How to Use the Video Converter (Current State)

This document outlines the steps required to set up and run the Video Converter script in its current development state.

1. Prerequisites

Before running the script, ensure you have the following installed on your Arch Linux / CachyOS system:

Python 3: The script is written in Python 3.
ffmpeg-full: A version of ffmpeg compiled with DNxHD/HR support.
- Install from AUR: yay -S ffmpeg-full (or your preferred AUR helper).
- Note: If you use OBS Studio, refer to the README.md for potential dependency workarounds.

2. Setup

Clone the Repository:

git clone https://gitea.ramforth.net/ramforth/video-converter.git
cd video-converter

Create and Activate a Python Virtual Environment: It's highly recommended to use a virtual environment to manage Python dependencies.
```
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
```
Install Python Dependencies:
```
pip install -r requirements.txt
```

3. Running the Converter

Once the setup is complete, you can run the converter script.

Basic Usage

The script takes an input video file and an optional output directory. If the input file is not provided via the command line, the script will prompt you to enter it.

python -m src.main [path_to_your_input_video_file] [-o <path_to_output_directory>]

Replace [path_to_your_input_video_file] with the absolute or relative path to the video file you want to convert. This argument is now optional.
Replace <path_to_output_directory> with the desired directory for the converted file. If omitted, the converted file will be saved in the same directory as the input file.

Example (Interactive Input):

python -m src.main
# Script will then prompt: Please enter the path to the input video file:

Example:

# Convert a video and save it in the same directory
python -m src.main /home/user/Videos/my_original_video.mp4

# Convert a video and save it to a specific output directory
python -m src.main /home/user/Videos/my_original_video.mp4 -o /home/user/ConvertedVideos

Output File Naming

If an output directory is specified, the converted file will be named my_original_video_DR_compatible.mov.
If no output directory is specified (i.e., the output is in the same directory as the input), the converted file will be named recoded_my_original_video_DR_compatible.mov.

4. What it Does

The script converts your input video into a DaVinci Resolve-compatible format using ffmpeg:

Video Codec: dnxhd (DNxHD/HR)
- 1080p (<=1080 height): dnxhr_sq (Standard Quality)
- 1440p (>1080 height): dnxhr_hq (High Quality)
Audio Codec: pcm_s16le (Linear PCM)
Container: .mov (QuickTime)

This ensures optimal compatibility and performance for editing in DaVinci Resolve (Free Linux version).

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