FFmpeg Installation & Troubleshooting

What is FFmpeg?

FFmpeg is an open source cross-platform solution to record, convert and stream audio and video.
You can find more information on ffmpeg.org.

Why and when does JDownloader need FFmpeg?

JDownloader makes use of FFmpeg for:

• websites which are using HLS streaming
• websites that are serving audio and video tracks separately
• mux-/demuxing of video and/or audio tracks

By default JDownloader does not make use of- or install FFmpeg. Depending on OS and system setup, JDownloader will either try to use system installed FFmpeg version
or offer to install it (see screenshot below).
In case both are not possible, please download/install/setup FFmpeg manually (see next question).

Screenshot of the FFmpeg installation prompt within JDownloader:

How can I find out the currently used version of FFmpeg? | How to specify what FFmpeg version JDownloader should be using?

You can check current used FFmpeg version under Settings -> Advanced Settings -> FFmpegSetup.binarypathprobe and FFmpegSetup.binarypath
Exemplaric default values for Windows users:
Example value for FFmpegSetup.binarypathprobe under Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\JDownloader 2.0\tools\Windows\ffmpeg\x64\ffprobe.exe
Example value for FFmpegSetup.binarypath under Windows: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\JDownloader 2.0\tools\Windows\ffmpeg\x64\ffmpeg.exe
You can easily change those paths with a right-click into the Value field -> Advanced editor for this value (GUI only)

If you've ever let JD auto install FFmpeg, you can find that FFmpeg version under [JD install dir]/tools/<os>/ffmpeg.
For example for Windows users that would be [JD install dir]\tools\Windows\ffmpeg.

Synology and Linux users: I'm having trouble with FFmpeg

Especially on Synology, FFmpeg might be bundled/installed by other 3rd party software packages such as this popular one: github.com/SynoCommunity/spksrc/wiki/FAQ-FFmpeg
If JD detects a pre-installed version of FFmpeg it will try to use it. However those package may sometimes contain an incompatible version of FFmpeg without required http protocol support.

The solution is to download another build of FFmpeg and tell JDownloader to use that instead:

1. Download FFmpeg manually from here.
2. Make JD use that downloaded FFmpeg version by changing the settings mentioned earlier in this FAQ.
3. Restart JD and attempt to download the links which require FFmpeg which had failed previously. 
   Those should be downloadable now.