FFmpeg is one of the most advanced tools in the open source universe, but it carries a very steep learning curve. Some programs use FFmpeg in the background or with a wrapper, however, you can also enter command strings directly in the console. FFmpeg Explorer helps you preview many of its built-in functions and obtain the exact commands for local execution.
FFmpeg is a project that has been with us for more than twenty years, and it has become the backbone of many multimedia applications. From a certain point of view, FFmpeg behaves like a Victorinox tool, supporting dozens of formats, protocols, and hardware platforms.
Now, the most effective way to use FFmpeg is through another program, but nothing prevents console enthusiasts from writing all the commands manually. That is where FFmpeg Explorer comes in.
How to Transform Your Favorite Videos with FFmpeg Explorer
The interface of FFmpeg Explorer is divided into several sections. On the left you'll find a list of filters, in the center appears the workspace, in the upper right corner you see its preview window, and in the lower right corner you have all the advanced parameters that accompany each filter.
In the workspace there are two boxes, input and output. In input we can choose one of two available examples or load a file, while output lets us choose between mp4 and animated gif.
The rest is a matter of selecting filters, dragging them to the workspace, modifying their parameters, and clicking Render Preview to see their effects. Each filter has its own documentation on the official FFmpeg page, and the site shares a direct link.
For example, colorbalance modifies the intensity of the primary colors by applying nine different levels, eq does the same for contrast-brightness-saturation-gamma, and hflip is used to mirror the video.
If you need to enable audio filters, it's enough to select the Audio Filters option from the list, and in theory there is no limit to the number of filters you can chain or combine, but it's likely that your browser won't appreciate that much.
The last step is to copy the Output Command and use it with any local copy of FFmpeg. Its builds are updated daily, so I recommend always downloading it from its official site.
FFmpeg Explorer: Click here - FFmpeg Official site: Click here
