Learn to Produce Video with FFmpeg

This focused 158-page book teaches you how to use FFmpeg to create full adaptive bitrate ladders and package them into HLS or DASH formats. Chapter 1 is the primer on streaming technology, covering terms and concepts like single and adaptive bitrate streaming, codecs and container formats, and common encoding parameters like resolution, data rate, and frame rate. This will help those unfamiliar with streaming technology get up to speed fast.

Chapter 2 covers installing FFmpeg on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, and the basics of command line programming. Then, individual chapters detail FFmpeg operation for choosing a codec and container format, controlling bitrate (VBR, CBR, CRF), setting resolution (scaling, letterboxing, trimming), frame rate, and I- and B-frame settings for single file and adaptive bitrate streaming. Next, are chapters on H.264 and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), including details on efficiently rendering an encoding ladder, packaging for HLS and DASH with Bento4, and HLS processing via Apple tools Media File Segmenter, Variant Playlist Creator, and Media Stream Validator.

Next is a chapter on encoding HEVC with x265, which includes direction on creating, encoding, and packaging a hybrid HEVC/H.264 ladder for HLS distribution. Then a chapter on VP9, which includes how to encode and package for DASH distribution. The final chapter covers miscellaneous operations like transcoding live with H.264, HEVC, and VP9, concatenating multiple files, encoding with the new AV1 codec, and computing PSNR with FFmpeg.

A downloadable zipped file includes all (Windows) batch files used in the book, which you can easily adapt for your own use, and a detailed Table of Contents and Index will help you find what you need. All these contents ensure that you’ll be able to Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg in 30 Minutes or Less.

Specifically, in this book, you will learn:

• Streaming fundamentals, including configurations for single file and adaptive bitrate streaming

• How to install FFmpeg on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers

• Fundamentals of command line processing and batch file creation

• Single- and dual-pass encoding with FFmpeg

• How to choose the optimal configurations for resolution, data rate, frame settings, bitrate control and other common encoding options

• How to encode to H.264 (x264), HEVC (x265), VP9, and AV1 compression formats

• How to segment and package video for delivery via HTTP Live Streaming using FFmpeg, Bento4 and Apple Media File Segmenter and Variant Playlist Creator

• How to transcode into multiple stream H.264, HEVC, and VP9 formats for live streaming delivery

• How to create a hybrid H.264/HEVC encoding ladder for delivery via HLS

This book supersedes the previous edition.