How to Stop ffmpeg Remotely?

In the Linux environment, FFmpeg is a powerful multimedia processing tool that enables users to convert, record, and stream audio and video files. When working with FFmpeg remotely, it may become necessary to stop its processes under certain circumstances. To stop FFmpeg remotely, you typically employ methods such as sending signals or commands to the running process. One common approach is using the kill command and the process ID (PID) of the FFmpeg process. This can be done through SSH (Secure Shell) or other remote access methods. In this article, we will see the detailed steps to stop ffmpeg remotely.

How to Install and Run ffmpeg?

In this section, we will see how to install and run ffmpeg. We will install the ffmpeg on the Kali Linux machine and stop the running ffmpeg service from the remote machine Ubuntu. So, firstly to install the tool on a Kali Linux machine, we need to execute the below steps:

Step 1: Update the System

In the very first step, we need to update all the repositories and packages on the Kali Linux system, so to update the repositories, we need to execute the below command in the terminals.

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install ffmpeg

Once the repositories are been updated, we can further install the ffmpeg tool by using the apt manager. We need to execute the installation command in the terminal.

sudo apt install ffmpeg

Step 3: Run ffmpeg

Once the tool is been installed, we can start or assign some work to the tool. As the work is been assigned, we can stop this work from the remote machine by logging into the Kali machine through the SSH Protocol. To start the ffmpeg with some work, we can execute the below command.

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 output.avi

How to stop ffmpeg Remotely?

In this section, we will see the detailed steps to stop ffmpeg Remotely. As we mentioned above, we have installed and started the ffmpeg tool on the Kali Linux machine. We will stop this tool remotely from the Ubuntu machine using SSH login. So follow the below steps to stop the ffmpeg remotely.

Step 1: Open Terminal in Remote Machine (Ubuntu)

Firstly, we need to open the terminal in Remote Machine (Ubuntu) by using the keyboard shortcut “CTRL + ALT + T” or by using the Application Menu.

Step 2: Login to Kali Linux Machine

Once the terminal is been launched in the remote machine, we need to log in to the Kali Linux machine where the ffmpeg tool is running. So to log in, we can use the SSH command. Below is the command syntax:

Syntax:

ssh username@kali_ip_address

• ssh: Stands for “Secure Shell,” a protocol for securely accessing a remote server.
• username: Replace this with the actual username on the remote machine (Kali Linux) that you want to log in as.
• kali_ip_address: Replace this with the actual IP address of the Kali Linux machine you want to connect to.

Note: To get the IP address, we can find it through the ifconfig command.

Command:

ssh kali@192.168.144.139

Step 3: Identify the ffmpeg Process ID

Once connected to the Kali Linux machine, we need to identify the ffmpeg process that we want to stop. We can execute the below command to get the PID of the ffmpeg tool. We need to note the PID properly.

pgrep ffmpeg

Step 4: Kill the Process

Once we have got the Process ID or PID of the ffmpeg tool, we can now stop it by killing the process with the kill command. Below is the detailed syntax of the kill command:

Syntax:

kill -SIGKILL PID

• kill: A command in Unix-like operating systems to send signals to processes, allowing you to control their behavior.
• -SIGKILL: Specifies the signal to send to the process, in this case, SIGKILL. SIGKILL is an uncatchable signal that forcefully terminates the process.
• PID: Stands for Process ID, a unique numerical identifier assigned to each running process on the system.

Command:

Now, replace the PID with the actual Process ID of the ffmpeg tool.

kill -SIGKILL 14019

Step 5: Verify the Changes

Once we have executed the kill command, the ffmpeg service will be stopped. But to verify, whether the tool has stopped or not, we can once again run the pgrep command. If the PID is not shown in the result, then we can assure that the ffmpeg is been stopped.

pgrep ffmpeg

Conclusion

In conclusion, stopping FFmpeg remotely involves executing specific commands to terminate the running processes. Utilizing the kill command with the appropriate process ID (PID) is a common method, often implemented through remote access tools like SSH. Care should be taken to ensure a graceful shutdown, preventing potential data corruption or incomplete operations. Alternatives such as pkill or killall can also be employed based on specific requirements. Remote FFmpeg process management demands a cautious approach to avoid unintended consequences, emphasizing the need for users to be well-versed in the termination procedures to maintain the integrity of their multimedia processing tasks.