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For a direct HTTP media input, start with -reconnect 1 -reconnect_streamed 1 before -i. Add retry limits to suit the job. If the source is genuinely live or endless, you can also consider -reconnect_at_eof 1; don’t use it blindly for a finite video. A YouTube watch-page URL may involve a separate extractor such as yt-dlp, so first identify whether the failure occurs before FFmpeg receives media or while FFmpeg reads it.
Start with the failure stage
“Freezes” alone does not establish that the network disconnected. Check FFmpeg’s logs and timestamps for read errors, reconnect attempts, EOF, HTTP status codes, or continued packet output. Match the option to the observed failure rather than adding every reconnect flag at once.
- Connection drops while bytes are being read: Try
-reconnect 1. For streamed or non-seekable input, include-reconnect_streamed 1. - The input reaches EOF: Consider
-reconnect_at_eof 1only when reconnecting at EOF is appropriate for the live or endless source. - TCP/TLS connection setup fails: Consider
-reconnect_on_network_error 1. This option addresses errors while establishing the connection, not every mid-stream pause. - The server returns an HTTP error: Check the status. If retrying is appropriate, scope
-reconnect_on_http_errorto relevant codes or classes; not every HTTP error is temporary. - The picture pauses but FFmpeg keeps running: Inspect logs and packet output before assuming a network failure. A pause by itself does not identify the cause.
FFmpeg’s protocol documentation describes these options; confirm that the installed build supports them.
Try a bounded reconnect command for direct HTTP input
For a direct HTTP media URL, this is a starting pattern—not a universal setting or a guarantee of recovery:
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ffmpeg -reconnect 1 -reconnect_streamed 1 -reconnect_delay_max 30 -reconnect_max_retries 10 -i 'HTTP_MEDIA_URL' -c copy output.mkvReplace HTTP_MEDIA_URL with the direct media URL. Input options belong before the -i they configure. In this example, 30 seconds is an illustrative maximum reconnect delay and 10 is an illustrative retry limit. Choose limits based on how long the job should wait: a long-running service may need a different cap from a one-shot download.
The documentation also describes -reconnect_delay_total_max, which limits total reconnect delay. Use it when you need a total wait budget, and check your installed FFmpeg build for exact option support and behavior.
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Choose additional options only for matching errors
Live or endless input that reports EOF
You can test -reconnect_at_eof 1 before -i when the source is live or endless and EOF should trigger another connection attempt. A finite file normally has a legitimate EOF, so enabling this option may cause an unwanted reconnect attempt when playback simply finishes.
TCP/TLS connection-establishment failures
Use -reconnect_on_network_error 1 when logs indicate TCP or TLS errors during connection setup. It is not a substitute for the mid-transfer options.
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HTTP status errors
-reconnect_on_http_error accepts status codes or classes such as 4xx and 5xx. Scope retries to responses that are plausibly temporary—for example, a relevant 5xx response. Avoid broad retries without checking the actual status, because some HTTP errors will not be fixed by retrying.
What each reconnect option does
| Option | Documented role | When it may fit |
|---|---|---|
-reconnect 1 |
Reconnect automatically after a disconnect before EOF. | A mid-transfer disconnection. |
-reconnect_streamed 1 |
Permit reconnects on streamed or non-seekable inputs. | A streamed HTTP input that cannot seek. |
-reconnect_at_eof 1 |
Treat EOF as an error and reconnect; documented as useful for live or endless streams. | A live input that can temporarily report EOF. |
-reconnect_on_network_error 1 |
Reconnect for TCP/TLS errors during connection establishment. | Connection-open failures. |
-reconnect_on_http_error |
Reconnect for selected HTTP status codes or classes. | A relevant transient HTTP response. |
-reconnect_delay_max |
Set a maximum reconnect delay. | Bound an individual wait. |
-reconnect_max_retries |
Set a maximum retry count. | Limit attempts. |
-reconnect_delay_total_max |
Set a maximum total reconnect delay. | Bound total waiting time. |
These descriptions come from FFmpeg’s protocol documentation and HTTP implementation reference. Exact availability can differ by FFmpeg version or build.
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If the command uses a YouTube watch-page URL
A YouTube watch URL is not necessarily the direct media input FFmpeg is reading. An extractor such as yt-dlp may resolve the URL, download media, launch FFmpeg as an external downloader, or pass media through standard output. The failure could occur during extraction, downloader launch, or FFmpeg’s read of the resolved input.
- Capture the complete command and logs from the first failure.
- Determine whether yt-dlp or another extractor handles the YouTube URL.
- Identify what FFmpeg actually receives: a direct media URL, an HLS/DASH playlist, or standard input from another process.
- Apply reconnect options to the relevant FFmpeg input only after locating the failing stage.
The yt-dlp documentation describes YouTube URL handling, FFmpeg use as an external downloader, and streaming media to standard output. Those capabilities do not identify which path your particular command uses.
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Check FFmpeg version and build
The online protocol documentation describes current behavior, and the FFmpeg 8.1 HTTP source reference lists reconnect options and defaults. That does not establish that an older, customized, or differently built binary supports the same options. If FFmpeg reports an unknown option, check ffmpeg -version and consult documentation matching that installation before relying on a command copied from elsewhere.
Common problems and fixes
- “Unrecognized option”: The installed build may not support that option. Check
ffmpeg -versionand its matching documentation. - Retries occur, but the job still stops: Check whether a retry-count or total-delay limit has been reached and whether the log shows the same failure stage.
- It reconnects after a normal video ending: Remove
-reconnect_at_eof 1for a finite input. - A 4xx response keeps recurring: Confirm that retrying that specific status is appropriate; a retry cannot by itself fix a non-transient HTTP error.
- The command uses a YouTube watch URL: Find out whether extraction or FFmpeg’s resolved media input is failing before changing protocol flags.
- The video pauses without an obvious error: Review timestamps and packet output. A visual pause alone does not prove a network drop.
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