Converting wmv to mp4 (for online video player)

It has been a while since I last blogged. Too many things have been happening.

Anyhow, here is another entry. This time, it was because of work that I needed to build pages to run videos uploaded by different individual staff for an internal system.

First problem I had was that the file was too large to be uploaded. No other work-around found unless the staff themselves contact me, pass me the file, and I personally perform an FTP upload.

However, the file can go up to 4 GB and that is really too large. Researched the web and found that MP4 files can be easily converted to a smaller WMV file by using window movie maker. While the guide on "How to Reduce Video Size" refers to an older version of windows movie maker, the steps are still applicable in principle. On windows 7, I just need to open the MP4 file (and wait for it to be loaded into movie maker), tweak whatever I want to (it was a video recording from phone, so I had to rotate it) and save as a movie. Done! So from a 4GB+ file, it became a 1GB+ file.

Then I found that the player I am going to use (Flowplayer) supports MP4, and another few more encoding... and I don't think WMV is one of them. Thank God I found that a WMV can easily be converted to an MP4 by a program I already have installed, i.e. VLC as per the guide found here. I guess most people would have a VLC as it virtually play every video encoding found on the web (or at least those common ones). However, the guide is also on an older VLC version, but still the principle is applicable.

So in case my link would be dead in the future, here are the steps I have take:
1. Open VLC
2. Click on Media->Convert/Save
3. On the File tab, click "Add" and choose the WMV file. Then click the "Convert/Save" button
4. Select a destination and the Profile (as in the encoding). For MP4, it was the first choice (Video - H264 + MP3 (MP4))
5. Wait for the file to be converted
6. Try playing the converted file once done

Thinking that the job is over, I tested it with my web browser. Unfortunately, I discovered that somehow the encoding cannot be played on the web. No problem at all using VLC.

After much digging around the web for 1.5 days and tested a few software that were full of malware, I found a great open source tool (and 100% clean without malware too)! After reading a great write up on HTML5 Videos, I proceed to downloaded Handbreak, as per the recommendation no. 8. (Note: if anyone reading this and is looking for a video converter, one should google the software name alongside with the word "malware" and see if there are any indication that it is loaded with malware. Learnt this the hard way).

At first, I attempted to convert the video to MP4 using the WMV file. But it didn't work. There were no video, only audio. Then I thought I had nothing to loose if I try using the MP4 converted using VLC. When I saw that the processes started running (and taking up lots of resources too!) I somehow knew that this could be working. Once the process completed, I went ahead and test with both VLC and my HTML5 player (using Flowplayer). It work!

Phew! For now, this closes my chapter of research. Hopefully my steps here are still valid for reference in the future. Who knows what new software capability would be... or... what new bugs are introduced later. For example, I actually upgraded my VLC to version 2.1.3 from an earlier version which I did not note, and it can no longer convert. Crashed every time I attempt to convert. I have just uninstall it and re-install, but have not tried to convert again since I found the solution using Handbrake.

Breaking and Fixing my Asus Transformer Prime (TF201) LCD Screen (Part 2)

Now... continuing where I have left off.

I waited for my new LCD screen and it finally came after about 1 week plus.

Immediately that night, I could not resist but to attempt to fix it.

Opening up the item, I met my first obstacle. On the surface of the screen, it was scribbled using a permanent marker "TF201"! This is bad, but at least I think can be rub away. Putting some plain water on a piece of cloth to rub it would not remove it. It smeared a little further, but never really removed. The more I tried to wipe, I start to see minor scratches on the surface. I cannot continue doing this. Cannot afford to ruin even my replacement.

So I googled up and try reading up how to remove stain. There were many suggestions on the web. Some suggested I use minyak kapak (some kind of medicated ointment). Unfortunately, there were none in my house... or at least do not know where it was. Then a good suggestion came up: try using a cheap perfume. I think I have that! So I look for underused fragrant and sprayed on my cloth. Wiped the surface and voila! It is gone! :)

Now, following some video to take apart the tablet again... and this time continue watching until I have to remove the LCD screen (previously I stopped once I separated the screen from the back of my tablet).

To cut a long story short, I have manage to install the new screen back perfectly! :)... well, perfect except I may have a speck of dust here and there between the LCD and the glass. But not gonna risk opening it up again.

Now... the unexpected: Some portion of my screen were not responsive! :(. Why so much trouble!!!

So after using the tablet for about a week, I can't stand the sub-standard usage of my tablet, I decided to test if it was really a hardware problem. So I tested with two apps from google play.

