ffmpeg fails with: Unable to find a suitable output format for 'pipe:'
ffmpeg
Solution
typo
Use `-preset`, not `- preset` (notice the space). `ffmpeg` uses `-` to indicate a pipe, so your typo is being interpreted as a piped output.
pipe requires the `-f` option
For users who get the same error, but actually want to output via a pipe, you have to tell `ffmpeg` which muxer the pipe should use.
Do this with the `-f` output option. Examples: `-f mpegts`, `-f nut`, `-f wav`, `-f matroska`. Which one to use depends on your video/audio formats and your particular use case.
You can see a list of muxers with `ffmpeg -muxers` (not all muxers can be used with pipe).
Problem
I am trying to record my desktop and save it as videos but ffmpeg fails. Here is the terminal output: ``` $ ffmpeg -f alsa -i pulse -r 30 -s 1366x768 -f x11grab -i :0.0 -vcodec libx264 - preset ultrafast -crf 0 -y screencast.mp4 ... Unable to find a suitable output format for 'pipe:' ```