FFmpeg convert videos without quality loss

Merge video + audio and convert to 8-bit H.264 with deinterlace

ffmpeg -i Svatba_Petr_1.m2v -i Svatba_Petr_1.wav -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -vf "bwdif,format=yuv420p" -c:a aac D:\output3.mp4

  • Adjust the -crf value to provide the desired level of quality. Add the -preset option if you want to adjust encoding speed. See FFmpeg Wiki: H.264 for more info on -crf and -preset.

  • Uses the format filter to choose the yuv420p pixel format to create 8-bit output.

  • bwdif - deinterlace.

10-bit/12-bit HEVC to 8-bit H.264

ffmpeg -i input -map 0 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -vf format=yuv420p -c:a copy output.mkv

  • -map 0 will include all streams (default stream selection only selects 1 stream per type). See FFmpeg Wiki: Map.

  • Adjust the -crf value to provide the desired level of quality. Add the -preset option if you want to adjust encoding speed. See FFmpeg Wiki: H.264 for more info on -crf and -preset.

  • Uses the format filter to choose the yuv420p pixel format to create 8-bit output.

10-bit/12-bit HEVC to 10-bit H.264

ffmpeg -i input -map 0 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -c:a copy output.mkv

  • -map 0 will include all streams (default stream selection only selects 1 stream per type). See FFmpeg Wiki: Map.

  • Adjust the -crf value to provide the desired level of quality. Add the -preset option if you want to adjust encoding speed. See FFmpeg Wiki: H.264 for more info on -crf and -preset.

  • No need for the format filter in this case.

10-bit/12-bit HEVC to 8-bit HEVC

ffmpeg -i input -map 0 -c:v libx265 -crf 20 -vf format=yuv420p -c:a copy output.mkv

  • -map 0 will include all streams (default stream selection only selects 1 stream per type). See FFmpeg Wiki: Map.

  • Adjust the -crf value to provide the desired level of quality. Add the -preset option if you want to adjust encoding speed. See FFmpeg Wiki: HEVC / H.265 for more info on -crf and -preset.

  • Uses the format filter to choose the yuv420p pixel format to create 8-bit output.

12-bit HEVC to 10-bit HEVC

ffmpeg -i input -map 0 -c:v libx265 -crf 20 -vf format=yuv420p10le -c:a copy output.mkv

  • -map 0 will include all streams (default stream selection only selects 1 stream per type). See FFmpeg Wiki: Map.

  • Adjust the -crf value to provide the desired level of quality. Add the -preset option if you want to adjust encoding speed. See FFmpeg Wiki: HEVC / H.265 for more info on -crf and -preset.

  • Uses the format filter to choose the yuv420p10le pixel format to create 10-bit output. Other 10-bit pixel formats supported by libx265 are yuv422p10le & yuv444p10le, but your player may not like these. See ffmpeg -h encoder=libx265 for additional supported pixel formats.

GoPro 4K MPEG4 to FullHD 50p MPEG4 cca 1600-2000 kbps

ffmpeg -i GX010183.MP4 -vf scale=1920:1080 -crf 18 -c:a copy GX010183_fullHD.MP4

How to cut a video, without re-encoding

Use this to cut video from [start] for [duration]:

ffmpeg -ss [start] -i in.mp4 -t [duration] -map 0 -c copy out.mp4

Use this to cut video from [start] to [end]:

ffmpeg -copyts -ss [start] -i in.mp4 -to [end] -map 0 -c copy out.mp4
  • -ss specifies the start time, e.g. 00:01:23.000 or 83 (in seconds)
  • -t specifies the duration of the clip. The format of the time is the same
  • Instead of -t, you can also use -to, which specifies the end time
  • -map 0 maps all streams: audio, video and subtitles
  • -copyts preserves the original timestamps from the input file
  • -c copy copies the first video, audio, and subtitle bitstream from the input to the output file without re-encoding them. This won't harm the quality and make the command run within seconds

Repair end time code:

ffmpeg -i temp.mp4 -c copy -copyts out.mp4