How can I use webm-files (VP9) in Kdenlive?

especially for videos from youtube.
I tried it with

ffmpeg -i 4Ktest.webm -c copy 4Ktest.mkv
= negativ!

Have you tried bringing it straight into the project bin and then into the timeline? Why the need to change container?

Yes, the video.webm is in the timeline. However, there is no image (video codec: VP9). Only sound (audio codec: Opus).
If I change the container to video.mp4 then there is the same result.
It only works if I transcode VP9 to mpeg4. This takes 1 hour per 10 minutes!

Hmm, I just tried it with Kdenlive appimage version 24.05.2 on Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS, and it works like a charm.

What OS are you on and what version do you use?


I have found out. I download the videos with the Shutter Encoder. It depends on which setting I select. ‘Up to 4K’ gives VP9 ( 3 840 x 2 160 )= negative, “Bestvideo+Bestaudio” gives AV1 ( 7 680 x 4 320 )= positive it works!

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Yes, I also have the latest versions. Both on Win10 and Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS

Are you sure you did your test with the VP9 video codec?

That’s what the properties say:


A picture of the crime scene.

Hmm, strange. What does the Kdenlive Config Wizard say?

How did you install Kdenlive? Or are you using the appimage/standalone?

AppImage runs on Linux and is installed normally on Windows (another PC). Both VP9 problems are identical.

Now I’ve tried it with your test video (https://youtu.be/VhZtweWFtVI). And, it works!
My source was https://youtu.be/7PIji8OubXU.

Is it possible that VP9 is not always VP9? A mystery!

I downloaded the clip you linked to and it shows in the Clip Monitor and Project Monitor but playback is very choppy (being 4K and with a bit rate of 51Mb and 60fps).

And it took Kdenlive a bit to actually be able to display it at all …

I had a look at how many different codecs are available for the same YouTube video (with yt-dlp). see attachment
It almost made me dizzy!
I’m no longer surprised that it works one time and not another.