FFmpeg Capabilities References

ffmpegio.caps module contains a set of functions to wrap ffmpeg’s help/show commands to check the capabilities of the ffmpeg executable that the ffmpegio is employing.

Todo

Parsing the additional command options that are specific to the containers, codecs, and filters. The options fields are currently returned as unparsed str

List of Functions

ffmpegio.caps.options	get FFmpeg command options
ffmpegio.caps.pix_fmts	get supported pixel formats
ffmpegio.caps.sample_fmts	get supported audio sample formats
ffmpegio.caps.layouts	get supported audio channel layouts
ffmpegio.caps.colors	get recognized color names
ffmpegio.caps.filters	get FFmpeg filters
ffmpegio.caps.filter_info	get detailed info of a filter
ffmpegio.caps.codecs	get FFmpeg codecs
ffmpegio.caps.encoders	get summary of FFmpeg encoders
ffmpegio.caps.encoder_info	get detailed info of an encoder
ffmpegio.caps.decoders	get summary of FFmpeg decoders
ffmpegio.caps.decoder_info	get detailed info of a decoder
ffmpegio.caps.formats	get FFmpeg formats
ffmpegio.caps.muxers	get FFmpeg muxers
ffmpegio.caps.muxer_info	get detailed info of a media muxer
ffmpegio.caps.demuxers	get FFmpeg demuxers
ffmpegio.caps.demuxer_info	get detailed info of a media demuxer
ffmpegio.caps.bsfilters	get list of FFmpeg bitstream filters
ffmpegio.caps.bsfilter_info	get detailed info of a bitstream filter
ffmpegio.caps.devices	get FFmpeg devices
ffmpegio.caps.protocols	get list of supported protocols

Todo

Remaining commands to be wrapped: sources, sinks, h protocol, dispositions

List of Constants

ffmpegio.caps.video_size_presets	list of video size presets with their sizes
ffmpegio.caps.frame_rate_presets	list of video frame rate presets with their rates

Function References

ffmpegio.caps.options(type=None, name_only=False, return_desc=False)

get FFmpeg command options

Parameters:

• type ("per-file"|"video"|"audio"|"subtitle"|"general"|"global"|None, optional) – specify option type to return, defaults to None

• name_only (bool, optional) – True to only return option names, defaults to False

• return_desc (bool, optional) – True to also return option description, defaults to False

Returns:

dict of types of options

Return type:

dict(dict or tuple) if type not specified

ffmpegio.caps.pix_fmts()

get supported pixel formats

Returns:

list of supported pixel formats

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a pix_fmt and its value is a dict with the following items:

Key	type	description
nb_components	int	Number of color components
bits_per_pixel	int	Number of bits per pixel
input	bool	True if can be used as an input option
output	bool	True if can be used as an output option
hw_accel	bool	True if supported by hardware accelerators
paletted	bool	True if uses paletted colors
bitstream	bool	True if can be used with bistreams

ffmpegio.caps.sample_fmts()

get supported audio sample formats

Returns:

list of supported audio sample formats

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a sample_fmt and its value is the number of bits per sample.

ffmpegio.caps.layouts()

get supported audio channel layouts

Returns:

list of supported audio channel layouts

Return type:

dict

Returned dict has two keys “channels” and “layouts”. The value of “channels” is a dict of possible channel names as keys and their descriptions as values. The value of “layouts” is also a dict, which keys specifies the names and their value strs indicate the combinations of channels (their names are “+”ed).

ffmpegio.caps.colors()

get recognized color names

Returns:

list of color names

Return type:

dict

The keys of the returned dict are the name of the colors and their values are the RGB hex strs.

ffmpegio.caps.filters(type=None)

get FFmpeg filters

Parameters:

type ('audio'|'video'|'dynamic', optional) – specify input or output stream type, defaults to None

Returns:

dict of summary of the filters

Return type:

dict(key,FilterSummary)

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a filter and its value is a FilterSummary namedtuple with the following items:

