ffmpeg / avconv on ubuntu invalid data found when processing input

Question

I have a .mp4 (h264) file on my ubuntu and try to rotate it using avconv (or ffmpeg, the result is the same). Actually, whatever action I'm trying to do with the file I get the "filename: invalid data found when processing input"

The interesting thing is when I try to rotate the same file using ffmpeg library on windows, it runs smoothly. Below is the actual command that runs on windows, but doesn't run on ubuntu

ffmpeg -i inputFile.mp4 -vf transpose=1 outputFile.mp4

Any help is appreciated,

Thank you

Ilija

Answer 1

Ubuntu's ffmpeg may lack codecs to parse inputFile.mp4. On Windows, transcode inputFile.mp4 to a different format; then, on Ubuntu, use the transcoded file as input.

Windows: ffmpeg -i inputFile.mp4 -c:v something -c:a somethingElse transcoded.mp4

Ubuntu: ffmpeg -i transcoded.mp4 -vf transpose=1 outputFile.mp4

What are all codecs supported by FFmpeg?

(There's nothing special about either Ubuntu or Windows here. It's just a particular installation of ffmpeg, unable to read a particular input.)