Can I run multiple instances of ffmpeg?

[pxstein]

Can I run multiple ffmpeg instances at the same time?
Or do they confuse each other (e.g. because they use all the same intermediate shared file of a first pass)?

Peter

[Baldrick]

Yep, you can run several without any problems.

[Selur]

@Baldrick: Are you sure?
Afaik. if you run 2pass encodings you should specify the stats file, otherwise the stats files will get mixed up since ffmpeg will use a default file name for it.

[Baldrick]

@Baldrick: Are you sure?
Afaik. if you run 2pass encodings you should specify the stats file, otherwise the stats files will get mixed up since ffmpeg will use a default file name for it.

Ooops. I missed the stats file part. I guess it also works if you copy ffmpeg.exe to different folders for each conversion. But specify the stats file sounds better.

[pxstein]

But specify the stats file sounds better.

How do I specify a random unique (!) stats file on the ffmoeg cmdline?

Obviously it should be garantueed that this stats file for ffmpeg encoding no 1 first pass should only be used by ffmpeg encoding no 1 second pass and NOT by ffmpeg encoding no 2 second pass.

[Selur]

How do I specify a random unique (!) stats file on the ffmoeg cmdline?

you can't, normally your script (or your manual call) should take of that
most people simply take the name of the input file and attach .stats to it in their script (and delete this file before the 1st pass if it already exists)