FFmpeg | The Hidden Heart Behind YouTube, Netflix and VLC
Every time you watch YouTube, stream Netflix, or use VLC, you're using FFmpeg - and you probably don't even know it exists. This is the incredible story of the invisible software that powers the entire digital multimedia world.
2025-07-01 19:00:00 - YouTube Creators
From a small project by French programmer Fabrice Bellard in 2000, FFmpeg became the hidden backbone of the internet. It's the secret engine behind every video you watch, every song you stream, and every video call you make.
Discover how one open-source project changed everything, survived corporate wars, and became the foundation of a billion-dollar streaming industry. This is the untold story of the software that literally runs the modern internet.
00:00 - Introduction: The Invisible Engine
00:30 - The Origins (2000-2003)
01:47 - Building the Architecture
04:57 - The YouTube Revolution (2007-2010)
06:18 - The Great Split: Libav Fork (2011)
07:17 - Modern Era & Streaming Dominance
08:53 - FFmpeg Today: By the Numbers
10:00 - The Future & Legacy