FFmpeg 8.1 drawvg and vpp_amf: not on Sume's allowlist

FFmpeg 8.1 "Hoare" lists two new filters, drawvg and vpp_amf. Neither is on Sume's video-filter allowlist in the clone read on 2026-10-01, so a filtergraph naming them is refused with invalid_filtergraph and an unknown_filter detail that names the token and the allowlist.

FFmpeg facts are from its news page; Sume facts from Video filter and packages/timeline-compiler/src/filter.ts, read 2026-10-01.

What did FFmpeg 8.1 add?

The release news, dated March 16, 2026 for 8.1, lists under Filters: drawvg, vpp_amf. It also lists hardware and compute codecs, which belong to the other post in this series on AV1 encoding. This page says nothing more about what the two filters do.

How does Sume decide which filters run?

POST /v1/video-filter takes a filters-only filtergraph after any ops[]. The source comment on the allowlist reads: filters a program may name. Each allowed filter takes only inline options, with no file, model, command or socket, so the allowlist can grow only by a contract change.

Limits on the graph: max 2048 characters and 32 named filters, no inputs, no outputs, no paths, and no stream specifiers such as [0:v]. The server wraps the graph itself.

What happens if I send drawvg?

Because the name is not allowlisted, expect invalid_filtergraph with unknown_filter. The docs say that error names the token and the allowlist, so read the response for the names you can use instead. Check the allowlist in filter.ts or the docs before assuming a filter exists; new FFmpeg names do not appear automatically.

Can I pass raw ffmpeg flags instead?

No. A request carrying vf, filter, ffmpeg, cmd, codec, crf or -i gets ffmpeg_fields_rejected; the server compiles ffmpeg. See ffmpeg fields rejected for each field.

What should I do instead?

Pick from the allowlisted tone, colour, blur, geometry and fade filters, or use ops[] with dim and crop. For an overview of what is allowed see the filter allowlist.