20 November 2015

How to Install FFmpeg on Ubuntu, Debian & LinuxMint

Written by Rahul K.

FFmpeg is a cross-platform solution for streaming audio and video as well as recording and conversion. Its also useful to convert multimedia files between various formats. FFmpeg includes libavcodec audio/video codec library in it.

This article will describe you to how to install FFmpeg on Ubuntu, Debian and LinuxMint systems with easy steps.

1. Install FFmpeg

CentOS/RHEL and Fedora users make sure that you have enabled atrpms repository in system. Let’s begin installing FFmpeg as per your operating system.

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kirillshkrogalev/ffmpeg-next
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install ffmpeg

2. Check FFmpeg Version

After successfully install FFmpeg, let’s check the version installed on system.

# ffmpeg -version

ffmpeg version 2.4.3-1ubuntu1~trusty6 Copyright (c) 2000-2014 the FFmpeg developers
[...]

3. FFmpeg Basic Commands

Here is the list of few ffmepg basic command options used with ffmpeg command line tool.


ffmpeg -version:            show version
ffmpeg -formats:            show available formats
ffmpeg -codecs:             show available codecs
ffmpeg -decoders:           show available decoders
ffmpeg -encoders:           show available encoders
ffmpeg -bsfs:               show available bit stream filters
ffmpeg -protocols:          show available protocols
ffmpeg -filters:            show available filters
ffmpeg -pix_fmts:           show available pixel formats
ffmpeg -layouts:            show standard channel layouts
ffmpeg -sample_fmts:        show available audio sample formats

Click here to read more about ffmpeg on its official site.

4. Basic Examples

Below is some examples of uses of ffmpeg command line.

Reduce .mov File Size:

$ ffmpeg -i in.mov -c:v libx264 -c:a copy -crf 20 out.mov

Convert .move To .mp4

$ ffmpeg -i in.mov -vcodec copy -acodec aac -strict experimental -ab 128k out.mp4

Rahul K.

I, Rahul Kumar is the founder and chief editor of TecAdmin.net. I am Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) and working as IT professional since 2009.

5 Comments

Jamshid Reply to Jamshid

May 28, 2016 at 5:32 am

If you don’t necessarily need ffmpeg, and aconv will do (e.g. for youtube-dl), you can install aconv on CentOS7 using http://thelinuxfaq.com/258-how-to-install-avconv-on-centos-rhel-7-6.
Hitesh Reply to Hitesh

December 2, 2014 at 12:29 pm

Hi ,

I have tried above steps successfully done everything , I am able to check FFMPEG verion and basic command as well but when I check when I am checking the extension ” extension_loaded(‘ffmpeg’) or die(‘Error in loading ffmpeg’);” — it throws error “Error in loading ffmpeg” .

Also I tried checking “phpinfo();” , but it does not shows that ffmpeg is installed. What else I need to do to configure FFMPEG in cent OS 6.5 , PHP 5.5 .

Question : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/27226157/how-to-setup-ffmpeg-for-centos-release-6-5-server
someone Reply to someone

October 10, 2014 at 12:27 am

Dear sysadmin

Thank you very much, i tried a lot of site to install the new ffmpeg those code were not working, maybe old or mine had problem.
but this code you posted i tried this and it worked the new ffmpeg install to my vps.
thanks for your help
sysadmin Reply to sysadmin

October 3, 2014 at 12:35 pm

I finally found a solution which allows to install ffmpeg in Centos 7:

1. wget ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/centos/6.5/os/x86_64/Packages/libdc1394-2.1.2-3.4.el6.x86_64.rpm
2. yum -y localinstall libdc1394-2.1.2-3.4.el6.x86_64.rpm
3. rpm -ivh http://dl.atrpms.net/el7-x86_64/atrpms/stable/atrpms-repo-7-7.el7.x86_64.rpm
4. yum -y install ffmpeg

I hope it will help somebody.
- srinath Reply to srinath
  
  January 26, 2016 at 8:32 am
  
  @sysadmin thank you. Now I am compiling all the things to install. Installing the 6.5 version is not affecting?