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FFmpeg Command Equivalents in Expi

January 25, 2025
12 min read
By Expi Team

FFmpeg Command Equivalents in Expi


If you're familiar with FFmpeg command-line syntax, this guide shows you how to achieve the same results using Expi's graphical interface. Whether you're transitioning from command-line or using both tools, this reference will help you translate FFmpeg commands to Expi settings.


Basic Conversion Commands


Simple Format Conversion


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 output.mov

Expi Equivalent:

1. Drag and drop input.mp4 into Expi

2. Select output format: MOV

3. Click Export


Notes: Expi automatically detects the best codec for the output format, just like FFmpeg does.


Convert with Specific Codec


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add your file to Expi

2. Go to Advanced Settings

3. Video Codec: Select H.264 (libx264)

4. Export


Quality and Bitrate Settings


Constant Bitrate (CBR)


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -b:v 5M -b:a 192k output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Video Settings:

  • Bitrate: 5 Mbps

3. Audio Settings:

  • Bitrate: 192 kbps

4. Export


Variable Bitrate (VBR) with Quality


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -crf 23 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Quality Settings:

  • Select "Quality" mode
  • Set CRF value: 23
  • (Lower = higher quality, 18-28 is typical range)

3. Export


CRF Guide:

  • 18: Visually lossless (large files)
  • 23: High quality (recommended)
  • 28: Good quality (smaller files)

Two-Pass Encoding


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -b:v 5M -pass 1 -f null /dev/null
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -b:v 5M -pass 2 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Advanced Settings:

  • Enable "Two-Pass Encoding"
  • Set target bitrate: 5 Mbps

3. Export (Expi handles both passes automatically)


Resolution and Scaling


Resize Video


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=1920:1080 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Video Settings:

  • Resolution: 1920x1080 (or select preset)

3. Export


Maintain Aspect Ratio


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=1920:-1 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Video Settings:

  • Resolution: 1920x1080
  • Aspect Ratio: Maintain original (checked)

3. Export


Crop Video


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf crop=1920:1080:0:0 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Open Content Editor

3. Use Crop Tool:

  • Set crop area visually
  • Or enter exact dimensions: 1920x1080
  • Position: 0,0 (top-left)

4. Apply crop

5. Export


Trimming and Cutting


Trim Video (Time Range)


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:01:00 -t 00:02:00 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Open Content Editor

3. Trim Tool:

  • Set start point: 1:00
  • Set end point: 3:00 (1:00 + 2:00 duration)

4. Apply trim

5. Export


Extract Specific Duration


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:05:00 -t 00:00:30 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Content Editor → Trim:

  • Start: 5:00
  • End: 5:30

3. Export


Audio Operations


Extract Audio


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vn -acodec copy output.aac

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Output Format: Select audio format (AAC, MP3, etc.)

3. Expi automatically extracts audio only

4. Export


Change Audio Bitrate


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -b:a 256k output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Audio Settings:

  • Bitrate: 256 kbps

3. Export


Convert Audio Format


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp3 -acodec libmp3lame -b:a 320k output.mp3

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add audio file to Expi

2. Output Format: MP3

3. Audio Settings:

  • Codec: MP3
  • Bitrate: 320 kbps

4. Export


Frame Rate Changes


Change Frame Rate


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -r 30 output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Video Settings:

  • Frame Rate: 30 fps

3. Export


Interpolate Frame Rate (Smooth Motion)


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -filter:v "minterpolate=fps=60" output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Video Settings:

  • Frame Rate: 60 fps
  • Enable frame interpolation (if available)

3. Export


Advanced Filters


Adjust Brightness/Contrast


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "eq=brightness=0.1:contrast=1.2" output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Content Editor → Color Correction:

  • Brightness: +10%
  • Contrast: +20%

3. Apply

4. Export


Add Watermark


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i watermark.png -filter_complex "overlay=10:10" output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add video file to Expi

2. Content Editor → Overlays:

  • Add image overlay
  • Position: 10, 10 (or drag to position)

3. Apply

4. Export


Rotate Video


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "transpose=1" output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Content Editor → Transform:

  • Rotate: 90° clockwise (or desired angle)

3. Apply

4. Export


Batch Processing


Convert All Files in Directory


FFmpeg Script:


for file in *.mp4; do
  ffmpeg -i "$file" "${file%.mp4}.mov"
done

Expi Equivalent:

1. Drag entire folder into Expi

2. Select all files

3. Set output format: MOV

4. Export All


Convert with Same Settings


FFmpeg Script:


for file in *.mp4; do
  ffmpeg -i "$file" -c:v libx264 -crf 23 "${file%.mp4}_converted.mp4"
done

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add all files to Expi queue

2. Configure settings once (H.264, CRF 23)

3. Apply to all files

4. Export All


Hardware Acceleration


Use GPU Encoding (NVIDIA)


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -hwaccel cuda -i input.mp4 -c:v h264_nvenc output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Advanced Settings:

  • Hardware Acceleration: Enable
  • Video Codec: H.264 (NVENC) - automatically selected if available

3. Export


Use GPU Encoding (Apple Silicon)


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v h264_videotoolbox -b:v 5M output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add file to Expi

2. Advanced Settings:

  • Hardware Acceleration: Enable (automatic on Apple Silicon)

3. Export


Common Workflow Equivalents


Extract Frame as Image


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:00:05 -vframes 1 output.jpg

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add video to Expi

2. Content Editor:

  • Navigate to frame at 5 seconds
  • Export frame as image (if available)

Or:

  • Set output format to image (JPG/PNG)
  • Trim to single frame at 5 seconds
  • Export

Create Video from Images


FFmpeg Command:


ffmpeg -framerate 30 -i image_%03d.jpg output.mp4

Expi Equivalent:

1. Add image sequence to Expi

2. Expi detects sequence automatically

3. Set frame rate: 30 fps

4. Output format: MP4

5. Export


Tips for FFmpeg Users


1. Start Simple: Begin with basic conversions, then explore advanced features

2. Use Presets: Expi's presets match common FFmpeg use cases

3. Preview First: Always preview changes before exporting

4. Save Settings: Create custom presets for your common workflows

5. Check Logs: Expi shows conversion details similar to FFmpeg's verbose output


When to Use Each


Use FFmpeg Command-Line When:

  • Automating with scripts
  • Need very specific filter chains
  • Working on headless servers
  • Want to learn encoding internals

Use Expi When:

  • Need visual feedback
  • Working with multiple files interactively
  • Want to preview changes
  • Prefer GUI over command syntax
  • Need built-in editing features

Conclusion


Expi provides a visual interface for the same powerful FFmpeg engine. While the interface is different, the underlying capabilities are the same. This guide should help you translate your FFmpeg knowledge to Expi's interface.


Remember: Both tools use FFmpeg, so you can always use the command-line for automation and Expi for interactive work. They complement each other perfectly.