ffmpeg php exec not working - php

Question

I have ffmpeg installed
safe_mode is off
when i do this: $movie = new ffmpeg_movie('Bear.wmv');
I can use getDuration(), getFilename().... wthout any problems, so it's all seems to be working
exec is working fine, cos when i do: $output = exec('ls -lart'); I get a nice little result.
but when I do this:
exec('ffmpeg -i Bear.wmv outputfile.flv')
nothing happens
if I add: $command_output, $result
the only result i guess is: array { }
I have tried everything I could think of:
exec('ffmpeg -i Bear.wmv outputfile.flv')
exec('ffmpeg.so -i Bear.wmv outputfile.flv')
exec('/usr/lib/php5/20090626/ffmpeg -i Bear.wmv outputfile.flv')
I've tried all sizes and folders and codecs but still don't get anything back
All i wanna do is convert that video, Bear.wmv to an flv file.
I'm very close to crying like a baby and/or jumping out of the window (im only on the first floor but still lol)
so Please help!!??!

Answer 1

FFMPEG is a application wich don't output to STDIO but STDERR, so you can redirect it to standard output:
$cmd = $FFMPEGDIR . " -i somefile.avi 2>&1"; // SEE 2>&1 !!
Extracting size:
exec( $cmd , $info );
echo "<pre>".print_r($info,true)."</pre>";
$resolution = preg_match( '#[ ,\t]([0-9]{3,4}x[0-9]{3,4})[ ,\t]#si' , implode( " " , $info ) , $durmatches );
$rtab = explode( "x" , $durmatches[1] );
$videowidth = $rtab[0];
$videoheight = $rtab[1];

Answer 2

Recently set ffmpeg up for audio stuff... it's a bit of a black art, ffmpeg is notorious for not playing nice (or consistently) - what works (worked) for me might not work for you!
try using: shell_exec()
or:
$command="{$FFMPEG_BINARY} ... rest of your options";
$process=proc_open($command, $descriptors, $pipes);
if (!$process)
{
// failed to exec...
}
else
{
// command ran...
}
my ffmpeg was in... "/usr/bin/ffmpeg" just check you've got right path too.