A fast, animated, hardware-accelerated video converter for Windows with a unique visual interface.
1.mp4
Buy ME cofee,
Buy ME cofee.
X64 https://github.com/codeboxqc/Cheetah/releases/download/1.0/Cheetah.7z
This project uses a verified GPLv3-compliant FFmpeg configuration ensuring safe distribution on GitHub.
# Installation command used (NO nonfree components):
vcpkg install ffmpeg[webp,nvcodec,amf,qsv,gpl,vpx,opus,vorbis]:x64-windows --recurse
# Verification commands:
ffmpeg -L | findstr "nonfree" # Returns empty ✓
ffmpeg -buildconf | findstr "gpl" # Shows --enable-gpl ✓
ffmpeg -encoders | findstr "libfdk_aac" # Returns empty ✓
## ✨ Features
### 🎯 Core Functionality
- **Drag & Drop Conversion** - Simply drop video files onto the interface
- **Hardware Acceleration** - NVIDIA CUDA, AMD AMF, and Intel QSV support
- **Portable Design** - Single executable, no installation required
- **License-Safe** - GPLv3 compliant, safe for public redistribution
-
### 📁 Supported Formats
- **Output Containers**: MP4, MKV, WebM, MOV
- **Video Codecs**: H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP8/VP9, AV1 (GPU-dependent), WebP (animated)
- **Audio Codecs**: AAC, MP3, Opus, Vorbis, FLAC, PCM/WAV
-
### 🎨 Unique Visual Interface
- Animated progress wheels and blinking LEDs
- Glowing text effects and dynamic status display
- Real-time progress meter with FPS, ETA, and file size
- Interactive visual controls
## 📥 Download & Quick Start
### Portable Version
1. Download `Cheetah.exe` from the [Releases page](https://github.com/yourusername/cheetah/releases)
2. Double-click to run (no installation needed)
3. Drag video files onto the interface to convert
### System Requirements
- **OS**: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
- **GPU**: Optional but recommended for hardware acceleration
- **RAM**: 4GB minimum, 8GB recommended
- **Storage**: Sufficient space for source and converted files
## 🖥️ Usage Guide
### Basic Conversion
1. **Launch** Cheetah.exe
2. **Select Encoding Preset**:
- 🟡 H.265 Archival - Highest quality, larger files
- 🟢 H.264 High - Great quality, balanced size
- 🟠 H.264 Balanced - Good quality, smaller files
- 🔴 H.264 Small - Maximum compression
3. **Choose Output Format**: MP4, MKV, WebM, or MOV
4. **Drag & Drop** your video file onto the interface
5. **Wait** for conversion to complete
6. **Find** your file at `[original_name]_converted.[format]`
### Progress Monitoring
During conversion, you'll see:
- 📊 Real-time progress bar with percentage
- ⏱️ Current frame/total frames
- 🚀 Encoding speed (FPS)
- ⏰ Elapsed time and ETA
- 💾 Estimated output file size
## 🔧 For Developers
### Build from Source
#### Prerequisites
- Visual Studio 2022+ with "Desktop development with C++"
- vcpkg package manager
- Git for Windows
#### Step-by-Step Build
1. **Setup vcpkg**
```bash
git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg.git
cd vcpkg
.\bootstrap-vcpkg.bat
.\vcpkg integrate install
License Compliance
FFmpeg Licensing
Cheetah uses a GPL-compliant FFmpeg build with the following safe features:
✅ WebP support (animated)
✅ GPU acceleration (NVENC, AMF, QSV)
✅ GPL-allowed codecs
❌ No nonfree components (libfdk-aac, etc.)
Important License Notes
You must use the exact vcpkg command provided for license compliance
Do not add nonfree feature if redistributing publicly
Modifications to FFmpeg require source disclosure under GPL
You can sell/distribute Cheetah as long as GPL terms are met
🐛 Troubleshooting
Common Issues
"Failed to load interface.png"
Ensure all PNG resources are properly embedded in the executable
No Hardware Acceleration
Update GPU drivers
Check FFmpeg build includes nvcodec, amf, or qsv
Run ffmpeg -hwaccels to verify available accelerators
Crash During Conversion
Check file permissions
Ensure sufficient disk space
Verify input file isn't corrupted
License Verification
# Check FFmpeg license compliance
ffmpeg.exe -L | findstr "nonfree"
# Should NOT show: nonfree libfdk_aac
Performance Tips
Use GPU acceleration for faster conversions
Select appropriate preset for your needs
Close other applications during conversion
Store files on SSD for better I/O performance
🤝 Contributing
How to Contribute
Fork the repository
Create a feature branch
Make your changes
Test thoroughly
Submit a pull request
Areas Needing Improvement
Additional output format support
Batch conversion features
Advanced encoding settings
macOS/Linux ports
Code Standards
Follow existing Win32 API patterns
Maintain visual consistency
Ensure GPL compliance
Document new features
📞 Support & Community
Getting Help
📖 Check this documentation first
🐛 Report issues
💡 Request features
💬 Discuss on Discussions page
Resources
FFmpeg Documentation
vcpkg Getting Started
Win32 API Reference
GPLv3 License Text
📊 Project Status
Current Version: 1.0
Stability: Beta
Active Development: Yes
Maintenance: Regular updates planned
Roadmap
Batch file conversion
Custom encoding parameters
Additional format support
Plugin system
Cross-platform version
🙏 Acknowledgments
FFmpeg Team for the amazing multimedia framework
Microsoft for vcpkg and Visual Studio
GDI+ Developers for graphics capabilities
Open Source Community for inspiration and support
Note: This is free software released under GPLv3. Use at your own risk. No warranties provided.
