[Feature Request] Allow user to force ffmpeg to -copy streams instead of re-encode

[TDavLinguist]

Thank you for developing this! I found it through DuckDuckGo the other day while I was asking myself whether or not this kind of thing actually existed. So, here's my question: Is it possible to implement a feature where ffmpeg uses the -c:v copy -c:a copy stream when saving the output file? I ask because by default, the output file is often larger than the input file after re-encoding. Would this be possible or would cutting up the streams without re-encoding create a fractured output file?

[faissaloo]

Unfortunately with the sort of cuts SponSkrub has to make, trying to switch to copy mode gives you: Streamcopy requested for output stream 0:0, which is fed from a complex filtergraph. Filtering and streamcopy cannot be used together.
Although it won't cut the clips out you could try using -chapter instead? The fact it's producing larger files than the input does concern me, I wonder what could be causing that. Do you have an example?

[TDavLinguist]

Hi. I'll show the ffmpeg information for the original (with ads) clip and compare it to the "skrubbed" clip: Original Clip (43 MB) ffmpeg version 4.2.4-1ubuntu0.1 Copyright (c) 2000-2020 the FFmpeg developers built with gcc 9 (Ubuntu 9.3.0-10ubuntu2) configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=1ubuntu0.1 --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --arch=amd64 --enable-gpl --disable-stripping --enable-avresample --disable-filter=resample --enable-avisynth --enable-gnutls --enable-ladspa --enable-libaom --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libcodec2 --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libjack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-libpulse --enable-librsvg --enable-librubberband --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-lv2 --enable-omx --enable-openal --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --enable-sdl2 --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libdrm --enable-libiec61883 --enable-nvenc --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-libx264 --enable-shared WARNING: library configuration mismatch avcodec configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=1ubuntu0.1 --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --arch=amd64 --enable-gpl --disable-stripping --enable-avresample --disable-filter=resample --enable-avisynth --enable-gnutls --enable-ladspa --enable-libaom --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libcodec2 --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libjack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-libpulse --enable-librsvg --enable-librubberband --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-lv2 --enable-omx --enable-openal --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --enable-sdl2 --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libdrm --enable-libiec61883 --enable-nvenc --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-libx264 --enable-shared --enable-version3 --disable-doc --disable-programs --enable-libaribb24 --enable-liblensfun --enable-libopencore_amrnb --enable-libopencore_amrwb --enable-libtesseract --enable-libvo_amrwbenc libavutil 56. 31.100 / 56. 31.100 libavcodec 58. 54.100 / 58. 54.100 libavformat 58. 29.100 / 58. 29.100 libavdevice 58. 8.100 / 58. 8.100 libavfilter 7. 57.100 / 7. 57.100 libavresample 4. 0. 0 / 4. 0. 0 libswscale 5. 5.100 / 5. 5.100 libswresample 3. 5.100 / 3. 5.100 libpostproc 55. 5.100 / 55. 5.100 Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'You're running Pi-Hole wrong! Setting up your own Recursive DNS Server!-FnFtWsZ8IP0.mp4': Metadata: major_brand : mp42 minor_version : 0 compatible_brands: isommp42 creation_time : 2021-01-30T01:49:50.000000Z Duration: 00:18:01.40, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 327 kb/s Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (Main) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, bt709), 1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 195 kb/s, 29.97 fps, 29.97 tbr, 30k tbn, 59.94 tbc (default) Metadata: creation_time : 2021-01-30T01:49:50.000000Z handler_name : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc. Created on: 01/29/2021. Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 127 kb/s (default) Metadata: creation_time : 2021-01-30T01:49:50.000000Z handler_name : ISO Media file produced by Google Inc. Created on: 01/29/2021.

Skrubbed (60 MB) ffmpeg version 4.2.4-1ubuntu0.1 Copyright (c) 2000-2020 the FFmpeg developers built with gcc 9 (Ubuntu 9.3.0-10ubuntu2) configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=1ubuntu0.1 --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --arch=amd64 --enable-gpl --disable-stripping --enable-avresample --disable-filter=resample --enable-avisynth --enable-gnutls --enable-ladspa --enable-libaom --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libcodec2 --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libjack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-libpulse --enable-librsvg --enable-librubberband --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-lv2 --enable-omx --enable-openal --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --enable-sdl2 --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libdrm --enable-libiec61883 --enable-nvenc --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-libx264 --enable-shared WARNING: library configuration mismatch avcodec configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=1ubuntu0.1 --toolchain=hardened --libdir=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu --incdir=/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu --arch=amd64 --enable-gpl --disable-stripping --enable-avresample --disable-filter=resample --enable-avisynth --enable-gnutls --enable-ladspa --enable-libaom --enable-libass --enable-libbluray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libcdio --enable-libcodec2 --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libjack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-libpulse --enable-librsvg --enable-librubberband --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libssh --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-lv2 --enable-omx --enable-openal --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --enable-sdl2 --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libdrm --enable-libiec61883 --enable-nvenc --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-libx264 --enable-shared --enable-version3 --disable-doc --disable-programs --enable-libaribb24 --enable-liblensfun --enable-libopencore_amrnb --enable-libopencore_amrwb --enable-libtesseract --enable-libvo_amrwbenc libavutil 56. 31.100 / 56. 31.100 libavcodec 58. 54.100 / 58. 54.100 libavformat 58. 29.100 / 58. 29.100 libavdevice 58. 8.100 / 58. 8.100 libavfilter 7. 57.100 / 7. 57.100 libavresample 4. 0. 0 / 4. 0. 0 libswscale 5. 5.100 / 5. 5.100 libswresample 3. 5.100 / 3. 5.100 libpostproc 55. 5.100 / 55. 5.100 Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'Pi-Hole-SPONSKRUB.mp4': Metadata: major_brand : isom minor_version : 512 compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41 encoder : Lavf58.29.100 Duration: 00:16:13.28, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 513 kb/s Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 377 kb/s, 29.97 fps, 29.97 tbr, 30k tbn, 59.94 tbc (default) Metadata: handler_name : VideoHandler Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 128 kb/s (default) Metadata: handler_name : SoundHandler

Hope this helps!

EDIT: It seems the issue is that the video bitrate on the ouput video is higher than the bitrate of the input video. Is there a way to force the bitrate to be the same when it re-encodes? Maybe that would produce smaller files.

[faissaloo]

Sorry, I meant: could you post the specific command you used (i.e: what url you were downloading and with which settings), so that way I can check to see if my fix actually fixes that video at least

[pukkandan]

From what OP posted, the video ID is FnFtWsZ8IP0 From the duration of the skrubbed video, all sponsorblock sections seems to have been removed

[TDavLinguist]

Sorry, I meant: could you post the specific command you used (i.e: what url you were downloading and with which settings), so that way I can check to see if my fix actually fixes that video at least

Yes, it was just this command: sponskrub -include-intros -include-outros -include-selfpromo -no-id FnFtWsZ8IP0 You\'re\ running\ Pi-Hole\ wrong\!\ Setting\ up\ your\ own\ Recursive\ DNS\ Server\!-FnFtWsZ8IP0.mp4 Skrub-Pi-Hole.mp4

[faissaloo]

Hmm I didn't seem to have this issue when downloading with format 18 (which is what I usually use), what was the format code you used with youtube-dl when downloading this video?

[faissaloo]

Feel free to reopen as needed.