An app that tested with finer dots. See all the black area without dots? Those were the none responsive parts

Another app. This one uses larger box. Still the same area that is black are those not responding. :(

So after testing, it looked like I need to pry open my tablet again.

Before I open up my tablet again, I decided to do some research. My guess was that the ribbon connector was not properly inserted. It was really difficult inserting them, and I guess maybe it was not good enough. Prayed that it isn't some hardware damage again. :(

Once I had a little assurance that it could be a problem (I have no idea now where was it that say so, but info were scarce and this was only a single comment in xda forum). I open it up again and try to push the ribbon onto the port as deep as I can.

Then when I have inserted, tested... and thank God it is now working as it should! Phew! :)

Now the fine dots are evenly distributed.

Even here, it is so. Did not cover every dots as this was enough proof that every area is responsive.

What an ordeal! hehehhe... so the lesson learned: If it is not broken, don't fix it.

But well... the GPS was broken (by design flaw)... hehehehhe.

Breaking and Fixing my Asus Transformer Prime (TF201) LCD Screen (Part 1)

I had wanted to write this for quite a while, but never found the time.

My Asus Transformer Prime is now more than a year old... which means that I am no longer any sort of warranty. So it really does not matter if I choose to unlock my bootloader, flash a custome ROM and do whatever to my tablet.

However, I was in a dilemma over what I should do first: To flash a new ROM... or to pry open the device to attempt to fix the GPS.

There were numerous videos on how the device can be open up and there also many who modded their TF201 to fix the GPS. So, I guess if I installed a new ROM, I can't properly test the GPS as it might be a ROM issue. Thus I decided that if I ever want to open up my TFP, it would be before flashing a new ROM.

So as I was looking at the videos, the steps were simple enough. So I started doing it... a few days right before the new year of 2014. As I dig my tool onto the layer below the surface, I kinda find it odd that it seem so thin, and I did not hear click sounds. But I thought maybe if I go around the whole table... and maybe deeper, it might work.

Now... the bad news... I found that after I run around the whole tablet, I realised that I got onto the wrong layer! I have inserted my tool between the glass and the LCD screen! But I thought it wasn't a big deal as I did not really put my tool so deep and forcibly pry it open.

So I got onto the right layer, and manage to open as per all the video's instruction. Then, thinking of any copper wire would help me improve my GPS signal, I hook one onto the GPS pogopin. Then I turn on the tablet (yeah, I turned it off when I started the operations). Then I saw some odd vertical lines on the right hand side of the tablet. Hmmm... maybe it is nothing... and maybe it would go away later. No other problem on the screen at that moment.

After moving about the copper wire and see that there were no improvements, I guess that maybe the issue is with the copper wire. I did a little read up and there were such thing called GPS wires or that sort. So I guess I was ill equip to complete the job. Ok, then... time to restore the tablet.

So I reverse my steps and put the tablet together again. As I turn on the screen after I put them together... I notice the line on the side did not go away! Oh no.... :(

Then I start to notice there were horizontal lines as well on top... "Hmmm... this does not look good", I thought. Maybe if I open it up again and maybe it will go away. So there I was opening it again... and try to see if there were anything that I have wrongly installed. Nope. None whatsoever. So I put them back together again.

This time, the lines grew more pronounced. So I try to pinch the right side and some lines were gone. So I tried to google up information on this but nothing really appear. I suspected something is wrong with my LCD Screen, but not much clues. Found some videos for laptop that had similar lines and some of these videos suggested that twisting the screen may fix it. So I attempted. Nope, did not do the job.

So in desperate measures, I kept on pinching and pressing the surface... and the more I did that, the lines were even more permanent! :(. Then... as I looked closely, there seems to be a little tear on the right side of the screen, where all the horizontal lines were found. I continued pinching that area... I knew I have damaged the screen as the tear grew bigger. By now, the horizontal lines are completely permanent.

Over the next few days, I continue pinching the sides, hoping that somehow it would fix itself. Then I saw even the vertical lines have multiplied from a single red line to a few lines.

So, after doing much research, I came to a few conclusion:
1. My LCD Screen is indeed damaged
2. To fix it, I would have to replace it.

So I have just damaged my TF201 for no reason. GPS is not fixed and I now have a bigger problem.

Tried calling Asus and as I have suspected, the guy over the other end of the line estimate that this would probably cost me about RM800. Nope. No way I would spend such money on my own stupidity.

So I explored alternatives. Found that such lcd screen spareparts were easily available and it would cost around RM160, after conversion.

So I went and purchase the item using aliexpress.

Ok... have been ranting for too long. Will continue in part 2...