Learn to Produce Videos with FFmpeg: In Thirty Minutes or Less

This title was superseded by the 2018 Edition of the same name, which is now available on Amazon and other online booksellers. If you purchased this version, send proof of purchase to janozer@gmail.com and I'll send you a free PDF copy of the update ($29.95 value). Note that the changes in the book are concentrated, with new sections on Bento4 in Chapters 10 and 12, and several new sections on live transcoding and AV1 encoding in Chapter 14. Otherwise, most of the book is the same, so having a physical copy of the old edition and a PDF of the new should not be a hassle. Note that if you wait and buy a physical copy of the new edition, you won't get a PDF copy.

This focused 120-page book teaches readers how to use FFmpeg to create full adaptive bitrate ladders and package them into HLS or DASH formats. The book also includes a primer on terms and technologies related to streaming and recommended settings for all parameters detailed in the book.

Initial chapters focus on installing FFmpeg on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, and basics of command-line programming. Then the technology primer, and individual chapters on bitrate control, resolution, frame rate, I-, B-, P- and reference-frame settings. These are followed by chapters on H.264 and HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), which includes instruction on Apple tools Media File Segmenter, Variant Playlist Creator, and Media Stream Validator. Also covered is encoding for DASH with MP4Box. Next up are chapters on encoding HEVC with x265, and producing VP9, with the final chapter covering miscellaneous operations like concatenating multiple files, or 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.

(Note: the email in the book for the downloadable files is incorrect. Please email the request to jozer@mindspring.com. Sorry for any inconvenience).