“MediaInfo” is a versatile and powerful command-line tool used for extracting and displaying metadata from various audio and video files. Metadata refers to descriptive information embedded within media files, such as video codecs, audio codecs, duration, resolution, bit rate, frame rate, audio channels, language, and more. Here’s a deeper dive into the features and functionality of MediaInfo:
- Supported Formats: MediaInfo supports a wide range of audio and video formats, including popular formats such as MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV, MP3, WAV, FLAC, and many others. It can extract metadata from both container formats and the streams they contain, providing comprehensive information about the media file’s content and properties.
- Detailed Metadata: MediaInfo provides detailed information about various aspects of audio and video files, including technical specifications, encoding parameters, and descriptive metadata. This includes details such as codec formats, bit rates, sample rates, aspect ratios, subtitles, chapters, and more.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: MediaInfo is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions. It can be installed and used on different platforms, allowing users to access metadata information consistently across different environments.
- Command-Line Interface: MediaInfo is primarily a command-line tool, although graphical user interface (GUI) versions are also available for those who prefer a visual interface. The command-line interface allows users to quickly and efficiently extract metadata from media files, making it suitable for automation, scripting, and integration into workflows.
- Customizable Output: MediaInfo offers options to customize the output format and verbosity of metadata information. Users can specify which metadata fields to display, control the formatting of output, and choose between different output formats such as plain text, XML, JSON, and HTML.
- Batch Processing: MediaInfo supports batch processing, allowing users to analyze multiple media files in one go. This can be useful for analyzing entire directories of media files or generating reports for large collections of audio and video files.
- Integration with Other Tools: MediaInfo can be integrated with other tools and scripts to automate media analysis tasks or extract metadata for further processing. It can be used in conjunction with multimedia processing pipelines, media management systems, digital preservation workflows, and more.
- Open Source: MediaInfo is an open-source project developed and maintained by MediaArea. Its source code is freely available for inspection, modification, and contribution by the community, fostering transparency, collaboration, and innovation in media metadata analysis.
mediainfo Command Examples
1. Display metadata for a given file in the console:
# mediainfo [file]
2. Store the output to a given file along with displaying in the console:
# mediainfo --Logfile=[out.txt] [file]
3. Display the list of metadata attributes that can be extracted:
# mediainfo --Info-Parameters
Summary
Overall, MediaInfo is a valuable tool for anyone working with audio and video files who needs to extract detailed metadata information quickly and efficiently. Its comprehensive support for various formats, customizable output, and cross-platform compatibility make it a versatile choice for media professionals, researchers, developers, and enthusiasts alike.