MP4SVG - Video to SVG Converter

A Python package that converts MP4 video files into SVG containers using various encoding methods, with full roundtrip extraction capabilities.

Features

• Multiple Encoding Methods: ASCII85, Polyglot, Vector Animation, QR Code, and Hybrid
• XML-Safe Embedding: Proper handling of binary data in SVG/XML context
• Interactive SVG: Embedded JavaScript for in-browser video playback
• Thumbnail Previews: JPEG thumbnails for system/browser compatibility
• Data Integrity: Built-in validation and checksum verification
• CLI Interface: Command-line tools for conversion and extraction
• Extensible Architecture: Modular design for easy extension

Installation

From Source

git clone <repository-url>
cd mp4svg
pip install -e .

Dependencies

• Python 3.8+
• OpenCV (cv2)
• NumPy
• Pillow (PIL)
• qrcode
• lxml

Quick Start

Command Line Usage

# Convert MP4 to SVG using ASCII85 encoding
mp4svg input.mp4 output.svg --method ascii85

# Extract MP4 from SVG
mp4svg output.svg extracted.mp4 --extract

# Use polyglot method with custom chunk size
mp4svg input.mp4 output.svg --method polyglot --chunk-size 4096

# Convert to QR codes with error correction
mp4svg input.mp4 output.svg --method qrcode --error-correction M

# Try all methods and compare (hybrid)
mp4svg input.mp4 output.svg --method hybrid

Python API

from mp4svg import ASCII85SVGConverter, PolyglotSVGConverter

# ASCII85 encoding (recommended for most use cases)
converter = ASCII85SVGConverter()
svg_path = converter.convert('video.mp4', 'output.svg')

# Extract back to MP4
success = converter.extract('output.svg', 'extracted.mp4')

# Polyglot embedding (larger files, better compatibility)
polyglot = PolyglotSVGConverter()
svg_path = polyglot.convert('video.mp4', 'polyglot.svg')

Encoding Methods

1. ASCII85 (Recommended)

• Best for: General use, good compression ratio
• Overhead: ~25% size increase
• Features: Interactive playback, thumbnail preview, XML-safe
• Roundtrip: Full fidelity extraction

from mp4svg import ASCII85SVGConverter
converter = ASCII85SVGConverter()

2. Polyglot

• Best for: Maximum compatibility, embedded metadata
• Overhead: ~33% size increase
• Features: SVG + embedded binary data, summary statistics
• Roundtrip: Full fidelity extraction

from mp4svg import PolyglotSVGConverter
converter = PolyglotSVGConverter()

3. Vector Animation

• Best for: Stylized animation, artistic effects
• Overhead: Variable (depends on complexity)
• Features: True vector animation, scalable
• Roundtrip: Not supported (lossy conversion)

from mp4svg import SVGVectorFrameConverter
converter = SVGVectorFrameConverter()

4. QR Code

• Best for: Educational purposes, distributed storage
• Overhead: Very high (~10x size increase)
• Features: Multiple QR frames, chunk-based storage
• Roundtrip: Full fidelity with extraction script

from mp4svg import QRCodeSVGConverter
converter = QRCodeSVGConverter(chunk_size=1000)

5. Hybrid

• Best for: Comparing all methods, choosing optimal
• Features: Tests all methods, size comparison, format detection
• Output: Multiple files with performance report

from mp4svg import HybridSVGConverter
converter = HybridSVGConverter()

SVG Validation

The package includes comprehensive validation utilities:

from mp4svg.validators import SVGValidator, IntegrityValidator

# Validate SVG structure and detect format
svg_validator = SVGValidator()
result = svg_validator.validate_svg_file('output.svg')

# Check data integrity and extraction
integrity_validator = IntegrityValidator()
integrity_result = integrity_validator.validate_integrity('output.svg', 'original.mp4')

# Batch validate directory
batch_result = integrity_validator.batch_validate('/path/to/svg/files/')

Interactive SVG Features

Generated SVG files include:

