FFmpeg from Beginner to Mastery

Name: FFmpeg from Beginner to Mastery
ISBN: 9787111592204

Liu Qi / 赵文杰China Machine Press2018

2.6

Word count: 186K words
Chapters: 12
Series: Electronic and Embedded System Design Series
ISBN: 9787111592204

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Summary

FFmpeg from Beginner to Mastery is a summation of years of hands-on experience by Liu Qi and Zhao Wenjie, two front-line audio-video engineers. It is positioned as a practical technical guide rather than a Chinese translation of the official documentation. The book has 10 chapters, divided into two parts by mode of use. Part One (Chapters 1–7) covers command-line usage: it first outlines FFmpeg's definition, history, basic components, and compilation and installation (including customization of codec support), then explains the common commands of the ffmpeg, ffplay, and ffprobe trio, followed in turn by remuxing (to MP4, FLV, M3U8, slicing, and stream extraction), transcoding (software encoding of H.264/H.265, hardware codecs, outputting MP3 and AAC), streaming (RTMP push and recording, RTSP/HTTP/UDP/TCP pulling, multi-stream pushing, HDS and DASH), filters (watermarks, picture-in-picture, multi-grid, subtitles, keying, 3D video, timed screenshots, speed adjustment), and device capture (Linux, macOS, Windows). Part Two (Chapters 8–10) covers API usage: around libavformat it discusses muxing, demuxing, remuxing, video clipping, and avio memory read/write; around libavcodec it discusses encoding and decoding calls through both old and new interfaces; around libavfilter it discusses building filtergraphs and overlaying logos with filters. The examples are all based on the corresponding FFmpeg version and cover both old and new API styles, making it easy for readers to compare with production code.

Editor's review

FFmpeg的中文资料长期稀缺，官方文档动辄上千页，新手往往“看得懂单词、写不出命令”。这本书的价值在于把文档里散落的知识按“能直接跑起来”的顺序重排：先给一条可复制的转封装、转码、推流命令，再解释参数为什么这么写。作者刘歧是FFmpeg官方代码维护者，赵文杰是SRS流媒体服务器的核心开发者，两人都在一线做音视频架构，因此书里既有命令行层面的“怎么用”，也有libavformat/libavcodec层面的“怎么写成代码”。第3至第6章的封装、转码、流媒体、滤镜几块，基本覆盖了直播、点播、转码服务的日常工作场景；第8至第10章的API部分对需要自研播放器、转码服务或视频编辑的同学尤其有用。需要提醒的是，本书出版于2018年，示例基于当时的FFmpeg版本，部分接口（特别是新版本中的API）此后已有变化，照抄代码时请对照官方文档或新版FFmpeg调整。豆瓣评分不高（约5.2），主要争议在于深度偏“入门”、部分示例不够完整，把它当作入门的跳板而非参考手册，体验会更好。

Who it's for

A good fit for

需要快速用命令行完成转封装、切片、转码、推流的音视频工程师
要在C/C++项目中调用libavformat、libavcodec、libavfilter的开发者
做直播、点播、云转码后端，需要系统补齐FFmpeg知识的技术人员
多媒体方向本科生、研究生作为课程参考与动手实践读物

Not a good fit for

希望深入编解码算法、码率控制原理与论文级推导的算法研究者，本书偏应用
完全零基础、不熟悉命令行和Linux编译环境的读者，上手会较吃力
需要最新FFmpeg版本接口说明的读者，请优先查阅官方文档与新版资料

Reading tips

先在第1章完成编译与版本确认，形成与书中示例一致的运行环境，再逐章敲命令
命令行部分边读边用手机/摄像头录制的短片段试手，把命令整理成自己的脚本库
API部分建议对照当前版本FFmpeg的头文件和示例程序阅读，遇到接口变更以官方文档为准
遇到流媒体章节时动手搭一个本地RTMP/HTTP服务，比纯看不跑更容易掌握推拉流细节

