<p>FFmpeg requires one of the following 3 tags to immediately follow #EXTM3U at the beginning.</p>
<pre><code>#EXT-X-STREAM-INF 
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE
</code></pre>
<p>You can work around the probe failure by adding <code>-f hls</code> before <code>-i</code>.</p>
<p>Also, #EXTINF values should be non-negative, which is not the case here.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-15T12:50:00.723Z
2023-05-15T12:50:00.723Z
Gyan
<p>I get the following error when I try to open a playlist with FFmpeg:</p>
<pre><code>ffmpeg version 2023-03-05-git-912ac82a3c-essentials_build-www.gyan.dev Copyright (c) 2000-2023 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 12.2.0 (Rev10, Built by MSYS2 project)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-static --disable-w32threads --disable-autodetect --enable-fontconfig --enable-iconv --enable-gnutls --enable-libxml2 --enable-gmp --enable-bzlib --enable-lzma --enable-zlib --enable-libsrt --enable-libssh --enable-libzmq --enable-avisynth --enable-sdl2 --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-libaom --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libvpx --enable-mediafoundation --enable-libass --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvmaf --enable-libzimg --enable-amf --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-cuvid --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-nvdec --enable-nvenc --enable-d3d11va --enable-dxva2 --enable-libvpl --enable-libgme --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libtheora --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libgsm --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopus --enable-libspeex --enable-libvorbis --enable-librubberband
  libavutil      58.  3.100 / 58.  3.100
  libavcodec     60.  6.100 / 60.  6.100
  libavformat    60.  4.100 / 60.  4.100
  libavdevice    60.  2.100 / 60.  2.100
  libavfilter     9.  4.100 /  9.  4.100
  libswscale      7.  2.100 /  7.  2.100
  libswresample   4. 11.100 /  4. 11.100
  libpostproc    57.  2.100 / 57.  2.100
playlist.m3u8: Invalid data found when processing input
</code></pre>
<p>Command I use:</p>
<pre><code>ffmpeg [-allowed_extensions ALL] [-protocol_whitelist file,http,https,tcp,tls,crypto] -i playlist.m3u8 -c copy -report playlist.mp4
</code></pre>
<p>Playlist file:</p>
<pre><code>#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:-1,0
https://20230515.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/output0000f.mp4
#EXTINF:-1,1
https://20230515.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/output0001f.mp4
#EXTINF:-1,2
https://20230515.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/output0002f.mp4
</code></pre>
<p>The playlist plays fine in VLC player</p>
<p>Report:</p>
<pre><code>ffmpeg started on 2023-05-15 at 13:23:08
Report written to &quot;ffmpeg-20230515-132308.log&quot;
Log level: 48
Command line:
&quot;F:\\Applications\\ffmpeg-2023-03-05-git-912ac82a3c-essentials_build\\ffmpeg-2023-03-05-git-912ac82a3c-essentials_build\\bin\\ffmpeg.exe&quot; -allowed_extensions ALL -i playlist.m3u8 -c copy -report playlist.mp4
ffmpeg version 2023-03-05-git-912ac82a3c-essentials_build-www.gyan.dev Copyright (c) 2000-2023 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 12.2.0 (Rev10, Built by MSYS2 project)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-static --disable-w32threads --disable-autodetect --enable-fontconfig --enable-iconv --enable-gnutls --enable-libxml2 --enable-gmp --enable-bzlib --enable-lzma --enable-zlib --enable-libsrt --enable-libssh --enable-libzmq --enable-avisynth --enable-sdl2 --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-libaom --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libvpx --enable-mediafoundation --enable-libass --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvmaf --enable-libzimg --enable-amf --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-cuvid --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-nvdec --enable-nvenc --enable-d3d11va --enable-dxva2 --enable-libvpl --enable-libgme --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libtheora --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libgsm --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopus --enable-libspeex --enable-libvorbis --enable-librubberband
  libavutil      58.  3.100 / 58.  3.100
  libavcodec     60.  6.100 / 60.  6.100
  libavformat    60.  4.100 / 60.  4.100
  libavdevice    60.  2.100 / 60.  2.100
  libavfilter     9.  4.100 /  9.  4.100
  libswscale      7.  2.100 /  7.  2.100
  libswresample   4. 11.100 /  4. 11.100
  libpostproc    57.  2.100 / 57.  2.100
Splitting the commandline.
Reading option '-allowed_extensions' ... matched as AVOption 'allowed_extensions' with argument 'ALL'.
Reading option '-protocol_whitelist' ... matched as AVOption 'protocol_whitelist' with argument 'file,http,https,tcp,tls,crypt'.
Reading option '-i' ... matched as input url with argument 'playlist.m3u8'.
Reading option '-c' ... matched as option 'c' (codec name) with argument 'copy'.
Reading option '-report' ... matched as option 'report' (generate a report) with argument '1'.
Reading option 'playlist.mp4' ... matched as output url.
Finished splitting the commandline.
Parsing a group of options: global .
Applying option report (generate a report) with argument 1.
Successfully parsed a group of options.
Parsing a group of options: input url playlist.m3u8.
Successfully parsed a group of options.
Opening an input file: playlist.m3u8.
[NULL @ 00000256fef51600] Opening 'playlist.m3u8' for reading
[AVIOContext @ 00000256fef59fc0] Statistics: 249 bytes read, 0 seeks
playlist.m3u8: Invalid data found when processing input
</code></pre>