• Thumbnail Preview: JPEG thumbnail for system compatibility
• Play Button: Click to decode and play video
• JavaScript Decoder: Built-in ASCII85/Base64 decoder
• Error Handling: Robust namespace and element selection

Project Structure

mp4svg/
├── src/mp4svg/
│   ├── __init__.py          # Package exports
│   ├── base.py              # Base converter class
│   ├── ascii85.py           # ASCII85 converter
│   ├── polyglot.py          # Polyglot converter  
│   ├── vector.py            # Vector animation converter
│   ├── qrcode.py            # QR code converter
│   ├── hybrid.py            # Hybrid converter
│   ├── cli.py               # Command-line interface
│   └── validators/          # Validation utilities
│       ├── __init__.py
│       ├── svg_validator.py
│       └── integrity_validator.py
├── tests/                   # Test suite
├── pyproject.toml          # Poetry configuration
└── README.md               # This file

Testing

Run the test suite:

# Install development dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run all tests
pytest tests/

# Run specific test file
pytest tests/test_converters.py -v

# Run with coverage
pytest --cov=src/mp4svg tests/

Advanced Usage

Custom Conversion Settings

# ASCII85 with custom settings
converter = ASCII85SVGConverter()
converter.thumbnail_quality = 85
converter.max_size_mb = 50

# Polyglot with custom boundary
polyglot = PolyglotSVGConverter()
polyglot.chunk_size = 8192

# Vector with animation settings  
vector = SVGVectorFrameConverter()
vector.frame_duration = 0.1
vector.edge_threshold = 100

# QR with error correction
qr = QRCodeSVGConverter(
    chunk_size=500,
    error_correction='H',  # High error correction
    border=2
)

Batch Processing

import os
from mp4svg import ASCII85SVGConverter

converter = ASCII85SVGConverter()

# Convert all MP4 files in directory
input_dir = '/path/to/videos/'
output_dir = '/path/to/svg_output/'

for filename in os.listdir(input_dir):
    if filename.endswith('.mp4'):
        input_path = os.path.join(input_dir, filename)
        output_path = os.path.join(output_dir, filename.replace('.mp4', '.svg'))
        
        try:
            converter.convert(input_path, output_path)
            print(f"Converted: {filename}")
        except Exception as e:
            print(f"Failed to convert {filename}: {e}")

Validation Pipeline

from mp4svg.validators import SVGValidator, IntegrityValidator

# Complete validation pipeline
def validate_conversion(original_mp4, generated_svg):
    # Structure validation
    svg_validator = SVGValidator()
    svg_result = svg_validator.validate_svg_file(generated_svg)
    
    if not svg_result['is_well_formed']:
        print("SVG is not well-formed XML")
        return False
    
    # Integrity validation  
    integrity_validator = IntegrityValidator()
    integrity_result = integrity_validator.validate_integrity(
        generated_svg, original_mp4
    )
    
    if not integrity_result['data_integrity_valid']:
        print("Data integrity check failed")
        return False
        
    print(f"Validation successful: {svg_result['detected_format']} format")
    return True

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. XML Parsing Errors

   • Ensure input MP4 is not corrupted
   • Check file size limits (default: 100MB)
   • Validate with SVGValidator

2. JavaScript Not Working in Browser

   • Check browser console for errors
   • Ensure SVG is served with correct MIME type
   • Modern browser required for ES6 features

3. Extraction Failures

   • Verify SVG format detection
   • Check embedded data integrity
   • Use validation utilities

4. Large File Performance

   • Use chunked processing for very large videos
   • Consider polyglot method for better memory usage
   • Set appropriate max_size_mb limits

Debug Mode

import logging
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)

from mp4svg import ASCII85SVGConverter
converter = ASCII85SVGConverter()
# Detailed logging will be displayed

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Add tests for new functionality
4. Ensure all tests pass
5. Submit a pull request

License

Apache 2.0 License - see LICENSE file for details.

Changelog

v1.0.0

• Initial release with ASCII85, Polyglot, Vector, QR Code converters
• Interactive SVG with JavaScript playback
• Comprehensive validation utilities
• CLI interface
• Full test coverage