I have intensive knowledge of an opensource triggerable FTP server on Xserve. I can handle for you setup, compilation and specific coding.
1. FTP service reacts in STOR (storing event)
2. Dispatch encoded content on local tree
3. Encode video/Batch runs (step1)
4. Encode video/Batch runs (step2)
5. Encode video/Batch runs (step3)
6. Dispatch encoded content on local tree or on a remote host
7. Cleanup
FTP Triger, error control tunning and unblocking configuration : 3 days
Following your proposal, it seems UI will not provide upload action, neither as html, neither as applet or flash component.
UI will allow global and intermediate status visibility.
UI design (graphically - as .psd or .ppt, to define the cinematic and the graphical ambiance) is provided by the customer.
It have to be discussed, but I'm not sure, it will be technically possible to propose user command to "pause" some encoding calculation, at contrary, workflow "pause before step" and cancellation will be handled.
I suppose front end will be supported by Xserve's shipped php/mysql, please confirm.
Flash or DHTML complex GUI : 5 days
Total work service days : 8 x 350 USD = 2800 USD
I forgot to mention Je parle Français également, si cela peut aider à nos relations de travail, n'hésitons pas. A très bientôt.
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Points uncover by the present offer :
I have also good knowledge of ffmpeg/x264/gpac/MP4Box (even if it doesn't seem required since you will provide command line tools).
We can discuss, but if you are thinking to a very high volume of data/conversion, we can also load balance ftp/triggered services (and queuing/FIFO loadbalance video encoding/processing).