# media-transcoding

A skill for batch video transcoding with FFmpeg presets aimed at web, mobile and archive output. Useful when a media library needs one consistent format.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 335 installs · ★ 78
- Author: Claude MPM Team
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/toolchains/universal/infrastructure/media-transcoding/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-07-18
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/media-transcoding

## What it does

The skill covers two scripts: a plain bash one, `ffmpeg_convert.sh`, and a more capable `convert_video.py`. The first checks your environment, converts a single file, and runs batch jobs. The second adds progress monitoring, metadata inspection, overwrite control, and preset listing.

Presets set resolution, CRF and audio bitrate. `web_standard` caps at 1080p with CRF 23 and 128k audio, `web_high` at 1080p with CRF 20 and 192k, `mobile` at 720p with CRF 25 and 96k, `ultra_compact` at 480p with CRF 28 and 64k, and `archive` keeps the original resolution with CRF 18 and 256k. Every preset encodes H.264 + AAC and adds `+faststart` so the MP4 streams without a full download.

Output lands in `converted/` with a suffix like `_web_standard`, originals are copied to `backup/`, and the run is logged to `conversion.log`. FFmpeg has to be installed first — nothing runs without it, and on macOS you get it with `brew install ffmpeg`. If the script refuses to execute, `chmod +x ffmpeg_convert.sh` fixes that.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill media-transcoding -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/media-transcoding/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/media-transcoding/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill media-transcoding -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/media-transcoding/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill media-transcoding -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/media-transcoding/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills media-transcoding
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/media-transcoding/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill media-transcoding -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --path toolchains/universal/infrastructure/media-transcoding
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/media-transcoding/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill media-transcoding -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/toolchains/universal/infrastructure/media-transcoding/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- transcode videos for web delivery with fast start playback
- shrink a large media library to mobile-friendly sizes
- standardise mixed files to one format and resolution
- keep an archival copy at high quality and original resolution
- verify the environment before running a batch job

## Example prompts
- run ./ffmpeg_convert.sh check and tell me what is missing
- convert My Video.mp4 using the web_standard preset
- run batch_mobile over the whole folder and show me the output sizes

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 35b4a8488484540c.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 35b4a8488484540c
````text
---
name: media-transcoding
description: FFmpeg-based media transcoding workflows with preset-driven conversions, batch processing, and safe backups for web/mobile/archive outputs.
user-invocable: false
disable-model-invocation: true
version: 1.0.0
category: toolchain
author: Claude MPM Team
license: MIT
progressive_disclosure:
  entry_point:
    summary: "Use FFmpeg presets to convert videos for web/mobile/archive with batch scripts, backups, and faststart MP4s."
    when_to_use: "Optimizing video files for web delivery, compressing large media libraries, or standardizing outputs with repeatable presets."
    quick_start: "1. Run ./ffmpeg_convert.sh check 2. Convert one file with web_standard 3. Batch convert with batch_web_standard"
tags:
  - ffmpeg
  - media
  - video
  - transcoding
  - encoding
---

# Media Transcoding (FFmpeg)

## Overview

Use FFmpeg presets to normalize video outputs for web streaming, mobile delivery, or archival quality. Your `hf-videos` repo already includes a simple bash script and a more advanced Python script with presets, backups, and logging.

## Quick Start (hf-videos)

```bash
./ffmpeg_convert.sh check
./ffmpeg_convert.sh web_standard "My Video.mp4"
./ffmpeg_convert.sh batch_web_standard
```

Outputs are written to `converted/` with backups in `backup/` and logs in `conversion.log`.

## Preset Summary (hf-videos)

- **web_standard**: 1080p max, CRF 23, 128k audio, `+faststart`
- **web_high**: 1080p max, CRF 20, 192k audio
- **mobile**: 720p max, CRF 25, 96k audio
- **ultra_compact**: 480p max, CRF 28, 64k audio
- **archive**: original res, CRF 18, 256k audio

All presets use H.264 + AAC with `+faststart` for streaming-friendly MP4s.

## Batch Workflow

1. Run a single-file conversion first to validate output.
2. Run batch conversion once the preset is confirmed.
3. Verify output sizes and playback.

Batch commands:

```bash
./ffmpeg_convert.sh batch_web_standard
./ffmpeg_convert.sh batch_mobile
./ffmpeg_convert.sh batch_ultra_compact
```

## Advanced Script (convert_video.py)

Use `convert_video.py` when you need:

- Progress monitoring
- Metadata inspection
- Overwrite control
- Preset listing and batch automation

```bash
python3 convert_video.py --list-presets
python3 convert_video.py --file "My Video.mp4" --preset web_standard
python3 convert_video.py --preset mobile --overwrite
```

## Output Conventions

- Converted files use suffixes like `_web_standard`.
- Backups preserve original filenames.
- Logs go to `conversion.log` for audit and troubleshooting.
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 35b4a8488484540c

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First 2540 of 2835 bytes. © Claude MPM Team · MIT · https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/toolchains/universal/infrastructure/media-transcoding/SKILL.md

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