FFmpeg VPU Transcode Node
FFmpeg transcode appliance with ABR output, tuned for NETINT VPU nodes.
FFmpeg is the open source, cross-platform framework that records, converts, and streams audio and video, and it is the transcoding engine behind a large share of the internet video pipeline. This appliance packages FFmpeg as a turnkey, self-serve transcode node: point a stream or a file at it and get adaptive-bitrate outputs back, driven by a small token-guarded control API.
This listing is NetActuate marketplace item #4, the open source proof of the VPU economics and the on-ramp to Bitstreams. It is built to run FFmpeg accelerated by NETINT Video Processing Units (Quadra / T408) in VPU-equipped PoPs: the listing declares a VPU requirement so the deploy wizard steers you to a VPU-capable location and attaches an accelerator, and the node selects the NETINT encode path when a VPU and an SDK-enabled build are present.
What the appliance boots
- FFmpeg on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, ready to transcode on first boot
- A token-guarded transcode control API and status page (default port 8080): list profiles, submit jobs, and run a self-test transcode
- Outputs written to a configurable directory, ready to push to an origin or object store
Key features
- H.264 and HEVC output profiles (1080p / 720p / 480p) plus an ABR-ladder starting point
- Submit-a-job REST API guarded by a generated API token, and a read-only status page
- Selects the NETINT VPU encode path automatically when a VPU and an SDK-enabled FFmpeg are present, and transcodes on the CPU otherwise
- Deployable to the PoP nearest your source or your audience for regional transcode
Use cases
- File and live ABR transcoding for OTT and streaming workflows
- Regional, per-PoP transcode placed near contribution or delivery
- A low-cost open source path to hardware transcode economics, ahead of the Bitstreams self-licensing appliance
Open source and VPU note FFmpeg is community open source software (LGPL / GPL depending on build options, https://ffmpeg.org/). NetActuate packages this ready-to-run appliance; the software belongs to its community. This build ships software (CPU) FFmpeg. NETINT VPU acceleration requires an FFmpeg built with the NETINT libxcoder SDK plus an attached VPU; bundling that SDK inside a customer-consumable image is an open licensing item with the NETINT partnership, so the SDK-enabled image and the flagship VPU story follow once that clears. Until then this node transcodes on the CPU and never claims a VPU it does not have.
Frequently asked questions
How do I deploy FFmpeg VPU Transcode Node on NetActuate?
Use the Deploy on NetActuate button to talk to our team. We provision FFmpeg VPU Transcode Node on a NetActuate virtual machine in the point of presence you choose, close to your audience. Each deployment runs in the single location you select.
What does it cost to run FFmpeg VPU Transcode Node?
FFmpeg VPU Transcode Node is open-source software and free to run on the marketplace - you pay only for the NetActuate compute (virtual-machine size and location) it runs on, at standard rates. There are no usage-based software fees.
Where can FFmpeg VPU Transcode Node run?
FFmpeg VPU Transcode Node can be deployed in any of NetActuate's 45+ points of presence across every continent, so you can place ingest, transcode, delivery and caching close to your contributors and viewers.
Who supports FFmpeg VPU Transcode Node?
NetActuate operates and supports the underlying infrastructure - the virtual machine, network and edge platform. The application itself is supported by its upstream open-source project.
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