PS-MOV2MP4-Converter

A PowerShell script to convert MOV files to MP4 using ffmpeg—with customizable settings, automatic file renaming, built-in trash bin support, and optional logging.

Introduction

PS-MOV2MP4-Converter is a versatile PowerShell script designed to convert MOV files to MP4 format using ffmpeg. It offers fully customizable encoding parameters, automatically resolves output file naming conflicts (just like Windows), and moves the original file to the Recycle Bin by default after a successful conversion. Logging can be enabled to record detailed conversion information in log files stored alongside the script.

Features

• Customizable Conversion Settings:
  Adjust video codec, CRF (quality), preset, pixel format, and audio bitrate.
• Automatic Output File Naming:
  If an output file with the intended name already exists, the script appends a numeric suffix (e.g., " (1)", " (2)", etc.) until a unique name is found.
• Built-in Trash Bin Support:
  By default, the original MOV file is moved to the Recycle Bin after conversion. Use -MoveToTrash:$false if you prefer to keep the original file.
• Optional Logging:
  Enable logging with the -EnableLogging switch to write conversion.log and conversion_errors.log in the script’s directory.
• Recursive Processing:
  Process files in subdirectories using the -Recurse switch.
• Progress Feedback:
  A visual progress bar and per-file conversion times provide real-time feedback.
• Parameter Confirmation:
  A summary of your settings is displayed before conversion begins, allowing you to confirm or cancel the operation.

Dependencies

• PowerShell 7 or later:
  This script is designed for PowerShell 7+.
• ffmpeg:
  Ensure ffmpeg is installed and available in your system’s PATH.
• Microsoft.VisualBasic Assembly:
  Used to move files to the Recycle Bin (included by default on Windows).

Installation

1. Clone or download the repository.
2. Ensure ffmpeg is installed and added to your system PATH.
3. Open PowerShell (version 7 or later) and navigate to the repository directory.

Usage

Run the script using the following syntax:

.\mov2mp4.ps1 -TargetDirectory "Path\To\Your\Directory" [-Recurse] [-MoveToTrash] [-EnableLogging] [other parameters]

Examples

• Convert files in a directory (non-recursive, with default settings):

  .\mov2mp4.ps1 -TargetDirectory "C:\Videos\MOVFiles"

  This converts files and moves the original files to the Recycle Bin by default.

• Convert files recursively:

  .\mov2mp4.ps1 -TargetDirectory "C:\Videos\MOVFiles" -Recurse

• Convert files and keep original files:

  .\mov2mp4.ps1 -TargetDirectory "C:\Videos\MOVFiles" -MoveToTrash:$false

• Convert files with logging enabled (logs are created in the script's directory):

  .\mov2mp4.ps1 -TargetDirectory "C:\Videos\MOVFiles" -EnableLogging

• Combine switches (recursive, keep originals, and logging enabled):

  .\mov2mp4.ps1 -TargetDirectory "C:\Videos\MOVFiles" -Recurse -MoveToTrash:$false -EnableLogging

• Specify a custom output extension (e.g., ".mp4"):

  .\mov2mp4.ps1 -TargetDirectory "C:\Videos\MOVFiles" -OutputExtension ".mp4"

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Possible Values	Default	Description
-TargetDirectory	String	Any valid directory path	(Required)	The directory containing MOV files to be converted. Validates that the directory exists.
-Recurse	Switch	Present or absent	Absent	Process files in subdirectories recursively.
-MoveToTrash	Boolean	$true or $false	$true	Move the original MOV file to the Recycle Bin after conversion. Use -MoveToTrash:$false to keep the original file.
-EnableLogging	Switch	Present or absent	Absent	Enable logging. Log files (conversion.log and conversion_errors.log) are created in the script’s directory.
-InputExtension	String	File extension pattern (must start with "*.", e.g., "*.mov")	"*.mov"	File extension filter for input files.
-OutputExtension	String	File extension (must start with a dot, e.g., ".mp4")	".mp4"	Output file extension for the converted file.
-VideoCodec	String	"libx265", "libx264"	"libx265"	The video codec to use for conversion.
-CRF	Int	A number between 0 (lossless) and 51 (lowest quality)	23	CRF (Constant Rate Factor) value determining video quality. Lower values yield higher quality and larger file sizes.
-Preset	String	"ultrafast", "superfast", "veryfast", "faster", "fast", "medium", "slow", "veryslow", "placebo"	"slow"	Determines encoding speed and compression efficiency.
-PixelFormat	String	"yuv420p", "yuv422p", "yuv444p"	"yuv420p"	Pixel format for the output video.
-AudioCodec	String	"aac", "copy"	"aac"	The audio codec for conversion.
-AudioBitrate	String	A bitrate pattern such as "320k" (must match a pattern like ^\d+k$)	"320k"	The audio bitrate for encoding.

How It Works

1. Parameter Confirmation:
   The script displays a summary of the provided settings and prompts you for confirmation before starting the conversion process.
2. File Discovery:
   It scans the specified target directory (and subdirectories if -Recurse is used) for files matching the -InputExtension.
3. Conversion:
   Each MOV file is converted to MP4 using ffmpeg with the provided parameters. If an output file name conflict occurs, a numeric suffix is appended to ensure the filename is unique.
4. Optional File Management:
   By default, the original MOV file is moved to the Recycle Bin upon successful conversion. To keep the original file, run the script with -MoveToTrash:$false.
5. Logging:
   If enabled, detailed conversion output and any errors are written to conversion.log and conversion_errors.log in the script's directory.
6. Progress Feedback:
   A progress bar and individual file conversion times are displayed as files are processed. Once complete, the total conversion time is reported.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.