Key	type	description
description	str	Short description of the filter
input	str	Input stream type: ‘audio’|’video’|’dynamic’
num_inputs	int|None	Number of inputs or None if ‘dynamic’
output	str	Output stream type: ‘audio’|’video’|’dynamic’
num_outputs	int|None	Number of outputs or None if ‘dynamic’
timeline_support	bool	True if supports timeline editing
slice_threading	bool	True if supports threading
command_support	bool	True if supports command input from stdin

ffmpegio.caps.filter_info(name)

get detailed info of a filter

Returns:

list of features

Return type:

FilterInfo (namedtuple)

The returned FilterInfo named tuple has following entries:

Key	type	description
name	str	Name
description	str	Description
threading	list(str)	List of threading capabilities
inputs	list(dict)|str	List of input pads or ‘dynamic’ if variable
outputs	list(dict)|str	List of output pads or ‘dynamic’ if variable
options	list(FilterOption)	List of filter options
extra_options	dict(str,list(FilterOption))	Extra options co-listed
timeline_support	bool	True if enable timeline option is supported

‘inputs’ and ‘outputs’ entries has two keys: ‘name’ and ‘type’ defining the pad name and pad stream type (‘audio’ or ‘video’)

FilterOption is a namedtuple with the following entries:

Key	type	description
name	str	Name
alias	str	Alias name
type	str	Data type
help	str	Help text
ranges	list(tuple(any,any))|None	List of ranges of values
constants	dict(str:any)	List of defined constant/enum values
default	any	Default value
video	bool	True if option for video stream
audio	bool	True if option for audio stream
runtime	bool	True if modifiable during runtime

ffmpegio.caps.codecs(type=None, stream_type=None)

get FFmpeg codecs

Parameters:

• type ('decoder'|'encoder', optional) – Specify to list only decoder or encoder, defaults to None

• stream_type ('audio'|'video'|'subtitle', optional) – Specify to stream type, defaults to None

Returns:

summary of FFmpeg codecs

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a codec and its value is a dict with the following items:

Key	type	description
type	str	Stream type: ‘audio’|’video’|’subtitle’
description	str	Short description of the codec
can_decode	bool	True if FFmpeg can decode
decoders	list(str)	List of compatible decoders
can_encode	bool	True if FFmpeg can encode
encoders	list(str)	List of compatible encoders
intra_frame_only	bool	True if codec only uses intra-frame coding
is_lossy	bool	True if codec can do lossy compression
is_lossless	bool	True if codec can do lossless compression

ffmpegio.caps.encoders(type=None)

get summary of FFmpeg encoders

Parameters:

type ('audio'|'video'|'subtitle', optional) – specify stream type, defaults to None

Returns:

list of encoders

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a decoder or encoder and its value is a dict with the following items:

Key	type	description
type	str	Stream type: ‘audio’|’video’|’subtitle’
description	str	Short description of the coder
frame_mt	bool	True if employs frame-level multithreading
slice_mt	bool	True if employs slice-level multithreading
experimental	bool	True if experimental encoder
draw_horiz_band	bool	True if supports draw_horiz_band
directRendering	bool	True if supports direct encoding method 1

ffmpegio.caps.encoder_info(name)

get detailed info of an encoder

Returns:

list of features

Return type:

dict

The returned dict has following entries:

Key	type	description
name	list(str)	Short names
long_name	str	Long name
capabilities	list(str)	List of supported capabilities
threading	list(str)	List of threading capabilities
supported_hwdevices	list(str)	List of supported hardware accelerators
supported_framerates	list(Fraction)	List of supported video frame rates
supported_pix_fmts	list(str)	List of supported video pixel formats
supported_sample_rates	list(int)	List of supported audio sample rates
supported_sample_fmts	list(str)	List of supported audio sample formats
supported_layouts	list(str)	List of supported audio channel layouts
options	str	Unparsed string, listing supported options

ffmpegio.caps.decoders(type=None)

get summary of FFmpeg decoders

Parameters:

stream_type ('audio'|'video'|'subtitle', optional) – specify stream type, defaults to None

