videos, see example on webpage)

I also updated the webpage with instructions for installation with the PPA installer.
The new manual also includes lots of usage example (see Section Examples).
Available on-line and after installation with 'man agaconv'.

For those who prefer to use Windows, I have added some examples on the webpage on how to copy files in the Ubuntu App terminal from and to the Windows file system.

The example on the webpage also includes to download a short test video (all via copy & paste commands in the terminal).
This way, installation and first conversion can be done within one minute ...

AGAConv website: https://cutt.ly/AGAConv

Cheers!

[Seiya]

a windows native version?

agaconv video.mp4 video.cdxl?

[nikosidis]

movec: Thanks I have used agaconv. with great results so looking forward to look at the new version.

[movec]

Originally Posted by Seiya

a windows native version?
agaconv video.mp4 video.cdxl?

Microsoft has integrated the Ubuntu App so well meanwhile that the difference for command line tools is much smaller than in the past. The Ubuntu App is mounted as a Windows drive and the Windows directories are mounted in the Ubuntu App.

Therefore, after installation, you can simply cd into to your Windows drive and invoke agaconv in your Windows directory (this works out of the box):

cd /mnt/c/Users/yourwindowsusername/Videos
agaconv video.mp4 video.cdxl

That being said, it's doable to create a native Windows agaconv, v1.0 should compile out of the box for Windows - but you would still have to install ffmpeg manually (which doesn't come with a Windows installer), and maybe some more dependencies.
With the Ubuntu PPA installer you already get all dependencies installed and updates are automated. However, I might look into it at some point, if I find an interesting multi-platform solution.

I have added a separate Windows installation section on the webpage, I hope this helps.

[movec]

Originally Posted by nikosidis

movec: Thanks I have used agaconv. with great results so looking forward to look at the new version.

Have fun, I am always curious what power users can figure out with it!


The new configure files allow to set any default values, so if you have some favorite config, you can make it now the default configuration (--help shows your default values, which makes it easy to check the values).

[mfilos]

Thanks for the updates mate. Tried converting a YouTube video today and played like a charm... on the other hand it's size is a bit wow! 120MB for a 1m20sec video seems a bit excessive compared to mpg via ffmpeg and played via RiVA

[movec]

Originally Posted by mfilos

Thanks for the updates mate. Tried converting a YouTube video today and played like a charm... on the other hand it's size is a bit wow! 120MB for a 1m20sec video seems a bit excessive compared to mpg via ffmpeg and played via RiVA

AGAConv generates CDXL files. The CDXL format stores raw data, there is no compression. Therefore the files are as big as the original data.

There is a range of Amigas where CDXL files run better with AGABlaster than with the (smaller compressed) MPG1 files with RiVA. My Amiga for example, a 4000/60, is in that range.

I made some quick comparison with somewhat comparable settings/quality with several variants for the testvideo.mp4 (available on the agaconv website) converted to MPG1 and CDXL:

MPG1 with RiVA 0.54:
bitrate, width (full screen), FPS (nosound), FPS (with sound @24kHz)
1024 320 full 15.10 13.34 FPS
512 320 full 18.48 16.63 FPS
256 320 full 21.10 19.56 FPS
1024 640 full 5.61 5.10 FPS
512 640 full 6.61 6.11 FPS
256 640 full 6.75 6.59 FPS

(RiVA running in 8bit mode, which gives best FPS, in 16 bit mode it's about 4 FPS slower for width 320 videos. Using mpega library 2.4; the sound makes it a bit choppy, without sound it's always very steady).
Amiga 4000/60 with Picasso IV.


CDXL with AGABlaster
AGA8: 320: 24.0 FPS @24kHz
AGA6: 640: 24.0 FPS
AGA7: 640: 21.0 FPS
AGA8: 640: 17.88 FPS

File size is indeed very different because CDXL does not offer any compression. For width=320 it's about a factor of 10.77 (AGA8 vs 1024kB), for width=640 a factor of 20.71.
Interestingly, despite the much bigger size (and much longer I/O read times) it still runs faster with AGABlaster on my Amiga060.

However, RiVA 0.54 is impressive for what it can do with MPG1 on a 50Hz Amiga.