[FFmpeg-user] How can I get a duration and fps of any video that corresponds with the number of frames that can be read?

Tom Burrows tomburrows13 at icloud.com
Wed Aug 5 19:52:19 EEST 2020


I'm a developer of the Python MoviePy package and I'm trying to rework how we import file information to be more robust.

I need to get the duration of any video file such that when multiplied with the media's fps value (in this case, either ’tbr’ or ‘fps'), it equals the number of frames in the video.

I've found 3 solutions:

(1) ffmpeg -i broken_video.mp4
(2) ffmpeg -i broken_video.mp4 -f null -
(3) ffmpeg -i broken_video.mp4 -codec copy -f null -
(Full outputs at the end)

FFmpeg reports that the video has 29.90 fps, 30 tbr, and contains 305 frames.

They all list Duration: 00:00:10.26 near the top. I believe that this is derived from the metadata and has proved to be unreliable, so I'd rather avoid using this. In this case, 10.26x30=307.8

(2) has time=00:00:10.21 near the bottom. 10.21x30=306.3. Also, this one is a lot slower since it is re-encoding the entire file.

(3) has time=00:00:10.19 10.19x30=305.7. This is the closest to 305, although it still rounds incorrectly.

I've also considered simply taking the fps and the number of frames and generating the duration from this (in this case, 30x305= 10.16667), but I’m assuming that sometimes the fps is wrong? (occasionally the tbr is something crazy like 10k and that would surely create an incorrect duration. Maybe this behaviour wouldn’t happen with ‘fps’?).

Is there a better solution to this problem?

—————

$ ffmpeg -i broken_video.mp4
ffmpeg version 4.2.2 Copyright (c) 2000-2019 the FFmpeg developers
  built with Apple clang version 11.0.0 (clang-1100.0.33.17)
  configuration: --prefix=/usr/local/Cellar/ffmpeg/4.2.2_2 --enable-shared --enable-pthreads --enable-version3 --enable-avresample --cc=clang --host-cflags= --host-ldflags= --enable-ffplay --enable-gnutls --enable-gpl --enable-libaom --enable-libbluray --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-librubberband --enable-libsnappy --enable-libtesseract --enable-libtheora --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-lzma --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-frei0r --enable-libass --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-librtmp --enable-libspeex --enable-libsoxr --enable-videotoolbox --disable-libjack --disable-indev=jack
  libavutil      56. 31.100 / 56. 31.100
  libavcodec     58. 54.100 / 58. 54.100
  libavformat    58. 29.100 / 58. 29.100
  libavdevice    58.  8.100 / 58.  8.100
  libavfilter     7. 57.100 /  7. 57.100
  libavresample   4.  0.  0 /  4.  0.  0
  libswscale      5.  5.100 /  5.  5.100
  libswresample   3.  5.100 /  3.  5.100
  libpostproc    55.  5.100 / 55.  5.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'broken_video.mp4':
  Metadata:
    minor_version   : 512
    major_brand     : isom
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    information     : {"com.bytedance.info": "{}"}
    comment         : vid:v0200f970000brb4glubn5v3g13q5db0
    encoder         : Lavf58.20.100
  Duration: 00:00:10.26, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 743 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, smpte170m/bt470bg/smpte170m), 576x1024 [SAR 1:1 DAR 9:16], 608 kb/s, 29.90 fps, 30 tbr, 15360 tbn, 60 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 127 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
At least one output file must be specified

