Abusing ID3 chapters to turn videos into glanceable podcasts
4 hours ago
- The author listens to podcasts and wants to consume video content audio-only, but needs visual context for slides or diagrams.
- Solution: create MP3s with ID3 chapters every few seconds, each chapter has the corresponding video frame as cover art, allowing the podcast player to show the current frame on the lock screen.
- Process: 1) Convert video to MP3 via FFmpeg, 2) Extract frames every 5 seconds via FFmpeg, 3) Use Python/Mutagen to insert chapters with cover art into MP3, omitting the CTOC table of contents to avoid hundreds of entries.
- Result: ‘glanceable’ podcasts that play audio but allow quick glances at frames; tool called glancecast automates the conversion.