1 All the numerical options, if not specified otherwise, accept a string
2 representing a number as input, which may be followed by one of the SI
3 unit prefixes, for example: 'K', 'M', or 'G'.
5 If 'i' is appended to the SI unit prefix, the complete prefix will be
6 interpreted as a unit prefix for binary multiples, which are based on
7 powers of 1024 instead of powers of 1000. Appending 'B' to the SI unit
8 prefix multiplies the value by 8. This allows using, for example:
9 'KB', 'MiB', 'G' and 'B' as number suffixes.
11 Options which do not take arguments are boolean options, and set the
12 corresponding value to true. They can be set to false by prefixing
13 the option name with "no". For example using "-nofoo"
14 will set the boolean option with name "foo" to false.
16 @anchor{Stream specifiers}
17 @section Stream specifiers
18 Some options are applied per-stream, e.g. bitrate or codec. Stream specifiers
19 are used to precisely specify which stream(s) a given option belongs to.
21 A stream specifier is a string generally appended to the option name and
22 separated from it by a colon. E.g. @code{-codec:a:1 ac3} contains the
23 @code{a:1} stream specifier, which matches the second audio stream. Therefore, it
24 would select the ac3 codec for the second audio stream.
26 A stream specifier can match several streams, so that the option is applied to all
27 of them. E.g. the stream specifier in @code{-b:a 128k} matches all audio
30 An empty stream specifier matches all streams. For example, @code{-codec copy}
31 or @code{-codec: copy} would copy all the streams without reencoding.
33 Possible forms of stream specifiers are:
35 @item @var{stream_index}
36 Matches the stream with this index. E.g. @code{-threads:1 4} would set the
37 thread count for the second stream to 4. If @var{stream_index} is used as an
38 additional stream specifier (see below), then it selects stream number
39 @var{stream_index} from the matching streams. Stream numbering is based on the
40 order of the streams as detected by libavformat except when a program ID is
41 also specified. In this case it is based on the ordering of the streams in the
43 @item @var{stream_type}[:@var{additional_stream_specifier}]
44 @var{stream_type} is one of following: 'v' or 'V' for video, 'a' for audio, 's'
45 for subtitle, 'd' for data, and 't' for attachments. 'v' matches all video
46 streams, 'V' only matches video streams which are not attached pictures, video
47 thumbnails or cover arts. If @var{additional_stream_specifier} is used, then
48 it matches streams which both have this type and match the
49 @var{additional_stream_specifier}. Otherwise, it matches all streams of the
51 @item p:@var{program_id}[:@var{additional_stream_specifier}]
52 Matches streams which are in the program with the id @var{program_id}. If
53 @var{additional_stream_specifier} is used, then it matches streams which both
54 are part of the program and match the @var{additional_stream_specifier}.
56 @item #@var{stream_id} or i:@var{stream_id}
57 Match the stream by stream id (e.g. PID in MPEG-TS container).
58 @item m:@var{key}[:@var{value}]
59 Matches streams with the metadata tag @var{key} having the specified value. If
60 @var{value} is not given, matches streams that contain the given tag with any
63 Matches streams with usable configuration, the codec must be defined and the
64 essential information such as video dimension or audio sample rate must be present.
66 Note that in @command{ffmpeg}, matching by metadata will only work properly for
70 @section Generic options
72 These options are shared amongst the ff* tools.
79 @item -h, -?, -help, --help [@var{arg}]
80 Show help. An optional parameter may be specified to print help about a specific
81 item. If no argument is specified, only basic (non advanced) tool
84 Possible values of @var{arg} are:
87 Print advanced tool options in addition to the basic tool options.
90 Print complete list of options, including shared and private options
91 for encoders, decoders, demuxers, muxers, filters, etc.
93 @item decoder=@var{decoder_name}
94 Print detailed information about the decoder named @var{decoder_name}. Use the
95 @option{-decoders} option to get a list of all decoders.
97 @item encoder=@var{encoder_name}
98 Print detailed information about the encoder named @var{encoder_name}. Use the
99 @option{-encoders} option to get a list of all encoders.
101 @item demuxer=@var{demuxer_name}
102 Print detailed information about the demuxer named @var{demuxer_name}. Use the
103 @option{-formats} option to get a list of all demuxers and muxers.
105 @item muxer=@var{muxer_name}
106 Print detailed information about the muxer named @var{muxer_name}. Use the
107 @option{-formats} option to get a list of all muxers and demuxers.
109 @item filter=@var{filter_name}
110 Print detailed information about the filter named @var{filter_name}. Use the
111 @option{-filters} option to get a list of all filters.
113 @item bsf=@var{bitstream_filter_name}
114 Print detailed information about the bitstream filter named @var{bitstream_filter_name}.
115 Use the @option{-bsfs} option to get a list of all bitstream filters.
117 @item protocol=@var{protocol_name}
118 Print detailed information about the protocol named @var{protocol_name}.
119 Use the @option{-protocols} option to get a list of all protocols.
126 Show available formats (including devices).
129 Show available demuxers.
132 Show available muxers.
135 Show available devices.
138 Show all codecs known to libavcodec.
140 Note that the term 'codec' is used throughout this documentation as a shortcut
141 for what is more correctly called a media bitstream format.
144 Show available decoders.
147 Show all available encoders.
150 Show available bitstream filters.
153 Show available protocols.
156 Show available libavfilter filters.
159 Show available pixel formats.
162 Show available sample formats.
165 Show channel names and standard channel layouts.
168 Show recognized color names.
170 @item -sources @var{device}[,@var{opt1}=@var{val1}[,@var{opt2}=@var{val2}]...]