————

$ ffmpeg -i broken_video.mp4 -f null -
ffmpeg version 4.2.2 Copyright (c) 2000-2019 the FFmpeg developers
  built with Apple clang version 11.0.0 (clang-1100.0.33.17)
  configuration: --prefix=/usr/local/Cellar/ffmpeg/4.2.2_2 --enable-shared --enable-pthreads --enable-version3 --enable-avresample --cc=clang --host-cflags= --host-ldflags= --enable-ffplay --enable-gnutls --enable-gpl --enable-libaom --enable-libbluray --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-librubberband --enable-libsnappy --enable-libtesseract --enable-libtheora --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-lzma --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-frei0r --enable-libass --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-librtmp --enable-libspeex --enable-libsoxr --enable-videotoolbox --disable-libjack --disable-indev=jack
  libavutil      56. 31.100 / 56. 31.100
  libavcodec     58. 54.100 / 58. 54.100
  libavformat    58. 29.100 / 58. 29.100
  libavdevice    58.  8.100 / 58.  8.100
  libavfilter     7. 57.100 /  7. 57.100
  libavresample   4.  0.  0 /  4.  0.  0
  libswscale      5.  5.100 /  5.  5.100
  libswresample   3.  5.100 /  3.  5.100
  libpostproc    55.  5.100 / 55.  5.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'broken_video.mp4':
  Metadata:
    minor_version   : 512
    major_brand     : isom
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    information     : {"com.bytedance.info": "{}"}
    comment         : vid:v0200f970000brb4glubn5v3g13q5db0
    encoder         : Lavf58.20.100
  Duration: 00:00:10.26, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 743 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, smpte170m/bt470bg/smpte170m), 576x1024 [SAR 1:1 DAR 9:16], 608 kb/s, 29.90 fps, 30 tbr, 15360 tbn, 60 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 127 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (h264 (native) -> wrapped_avframe (native))
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (aac (native) -> pcm_s16le (native))
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
Output #0, null, to 'pipe:':
  Metadata:
    minor_version   : 512
    major_brand     : isom
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    information     : {"com.bytedance.info": "{}"}
    comment         : vid:v0200f970000brb4glubn5v3g13q5db0
    encoder         : Lavf58.29.100
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: wrapped_avframe, yuv420p, 576x1024 [SAR 1:1 DAR 9:16], q=2-31, 200 kb/s, 30 fps, 30 tbn, 30 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
      encoder         : Lavc58.54.100 wrapped_avframe
    Stream #0:1(und): Audio: pcm_s16le, 44100 Hz, stereo, s16, 1411 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
      encoder         : Lavc58.54.100 pcm_s16le
frame=  305 fps=0.0 q=-0.0 Lsize=N/A time=00:00:10.21 bitrate=N/A speed=27.1x    
video:160kB audio:1760kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead: unknown

—————

$ ffmpeg -i broken_video.mp4 -codec copy -f null -
ffmpeg version 4.2.2 Copyright (c) 2000-2019 the FFmpeg developers
  built with Apple clang version 11.0.0 (clang-1100.0.33.17)
  configuration: --prefix=/usr/local/Cellar/ffmpeg/4.2.2_2 --enable-shared --enable-pthreads --enable-version3 --enable-avresample --cc=clang --host-cflags= --host-ldflags= --enable-ffplay --enable-gnutls --enable-gpl --enable-libaom --enable-libbluray --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-librubberband --enable-libsnappy --enable-libtesseract --enable-libtheora --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-lzma --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-frei0r --enable-libass --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-librtmp --enable-libspeex --enable-libsoxr --enable-videotoolbox --disable-libjack --disable-indev=jack
  libavutil      56. 31.100 / 56. 31.100
  libavcodec     58. 54.100 / 58. 54.100
  libavformat    58. 29.100 / 58. 29.100
  libavdevice    58.  8.100 / 58.  8.100
  libavfilter     7. 57.100 /  7. 57.100
  libavresample   4.  0.  0 /  4.  0.  0
  libswscale      5.  5.100 /  5.  5.100
  libswresample   3.  5.100 /  3.  5.100
  libpostproc    55.  5.100 / 55.  5.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'broken_video.mp4':
  Metadata:
    minor_version   : 512
    major_brand     : isom
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    information     : {"com.bytedance.info": "{}"}
    comment         : vid:v0200f970000brb4glubn5v3g13q5db0
    encoder         : Lavf58.20.100
  Duration: 00:00:10.26, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 743 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, smpte170m/bt470bg/smpte170m), 576x1024 [SAR 1:1 DAR 9:16], 608 kb/s, 29.90 fps, 30 tbr, 15360 tbn, 60 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 127 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
Output #0, null, to 'pipe:':
  Metadata:
    minor_version   : 512
    major_brand     : isom
    compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
    information     : {"com.bytedance.info": "{}"}
    comment         : vid:v0200f970000brb4glubn5v3g13q5db0
    encoder         : Lavf58.29.100
    Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(tv, smpte170m/bt470bg/smpte170m), 576x1024 [SAR 1:1 DAR 9:16], q=2-31, 608 kb/s, 29.90 fps, 30 tbr, 15360 tbn, 15360 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : VideoHandler
    Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 127 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
frame=  305 fps=0.0 q=-1.0 Lsize=N/A time=00:00:10.19 bitrate=N/A speed=2.14e+03x    
video:758kB audio:160kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead: unknown


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