Answers.Body: <p><code>-ss</code> after the input name performs a slow seek where ffmpeg decodes all frames but discards till it reaches the seek point.</p>
  
  <p>With <code>-ss</code> before <code>-i</code>, ffmpeg performs a fast seek.</p>
  
  <pre><code>FFMPEG.exe -ss hh:mm:ss -i in.webm -q:a 0 -map a -t hh:mm:ss -y out.mp3
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But you'll have to specify a duration instead of <code>to</code> with most formats.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-08-14T20:17:13.577Z
Answers.Text: I only use FFMPEG every few years, but it always amazes me how much it is the embodiment of the power/complexity trade-off.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Sidney
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-08-14T19:53:44.250Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2017-08-14T19:53:44.250Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Gyan
Body: <p>I'm cutting audio out of files, and I'm running into an issue. When I run FFMPeg with this command</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>FFMPEG.exe -i in.webm -q:a 0 -map a -ss hh:mm:ss -to hh:mm:ss -y out.mp3</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>If the <code>-ss</code> parameter is rather large (lets say <code>00:30:00</code>), it takes a long time before it even starts cutting -- It just sits on the below statement for a long time before finally starting.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>size=       0kB time=00:00:00.00 bitrate=N/A</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Does anyone know why it would do this and how I could fix it?</p>
  
Tags: <ffmpeg>
Title: Why does FFMPeg sit at 00:00:00.00 if I start cutting a video a long ways into the file?
UserDisplayName: Sidney
ThreadText: # Why does FFMPeg sit at 00:00:00.00 if I start cutting a video a long ways into the file?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-14)
  
  I'm cutting audio out of files, and I'm running into an issue. When I run FFMPeg with this command
  
  > FFMPEG.exe -i in.webm -q:a 0 -map a -ss hh:mm:ss -to hh:mm:ss -y out.mp3
  
  If the `-ss` parameter is rather large (lets say `00:30:00`), it takes a long time before it even starts cutting -- It just sits on the below statement for a long time before finally starting.
  
  > size= 0kB time=00:00:00.00 bitrate=N/A
  
  Does anyone know why it would do this and how I could fix it?
  
  **Tags:** ffmpeg
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2017-08-14. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  `-ss` after the input name performs a slow seek where ffmpeg decodes all frames but discards till it reaches the seek point.
  
  With `-ss` before `-i`, ffmpeg performs a fast seek.
  
  ```
  FFMPEG.exe -ss hh:mm:ss -i in.webm -q:a 0 -map a -t hh:mm:ss -y out.mp3
  
  ```
  
  But you'll have to specify a duration instead of `to` with most formats.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: I only use FFMPEG every few years, but it always amazes me how much it is the embodiment of the power/complexity trade-off.  
  
  ---
  
  