List DeckLink Devices Using FFmpeg

This guide explains how to quickly identify and list all available Blackmagic Design DeckLink input and output devices connected to your system using FFmpeg. By running a few simple terminal commands, you can retrieve the exact device names needed for capture and playback configurations.

Prerequisites

To interact with DeckLink hardware, your version of FFmpeg must be compiled with DeckLink support enabled. You can verify this by running ffmpeg -protocols or checking if --enable-decklink is included in your FFmpeg configuration output.

Method 1: List All Devices (Input and Output)

The most common way to query all connected DeckLink hardware is by using the -list_devices option combined with a dummy input.

Run the following command in your terminal:

ffmpeg -f decklink -list_devices 1 -i dummy

Understanding the command: * -f decklink: Specifies the Blackmagic DeckLink format/device driver. * -list_devices 1: Instructs FFmpeg to list the available devices instead of starting a stream. * -i dummy: Provides a placeholder input required by FFmpeg’s command syntax.

The command will output the names of all detected DeckLink inputs and outputs in your console. Note down the exact device names (e.g., DeckLink Duo (1)) as you will need to reference them in your streaming or recording commands.

Method 2: List Inputs and Outputs Separately

Modern versions of FFmpeg allow you to query device sources (inputs) and sinks (outputs) using built-in system flags.

To list all available input devices (sources):

ffmpeg -sources decklink

To list all available output devices (sinks):

ffmpeg -sinks decklink

These commands provide a clean, filtered list of available physical inputs and outputs, making it easy to determine which ports are available for capture or external monitoring.