MediaInfo Output Formats: XML, JSON, and Custom Templates

Overview

MediaInfo's flexible output formats enable seamless integration with automated workflows and data processing systems. This comprehensive guide covers XML, JSON, and custom template creation, providing video engineers with the knowledge to extract precisely the metadata they need in the format that best serves their processing pipeline requirements.

Key Takeaways

• Master all MediaInfo output formats for optimal workflow integration
• Create custom templates for specific metadata extraction needs
• Implement structured data processing with XML and JSON outputs
• Optimize output formats for performance and automation requirements

What is MediaInfo?

MediaInfo supports multiple output formats designed for different use cases, from human-readable text to machine-parseable XML and JSON. Custom templates provide ultimate flexibility, allowing precise control over output structure and content to match specific workflow requirements and downstream processing needs.

MediaInfo Key Features

• XML Structured Output: Hierarchical XML structure ideal for complex data processing and transformation workflows
• JSON API Integration: Modern JSON format perfect for web APIs and JavaScript-based processing pipelines
• Custom Template Engine: Flexible template system for creating precisely formatted output for specific requirements
• Conditional Data Extraction: Advanced template features for conditional logic and selective data presentation

Why Use MediaInfo for Structured Data Extraction?

Benefits

1. Workflow Integration - Seamless integration with existing data processing and automation systems
2. Format Optimization - Choose optimal output format for performance and processing requirements
3. Custom Data Presentation - Create tailored output formats that match specific business and technical needs

Common Challenges

• Template Complexity: Start with simple templates and gradually add complexity as requirements evolve
• Format Selection: Choose format based on downstream processing requirements and performance needs
• Data Validation: Implement validation for structured output to ensure data integrity

Step-by-Step Guide: Mastering MediaInfo Output Formats

Prerequisites

• MediaInfo CLI installed and configured
• Basic understanding of XML, JSON, and template systems
• Sample media files for testing

Step 1: XML Output Generation

mediainfo --Output=XML input.mp4 > analysis.xml

Generate comprehensive XML output containing all available metadata in a hierarchical structure suitable for complex data processing workflows.

Step 2: JSON Output Processing

mediainfo --Output=JSON input.mp4 | jq '.media.track[] | select(."@type"=="Video") | {codec: .Format, resolution: "\(.Width)x\(.Height)"}'

Create JSON output and process with jq to extract specific video stream information for API integration and web-based workflows.

Step 3: Custom Template Creation

mediainfo --Inform="Video;Codec: %Format%, Resolution: %Width%x%Height%, Duration: %Duration/String3%" input.mp4

Create custom template to extract specific video metadata fields in a formatted string suitable for reports and logging systems.

Step 4: Advanced Template Logic

mediainfo --Inform="General;File: %FileName%.%FileExtension%$if(%Duration%,, Duration: %Duration/String3%,)$if(%FileSize%, Size: %FileSize/String%,)" input.mp4

Implement conditional logic in templates to handle optional metadata fields and create robust output formatting.

Advanced MediaInfo Techniques

XML Processing with XPath

mediainfo --Output=XML input.mp4 | xmlstarlet sel -t -v '//track[@type="Video"]/Format' -n

Use XPath processing to extract specific values from XML output for integration with XML-based processing systems and workflows.

Batch Template Processing

find . -name "*.mp4" -exec mediainfo --Inform="file://template.txt" {} \; > batch_report.txt

Apply custom templates to multiple files using external template files for consistent formatting across large content libraries.

Real-World Use Cases

Use Case 1: Content Management System Integration

Scenario: Automated metadata extraction for CMS database population Solution: Use JSON output with structured data extraction for database integration

mediainfo --Output=JSON input.mp4 | jq '.media.track[0] | {filename: .CompleteName, duration: .Duration, size: .FileSize, format: .Format}'

Use Case 2: Compliance Reporting

Scenario: Generate standardized reports for broadcast compliance validation Solution: Create custom templates that extract compliance-relevant metadata in required format

mediainfo --Inform="Video;Standard: %Standard%, ColorSpace: %ColorSpace%, BitDepth: %BitDepth%" broadcast.mxf