171 Show autodetected sources of the input device.
172 Some devices may provide system-dependent source names that cannot be autodetected.
173 The returned list cannot be assumed to be always complete.
175 ffmpeg -sources pulse,server=192.168.0.4
178 @item -sinks @var{device}[,@var{opt1}=@var{val1}[,@var{opt2}=@var{val2}]...]
179 Show autodetected sinks of the output device.
180 Some devices may provide system-dependent sink names that cannot be autodetected.
181 The returned list cannot be assumed to be always complete.
183 ffmpeg -sinks pulse,server=192.168.0.4
186 @item -loglevel [@var{flags}+]@var{loglevel} | -v [@var{flags}+]@var{loglevel}
187 Set logging level and flags used by the library.
189 The optional @var{flags} prefix can consist of the following values:
192 Indicates that repeated log output should not be compressed to the first line
193 and the "Last message repeated n times" line will be omitted.
195 Indicates that log output should add a @code{[level]} prefix to each message
196 line. This can be used as an alternative to log coloring, e.g. when dumping the
199 Flags can also be used alone by adding a '+'/'-' prefix to set/reset a single
200 flag without affecting other @var{flags} or changing @var{loglevel}. When
201 setting both @var{flags} and @var{loglevel}, a '+' separator is expected
202 between the last @var{flags} value and before @var{loglevel}.
204 @var{loglevel} is a string or a number containing one of the following values:
207 Show nothing at all; be silent.
209 Only show fatal errors which could lead the process to crash, such as
210 an assertion failure. This is not currently used for anything.
212 Only show fatal errors. These are errors after which the process absolutely
215 Show all errors, including ones which can be recovered from.
217 Show all warnings and errors. Any message related to possibly
218 incorrect or unexpected events will be shown.
220 Show informative messages during processing. This is in addition to
221 warnings and errors. This is the default value.
223 Same as @code{info}, except more verbose.
225 Show everything, including debugging information.
229 For example to enable repeated log output, add the @code{level} prefix, and set
230 @var{loglevel} to @code{verbose}:
232 ffmpeg -loglevel repeat+level+verbose -i input output
234 Another example that enables repeated log output without affecting current
235 state of @code{level} prefix flag or @var{loglevel}:
237 ffmpeg [...] -loglevel +repeat
240 By default the program logs to stderr. If coloring is supported by the
241 terminal, colors are used to mark errors and warnings. Log coloring
242 can be disabled setting the environment variable
243 @env{AV_LOG_FORCE_NOCOLOR}, or can be forced setting
244 the environment variable @env{AV_LOG_FORCE_COLOR}.
247 Dump full command line and log output to a file named
248 @code{@var{program}-@var{YYYYMMDD}-@var{HHMMSS}.log} in the current
250 This file can be useful for bug reports.
251 It also implies @code{-loglevel debug}.
253 Setting the environment variable @env{FFREPORT} to any value has the
254 same effect. If the value is a ':'-separated key=value sequence, these
255 options will affect the report; option values must be escaped if they
256 contain special characters or the options delimiter ':' (see the
257 ``Quoting and escaping'' section in the ffmpeg-utils manual).
259 The following options are recognized:
262 set the file name to use for the report; @code{%p} is expanded to the name
263 of the program, @code{%t} is expanded to a timestamp, @code{%%} is expanded
266 set the log verbosity level using a numerical value (see @code{-loglevel}).
269 For example, to output a report to a file named @file{ffreport.log}
270 using a log level of @code{32} (alias for log level @code{info}):
273 FFREPORT=file=ffreport.log:level=32 ffmpeg -i input output
276 Errors in parsing the environment variable are not fatal, and will not
277 appear in the report.
280 Suppress printing banner.
282 All FFmpeg tools will normally show a copyright notice, build options
283 and library versions. This option can be used to suppress printing
286 @item -cpuflags flags (@emph{global})
287 Allows setting and clearing cpu flags. This option is intended
288 for testing. Do not use it unless you know what you're doing.
290 ffmpeg -cpuflags -sse+mmx ...
291 ffmpeg -cpuflags mmx ...
292 ffmpeg -cpuflags 0 ...
294 Possible flags for this option are:
340 @item Specific Processors
356 These options are provided directly by the libavformat, libavdevice and
357 libavcodec libraries. To see the list of available AVOptions, use the
358 @option{-help} option. They are separated into two categories:
361 These options can be set for any container, codec or device. Generic options
362 are listed under AVFormatContext options for containers/devices and under
363 AVCodecContext options for codecs.
365 These options are specific to the given container, device or codec. Private
366 options are listed under their corresponding containers/devices/codecs.
369 For example to write an ID3v2.3 header instead of a default ID3v2.4 to
370 an MP3 file, use the @option{id3v2_version} private option of the MP3
373 ffmpeg -i input.flac -id3v2_version 3 out.mp3
376 All codec AVOptions are per-stream, and thus a stream specifier
377 should be attached to them:
379 ffmpeg -i multichannel.mxf -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0 -map 0:a:0 -c:a:0 ac3 -b:a:0 640k -ac:a:1 2 -c:a:1 aac -b:2 128k out.mp4
382 In the above example, a multichannel audio stream is mapped twice for output.
383 The first instance is encoded with codec ac3 and bitrate 640k.
384 The second instance is downmixed to 2 channels and encoded with codec aac. A bitrate of 128k is specified for it using
385 absolute index of the output stream.
387 Note: the @option{-nooption} syntax cannot be used for boolean
388 AVOptions, use @option{-option 0}/@option{-option 1}.
390 Note: the old undocumented way of specifying per-stream AVOptions by
391 prepending v/a/s to the options name is now obsolete and will be