Returns:

list of decoders or encoders

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a decoder and its value is a dict with the following items:

Key	type	description
type	str	Stream type: ‘audio’|’video’|’subtitle’
description	str	Short description of the coder
frame_mt	bool	True if employs frame-level multithreading
slice_mt	bool	True if employs slice-level multithreading
experimental	bool	True if experimental encoder
draw_horiz_band	bool	True if supports draw_horiz_band
directRendering	bool	True if supports direct encoding method 1

ffmpegio.caps.decoder_info(name)

get detailed info of a decoder

Returns:

list of features

Return type:

dict

The returned dict has following entries:

Key	type	description
name	list(str)	Short names
long_name	str	Long name
capabilities	list(str)	List of supported capabilities
threading	list(str)	List of threading capabilities
supported_hwdevices	list(str)	List of supported hardware accelerators
supported_framerates	list(Fraction)	List of supported video frame rates
supported_pix_fmts	list(str)	List of supported video pixel formats
supported_sample_rates	list(int)	List of supported audio sample rates
supported_sample_fmts	list(str)	List of supported audio sample formats
supported_layouts	list(str)	List of supported audio channel layouts
options	str	Unparsed string, listing supported options

ffmpegio.caps.formats()

get FFmpeg formats

Returns:

list of formats

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a format and its value is a dict with the following items:

Key	type	description
description	str	Short description of the format
can_demux	bool	True if supports inputs of this format
can_mux	bool	True if support outputs of this format

ffmpegio.caps.muxers()

get FFmpeg muxers

Returns:

list of muxers

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a muxer and its value is a dict with the following items:

Key	type	description
description	str	Short description of the muxer

ffmpegio.caps.muxer_info(name)

get detailed info of a media muxer

Returns:

list of features

Return type:

dict

The returned dict has following entries:

Key	type	description
names	list(str)	List of compatible short names
long_name	str	Common long name
extensions	list(str)	List of associated common extensions (w/out ‘.’)
mime_types	list(str)	List of associated MIME types
video_codecs	list(str)	List of supported video codecs
audio_codecs	list(str)	List of supported audio codecs
subtitle_codecs	list(str)	List of supported subtitle codecs
options	str	Unparsed string, listing supported options

ffmpegio.caps.demuxers()

get FFmpeg demuxers

Returns:

list of demuxers

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a demuxer and its value is a dict with the following items:

Key	type	description
description	str	Short description of the demuxer

ffmpegio.caps.demuxer_info(name)

get detailed info of a media demuxer

Returns:

list of features

Return type:

dict

The returned dict has following entries:

Key	type	description
names	list(str)	List of compatible short names
long_name	str	Common long name
extensions	list(str)	List of associated common extensions (w/out ‘.’)
options	str	Unparsed string, listing supported options

ffmpegio.caps.bsfilters()

get list of FFmpeg bitstream filters

Returns:

list of bistream filters

Return type:

list(str)

ffmpegio.caps.bsfilter_info(name)

get detailed info of a bitstream filter

Returns:

list of features

Return type:

dict

The returned dict has following entries:

Key	type	description
name	str	Name
supported_codecs	str	List of supported codecs
options	str	Unparsed string, listing supported options

ffmpegio.caps.devices(type=None)

get FFmpeg devices

Parameters:

type ('source'|'sink', optional) – specify source or sink type, defaults to None

Returns:

list of devices

Return type:

dict

Each key of the returned dict is a name of a device and its value is a dict with the following items:

Key	type	description
description	str	Short description of the device
can_demux	bool	True if supports inputs of this format
can_mux	bool	True if support outputs of this format

ffmpegio.caps.protocols()

get list of supported protocols

Returns:

list of protocols

Return type:

dict

Returned dict has ‘input’ and ‘output’ keys and each contains a list of supported protocol names.