ffmpeg fails to copy correct duration - ffmpeg

Question

I want to trim a video with the following command:
ffmpeg.exe -i in.mp4 -ss 76 -t 10 -c copy -an out.mp4
which exactly means, copy 10 seconds after 76 seconds, and don't copy audio. However out.mp4 is 5 seconds length.
This is ffmpeg console output:
ffmpeg.exe -i in.mp4 -ss 76 -t 10 -c copy -an out.mp4
ffmpeg version N-78197-g5893e87 Copyright (c) 2000-2016 the FFmpeg developers
built with gcc 5.2.0 (GCC)
configuration: --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --disable-w32threads --enable-avisynth --enable-bzli
b --enable-fontconfig --enable-frei0r --enable-gnutls --enable-iconv --enable-libass --enable-libblu
ray --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcaca --enable-libdcadec --enable-libfreetype --enable-libgme --enab
le-libgsm --enable-libilbc --enable-libmodplug --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enab
le-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopus --enable-librtmp --enable-libschroedinger
--enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --ena
ble-libvo-aacenc --enable-libvo-amrwbenc --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwavpack --en
able-libwebp --enable-libx264 --enable-libx265 --enable-libxavs --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --
enable-lzma --enable-decklink --enable-zlib
libavutil 55. 16.101 / 55. 16.101
libavcodec 57. 22.102 / 57. 22.102
libavformat 57. 23.101 / 57. 23.101
libavdevice 57. 0.101 / 57. 0.101
libavfilter 6. 27.100 / 6. 27.100
libswscale 4. 0.100 / 4. 0.100
libswresample 2. 0.101 / 2. 0.101
libpostproc 54. 0.100 / 54. 0.100
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from 'in.mp4':
Metadata:
major_brand : isom
minor_version : 512
compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
encoder : Lavf54.63.104
Duration: 00:02:28.54, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 2018 kb/s
Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 (High) (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p, 1920x1056 [SAR 1:1 DAR 20:11]
, 1887 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 90k tbn, 47.95 tbc (default)
Metadata:
handler_name : VideoHandler
Stream #0:1(und): Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 44100 Hz, stereo, fltp, 125 kb/s (default
)
Metadata:
handler_name : SoundHandler
Output #0, mp4, to 'out.mp4':
Metadata:
major_brand : isom
minor_version : 512
compatible_brands: isomiso2avc1mp41
encoder : Lavf57.23.101
Stream #0:0(und): Video: h264 ([33][0][0][0] / 0x0021), yuv420p, 1920x1056 [SAR 1:1 DAR 20:11],
q=2-31, 1887 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 90k tbn, 90k tbc (default)
Metadata:
handler_name : VideoHandler
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
frame= 143 fps=0.0 q=-1.0 Lsize= 1502kB time=00:00:09.96 bitrate=1235.5kbits/s speed= 524x
video:1499kB audio:0kB subtitle:0kB other streams:0kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead: 0.194616%
When I analyze this console output I see this inconsistency. It says output time is 9.96 seconds. On the other hand it says frame is 143, so from the latter information I can calculate duration by frame/fps which is 143/23.98=5.96.
Another strange behaviour with this copy command is when I change the start time to something else output video length is varying between 5-10 seconds depending on the start time.
What might be the problem causing these unexpected behaviours?

Answer 1

ffmpeg only cuts at keyframes, so with inter-coded streams, you may not get exact duration. You'll have to transcode the video for a precise cut.
ffmpeg.exe -ss 76 -t 10 -i in.mp4 -an out.mp4
(Placing the -ss and -t before the input will make ffmpeg seek to the position and then decode frames. Placing them afterwards means ffmpeg decodes all frames and then discards till start time is reached)