Convert multimedia files with MystiQ
Fast Formatting
Working with multimedia files usually involves converting from one format to another. With MystiQ you can handle this task in next to no time.
Multimedia content is available on the web and on data carriers in many formats. Often, your chosen media player doesn't understand all of them. This means that you will find numerous tools on Linux that convert audio or video formats. Although these tools offer a great deal of flexibility through numerous options, they are often confusing, especially to newcomers.
MystiQ [1] follows a different strategy. The program converts multimedia files, no matter whether you need to change the format of an audio file or a movie, but it keeps to the essentials. That makes it possible to convert any content with just a few mouse clicks and without extensive training. The numerous presets that you can apply to frequently used video and audio formats make the program easier to use.
Find It
The program can already be found in the repositories of several distributions, including OpenMandriva, Arch Linux, KaOS, and Slackware. You install it there with the respective package management tools.
In addition, Pling.com [2] provides packages for RPM and DEB-based distributions, and the project's GitHub site also maintains detailed installation documentation [3] for several branches of Debian. Last but not least, there is a package for Arch Linux and derivatives and a tarball with the source code. For distributions that do not support any of the precompiled formats, the project provides an AppImage.
However, all of the packages are only usable on 64-bit hardware, not on older 32-bit systems.
Try It
After installation, open the program via the starter in the menu tree. The simple input window looks pretty spartan for a multimedia application (Figure 1).
Besides a simple menubar and buttonbar, the program window is just a large area where the tool displays the contents to be converted in the form of a list. Pressing Add files in the top left corner lets you select the files in question. To do this, the program pops up a small file manager in an overlapping window.
MystiQ is based on the FFmpeg program collection and the associated libraries and uses their extensive functions. The program supports all common formats for files and containers.
When you select a file to convert, MystiQ transfers it to another dialog that shows you all the selected files. In this wizard, press the Next button, bottom right; you can then configure various settings for the output in another window (Figure 2).
Under Output Settings, select the desired format in the Convert to selection field. (For an example of choosing the format, see the box "Videos for the Raspberry Pi.") In the area below Default Settings, you will find options for the codec to be used. Under Output Path, select an existing folder or place the files in a subfolder in the source directory that the software creates.
Videos for the Raspberry Pi
The conversion wizard in MystiQ lets you convert media files to many formats, but it does not support the user in choosing the right format. To prepare videos for the Raspberry Pi, for example, the MKV container format is the best choice. The first three generations of the Rasp Pi have a hardware decoder for MPEG4/H.264 encoded videos. For these Rasp Pis, you would want to use the default MKV MPEG4 setting. The hardware of the current Raspberry Pi 4, on the other hand, is now also capable of decoding H.265/HEVC. For best possible quality in combination with small file sizes, select MKV H265 in this case.
If you want to configure more detailed options for the target file's format, press the Edit button to the right of the Preset selection field. MystiQ opens a new dialog in which you can tweak various parameters for audio and video tracks in several tabs.
Among other things, you can disable video or audio tracks, change the dimensions, or insert subtitles. There are also functions for rotating and mirroring the videos and – in a separate tab – a simple editing function (Figure 3). For audio files, most formats offer the possibility to adjust the bit rate.
Please note that the software shows all options regardless of the source file format used, but by default incompatible options are grayed.
After you have adjusted the settings, press OK at bottom right in the window and then press the Finish button at bottom right in the Add Tasks parent window. The software then transfers the selected files to the list in the main window.
A bar appears to the right in the Progress column. It initially stays at zero; you need to press Convert, top left, to tell MystiQ to convert the files to the target format. On modern CPUs, the program will use multiple threads if necessary, helping it to convert even large files very quickly. The progress bar is individually adjusted for each file.
Considerations
MystiQ can convert several audio and video files of different formats simultaneously in a single operation. For each file, you can make individual adjustments in the wizard and the associated dialogs, including the paths for the output.
When capturing the source files, however, make sure that the program handles files with the same attributes as a group when adding them via the Add Tasks option. In cases where you want to convert content to different output formats, you will only want to group files for which the same target format is intended. To view the individual settings again, mouse over the files in the list before converting. The tool shows you the important data for each file.
MystiQ can handle both lossy and lossless audio formats. It is important here to keep in mind that converting to a lossless format such as FLAC can result in very large files.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Endless OS 6 has Arrived
After more than a year since the last update, the latest release of Endless OS is now available for general usage.
-
Fedora Asahi 40 Remix Available for Macs with Apple Silicon
If you've been anticipating KDE's Plasma 6 for your Apple Silicon-powered Mac, then you're in luck.
-
Red Hat Adds New Deployment Option for Enterprise Linux Platforms
Red Hat has re-imagined enterprise Linux for an AI future with Image Mode.
-
OSJH and LPI Release 2024 Open Source Pros Job Survey Results
See what open source professionals look for in a new role.
-
Proton 9.0-1 Released to Improve Gaming with Steam
The latest release of Proton 9 adds several improvements and fixes an issue that has been problematic for Linux users.
-
So Long Neofetch and Thanks for the Info
Today is a day that every Linux user who enjoys bragging about their system(s) will mourn, as Neofetch has come to an end.
-
Ubuntu 24.04 Comes with a “Flaw"
If you're thinking you might want to upgrade from your current Ubuntu release to the latest, there's something you might want to consider before doing so.
-
Canonical Releases Ubuntu 24.04
After a brief pause because of the XZ vulnerability, Ubuntu 24.04 is now available for install.
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.