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A pre-configured FFmpeg container image from LinuxServer.io, wrapped for use in Nix builds with reproducible hashing.

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Image Details

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Image
string
docker.io/linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1
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Digest
string
sha256:211841bb80a0d1faccbe7547ac5034ec02b94d5dd2a4128468006e7052662068
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Nix Hash
string
sha256-a4EFTOErHXxmzetxBkZCbAglfCcJ/eH8LwsgWtKTePo=
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Architecture
string
linux/amd64
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Version
string
8.0.1

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Source Configuration

The image is defined in /images/ffmpeg/default.nix:
images/ffmpeg/default.nix
{ pkgs }:
let
  image = "docker.io/linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1@sha256:211841bb80a0d1faccbe7547ac5034ec02b94d5dd2a4128468006e7052662068";
  parts = builtins.match "(.+/)(.+):(.+)@(.+)" image;
in
(pkgs.dockerTools.pullImage {
  imageName = builtins.elemAt parts 0 + builtins.elemAt parts 1;
  finalImageName = builtins.elemAt parts 1;
  finalImageTag = builtins.elemAt parts 2;
  imageDigest = builtins.elemAt parts 3;
  hash = "sha256-a4EFTOErHXxmzetxBkZCbAglfCcJ/eH8LwsgWtKTePo=";
  os = "linux";
  arch = "amd64";
}).overrideAttrs
  {
    __structuredAttrs = true;
    unsafeDiscardReferences.out = true;
  }

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Usage

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In a Nix Flake

Reference the FFmpeg image in your flake:
flake.nix
{
  inputs = {
    nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
    nur-nix.url = "github:yourusername/nur-nix";
  };

  outputs = { self, nixpkgs, nur-nix }: {
    packages.x86_64-linux.ffmpeg-container = 
      nur-nix.images.x86_64-linux.ffmpeg;
  };
}

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Build and Load

Build the image and load it into Docker or Podman: 
# Build the image
nix build github:yourusername/nur-nix#images.x86_64-linux.ffmpeg

# Load into Docker
docker load < result

# Run the container
docker run --rm linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1 -version

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Direct Usage

Use the image directly without a flake: 
# Build from local checkout
nix build .#images.x86_64-linux.ffmpeg

# Or with nix-build
nix-build -A images.ffmpeg

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Common Use Cases

Use FFmpeg for batch video transcoding in CI/CD pipelines:
docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/workspace \
  linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1 \
  -i /workspace/input.mp4 \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 23 \
  /workspace/output.mp4
Extract audio tracks from video files:
docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/workspace \
  linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1 \
  -i /workspace/video.mp4 \
  -vn -acodec copy \
  /workspace/audio.aac
Convert between different video formats:
docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/workspace \
  linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1 \
  -i /workspace/input.avi \
  -c:v copy -c:a copy \
  /workspace/output.mkv
Generate video thumbnails:
docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/workspace \
  linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1 \
  -i /workspace/video.mp4 \
  -ss 00:00:10 -vframes 1 \
  /workspace/thumb.jpg

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In NixOS Configuration

Use the FFmpeg image in a NixOS container configuration:
configuration.nix
{ config, pkgs, nur-nix, ... }:

{
  virtualisation.oci-containers.containers.ffmpeg = {
    imageFile = nur-nix.images.x86_64-linux.ffmpeg;
    image = "linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1";
    volumes = [
      "/media:/workspace"
    ];
  };
}
The LinuxServer.io FFmpeg image runs as a non-root user by default. Ensure your volume mounts have appropriate permissions.

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Why LinuxServer.io?

The LinuxServer.io FFmpeg image is chosen for:
  • Regular Updates: Maintained by the LinuxServer.io team with timely security patches
  • Complete Build: Includes most FFmpeg features and codecs
  • Good Documentation: Well-documented image with clear usage examples
  • Security: Runs as non-root user and follows best practices

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Troubleshooting

If you encounter a hash mismatch error, the upstream image may have changed. To fix:
  1. Update the digest in the source file
  2. Run the build to get the new hash
  3. Update the hash field with the new value
nix build .#images.x86_64-linux.ffmpeg 2>&1 | grep "got:"
If you get permission errors when mounting volumes:
# Fix permissions on the host
chmod -R 755 /path/to/workspace

# Or run with user mapping (Docker)
docker run --user $(id -u):$(id -g) ...
After loading, verify the image name and tag:
docker images | grep ffmpeg

# Use the exact name:tag shown
docker run --rm linuxserver/ffmpeg:8.0.1 -version

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Next Steps

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