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'''FFmpeg''' is a computer program that can record, convert and ] digital ] and ] in numerous formats.<ref>http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/ffmpeg-doc.html</ref> FFmpeg is a command line tool that is composed of a collection of ] ]. It includes '']'', an audio/video ] library used by several other projects, and '''libavformat''', an audio/video ] ] library. The name of the project comes from the ] video standards group, together with "FF" for "fast forward".<ref>{{ cite web | title = FFmpeg naming and logo | url = http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2006-February/007707.html | first = Fabrice | last = Bellard | work = FFmpeg developer mailing list | publisher = Mplayer website | date = ] ] | accessdate = 2007-03-29 }}</ref> '''FFmpeg''' is a computer program that can record, convert and ] digital ] and ] in numerous formats.<ref>http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/ffmpeg-doc.html</ref> FFmpeg is a command line tool that is composed of a collection of ] / ] ]. It includes '']'', an audio/video ] library used by several other projects, and '''libavformat''', an audio/video ] ] library. The name of the project comes from the ] video standards group, together with "FF" for "fast forward".<ref>{{ cite web | title = FFmpeg naming and logo | url = http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/2006-February/007707.html | first = Fabrice | last = Bellard | work = FFmpeg developer mailing list | publisher = Mplayer website | date = ] ] | accessdate = 2007-03-29 }}</ref>


The project was started by ] (using the ] “Gerard Lantau”), and is now maintained by Michael Niedermayer. Many FFmpeg developers are also part of the ] project, and FFmpeg is hosted at the MPlayer project server. The project was started by ] (using the ] “Gerard Lantau”), and is now maintained by Michael Niedermayer. Many FFmpeg developers are also part of the ] project, and FFmpeg is hosted at the MPlayer project server.

Revision as of 09:24, 13 February 2008

FFmpeg
File:Ffmpeg-logo.png
Developer(s)FFmpeg team
Stable release0.4.9-pre1 / 2004-07-10
Repository
Written inC
Operating systemCross-platform
TypeMultimedia framework
LicenseGNU Lesser General Public License
Websitehttp://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/

FFmpeg is a computer program that can record, convert and stream digital audio and video in numerous formats. FFmpeg is a command line tool that is composed of a collection of free software / open source libraries. It includes libavcodec, an audio/video codec library used by several other projects, and libavformat, an audio/video container mux and demux library. The name of the project comes from the MPEG video standards group, together with "FF" for "fast forward".

The project was started by Fabrice Bellard (using the pseudonym “Gerard Lantau”), and is now maintained by Michael Niedermayer. Many FFmpeg developers are also part of the MPlayer project, and FFmpeg is hosted at the MPlayer project server.

FFmpeg is developed under Linux, but it can be compiled under most operating systems, including Microsoft Windows and Amiga Workbench. There are no releases. Instead, FFmpeg developers recommend using the latest Subversion snapshot as development attempts to maintain a stable trunk. Released under the GNU Lesser General Public License or GNU General Public License (depending on which sub-libraries one would include), FFmpeg is free software.

There are two video codecs invented in the FFmpeg project during its development. It is the lossless FFV1 and the only nearly complete lossless or lossy working snow codec based on wavelet transformations and an intelligent version of range encoding.

Design

Diagram showing different applications (VDR, Mplayer, Xine and VideoLAN) using FFmpeg
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.

Components

The project is made of several components:

  • ffmpeg is a command line tool to convert one video file format to another. It also supports grabbing and encoding in real time from a TV card.
  • ffserver is an HTTP (RTSP is being developed) multimedia streaming server for live broadcasts. Time shifting of live broadcast is also supported.
  • ffplay is a simple media player based on SDL and on the FFmpeg libraries.
  • libavcodec is a library containing all the FFmpeg audio/video encoders and decoders. Most codecs were developed from scratch to ensure best performance and high code reusability.
  • libavformat is a library containing demuxers and muxers for audio/video container formats.
  • libavutil is a helper library containing routines common to different parts of FFmpeg.
  • libpostproc is a library containing video postprocessing routines.
  • libswscale is a library containing video image scaling routines.

Codecs and formats supported

The FFmpeg developers have reverse-engineered and/or reimplemented, among others:

Codecs

See libavcodec for more details.

The default MPEG-4 codec used by FFmpeg for encoding has the FourCC of FMP4.

Formats

Legal status

FFmpeg's legal status varies by country. Some included codecs, (such as Sorenson 3), are claimed by patent owners. Such claims may be enforceable in countries like the United States which recognize software patents, but are considered unenforcable or void in countries that do not recognize software patents. Furthermore, many of these codecs are only released under terms that forbid reverse engineering, even for purposes of interoperability. However, these terms of use are forbidden in certain countries. For example, some European Union nations do not recognize software patents and/or have laws expressly allowing reverse engineering for purposes of interoperability. In any case, many Linux distributions do not include FFmpeg to avoid legal complications.

See also

References

  1. http://ffmpeg.mplayerhq.hu/ffmpeg-doc.html
  2. Bellard, Fabrice (18 February 2006). "FFmpeg naming and logo". FFmpeg developer mailing list. Mplayer website. Retrieved 2007-03-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ banan (17 April 2007). "Changelog". FFmpeg trunk SVN. FFmpeg website. Retrieved 2007-04-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ banan (7 May 2007). "FFmpeg development mailing list". FFmpeg development. FFmpeg website. Retrieved 2007-06-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. . Council Directive 91/250/EEC of 14 May 1991 on the legal protection of computer programs. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. "Information about this on FFmpeg's website".


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