How to Install FFmpeg and Convert a Video with Custom Settings

FFmpeg is a powerful command-line tool for handling video, audio, and other multimedia files.

This guide will show you how to install FFmpeg on your computer and use it to:

Convert a video to 720p at 30 fps.
Set a keyframe interval of 2 seconds and bitrate of 3000 kbps.
Add a watermark image in the bottom-right corner.
Extend the video to 20 minutes by looping it.

It will make your video 20 mins long and to the required specifications of most social media platforms to live stream your prerecorded video.

Table of Contents

Step 1: Install FFmpeg

On Windows

Download the FFmpeg zip file:
- Visit FFmpeg’s official download page.
- Select the Windows version and download the pre-compiled binaries.
Extract the zip file to a directory, e.g., C:\ffmpeg.
Add FFmpeg to your system PATH:
- Open the Start menu and search for Environment Variables.
- Click Edit the system environment variables.
- Under System Properties, click Environment Variables.
- In the System variables section, find Path, select it, and click Edit.
- Click New and add the path to the bin folder, e.g., C:\ffmpeg\bin.
Open a new Command Prompt and type ffmpeg. If installed correctly, you’ll see FFmpeg’s output.

On macOS

Install Homebrew if you don’t have it:bashCopy code/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
Install FFmpeg using Homebrew:bashCopy codebrew install ffmpeg
Verify the installation by running:bashCopy codeffmpeg -version

On Linux

Update your package list:bashCopy codesudo apt update
Install FFmpeg:bashCopy codesudo apt install ffmpeg
Verify the installation:bashCopy codeffmpeg -version

Step 2: Prepare Your Files

Input Video: Place the video file you want to convert in a folder. For this guide, we’ll call it input.mp4.
Watermark Image: Save the watermark image as watermark.png and place it in the same folder.

Step 3: Run the FFmpeg Command

Use the following FFmpeg command to process the video:

bashCopy codeffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i watermark.png \
-vf "scale=1280:720, fps=30, overlay=W-w-10:H-h-10, loop=loop=300" \
-b:v 3000k -keyint_min 60 -g 60 -t 1200 -c:v libx264 -preset fast -c:a aac -b:a 128k output.mp4

Explanation of the Command

Inputs:
- -i input.mp4: Specifies the input video.
- -i watermark.png: Specifies the watermark image.
Video Filters (-vf):
- scale=1280:720: Rescales the video to 720p resolution (1280×720).
- fps=30: Sets the frame rate to 30 frames per second.
- overlay=W-w-10:H-h-10: Places the watermark in the bottom-right corner, with a 10-pixel margin.
- loop=loop=300: Loops the video to ensure it runs for 20 minutes (1200 seconds).
Bitrate and Keyframe Settings:
- -b:v 3000k: Sets the video bitrate to 3000 kbps.
- -keyint_min 60 -g 60: Sets a keyframe interval of 2 seconds (30 fps x 2 seconds).
Duration (-t):
- -t 1200: Sets the output duration to 1200 seconds (20 minutes).
Codecs:
- -c:v libx264: Encodes the video using the H.264 codec.
- -preset fast: Speeds up the encoding process.
- -c:a aac -b:a 128k: Encodes the audio using the AAC codec at 128 kbps.
Output:
- output.mp4: The name of the processed video file.

Step 4: Verify the Output

After running the command, check the output.mp4 file. It should:

Be 20 minutes long.
Have a resolution of 1280×720 (720p).
Play at 30 fps with a bitrate of 3000 kbps.
Include the watermark in the bottom-right corner.

Troubleshooting Tips

Command Not Found: Ensure FFmpeg is installed and added to your PATH.
Incorrect Watermark Position: Adjust the overlay=W-w-10:H-h-10 values for finer placement.
Performance Issues: Use -preset ultrafast instead of -preset fast to speed up encoding (at the cost of file size).

Conclusion

FFmpeg provides immense flexibility for video processing tasks. Whether you’re a content creator, developer, or video enthusiast, mastering these commands can help you customize your videos to suit your needs.