FFmpeg can play files in a chosen order from a concat manifest, but it does not provide a built-in calendar scheduler for selecting a different playlist each day. Create a manifest for each day, then use an external scheduler or wrapper—such as Linux cron—to select the right manifest and launch FFmpeg.
1. Create a concat manifest for each playlist
Make one text manifest for each day or schedule variant. Put the media paths in the order you want them played:
ffconcat version 1.0
file /srv/media/clip-one.mp4
file /srv/media/clip-two.mp4Save this, for example, as /srv/playlists/monday.ffconcat, and create equivalent files for the other days. The ffconcat version 1.0 marker must be the first line, with no leading whitespace or byte-order mark, for FFmpeg to recognize the format automatically. Each directive belongs on its own line. For paths with spaces or special characters, follow FFmpeg’s documented escaping and quoting rules. The concat demuxer’s safe option defaults to 1, which rejects unsafe paths; setting it to 0 allows any filename, so do that only with manifests you trust. FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation.
2. Check that the media is suitable for concat
The concat demuxer is intended for files with matching streams, codecs, and time bases. As the FFmpeg documentation puts it, “All files must have the same streams (same codecs, same time base, etc.).” If the files do not match, normalize them in advance or use a re-encoding/filter workflow instead of assuming stream copy will work. FFmpeg concat demuxer documentation.
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FFmpeg uses file durations to adjust timestamps between inputs. If a duration is missing or inaccurate, transitions can have timestamp problems or artifacts; the concat manifest supports a duration directive to override a duration when needed. Check the resulting output rather than assuming a manifest alone will resolve mismatched media.
3. Run the selected manifest with FFmpeg
For a file output, an illustrative command is:
ffmpeg -f concat -i /srv/playlists/monday.ffconcat -c copy /srv/output/monday.mp4This is a command pattern, not a tested command for every set of files. Stream copy avoids re-encoding, but it depends on compatible inputs. If the goal is a live broadcast rather than a generated file, the output URL and options must match the destination platform; the FFmpeg references cited here do not establish any particular platform’s ingest requirements.
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4. Choose how the day’s manifest gets selected
One daily wrapper
For a recurring daily job, use a wrapper to determine the intended weekday, select the corresponding manifest, and invoke FFmpeg. Keep the mapping in one place so the playlist selection logic is easy to inspect and change. Use absolute paths to the FFmpeg executable, manifests, and media, since cron does not run with an interactive login shell’s environment.
For Linux, a cron entry can run that wrapper at midnight:
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0 0 * * * /usr/local/bin/run-daily-playlist >> /var/log/daily-playlist.log 2>&1Set the schedule’s time zone deliberately. The cron implementation documented in the cited manual supports CRON_TZ; use it when the schedule must follow a particular local time zone. Otherwise, the host’s time-zone configuration and cron environment can affect which day the wrapper selects. Linux crontab manual.
Separate cron entries
You can instead put a separate scheduled entry for each day in the crontab. That makes the schedule visible in the crontab itself, but repeats the launch configuration and can be harder to maintain if paths or options change. The wrapper approach centralizes the weekday-to-manifest mapping; separate entries expose each scheduled launch directly.
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5. Decide what should happen at midnight
A daily cron launch is enough for a batch job that creates one output per day. It does not, by itself, specify how to replace an FFmpeg process that is already running when the date changes. For continuously running output, use a process supervisor or a long-running wrapper designed to stop the old invocation and start the new one. Define what should happen after a failed launch or restart, and account for daylight-saving transitions if the schedule follows local time. Those choices depend on whether you are producing files or maintaining a continuous stream; cron’s time-zone and job behavior are described in the Linux crontab manual.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Troubleshoot common problems
- FFmpeg does not recognize the manifest automatically: Confirm
ffconcat version 1.0is exactly the first line, without leading whitespace or a byte-order mark. - A path with spaces or unusual characters fails: Apply the concat demuxer’s documented escaping and quoting rules. Review whether the default
safesetting rejects the path before considering a less restrictive setting; only disable safety checks for manifests you trust. - Concat reports incompatible streams or output artifacts appear: Check the files’ streams, codecs, and time bases. Normalize incompatible files or use a re-encoding/filter workflow. If timestamps are wrong between files, check whether durations are accurate and consider the manifest’s
durationdirective. - The wrong day’s playlist runs: Make the schedule’s time zone explicit and have the wrapper select the weekday in that same zone. Cron jobs have a defined environment, so do not rely on variables or paths available only in an interactive shell.
- The old playlist keeps running after midnight: A cron launch does not automatically define replacement of a live FFmpeg process. Add explicit stop-and-restart behavior through a supervisor or a wrapper, and decide how it should respond to failures.
- A live destination rejects the output: Verify the destination’s current ingest requirements and configure the output accordingly. The concat and cron references describe playlist sequencing and scheduling, not platform-specific live settings.
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