How to extract orientation information from videos using ffmpeg?

First, it is important to verify whether the video file contains geolocation information. This information is typically stored in the video file's metadata, especially in videos captured with mobile devices. This information may be stored in EXIF data.

Step 1: Check Video Metadata

First, we can use FFmpeg's ffprobe tool to inspect the video file's metadata to determine if it contains GPS or other geolocation information. Use the following command:

bash
ffprobe -v quiet -print_format json -show_format -show_streams filename.mp4

This command lists all streams and format information of the video file, with the output provided in JSON format, making subsequent processing more convenient.

Step 2: Extract Specific Geolocation Information

If Step 1 confirms that the video contains geolocation information, we can continue using ffprobe to extract specific geolocation details. For example, if the geolocation information is stored in a particular metadata tag (such as location), we can extract this tag specifically:

bash
ffprobe -v error -show_entries stream_tags=location -of default=noprint_wrappers=1:nokey=1 filename.mp4

Step 3: Utilize the Geolocation Information

The extracted geolocation information (if available) is typically in latitude and longitude format. You may need to further process this information based on application requirements, such as converting it to the actual location on a map.

Example

Suppose we have a video file example.mp4 and we want to extract its geolocation information. First, check all metadata:

bash
ffprobe -v quiet -print_format json -show_format -show_streams example.mp4

If we find geolocation information, such as the location tag, we continue to extract it:

bash
ffprobe -v error -show_entries stream_tags=location -of default=noprint_wrappers=1:nokey=1 example.mp4

If this command outputs geolocation data, such as +35.6895+139.6917/ (the latitude and longitude of Tokyo), we have successfully extracted the required information.

Conclusion

By using FFmpeg and ffprobe, we can effectively extract geolocation and other types of metadata from video files. This information is highly valuable for geotagging, content categorization, and various other applications.