Video Metadata Inspector for macOS
Inspect MP4, MOV, HLS & DASH Metadata — Without the Terminal
Understanding a media file shouldn't require five CLI tools.
Video Commander is a professional video metadata inspector for macOS, built for engineers who need full visibility into their media files. Parse ISOBMFF structures, inspect tracks, analyze codecs, and debug streaming manifests — all in a native desktop interface.
Why Inspecting Video Metadata Is Hard
If you've worked with media files long enough, you've probably used:
- ffprobe
- mp4dump
- mediainfo
- Custom scripts
- Bento4 utilities
They work — but:
- Output is verbose and hard to scan
- Box hierarchies aren't intuitive
- Debugging malformed files is slow
- Comparing two files requires manual effort
When debugging packaging issues or playback failures, visibility matters.
What Video Commander's Metadata Inspector Does
Parse ISOBMFF / MP4 Box Structure
- Visual tree view of ftyp, moov, trak, mdia, stbl, and more
- Inspect timescales, durations, sample tables
- Identify missing or malformed atoms
- Analyze fragmented MP4 (fMP4) structures
You see the structure instantly — no scrolling through raw CLI output.
Track-Level Media Analysis
- Video codec (H.264, HEVC, AV1, etc.)
- Audio codec details
- Bitrate and resolution
- Color information (HDR metadata, color primaries)
- Timebase and duration validation
Perfect for verifying encodes before delivery.
HLS & DASH Manifest Inspection
- Inspect .m3u8 playlists
- Analyze segment structure
- Validate bitrate ladders
- Debug manifest inconsistencies
Stop switching between text editors and command-line tools.
Built for Real Engineering Workflows
This is not a consumer "media info viewer." It's designed for:
- Streaming engineers
- Encoding pipeline developers
- OTT platform teams
- Post-production technical QA
- Media tooling developers
If you care about atoms, tracks, segments, and timescales — this is for you.
Compare with CLI Tools
| Task | CLI Workflow | Video Commander |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect MP4 structure | mp4dump file.mp4 | Expandable visual box tree |
| View codec metadata | ffprobe -show_streams | Structured stream view |
| Debug HLS manifest | Open in text editor | Parsed manifest inspector |
| Validate timescales | Manual calculation | Displayed in context |
You still get precision. You gain clarity.
Native macOS App — Offline First
- Apple Silicon optimized
- No cloud uploads
- No telemetry
- Large-file friendly
- Built by a professional media engineer
Your media never leaves your machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does it replace ffprobe or mp4dump?
- No — it builds on the same underlying media structures, but provides a readable interface for faster debugging and inspection.
- Does it support fragmented MP4?
- Yes. Fragmented MP4 (fMP4) and streaming-ready outputs are fully inspectable.
- Can I use it for HLS and DASH?
- Yes. Manifest inspection and packaging visibility are built-in.
Download the Video Metadata Inspector for macOS
Video Commander includes the full metadata inspection tool in the desktop app.
Download the Latest VersionWindows and Linux support coming soon.