Use Case 3: API Data Integration

Scenario: Integrate MediaInfo analysis with web APIs and microservices Solution: Use JSON output for seamless API integration and data exchange

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d "$(mediainfo --Output=JSON input.mp4)" http://api.example.com/media-analysis

MediaInfo vs Alternatives

Feature	MediaInfo	FFprobe JSON	ExifTool XML	Probe.dev API
Template Flexibility
JSON Support
XML Processing

Performance and Best Practices

Optimization Tips

• Choose Format by Use Case: Select XML for complex hierarchical processing, JSON for web APIs, templates for custom formatting
• Optimize Template Complexity: Balance template sophistication with processing performance and maintainability
• Validate Structured Output: Implement validation for XML and JSON output to ensure data integrity in automated workflows

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Over-Complex Templates: Start with simple templates and add complexity incrementally based on actual requirements
• Format Mismatching: Choose output format based on downstream processing capabilities and requirements
• Missing Data Handling: Implement proper handling for missing or optional metadata fields in templates

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Template Syntax Errors

Symptoms: Malformed output or template processing failures Solution: Validate template syntax and field names against MediaInfo documentation

Issue 2: XML/JSON Parsing Issues

Symptoms: Downstream processing failures with structured output Solution: Validate output structure and implement error handling in processing scripts

Issue 3: Performance Degradation

Symptoms: Slow processing with complex templates or large files Solution: Optimize template complexity and consider selective field extraction

Industry Standards and Compliance

XML Schema Standards

MediaInfo XML output follows standard schema patterns for reliable processing

JSON Format Standards

JSON output conforms to standard JSON formatting for web API integration

Template Syntax Standards

Custom template syntax follows documented patterns for consistent behavior

Cloud-Native Alternative: Probe.dev API

While MediaInfo is powerful for local analysis, modern media workflows demand cloud-scale solutions. Probe.dev transforms MediaInfo's capabilities into a scalable, API-first service.

Why Choose Probe.dev Over MediaInfo?

Scalability

• MediaInfo: Limited to local processing power
• Probe.dev: Elastic cloud infrastructure handles any file size

⚡ Performance

• MediaInfo: Complex templates and structured output processing may impact performance with large files
• Probe.dev: 58% faster analysis with optimized cloud processing

🧠 Intelligence

• MediaInfo: Raw technical data only
• Probe.dev: ML-enhanced insights trained on 1B+ media assets

Integration

• MediaInfo: CLI scripting and error handling required
• Probe.dev: Clean REST API with comprehensive error handling

Migration Example: MediaInfo → Probe.dev

Traditional MediaInfo Approach:

mediainfo --Output=JSON input.mp4

Probe.dev API Approach:

const response = await fetch('https://api.probe.dev/v1/probe/file', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    url: 'https://your-storage.com/video.mp4',
    tools: ['mediainfo']
  })
});

Try Probe.dev Free →

Additional Resources

Documentation

• MediaInfo Official Documentation
• Probe.dev MediaInfo Integration Guide
• Industry Best Practices

Tools and Libraries

• XMLStarlet
• jq JSON Processor
• XPath Tools

Community

• MediaInfo Community Forum
• Video Engineering Discord
• Probe.dev Developer Community

Conclusion

MediaInfo's flexible output formats provide essential capabilities for modern media processing workflows, enabling seamless integration with automated systems and custom processing requirements. While these local processing capabilities are powerful, cloud-native solutions offer enhanced structured data processing, advanced formatting options, and simplified integration with modern web-based workflows.

Next Steps

1. Experiment with different output formats for your specific workflow requirements
2. Create custom templates that extract exactly the metadata your systems need
3. Implement structured data validation and error handling in your processing pipelines
4. Try Probe.dev's cloud-native MediaInfo alternative →

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About the Author: The Probe DEV team consists of media engineering experts with decades of experience in video processing, cloud infrastructure, and API development. Founded by the creator of Encoding.com, we're passionate about modernizing media analysis workflows.

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• MediaInfo CLI Mastery
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• FFprobe vs MediaInfo