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AGAConv

Overview

This is a retro computing just-for-fun project. AGAConv is a CDXL video converter for Commodore-Amiga computers. It can convert modern videos (MP4, etc.) into the CDXL format which can be played with AGABlaster on an AGA Commodore-Amiga computer. The first Commodore-Amiga computer with the AGA chipset was released in 1992. Commodore went bankrupt in April 1994.

The CDXL format was created by Commodore primarily for the Commodore CDTV, released 1991, to permit playback of video from CD-ROM in the early 1990s. The CDXL format is a simple streaming format, consisting of linear concatenated chunks (packets), each with an uncompressed frame and associated audio data. In addition to the original 12-bit colors, AGAConv also supports 24-bit colors, as supported by Commodore Amiga AGA systems released in 1992+.

AGAConv utilizes ffmpeg to extract video frames and audio data from videos and encodes the extracted data into the CDXL format.

Features

Overview of supported features:

  • Configuration file allows to set any options as default.
  • Each CDXL frame with its own color palette
  • Color modes:
    • AGA8 to AGA2, 24 bit colors
    • OCS5 to OCS2, 12 bit colors
    • HAM8, 24 bit colors (requires ham_convert)
    • HAM6, EHB, 12 bit colors (requires ham_convert)
  • Screen (resolution) modes:
    • Lores, Hires, Superhires
  • Audio
    • 8-bit mono/stereo
  • Encoding of custom CDXL videos (minimal number of bitplanes in each frame)
    • With 24-bit color palette and variable length frames
    • Any audio frequency
  • Encoding of standard CDXL videos (fixed number of bitplanes)
    • Audio Frequency is automatically adjusted such that all CDXL frames have the same size
    • 12-bit colors (default)
    • 24-bit colors are supported in RGB 3-byte format (same as IFF/ANIM CMAP chunk body data)
  • More information about video conversions can be found on the AGAConv website.

How It Works

AGAConv uses ffmpeg to extract video frames and audio data from any video format supported by ffmpeg and encodes them into a CDXL video. For HAM conversions it can integrate the tool ham_convert into the conversion pipeline. The CDXL video can be played with AGABlaster on a Commodore-Amiga computer.

Building from source

AGAConv can be built from source and run on Ubuntu as follows:

  • sudo apt install make g++ libpng-dev man-db ffmpeg
  • cd agaconv
  • make -j6

Builds the excutable 'bin/agaconv'.

  • 'make view-man' shows the man page (without installing it)
  • 'make clean' removes all generated files.

Binary Distribution - Ubuntu PPA Installer

  • A binary distribution of AGAConv 1.0+ is available as PPA package and can be installed with apt on Ubuntu.
  • Instructions for the binary PPA installation can be found on the AGAConv website.

Where to find more information

Version

Version: 1.0.3

Author

Author: Markus Schordan, Copyright 2019-2023.

License

License: GPL v3+ open-source

Acknowledgments

  • Thanks to Jean Bollaërt for testing the pre-release version of AGAConv 0.9.4 on Windows 10 with Microsoft's Ubuntu app/terminal.
  • Thanks to Sebastian Sieczko for adding command line options to his graphic converter ham_convert such that it could be integrated into the AGAConv conversion pipeline.