First identify when FFmpeg fails and what protocol the input uses: HTTP reconnect options address particular connection, midstream, EOF, and HTTP-status failures; they are not a universal fix for RTSP, SRT, or other transports. Before changing flags, save the full error output, run ffmpeg -version, and note the input URL scheme. Redact credentials and tokens before sharing logs or URLs.
Diagnose the failure before choosing a reconnect option
Read the error lines around the failure and classify the stage. A connection attempt that fails, a disconnect after playback begins, an input that reaches EOF, and an HTTP error response are different cases. FFmpeg documents different HTTP controls for them; the exact remedy cannot be determined without the protocol, error, and installed build. See the FFmpeg protocol documentation.
- Capture the evidence. Keep the complete FFmpeg error output, including lines immediately before and after the failure. Record the exact command, but remove any credentials or tokens embedded in URLs.
- Identify the input protocol. Check the URL scheme, such as
https://orrtsp://. The reconnect controls in this guide are HTTP protocol options; consult the documentation for the actual input protocol if it is not HTTP. - Check the binary. Run
ffmpeg -version. Options available and their defaults can differ between versions and packaged builds. Use the installed binary’s help and documentation rather than assuming that every build supports every option. - Check where options occur in the command. FFmpeg applies options to the next input or output and resets them between files. HTTP input options must appear before the relevant
-iURL. The FFmpeg command documentation describes this option scope. - Decide whether EOF is expected. EOF is normal for a finite recording. For an endless live source, it may signal a failure that should trigger another connection attempt.
Choose an HTTP reconnect option by symptom
These flags are HTTP-specific. They do not establish that the same remedy applies to another transport, and they cannot repair an invalid request or access problem simply by retrying it.
| Observed failure | HTTP option to consider | What it does and what to check |
|---|---|---|
| Connection drops before EOF | -reconnect 1 |
Enables automatic reconnection when disconnected before EOF. |
| A live or endless source reaches EOF | -reconnect_at_eof 1 |
Treats EOF as an error and causes reconnection. Do not use this to turn the normal end of a finite recording into repeated retries. |
| The input is streamed or non-seekable | -reconnect_streamed 1 |
Extends reconnection to streamed or non-seekable inputs. |
| TCP or TLS connection attempt fails | -reconnect_on_network_error 1 |
Applies to TCP/TLS errors during connection establishment. It is not a general cure for every network or transport error. |
| The server returns an HTTP error status | -reconnect_on_http_error |
Accepts selected status codes or groups such as 4xx and 5xx. Specify only cases that make sense for the source; repeated client errors can indicate a persistent request or authorization problem. |
FFmpeg’s HTTP documentation also describes respect_retry_after, which honors a server’s Retry-After header instead of using exponential backoff. It is enabled by default and is noted as useful for responses such as 429 and 503. Investigate a recurring status and the server’s retry guidance before broadening the list of statuses FFmpeg retries.
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Put HTTP input options before the input URL
In this illustrative command, the HTTP options precede -i so they apply to the input. The output option follows the input. The URL uses the reserved .invalid domain and is an example, not a working stream address.
ffmpeg
-reconnect 1
-reconnect_streamed 1
-reconnect_delay_max 30
-i 'https://stream.example.invalid/live.m3u8'
-c copy recording.tsThis is not a tested recipe or universal fix. The 30-second maximum delay shown is illustrative, not a recommendation. Confirm each option is supported by your installed build and choose controls to match the error. Add -reconnect_at_eof 1 only when EOF on an endless or live source is the relevant failure. Consider -reconnect_on_network_error 1 or -reconnect_on_http_error only when the connection error or HTTP response justifies them.
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Set a deliberate retry budget
HTTP reconnect options include controls for maximum delay, retry count, and total delay: reconnect_delay_max, reconnect_max_retries, and reconnect_delay_total_max. They bound retry behavior; they do not promise uninterrupted recording or infinite retries.
In FFmpeg 8.1’s HTTP source, the documented defaults are a 120-second maximum reconnect delay, no set maximum retry count, and a 256-second maximum total reconnect delay; that source also enables Retry-After handling by default. These are version-specific defaults, not guaranteed settings for another installed build. Check your own binary and its corresponding documentation. See the FFmpeg 8.1 HTTP source.
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Choose limits with the stream and recording job in mind. A short cap can cause retries to stop before a lengthy outage ends; an open retry count does not make the process immune to termination, disk exhaustion, or other failures. A reconnect inside FFmpeg and a separate mechanism that restarts an exited FFmpeg process solve different problems.
When reconnect flags do not fix the recording
- FFmpeg exits. Input retry controls describe reconnect behavior; they are not a complete process supervisor. If the process terminates, investigate the exit error and decide separately how the job should be restarted.
- The source returns HTTP errors repeatedly. Check that the URL and request remain valid, access is authorized, and the service is available. Honor
Retry-Afterwhere provided rather than assuming a broad retry group will fix a persistent client or authorization error. - The URL is not HTTP. Do not transfer these HTTP flags to RTSP, SRT, or another protocol without confirming the relevant protocol’s documentation and the installed FFmpeg build.
- The recording ends at EOF. Confirm whether the source is actually endless. Retrying EOF is useful for a live or endless source but can be wrong for a finite educational recording.
- Options appear to have no effect. Move input options before the matching
-iURL and confirm they precede the correct input when a command has multiple files. - A long recording is incomplete despite reconnects. Check the full log and output destination, then plan storage for the required bitrate, duration, and retention. An external drive or NAS can provide capacity, but neither fixes a reconnect error.
The FFmpeg project described connection-error and status retry behavior in its January 3, 2021 change record. That context reinforces why the response type matters: retrying a connection failure differs from retrying a server response, and neither establishes a complete design for 24/7 recording.
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