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Use FFmpeg’s fps filter to emit one frame every 60 seconds:

ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg

This decodes input.flv, keeps one output frame per minute, and writes numbered JPEG files such as frame_0001.jpg. The original FLV is not modified.

Run the one-frame-per-minute command

Install FFmpeg and make sure your terminal can find the ffmpeg executable. Put the FLV in your working directory, create a destination directory, and run:

ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg

The important parts are:

  • -i input.flv selects the source file.
  • -vf "fps=1/60" applies the video filter and sets the output rate to one frame every 60 seconds.
  • -q:v 2 supplies the JPEG quality setting used by this command.
  • screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg is an image-sequence pattern. The counter is zero-padded to four digits, producing names such as frame_0001.jpg, frame_0002.jpg, and so on.

FFmpeg selects its image-sequence (image2) output when the filename has an image extension. It decodes the video and encodes each selected frame as a still image; it does not rewrite the FLV.

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Understand the timing and filenames

Why fps=1/60 means one minute

The fps filter controls the output frame rate. A value of 1/60 is one output frame per 60 seconds of media time. It is explicit, so the interval is easy to audit when you revisit the command later.

How many images will be created?

For an unbounded run, FFmpeg continues until the input ends. A video that runs for roughly 10 minutes will therefore produce about 10 selected frames, subject to the stream’s timestamps and where the first output frame falls. Use -t or -frames:v when you need a hard limit rather than processing to end of file.

What the sequence pattern does

%04d is replaced by an increasing number and padded with zeroes. You can choose another width, such as %03d, if a shorter name is more convenient. Keep the percent pattern in the output path; without it, successive frames cannot be represented as a numbered sequence.

Choose JPEG or PNG output

Output Command ending Typical trade-off
JPEG -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg Compact photographic thumbnails using the quality setting in the example.
PNG screenshots/frame_%04d.png Lossless still images, usually with larger files.

For PNG extraction, run:

ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" screenshots/frame_%04d.png

The extension determines the image format. Do not leave a JPEG quality option in a PNG example unless you have a specific reason to use it; the simple PNG command is sufficient.

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Start at a particular minute or limit the run

Start at 10 minutes

ffmpeg -ss 00:10:00 -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg

This asks FFmpeg to begin extraction at the 10-minute position and then apply the one-per-minute filter.

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Process only the first 30 minutes

ffmpeg -i input.flv -t 00:30:00 -vf "fps=1/60" -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg

-t 00:30:00 bounds the processing duration. It is useful for long recordings when you need only an opening segment.

Write a fixed number of screenshots

ffmpeg -i input.flv -vf "fps=1/60" -frames:v 12 -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg

-frames:v 12 stops after 12 output images, regardless of how much source remains. This is the direct way to request a known count.

Combine boundaries

You can combine a starting point, a duration, and a frame count when a job has several limits:

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ffmpeg -ss 00:10:00 -i input.flv -t 00:30:00 -vf "fps=1/60" -frames:v 12 -q:v 2 screenshots/frame_%04d.jpg

The first limit reached ends the extraction.

fps=1/60 versus -r 1/60

Both approaches can produce a low-rate image sequence, but they express the intent differently:

Approach What it expresses When to choose it
-vf "fps=1/60" A filter that explicitly selects an output frame every 60 seconds. The clearest choice for periodic screenshots and the command used in this guide.
-r 1/60 Output-rate control applied at the output stage. Useful when you are already building a command around output options or an image2 muxer configuration.

For example, the image2-style form is:

ffmpeg -i input.flv -fps_mode cfr -r 1/60 -f image2 screenshots/frame-%04d.jpg

The filter form keeps the sampling rule next to the video transformation, which makes a one-minute interval immediately visible.

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Seeking, timestamps, and irregular streams

Seeking with -ss

Use -ss when extraction should begin later than the start of the FLV. FFmpeg supports accurate input seeking and faster approximate seeking; the practical choice depends on whether an exact boundary or quicker startup matters more for your job. If the first image is not at the expected point, inspect the selected frame’s position and adjust the seek strategy for the FFmpeg version you have installed.

Irregular timestamps

The one-minute interval is evaluated against the input’s timestamps. If the FLV has irregular timestamps, the visual spacing of the resulting images may not look perfectly uniform when compared by frame content. Inspect the output timing and adjust the command if necessary rather than assuming every source has a perfectly regular clock.

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A dependable extraction workflow

  1. Check the input name. Confirm that the file is really named input.flv, or replace that argument with its actual path.
  2. Create the destination. Make a screenshots directory before running the command so the output pattern points to an existing location.
  3. Run a short trial. Add -t 00:03:00 to verify the interval, image format, and naming before processing a long file.
  4. Inspect numbering. Confirm that files increment as frame_0001.jpg, frame_0002.jpg, and so forth.
  5. Remove the trial limit. Run the full command, or replace the duration with the exact -t and -frames:v limits required for the job.

Performance, storage, and repeatability

A full-file command reads through the source until it reaches the end. For a long FLV, use -ss, -t, or -frames:v to avoid doing work outside the section you need. JPEG generally produces smaller thumbnail files than PNG; PNG is preferable when you need lossless stills and can accept larger output.

Keep the output pattern stable when a downstream script expects predictable names. If another tool expects three-digit numbering, use frame-%03d.jpg; if it expects four digits, retain frame_%04d.jpg. The image2 sequence mechanism is the same either way.

Troubleshooting common failures

“No such file or directory” for the output

The destination directory does not exist, or the input path is wrong. Correct the path and create the output directory, then rerun the command.

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Only one image appears

Check that the output name contains a numeric pattern such as %04d. Without a sequence pattern, FFmpeg has no numbered names for subsequent frames.

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There are more or fewer files than expected

Confirm the source duration, the selected start point, and whether -t or -frames:v is limiting the run. The first and last selected frames are governed by the stream’s timestamps, so the count is not always a simple duration-divided-by-60 calculation.

The first image starts at the wrong time

Recheck the -ss value and whether approximate or accurate seeking is appropriate. For streams with unusual timestamps, inspect where the first output frame actually lands and adjust the command.

The files are unexpectedly large

Switch from PNG to JPEG for photographic thumbnails, or use the JPEG command’s -q:v 2 setting. If you need lossless images, keep PNG and account for its larger files.

The output looks unevenly spaced

Irregular input timestamps can affect which decoded frames represent each 60-second interval. Review the stream timing and test with a short segment before committing to a full extraction.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does one image always correspond to exactly the first second of each minute?

No. The filter samples according to the FLV stream’s timestamps. With irregular timestamps or a nonzero seek point, inspect the first and subsequent output positions instead of assuming a wall-clock boundary.

Can I use the same numbering pattern for PNG and JPEG?

Yes. Keep the numeric pattern, such as %04d, and change only the filename extension. FFmpeg’s image-sequence output uses the extension to select the image format.

What is the safest way to test a long extraction?

Run a short trial with -t, verify timing, format, and filenames, then remove the trial duration or replace it with your intended duration and frame-count limits.

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