Re: [Matplotlib-users] moving a patch

I use the following on Debian Sarge linux (both x86_64 and i686, 
although I hope/think it would work on any architecture and hopefully 
any linux distro):

"ffmpeg -hq -b 8000 -f mpeg2video -r 30 -i frame%03d.png movie.mpeg"

You may now skip the rest of this email, which is an uncalled-for 
venting-of-frustration.

Unfortunately, it seems bazillions of software companies think they can 
make bazillions of dollars by releasing yet another codec encumbered by 
more-or-less (but usually more) restrictive licensing conditions, 
leaving only lowest-common denominator codecs available for those of us 
who prefer to work without such restrictions. I sought long and hard to 
do something better than the above, but I can say this about the above 
command:

 * it produces movies that play in Windows (including PowerPoint, which 
isn't a given, even if it plays in Windows Media Player -- c'mon 
Microsoft, this is 2006, we should be able to play movies in our 
presentations), Mac OS X, and linux (Debian sarge, amd64 and i386, at least)
 * it seems to work with a standard Debian setup, and doesn't require 
using DLLs imported from some Windows system to to the encoding
 * it seems very fragile -- changing the frame rate or the codec usually 
breaks one of the above points
 * mpeg2 is probably also burdened by some licensing restrictions which 
I'm unaware of
 * on some Windows boxes/programs, white backgrounds get displayed as 
gray for some reason

Wishing that in 2006 we as a human race could come up with a better, 
open video format, but willing to accept even minor improvements to the 
above script,
Andrew

Alan G Isaac wrote:

>How are you turning your PNGs into an animation?
>
>Thanks,
>Alan Isaac
>
>PS I know about
>http://www.pymolwiki.org/index.php/Category%3ASoftware_Movies
>  
>