MEncoder Cookbook

Flash video

The video component of Small Web Format (SWF, formerly Shockwave Flash) is known as Flash video. The SWF file format was created by FutureWave Software, acquired by Macromedia and subsequently acquired by Adobe. Flash "Movies" (all content, including actual video) require a Player application to view. Adobe's Flash Player plugin for Web browsers is freely available and commonly installed on end-user systems. Flash Player versions 6 and above are capable of playing back video.

Sorenson Spark (FourCC FLV1, a variant of the H.263 video standard) Flash video

Adobe Flasp Player version 6 and above are capable of playing back Sorenson Spark encoded video streams in FLV files.

AVI video to FLV (fast encode):

mencoder movie.avi -o movie.flv -of lavf -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame \
  -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=250:autoaspect:acodec=mp3:abitrate=56 \
  -vf scale=320:240 -srate 22050 -af lavcresample=11024

AVI video to FLV clip (fast encode):

mencoder movie.avi -o movie.flv -of lavf -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame \
  -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=250:autoaspect:acodec=mp3:abitrate=56 \
  -vf scale=320:240 -srate 22050 -af lavcresample=11024 -endpos 01:00

AVI video to FLV (high-quality encode):

mencoder movie.avi -o movie.flv -of lavf -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame \
  -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=250:autoaspect:mbd=2:mv0:trell:v4mv:cbp:\
  last_pred=3:predia=2:dia=2:precmp=2:cmp=2:subcmp=2:preme=2:turbo:\
  acodec=mp3:abitrate=56 -vf scale=320:240 -srate 22050 -af lavcresample=11024

AVI video to FLV (high-quality encode, higher video bitrate):

mencoder movie.avi -o movie.flv -of lavf -ovc lavc -oac mp3lame \
  -lavcopts vcodec=flv:vbitrate=650:autoaspect:mbd=2:mv0:trell:v4mv:cbp:\
  last_pred=3:predia=2:dia=2:precmp=2:cmp=2:subcmp=2:preme=2:turbo:\
  acodec=mp3:abitrate=56 -vf scale=320x240 -srate 22050 -af lavcresample=11024

Note: I've been using FFmpeg to thumbnail:

ffmpeg -i movie.flv -ss 15 -t 1 -r 1 -s 160x120 -y movie_thumb_%03d.jpg

On2 TrueMotion VP6 (FourCC VP5F or FLV4) Flash video

Important note: Encoding in VP6 requires the use of an external Win32 DLL, vp6vfw.dll, located in the MEncoder codecs directory or system path. It is not included with the MEncoder package.

Adobe Flash Player v8 and above support On2 TrueMotion VP6 encoded video streams in FLV files.

AVI video to FLV:

mencoder movie.avi -o movie.flv -of lavf -ovc vfw =oac mp3lame -lavfopts \
  format=flv -xvfwopts codec=vp6vfw.dll:compdata=dialog -lameopts aq=0:preset=56 \
  -vf flip,scale=320:240 -srate 22050 -af lavcresample=11024

H.264 (MPEG-4 part 10 or AVC) Flash Video

Adobe Flash Player version 9 update 3 and above support H.264 encoded video streams in MP4, M4V, 3GP, and MOV containers. It also adds support for AAC (HE-AAC/AAC SBR, AAC Main Profile, and AAC-LC) compressed audio streams in addition to the M4A audio container.