How to Download a Video from M3U8 using ffmpeg

ffmpeg is a powerful tool for processing multimedia files. It can be used to download videos from live streams or M3U8 files. In this guide, you will learn how to use ffmpeg to download a video from an M3U8 file.

What is an M3U8 File?

An M3U8 file is a playlist format used for live video streams or for playing TV shows and movies on streaming platforms. These files contain links to video fragments that are downloaded and played sequentially.

ffmpeg Command for Downloading M3U8 Video

The basic command to download a video from an M3U8 file with ffmpeg is:

Command Explanation

The command has several components. '-i "URL"' specifies the URL of the M3U8 file. The '-bsf:a aac_adtstoasc' parameter is a bitstream filter for audio that converts ADTS to ASC format. '-vcodec copy' and '-c copy' tell ffmpeg to copy the video and audio codecs without altering them. '-crf 50' adjusts the compression rate for video quality. 'file.mp4' is the name of the output file.