FFmpeg
FFmpeg is the de facto standard for video encoding, used inside YouTube, VLC, Chrome, Adobe Media Encoder, and DaVinci Resolve. It supports virtually every codec and container in existence: H.264, H.265, ProRes, DNxHR, AV1, MP4, MOV, MXF, MKV, WebM. Its command-line interface is the building block of every modern video pipeline.
Sanbila uses FFmpeg as its proxy encoder. When an editor imports footage, FFmpeg transcodes the original to one of seven NLE-friendly presets (H.264 540p/720p/1080p, ProRes Proxy 720p/1080p, DNxHR LB 720p/1080p). The editor sees real-time progress, the proxy ends up in a Virtual Folder ready for the NLE, and the original stays in cloud storage.
Examples
- •A 4K H.265 source from a Sony FX6 is encoded by FFmpeg into a 1080p H.264 proxy in about 2x real-time on a modern laptop
- •A 6K BRAW Blackmagic clip becomes a 1080p ProRes Proxy ready for DaVinci Resolve
- •An R3D 8K RED file is transcoded by FFmpeg into a 720p DNxHR LB proxy for Avid Media Composer
In Sanbila
Sanbila ships an FFmpeg sidecar binary on every desktop install (Windows, macOS, Linux). All 7 proxy presets are FFmpeg encoding profiles. Disk space and progress are checked before and during each encode.
Frequently asked questions
How is Sanbila different from the proxy generator built into my NLE?+
Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro and Avid all generate proxies locally, but they keep the original full-resolution files on the same SSD — so the disk fills up twice. Sanbila stores the originals in the cloud (Cloudflare R2) and keeps only the lightweight proxies on your machine. At export, Smart Relink streams the originals back via a local WebDAV mount, so you finish at full quality without ever downloading the source files.
Does Sanbila work offline?+
Yes for editing — once a proxy is cached on your SSD, you can cut, trim, color and arrange your timeline without an internet connection. You only need network access for the initial import (uploading originals to the cloud) and for the final export (streaming originals back via WebDAV).
How much cloud storage does the free plan include?+
The free plan includes 5 GB of cloud storage and one project, with no credit card required. Paid plans start at $49 per month for 2 TB and 50 projects, going up to 25 TB on the Enterprise plan with overage billing for teams that need more.
What upload speed do I need to use Sanbila?+
Any broadband connection works for the initial upload — Sanbila chunks files into 50 MB parts and uploads in parallel, so a typical 100 Mbps fiber line uploads 1 hour of 4K H.264 footage in about 6 minutes. After upload, day-to-day editing happens on local proxies, so your connection speed only matters again at export time when originals are streamed.
Which video formats does Sanbila support?+
Sanbila handles 22+ formats out of the box: MP4, MOV, MXF, R3D (RED RAW), BRAW (Blackmagic RAW), ARRI proxies, ProRes, DNxHR, DNxHD, H.264, H.265, plus WAV and AAC for audio. Both 4K and 8K sources are supported up to 200 GB per single file (URL imports have no size limit).
Related terms
Sources
- FFmpeg official site · FFmpeg
- FFmpeg documentation · FFmpeg
- FFmpeg wiki: H.264 encoding guide · FFmpeg