<ffmpeg>
FFmpeg with m3u8 playlist: Invalid data found when processing input
anthnyprschka
# FFmpeg with m3u8 playlist: Invalid data found when processing input

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-05-15)

I get the following error when I try to open a playlist with FFmpeg:
ffmpeg version 2023-03-05-git-912ac82a3c-essentials_build-www.gyan.dev Copyright (c) 2000-2023 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 12.2.0 (Rev10, Built by MSYS2 project)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-static --disable-w32threads --disable-autodetect --enable-fontconfig --enable-iconv --enable-gnutls --enable-libxml2 --enable-gmp --enable-bzlib --enable-lzma --enable-zlib --enable-libsrt --enable-libssh --enable-libzmq --enable-avisynth --enable-sdl2 --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-libaom --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libvpx --enable-mediafoundation --enable-libass --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvmaf --enable-libzimg --enable-amf --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-cuvid --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-nvdec --enable-nvenc --enable-d3d11va --enable-dxva2 --enable-libvpl --enable-libgme --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libtheora --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libgsm --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopus --enable-libspeex --enable-libvorbis --enable-librubberband
  libavutil      58.  3.100 / 58.  3.100
  libavcodec     60.  6.100 / 60.  6.100
  libavformat    60.  4.100 / 60.  4.100
  libavdevice    60.  2.100 / 60.  2.100
  libavfilter     9.  4.100 /  9.  4.100
  libswscale      7.  2.100 /  7.  2.100
  libswresample   4. 11.100 /  4. 11.100
  libpostproc    57.  2.100 / 57.  2.100
playlist.m3u8: Invalid data found when processing input

Command I use:
ffmpeg [-allowed_extensions ALL] [-protocol_whitelist file,http,https,tcp,tls,crypto] -i playlist.m3u8 -c copy -report playlist.mp4

Playlist file:
#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:-1,0
https://20230515.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/output0000f.mp4
#EXTINF:-1,1
https://20230515.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/output0001f.mp4
#EXTINF:-1,2
https://20230515.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/output0002f.mp4

The playlist plays fine in VLC player
Report:
ffmpeg started on 2023-05-15 at 13:23:08
Report written to "ffmpeg-20230515-132308.log"
Log level: 48
Command line:
"F:\\Applications\\ffmpeg-2023-03-05-git-912ac82a3c-essentials_build\\ffmpeg-2023-03-05-git-912ac82a3c-essentials_build\\bin\\ffmpeg.exe" -allowed_extensions ALL -i playlist.m3u8 -c copy -report playlist.mp4
ffmpeg version 2023-03-05-git-912ac82a3c-essentials_build-www.gyan.dev Copyright (c) 2000-2023 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 12.2.0 (Rev10, Built by MSYS2 project)
  configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-static --disable-w32threads --disable-autodetect --enable-fontconfig --enable-iconv --enable-gnutls --enable-libxml2 --enable-gmp --enable-bzlib --enable-lzma --enable-zlib --enable-libsrt --enable-libssh --enable-libzmq --enable-avisynth --enable-sdl2 --enable-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxvid --enable-libaom --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libvpx --enable-mediafoundation --enable-libass --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvmaf --enable-libzimg --enable-amf --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-cuvid --enable-ffnvcodec --enable-nvdec --enable-nvenc --enable-d3d11va --enable-dxva2 --enable-libvpl --enable-libgme --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libtheora --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libgsm --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopus --enable-libspeex --enable-libvorbis --enable-librubberband
  libavutil      58.  3.100 / 58.  3.100
  libavcodec     60.  6.100 / 60.  6.100
  libavformat    60.  4.100 / 60.  4.100
  libavdevice    60.  2.100 / 60.  2.100
  libavfilter     9.  4.100 /  9.  4.100
  libswscale      7.  2.100 /  7.  2.100
  libswresample   4. 11.100 /  4. 11.100
  libpostproc    57.  2.100 / 57.  2.100
Splitting the commandline.
Reading option '-allowed_extensions' ... matched as AVOption 'allowed_extensions' with argument 'ALL'.
Reading option '-protocol_whitelist' ... matched as AVOption 'protocol_whitelist' with argument 'file,http,https,tcp,tls,crypt'.
Reading option '-i' ... matched as input url with argument 'playlist.m3u8'.
Reading option '-c' ... matched as option 'c' (codec name) with argument 'copy'.
Reading option '-report' ... matched as option 'report' (generate a report) with argument '1'.
Reading option 'playlist.mp4' ... matched as output url.
Finished splitting the commandline.
Parsing a group of options: global .
Applying option report (generate a report) with argument 1.
Successfully parsed a group of options.
Parsing a group of options: input url playlist.m3u8.
Successfully parsed a group of options.
Opening an input file: playlist.m3u8.
[NULL @ 00000256fef51600] Opening 'playlist.m3u8' for reading
[AVIOContext @ 00000256fef59fc0] Statistics: 249 bytes read, 0 seeks
playlist.m3u8: Invalid data found when processing input

**Tags:** ffmpeg


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-05-15. Score: 2

FFmpeg requires one of the following 3 tags to immediately follow #EXTM3U at the beginning.
#EXT-X-STREAM-INF 
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE

You can work around the probe failure by adding -f hls before -i.
Also, #EXTINF values should be non-negative, which is not the case here.


---

