C4illin/ConvertX: Self-hosted online file converter that supports 1000+ formats (github.com)
from cantankerous_cashew@lemmy.world to selfhosted@lemmy.world on 28 Apr 21:57
https://lemmy.world/post/28851316

#selfhosted

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beerclue@lemmy.world on 28 Apr 22:21 next collapse

This is a great addition to my home-lab, no more “free online convert” tools needed.

Zos_Kia@lemmynsfw.com on 28 Apr 23:26 collapse

Same, I’ve been looking for something like that for quite some time

TMP_NKcYUEoM7kXg4qYe@lemmy.world on 28 Apr 23:26 next collapse

It’s nice there’s a front end for all these tools but I kinda don’t get why is everything “hosted”. This could have just been a desktop app. I guess it can be useful when you want to convert something on your phone but to me it just seems like unnecessary server maintenance burden.

uranibaba@lemmy.world on 28 Apr 23:29 next collapse

It’s nice because I don’t have to install it. Now I can use it when I work, on my computer at home or when my dad calls me.

But there is also merit to using a desktop application.

TMP_NKcYUEoM7kXg4qYe@lemmy.world on 29 Apr 00:09 next collapse

Fair enough. I guess I imagined someone hosting all the selfhosted web apps that get posted to this forum, when most people likely just host only the few they need on the go, so it isn’t really that burdensome.

Edit: Forgot to add: I always though that it could be useful to just set up Apache Guacamole, so that instead of the hosted services, my family members could just use remote desktop apps but I never got around to it.

uranibaba@lemmy.world on 29 Apr 00:48 collapse

My small repurposed NAS could not handle hosting everything posted here, but it would be really nice if I had the time to both set it up AND use them. I’m suprised it can even handle almost 10 apps (but I am the only user).

I also had a dream of setting up Guacamole and run Heroes of Might and Magic III turn based. But I never got it working (didn’t use docker back then) so I gave up on it.

Omgpwnies@lemmy.world on 29 Apr 10:00 collapse

Something like this is useful as well if you have a large item to convert since you can offload that processing to your server/NAS and not have it bog down your PC/phone/etc

Moonrise2473@feddit.it on 28 Apr 23:40 next collapse

Why not both?

I use this on desktop github.com/Tichau/FileConverter but then on mobile how you would convert files, especially niche technical ones? I used to rely on cloudconvert.com but now I can install this on my server

SufferingSteve@feddit.nu on 28 Apr 23:46 collapse

An app?

ugo@feddit.it on 29 Apr 00:00 collapse

You need an $100/year developer account to publish apps on the apple store. Without that, your app cannot be used by owners of an apple product.

Self hosting has no such problems

victorz@lemmy.world on 29 Apr 00:37 collapse

Screw apple products. Release on F-Droid.

mrsingh@sh.itjust.works on 29 Apr 01:42 collapse

Yeah please

raltoid@lemmy.world on 29 Apr 01:59 next collapse

Different use cases.

It’s not like your uploading and downloading gigabytes to it to use ffmpeg. For that you use something local. This is for converting smaller files conveniently. For example from a laptop and you don’t want to use a public converter that might keep the content.

If you regularly convert certain file types on a computer, dedicated programs tend to be better than these combo ones anyway.

atzanteol@sh.itjust.works on 29 Apr 04:28 collapse

Why would anyone setup and maintain a server to do infrequent conversions of small files?

interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml on 29 Apr 04:35 next collapse

Because otherwise you need to maintain it on everyone of your computers and phone and everytime you wipe them and in every virtual machine you make and the developpers would need to maintain a version for every operating system that exists and they always forget to make a version for BeOS so that sucks

atzanteol@sh.itjust.works on 29 Apr 06:58 collapse

I’m genuinely confused about the use cases you all seem to have. When are you sitting in a field on your phone trying desperately to convert a .avi to a .mkv?

For desktops you just need to have ffmpeg or handbrake or ImageMagick installed - there’s nothing to “maintain”. Image conversion is as simple as convert test.jpg test.png.

raltoid@lemmy.world on 29 Apr 14:01 next collapse

I’m genuinely confused about the use cases you all seem to have. When are you sitting in a field on your phone trying desperately to convert a .avi to a .mkv?

I worked IT for a newspaper back when they were more relevant. The satelite offices and in-field work had a surprising amount of problems like that.

atzanteol@sh.itjust.works on 29 Apr 22:10 collapse

Yeah, I could see that.

interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml on 30 Apr 00:57 collapse

Just try to explain how to install ffmpeg to grandma

N0x0n@lemmy.ml on 30 Apr 01:26 next collapse

Installation is easy. But the moment you have to explain the chain of action of ffmpeg’s syntax… Grandma goes back to flappybird !

atzanteol@sh.itjust.works on 30 Apr 05:29 collapse

First - I’d like you to reconsider you use of “grandma” as a stand-in for “somebody who is technically illiterate”. Maybe ask yourself why “grandpa” is not the go-to here and whether you may be perpetuating an ugly stereotype.

