Table of Contents

Getting Started with MediaConvert.io

MediaConvert.io provides a simple, cost-effective API for video and image conversion at scale. Our infrastructure-aware processing achieves 50-70% cost savings compared to competitors while delivering optimized performance through hardware acceleration where available.

Quick Start

Get up and running with MediaConvert.io in under 5 minutes:

1. Create Your Account

Sign up at mediaconvert.io/register and verify your email address.

2. Generate an API Token

  1. Navigate to your API Tokens page
  2. Click Create New Token
  3. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., Production API)
  4. Copy the token securely - it won't be shown again

3. Add Credits to Your Account

MediaConvert.io uses a prepaid credit system for transparent, predictable billing:

  1. Go to your Account Credits page
  2. Add credits via Stripe (minimum €10)
  3. Credits are consumed at €0.001-0.003 per MB processed

4. Your First Conversion

Here's a complete example using curl:

bash 
curl -X POST https://mediaconvert.io/api/v1/conversion_jobs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "job_type": "video",
    "input_url": "https://your-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/input.mp4?X-Amz-Algorithm=...",
    "output_url": "https://your-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/output.webm?X-Amz-Algorithm=...",
    "input_format": "mp4",
    "output_format": "webm",
    "input_size_bytes": 52428800,
    "webhook_url": "https://your-app.com/webhooks/mediaconvert"
  }'

Response:
json
{
"id": "job_abc123def456",
"status": "pending",
"job_type": "video",
"estimated_cost_micros": 157000, // €0.157
"estimated_cost_cents": 157, // Backward compatibility
"estimated_processing_time": 45,
"created_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

Key Concepts

Volume-Based Pricing

Unlike competitors who charge per minute, MediaConvert.io charges based on data processed:
- Input size: Data downloaded from your S3 bucket
- Output size: Data uploaded back to your S3 bucket

- Rate: €0.001-0.003 per MB (varies by account tier and conversion complexity)

This typically results in 50-70% cost savings compared to time-based pricing.

S3-Native Integration

MediaConvert.io works directly with your S3-compatible storage:
- AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, or any S3-compatible service
- Uses presigned URLs - we never store your credentials
- Direct download/upload for maximum security and performance

Infrastructure-Aware Processing

Our workers automatically detect and utilize available hardware:
- Intel Quick Sync Video acceleration on dedicated servers (5-10x faster)
- Multi-core CPU optimization on virtual infrastructure
- Graceful fallback ensures jobs complete regardless of hardware

Real-Time Progress Updates

Track conversion progress in real-time:
- WebSocket updates for live progress monitoring
- Webhook notifications for asynchronous processing
- API polling as a fallback option
```

Supported Formats

Video Input Formats (40+)

  • Common: MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, FLV, MKV, WEBM
  • Professional: ProRes, DNxHD, RED, BRAW
  • Legacy: 3GP, MPG, VOB, RM, ASF

Video Output Formats (15+)

  • Web: MP4 (H.264/H.265), WebM (VP8/VP9/AV1)
  • Mobile: 3GP, MP4 optimized profiles
  • Professional: ProRes, DNxHD
  • Streaming: HLS, DASH segments

Image Input/Output Formats (20+)

  • Common: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, WebP
  • Professional: PSD, AI, EPS, SVG
  • Raw: CR2, NEF, ARW, DNG

Authentication

All API requests require Bearer token authentication:

bash 
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
     https://mediaconvert.io/api/v1/me

Manage your tokens:
- Create multiple tokens for different environments
- Set expiration dates for security
- Monitor usage per token
- Revoke tokens instantly when needed

Error Handling

MediaConvert.io uses standard HTTP status codes:

  • 200 OK: Request successful
  • 201 Created: Resource created successfully
  • 400 Bad Request: Invalid request parameters
  • 401 Unauthorized: Invalid or missing API token
  • 402 Payment Required: Insufficient account credits
  • 422 Unprocessable Entity: Validation errors
  • 500 Internal Server Error: Server error

Error responses include detailed information:
json
{
"error": "validation_failed",
"message": "Input format not supported",
"details": {
"input_format": ["mp5 is not a supported format"]
}
}

```

Next Steps

Support

Ready to get started? Try our interactive API explorer or dive into the complete API reference.