[FFmpeg-user] Runtime conversion from byte array

[Jeff Mihalik]

Hello,

I am creating a java project where the goal is to receive byte arrays of
mpeg-2 videos from the database and convert them at runtime to mpeg-4
videos (also as byte arrays, to pass to another application for display).
ffmpeg seems like the right tool for the conversion, but every command line
example I have seen takes a file as an input and saves off the output as a
file.  I do not have the option of storing the videos on the file
structure, hence I have an input of a byte array mpeg-2, and an output of a
byte array mpeg-4.  Is it possible to convert from a byte array of an
MPEG-2 to a byte array of an MPEG-4 (using java) through ffmpeg, or are
real files necessary?  I would try this out for myself, but my company
takes weeks to approve new software so I want to determine if it is
possible before requesting the software.  Thank you.

-Jeff