Made with ❤️ for the open source community
## **Additional Documentation Files**
### **1. User-Guide.md** (Detailed user instructions)
```markdown
# Cheetah Video Converter - User Guide
## Table of Contents
1. [Installation](#installation)
2. [Interface Overview](#interface-overview)
3. [Step-by-Step Conversion](#step-by-step-conversion)
4. [Advanced Features](#advanced-features)
5. [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
## Installation
### Method 1: Portable Version (Recommended)
1. Download `Cheetah.exe` from Releases
2. Place anywhere on your computer
3. Double-click to run
4. No admin rights required
### Method 2: Create Desktop Shortcut
1. Right-click `Cheetah.exe`
2. Select "Create Shortcut"
3. Drag shortcut to Desktop
4. Pin to Taskbar if desired
## Interface Overview
### Main Components
┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Close Button [X] │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ANIMATED DISPLAY AREA │ │
│ │ • Rotating wheels │ │
│ │ • Blinking LEDs │ │
│ │ • Status messages │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Encoding Presets: │
│ [H.265 Arch.] [H.264 High] │
│ [H.264 Bal.] [H.264 Small] │
│ │
│ Output Formats: │
│ [MP4] [MKV] [WebM] [MOV] │
│ │
│ Drop Zone: │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Drag video files here │ │
│ │ to convert │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Progress Meter (when converting) │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ████████████░░░░░░ 75% │ │
│ │ Frame: 1500/2000 │ │
│ │ FPS: 45.2 ETA: 00:00:11 │ │
│ │ Size: 125.4 MB │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────────┘ │
└──────────────────────────────────────┘
| Preset | Best For | File Size | Quality |
|--------|----------|-----------|---------|
| **H.265 Archival** | Future-proof archives | Large | Excellent |
| **H.264 High** | High-quality sharing | Medium | Very Good |
| **H.264 Balanced** | General use | Small | Good |
| **H.264 Small** | Mobile/email | Very Small | Acceptable |
Choose Output Format
Select container format:
- **MP4**: Universal compatibility
- **MKV**: Multiple audio/subtitle tracks
- **WebM**: Web optimization
- **MOV**: Apple ecosystem
1. **Locate** your video file in File Explorer
2. **Drag** it onto the Cheetah window
3. **Drop** anywhere on the interface
4. **Wait** for conversion to complete
### 5. Find Your Converted File
- Output file: `[original_name]_converted.[format]`
- Same directory as source file
- Original file remains unchanged
Hardware Acceleration
Cheetah automatically uses available GPU:
- **NVIDIA**: CUDA/NVENC
- **AMD**: AMF
- **Intel**: Quick Sync Video
Real-time Monitoring
During conversion, monitor:
- **Progress Percentage**: Conversion completion
- **Frames Processed**: Current/Total frames
- **FPS**: Encoding speed
- **ETA**: Estimated completion time
- **File Size**: Output file size estimate
### Supported File Types
Cheetah accepts:
- MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV, WMV, FLV
- WebM, OGV, 3GP, M4V
- Most common video formats
**Note**: Image files (PNG, JPG, etc.) are detected and rejected with a warning message.
## Troubleshooting
### Conversion Fails
**Symptoms**: No output file, error message
**Solutions**:
1. Check source file isn't corrupted
2. Verify sufficient disk space
3. Try different encoding preset
4. Restart Cheetah
### Slow Conversion
**Symptoms**: Low FPS, long ETA
**Solutions**:
1. Enable GPU acceleration (update drivers)
2. Close other applications
3. Use faster preset (H.264 Small)
4. Convert smaller files
### No Sound in Output
**Symptoms**: Video plays without audio
**Solutions**:
1. Try different output format
2. Check source file has audio track
3. Use MP4 format for best compatibility
### Application Crashes
**Symptoms**: Unexpected closure
**Solutions**:
1. Run as Administrator
2. Check Windows Event Viewer
3. Re-download from Releases
4. Report issue with error code
## Tips & Tricks
### Batch Conversion
While Cheetah doesn't support batch mode natively:
1. Convert first file
2. Wait for completion
3. Drag next file
4. Repeat as needed
### Quality vs Speed
- **For quality**: H.265 Archival or H.264 High
- **For speed**: H.264 Small
- **Balance**: H.264 Balanced
### Storage Management
- Converted files are same directory as source
- Original files remain untouched
- Delete `_converted` files when no longer needed
### Performance Optimization
1. **SSD Storage**: Faster read/write speeds
2. **GPU Drivers**: Keep updated
3. **RAM**: 8GB+ recommended for large files
4. **CPU**: Multi-core helps with software encoding
## Frequently Asked Questions
### Q: Is Cheetah really free?
**A**: Yes, completely free and open-source under GPLv3.
### Q: Can I use it commercially?
**A**: Yes, as long as you comply with GPLv3 terms.
### Q: Does it work on Windows 7?
**A**: No, requires Windows 10 or later (64-bit).
### Q: Can I convert multiple files at once?
**A**: Not currently - convert one file at a time.
### Q: Where are my converted files saved?
**A**: Same folder as original, with "_converted" suffix.
### Q: How do I update Cheetah?
**A**: Download new version from Releases page.