To keep differently sized videos out of an FFmpeg playlist, probe each file with ffprobe and add only files matching your chosen width and height. If by “playlist” you mean one continuous video made by joining clips, use a different workflow: scale the clips to a common frame size, then concatenate them with FFmpeg’s concat filter.
First decide what “playlist” means
A playlist can be a set of separate video files that a player handles one after another, or a single output file created by joining clips. The right method depends on which result you want:
- Separate files: inspect dimensions and omit entries that do not match. The files themselves remain unchanged.
- One joined video: normalize the clips to a common size, then concatenate them. This requires re-encoding to resize.
Choose an explicit rule before processing. For example, you might keep only files that are exactly 1920x1080, or keep files with a height of 1080 regardless of width. The title alone does not specify a target resolution or playlist format.
Filter separate playlist entries by resolution
Inspect each file’s video dimensions
Use ffprobe, which can report media information in machine-readable formats. This command checks the first non-attached-picture video stream and prints its width and height as widthxheight:
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ffprobe -v error -select_streams V:0
-show_entries stream=width,height
-of csv=s=x:p=0 input.mp4For example, the output 1920x1080 means the selected stream is 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels high. Do not rely on a filename or a label such as “720p”; inspect the stream itself. The ffprobe documentation describes its stream selection and output options.
Apply the matching rule in your playlist generator
Run the probe once per candidate file and include a path only when its dimensions satisfy your rule. For an exact match, compare both width and height. If only height matters, compare height explicitly rather than treating a matching height as an exact resolution match.
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In an automated script, treat a failed probe or missing dimensions as a nonmatch, or report the file separately for review. Do not silently include it as though it matched. If files can contain multiple video streams, specify which stream you are checking; -select_streams V:0 selects the first video stream other than an attached picture.
The script should write matching paths in the syntax expected by the player or demuxer that will read the playlist. Playlist formats are not interchangeable: a .m3u8, an .ffconcat file, and a player-specific list can have different rules. Since no format or player is specified here, there is no single playlist-file example that is correct for every use case.
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If you mean one continuous output file
When clips have different frame sizes and you want one uniform-size output, scale each video stream to a common target before joining. FFmpeg’s concat filter is the appropriate route when re-encoding is needed. The FFmpeg FAQ distinguishes the concat filter from the concat demuxer and concat protocol; the demuxer may avoid re-encoding in compatible circumstances, but it does not resize video.
Normalize dimensions while preserving the whole image
This conceptual filter graph illustrates two inputs, each with one audio stream, normalized to a 1920-by-1080 canvas before concatenation:
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[0:v]scale=1920:1080:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2[v0];
[1:v]scale=1920:1080:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2[v1];
[v0][0:a][v1][1:a]concat=n=2:v=1:a=1[outv][outa]This keeps each source’s aspect ratio and pads the remaining space to fill the target canvas. Padding adds bars; cropping can fill the frame without bars but discards parts of the image. The target size, padding color, output codecs, and encoding-quality settings are choices you must make for your delivery needs. This graph is not a complete command: adapt the stream labels and mapping for your files.
If a file has no audio, multiple audio streams, or a different stream layout, the example’s audio labels and concat settings need adjustment. Consult the FFmpeg filters documentation for scaling and concat-filter options. Re-encoding does not guarantee lossless output or universal playback compatibility.
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Do not confuse stream selection with playlist filtering
FFmpeg’s automatic stream selection chooses streams for an output according to its selection rules; in relevant cases, that can include choosing the highest-resolution video stream among candidate streams. The -map option gives you manual control over which streams go into an output. Neither mechanism scans a directory and removes playlist files based on your own resolution target. For that, probe each file and filter the playlist entries. See the FFmpeg command-line documentation on stream selection.
Choose the method that matches the result
| Goal | Method | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Keep separate playable files and omit mismatches | Probe dimensions and filter entries while generating the playlist | Requires a script or playlist-generation step; video files are not modified |
| Create one continuous file at a uniform size | Scale or otherwise normalize inputs, then use the concat filter | Requires re-encoding; scaling and padding or cropping affect the image |
| Avoid re-encoding when inputs are compatible | Consider the concat demuxer after checking format and stream compatibility | Does not scale clips; whether it fits depends on the inputs |
Troubleshoot mismatches and unexpected results
- A file you expected to match is omitted: inspect the actual output of
ffprobe. The stream’s dimensions may not match its filename or label. - The probe returns no dimensions or an error: treat that file as a nonmatch or flag it for review instead of including it silently.
- The wrong video stream is being checked: confirm the selected stream. The example checks
V:0; files with multiple video streams may need a different selection. - A playlist entry is rejected by the player: verify the playlist syntax expected by that specific player or demuxer. A list valid for one format is not necessarily valid for another.
- The joined output has bars: the example preserves the full image and pads it to the target canvas. Use a deliberate crop-to-fill approach only if cutting off image content is acceptable.
- The concat graph fails on audio: check whether every input has the assumed audio stream and whether the stream layout matches the labels. Adapt the graph for silent files or multiple audio streams.
- The output size changes but quality or compatibility is unsuitable: choose output codecs and quality settings for the intended use. Resizing requires filtering and encoding; stream copy alone cannot resize clips.
FFmpeg’s online documentation follows current development. Check the documentation corresponding to your installed version if an option differs or is unavailable.
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