Second - I actually included handbrake in my list as an easier alternative to use.

interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml on 30 Apr 17:48 collapse

The ugly stereotype will end when my grandma installs linux on my pc.

I understand you make a point about gender but people from the 50s didn’t let women install linux or drive. That’s not to say they can’t or shouldn’t just that they largely don’t to the point they convey the image to immediately give the tech bros an imagine of a user which they cannot fault or shame for not following their excessively convoluted processes which importune everyone. And handbrake isn’t much better, for instance tgeir recent refusal to add actually useful presets that user need instead saying “users can just make their own profile if they really want to”

github.com/HandBrake/HandBrake/issues/6796

github.com/HandBrake/HandBrake/issues/6797

atzanteol@sh.itjust.works on 30 Apr 17:57 collapse

I understand you make a point about gender

No, you don’t.

Saik0Shinigami@lemmy.saik0.com on 29 Apr 08:03 collapse

In addition to the other post…

You already have a setup and throwing one more docker on isn’t a big deal. especially if you have watchtower already setup as well… then it even updates itself.

I use tools like this all the time… PDF for example stirling-pdf makes doing something things a LOT easier than firing up a “proper” pdf editor. This tool would likely be the same concept for other workflows.

TheButtonJustSpins@infosec.pub on 29 Apr 15:16 collapse

I love Stirling PDF. I use it probably once a quarter on average. But it’s always there, ready to be useful.

Saik0Shinigami@lemmy.saik0.com on 29 Apr 15:31 collapse

As do I… had a coworker message me about using adobe to merge/split pdfs… rather than walking them through the adobe workflow, just linked them right to the url… It’s so easy to use that I didn’t have to say anything more. they got it in seconds that would have taken me minutes of back and forth to explain to them.

It’s great. Simple tools for simple purpose.

surewhynotlem@lemmy.world on 29 Apr 06:06 next collapse

I think that a good chunk of the selfhosted community is “sole IT guy at a tiny company”. This is great for that, since having to update desktop software in twenty places sucks.

fatboy93@lemm.ee on 30 Apr 06:41 collapse

Yeah, having played one of the many roles like this a few years back (pre-covid), I wish tools like these had more presence. Would’ve made my life infinitely easier.

blackstrat@lemmy.fwgx.uk on 29 Apr 23:13 collapse

Install it once, use it on any of your devices. Run it once on a capable server so even potatoes get the advantage of it. Run it once so it only needs to support one OS and hardware architecture.

Using an app of some description over many different device types is far more of a maintenance headache and that’s before you start dealing with app stores.

B0rax@feddit.org on 29 Apr 05:51 next collapse

Wow, it even includes plenty of 3d file types which are quite hard to actually find converters for.

Tiger@sh.itjust.works on 29 Apr 05:51 next collapse

This is awesome, thank you for sharing.

[deleted] on 29 Apr 06:25 next collapse

.

SchwertImStein@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 29 Apr 10:24 collapse

you can run it locally

MajesticElevator@lemmy.zip on 29 Apr 09:06 next collapse

Nice but I believe it lacks the ability to chose the codec, bitrate, etc for videos (and bitrate for audio?)

rowdyrockets@lemm.ee on 29 Apr 09:50 next collapse

If I had a nickel for every time someone has whined that you need to self host this, I’d have 2 nickels. Which isn’t a lot but still noteworthy because this is literally a self-host community.

Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works on 30 Apr 06:29 collapse

But I want to trust randos with my file conversions! 😡

ashley@lemmy.ca on 30 Apr 10:47 collapse

I think the point is that it could be a desktop app

Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works on 30 Apr 11:25 collapse

Then use a desktop app instead, this is absolutely useful for me to host on my homelab, I can convert from any web connected device.

entropicshart@sh.itjust.works on 01 May 00:14 next collapse

Agreed - tools like this are handy for standardizing media formats without the manual effort and sometimes time intensive conversions

ashley@lemmy.ca on 01 May 13:44 collapse

Yeah I don’t care, i was clarifying their point to you because it seemed like you didn’t understand.

Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works on 01 May 14:48 collapse

Lol it’s fine, their comment can be taken many ways, I just wanted to be sarcastic :p

corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca on 29 Apr 11:01 next collapse

We need a running service when a simple command will do?

How big an attack surface do you need?

douglasg14b@lemmy.world on 29 Apr 23:40 next collapse

And your simple command that covers all the file types supported, on any platform, is… What?

If you’re gonna bitch, and say your alternative is better, you had better cough up the alternative or your just full of shit…

sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works on 30 Apr 06:34 next collapse

If it’s behind a VPN, there’s no extra attack surface.

0x0@infosec.pub on 30 Apr 11:14 collapse

There is no we here. You obviously dont need it, so dont use it. Easy right?

yournamehere@lemm.ee on 03 May 11:28 collapse

github says options for converters are still missing? i’d love to see shared settings for converters; like what do you in ffmpeg for best videoquality on mobile, what setting to create best avif or image compressions like tinypng.