About the publisher

China Machine Press China · Founded in 1950

In addition to science and technology and professional publishing, the books in our catalog from China Machine Press also reflect a sustained focus on psychology, computing, management, finance and economics, and social sciences. In psychology, the catalog includes works by C. G. Jung and introductions to analytical psychology, as well as applied topics such as stress and health, and addiction and healing. In computing, it features Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (JavaScript Edition). Management and finance titles include Administrative Behavior (4th Edition), The Price of Inequality (Collector's Edition), and This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Commemorative Edition). In the philosophy and history of science, there is The Worldview: The Third Edition. Relevant authors include C. G. Jung, William McGuire, Sonu Shamdasani, and Gabor Maté. Public information is limited; the above summarizes the publisher's profile based solely on the books in our catalog.

Part One: FFmpeg Command-Line Usage
Chapter 1 Introduction to FFmpeg (definition, history, basic components, ffmpeg/ffplay/ffprobe, compilation, codec support and customization)
Chapter 2 Basics of Using FFmpeg Tools (common commands of ffmpeg, ffprobe, ffplay)
Chapter 3 FFmpeg Remuxing (to MP4, to FLV, to M3U8, slicing, stream extraction)
Chapter 4 FFmpeg Transcoding (H.264/H.265 software encoding, hardware codecs, outputting MP3, outputting AAC)
Chapter 5 FFmpeg Streaming (RTMP push and recording, RTSP, HTTP, UDP/TCP, multi-stream pushing, HDS, DASH)
Chapter 6 Using FFmpeg Filters (filter description format, watermark, picture-in-picture, multi-grid, audio filters, subtitles, keying, 3D, screenshots, speed adjustment)
Chapter 7 FFmpeg Capture Devices (device operations on Linux, OS X, Windows)
Part Two: FFmpeg API Usage
Chapter 8 Using the FFmpeg Interface libavformat (muxing, demuxing, remuxing, video clipping, avio memory operations)
Chapter 9 Using the FFmpeg Interface libavcodec (old and new interfaces)
Chapter 10 Using the FFmpeg Interface libavfilter (filtergraph, reserved filters, flowcharts, adding logos)

FAQ

这本书的作者是谁，背景可靠吗？

作者为刘歧与赵文杰。刘歧是FFmpeg官方代码维护者之一，长期从事音视频架构工作；赵文杰是开源流媒体服务器SRS的开发者之一，主攻音视频编解码与渲染。两人均有多年一线工程经验，内容偏向实战。

书中示例基于哪个FFmpeg版本，现在还能用吗？

本书2018年出版，示例以当时的FFmpeg版本为基准。转封装、转码、滤镜等命令行用法大体仍通用，但部分参数与API接口后来有调整，照抄前建议先用ffmpeg -version确认版本并对照官方文档。

只做业务开发、不写C代码，需要看第二部分吗？

可以只看第1至第7章的命令行部分，足够应付日常的格式转换、切片、推流与滤镜处理。第8至第10章的API内容面向需要自己封装转码、播放或编辑功能的开发者，按需阅读即可。

豆瓣评分不算高，值得买吗？

本书豆瓣评分约5.2，争议主要在于深度偏入门、部分示例不够完整。但在中文FFmpeg系统教程匮乏的背景下，它仍是从命令行到API的一条完整入门路径，建议把它当入门书而非工具手册使用。

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About the author

赵文杰 Author

Zhao Wenjie's works span several fields, including law, agriculture and forestry, inspirational growth, and English learning, with seven titles held in the collection. Among them, Case Studies in German Law of Obligations I: Contractual Obligations (6th Edition) is a legal study or translated reader, while A General Introduction to Global Agriculture addresses the agricultural field. Zhao also compiled the "Daily Listening to English Fable Stories" series for grades three through six, using fables and listening practice to support primary-school English learning. The documentary work My Football Story with Shanghai Jiao Tong University centers on campus football experiences. Because public information is limited, details such as nationality, dates of birth and death, education, and professional career are unknown, and the available information comes mainly from the works themselves. Overall, Zhao Wenjie's writing crosses specialized translation, textbook compilation, and personal documentary, with a wide range of subjects and readers extending from law and agriculture students to primary-school English learners.