Audio File Conversion Sucks.

[njdubois]

Hello all!

 

I've posted about this a few times in the past, and we still don't have a process that simplifies this issue.

 

My client listens to and grades sales phone calls. His customers have a contract with one of a handful of companies that record these phone calls.

 

My client logs into these websites, downloads the audio file for the call. Enters some stuff into a database, uploads the call and the salesperson can log in to our site see his grade sheet and listen to his call.

 

These companies have sites that are just garbage. They tried to stuff so many features in that just simple user interface is a hassle. But that isn't the problem.

 

One of these companies provides audio files in the AU format. The entire world is loving mp3's, and these guys have to be difficult. Did I say that these AU files are almost 3 times as large as the final converted mp3? My clients customers have contracts with these companies. We're stuck with AU files.

 

So I wrote an audio conversion program using visual basic and SOX and everything was ok. Then we moved to web apps, everything is a webpage now. I can't run the exe from a website. My client has to do this whole hassle to convert these files and get them on the server and linked to a record in a mysql database.

 

As far as known options. I know that we can upgrade our godaddy host from a shared to a dedicated server and gain the ability to upload libraries that convert audio files server side. Unfortunately the money isn't in the company to do this. I have also been searching out online audio conversion sites, and emailing them with my issue and asking if there is anyway we can come to an agreement.

 

And that's where I am. I have been bashing my head against this problem for over half a year. So I'm asking for any wisdom, comments, ideas, thoughts. ANYTHING!

 

Give me a magic string of words I can give to Google that will get me heading in a better direction that I am heading now!

 

Please please please help! And thanks so much for even taking the time to read all of this.

 

Nick DuBois

[requinix]

It'd be really nice if you could exec() things. If so then grab a copy of ffmpeg, which I'm sure can convert from .au files, and run that on the uploads.

 

But then they're uploading large files. Is it a problem to have the user download the .au, run it through a converter (like yours?), and upload the result? Two of those three steps the user is doing anyways.

[Christian F.]

FFmpeg, or even mencoder, is perfect for this. Used them both in a video transcoding and editing application (web based) before, which worked wonders.

[kicken]

As far as known options. I know that we can upgrade our godaddy host from a shared to a dedicated server and gain the ability to upload libraries that convert audio files server side. Unfortunately the money isn't in the company to do this.

 

There are other companies than Godaddy that you could go to and be able to exec() something like ffmpeg. For instance a friend of mine used to host with Arvixe and they support ffmpeg. I'm running under the assumption that ffmpeg will do the conversion you need, you'll need to verify that somehow.

 

I have also been searching out online audio conversion sites, and emailing them with my issue and asking if there is anyway we can come to an agreement.

 

Depending on your needs an option might be to buy a cheap VPS from somewhere and install the tools you need to do the conversion on that VPS. Then just make a request to there to do the conversion and send back the results.