FFmpeg introduction and installation
Basic conversion commands
Advanced options (quality, speed, audio)
Common issues and solutions
Batch conversion scripts
Online tool alternatives

Introduction

Learn how to convert M3U8 or HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) playlists into MP4 files using the FFmpeg command-line utility. This guide breaks down installation, essential commands, performance tuning, and troubleshooting so you can confidently archive live or on-demand streams.

Prerequisites

FFmpeg installed on your system
Accessible M3U8 playlist URL or local file
Basic command-line usage knowledge

Install FFmpeg

Windows

Download the latest release from ffmpeg.org.
Extract the archive to C:\\ffmpeg.
Add C:\\ffmpeg\\bin to your system PATH.

macOS

brew install ffmpeg

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt install ffmpeg

Basic Conversion Commands

Simple Copy (Fastest)

ffmpeg -i "https://example.com/playlist.m3u8" -c copy output.mp4

The -c copy flag preserves the original audio and video codecs, delivering the quickest results when the MP4 container supports the source streams.

Re-encode for Compatibility

ffmpeg -i input.m3u8 -c:v libx264 -c:a aac output.mp4

Re-encoding with H.264 video and AAC audio maximizes playback compatibility across browsers, smart TVs, and mobile devices. Expect longer processing times compared to remuxing.

Advanced Options

High Quality Output

ffmpeg -i input.m3u8 -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset slow output.mp4

Adjust the -crf value to control quality (lower means higher quality). Combine with a slower preset for improved compression efficiency when file size matters.

Fast Conversion with Bitstream Filters

ffmpeg -i input.m3u8 -c copy -bsf:a aac_adtstoasc output.mp4

Adding the aac_adtstoasc bitstream filter ensures AAC audio stored in ADTS format is compatible with MP4 containers without full re-encoding.

Custom Resolution

ffmpeg -i input.m3u8 -s 1920x1080 -c:v libx264 -c:a copy output.mp4

Use the -s flag to scale the video to a specific resolution, maintaining the original audio stream when re-encoding is unnecessary.

Common Issues and Fixes

CORS Errors

Append the necessary headers when fetching protected playlists:

ffmpeg -headers "Referer: https://example.com" -i playlist.m3u8 -c copy output.mp4

Protocol Not Supported

ffmpeg -protocol_whitelist file,http,https,tcp,tls -i playlist.m3u8 -c copy output.mp4

Network Timeouts

ffmpeg -timeout 10000000 -i playlist.m3u8 -c copy output.mp4

Batch Conversion Scripts

Bash Script

#!/bin/bash
for file in *.m3u8; do
  ffmpeg -i "$file" -c copy "${file%.m3u8}.mp4"
done

Windows Batch

for %%f in (*.m3u8) do ffmpeg -i "%%f" -c copy "%%~nf.mp4"

Online Alternative

Prefer a browser-based workflow? Try our Online M3U8 to MP4 Converter, featuring progress tracking, batch queueing, and no local installation requirements.

FAQ

Why does conversion fail? Verify network access, apply the protocol whitelist, or confirm the stream is not DRM protected.

How can I maintain quality? Use -c copy to avoid re-encoding whenever the target device supports the original codecs.

Can I capture live streams? Yes—combine the command with -t 3600 to limit recording to one hour.

Conclusion

FFmpeg delivers fine-grained control over M3U8 to MP4 conversions. When you need a faster option, launch our online converter to process playlists directly in your browser.

FFmpeg M3U8 zu MP4 Tutorial [2025 Vollständiger Leitfaden]

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