pAVrecord Video/webcam recorder (mpeg4, Theora, x264)

Audio editors, music players, video players, burning software, etc.
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mavrothal
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#21 Post by mavrothal »

mcewanw wrote:
mavrothal wrote: video:14kB audio:66kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 31.813395%
Hi mavrothal. Just had a very quick glance at the data you provided. The above line in your output suggests that it successfully recorded both the video and the audio tracks and that they were successfully combined (muxed together) into the video file whose name would begin with the three letters pAV.... I'll check it out further and get back to you.
Yes, The files are there. The audio file is fine and the video file has just 1 frame and is 4KB.
I trust you looked for the file in /root and nothing was there?

Did you see the webcam video in a window on screen as you attempted to record it?

"tee" is used as part of an output (save) command. So the message that file or directory not found is peculiar. Was the drive mounted?

Yes :)
Yes. As I mentioned originally, I just get the first frame and then is frozen there.
Yes. As mentioned above the files are there either in /mnt/sda1 or in /root
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#22 Post by mcewanw »

Sorry mavrothal, I've been away from the computer and it is almost my bedtime here so won't be able to check much till tomorrow. I'll just quickly reinstall the provided package and make sure it is indeed working okay on my own machine in case I blundered somehow during upload late last night. I haven't had any other report about the precise version - you may be the only one who has tried it!

I'll also try ffmpeg on the commandline and post something for you to try.
Last edited by mcewanw on Thu 18 Oct 2012, 11:05, edited 1 time in total.
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#23 Post by mcewanw »

Hello again mavrothal

Just thought I'd check if you remembered to install shinobars libav extras pet for ffmpeg, which is required for some codecs to work?
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 852#658852

I just downloaded the precise version of pavrecord from the forum and reinstalled to check. (I carefully deleted the old version config files /root/.pavrecord before doing so).

I ran it from console accepting the selections provided by default and it worked fine on my machine (but using the previous release of Puppy Precise since my machine is not PAE capable). I'll get back to you on this tomorrow, but for now, as a matter of interest, here is what the console output looks like for this working record(no overrun messages because this was a straight record without pressing pause button). Using mp3 32k audio, MPEG-4/10 video, avi container:

Code: Select all

# pavrecord
Recording WAVE 'stdin' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Mono
stdout: Broken pipe
ffmpeg version 0.8.3-4:0.8.3-0ubuntu0.12.04.1, Copyright (c) 2000-2012 the Libav developers
  built on Jun 12 2012 16:37:58 with gcc 4.6.3
*** THIS PROGRAM IS DEPRECATED ***
This program is only provided for compatibility and will be removed in a future release. Please use avconv instead.
Input #0, avi, from '/root/2012_10_18_222722.avi':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : Lavf53.21.0
  Duration: 9942:03:14.13, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
    Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4 (Simple Profile), yuv420p, 320x240 [PAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], 30 tbr, 30 tbn, 30 tbc
[mp3 @ 0x8078a80] max_analyze_duration reached
[mp3 @ 0x8078a80] Estimating duration from bitrate, this may be inaccurate
Input #1, mp3, from '/root/2012_10_18_222722.mp3':
  Duration: 00:00:12.28, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 32 kb/s
    Stream #1.0: Audio: mp3, 22050 Hz, mono, s16, 32 kb/s
Output #0, avi, to '/root/pAV2012_10_18_222722.avi':
  Metadata:
    ISFT            : Lavf53.21.0
    Stream #0.0: Video: mpeg4, yuv420p, 320x240 [PAR 1:1 DAR 4:3], q=2-31, 30 tbn, 30 tbc
    Stream #0.1: Audio: libmp3lame, 22050 Hz, mono, 32 kb/s
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
  Stream #1.0 -> #0.1
Press ctrl-c to stop encoding
frame=   58 fps=  0 q=-1.0 Lsize=     180kB time=9.17 bitrate= 160.8kbits/s    
video:112kB audio:42kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 17.028237%
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#24 Post by mcewanw »

If the following commandline doesn't work for you mavrothal, then the problem is ffmpeg-related at this stage and not pavrecord per se. Ffmpeg errors you'd have to ask Barry and shinobar about. Otherwise get back to me and please let me know the results anyway. Note that this particular command assumes Puppy Precise plus installation of the above-mentioned libav extras dotpet from shinobar. It is just to check video track recording first, so no audio in this line. Best to cut and paste it in your console for certainty:

Code: Select all

ffmpeg -y -f video4linux2 -s 320x240 -i /dev/video0 -r 30 -vcodec mpeg4 -vtag xvid -f avi try.avi
If that successfully records try.avi, which it should, you then need to check (with a different command line) that your mp3 audio is recording okay [EDIT: though I note now that you said that the mp3 audio track recorded fine].

As I said, I have only been in a position to test pavrecord on the previous Precise (non-PAE) beta. Can you also check that ffplay is provided on your system, since pavrecord has that listed as one of its dependencies. ffplay -version, should tell you. If the try.avi video recorded correctly above, you can check ffplay is working correctly via a pipe by entering:

Code: Select all

cat try.avi | ffplay -
Note that is ffplay [space] then a minus (which tells ffplay to read from stdin. i.e. via the pipe). Actually, I believe pavrecord should still record even if ffplay wasn't there, you just wouldn't see what you are recording as it is happening...

If all the above works then really pavrecord should be working for you, since it is just a frontend to these component parts.

EDIT: Also, instead of what you tried, you could try:

Code: Select all

ffmpeg -f video4linux2 -s 360x240 -i /dev/video0 -r 15  -f avi - | tee /mnt/sda1/test.avi | ffplay -
Note that when there is an apparent problem, it is always worth deleting /root/.pavrecord and then restarting pavrecord, which will automatically rebuild the default /root/.pavrecord config directory. If some other program is holding onto /dev/video0, might be worth a reboot to clear that first.
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#25 Post by mavrothal »

I admit I had not installed shinobar's pet :oops:
However, installing it does not improve things a lot, other than instead of a black first and only frame in the video, I get the actual first frame and nothing more.
This is true for all the ffmpeg commands you suggested.
Looks like that is an ffmpeg thing.
I guess I'll wait for Precise RC2 that will apparently include pAVRecord and shinobars pet and take it from there again.
Thx
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pAVrecord 0.9.1 released. Added video preview facility

#26 Post by mcewanw »

I'm really hoping this is the final for now. As long as the new preview facility hasn't introduced any bugs...

Please remember to delete your old /root/.pavrecord config directory before installing this one because it has a new Audio sync offset default.

Note well that I have also included a version of pAVrecord especially made for Puppy Precise (pavrecord-precise-0.9.0). The ffmpeg (+libavformat extras provided by shinobar) currently provided for Precise require this modified version. But the normal one should be used in Slacko, Dpup Exprimo, or any other non-Precise derived system.

# Changes:
# Version 0.9.1: added video preview to VU/mixer display (use record STOP button or the mixer button to activate)
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pAVrecord 0.9.2 released

#27 Post by mcewanw »

This release follows a feature request by user mavroval.

NOTE WELL: Please remember to delete your old /root/.pavrecord config directory before installing this.

Also note that for Puppy Precise there continues to be a special version of pavrecord to account for a difference in provided recording codecs.

# Changes:
# Version 0.9.2: Starts in preview mode. Closes retrovol on record or quit.
# Modified Help and button text to explain popping up VU, mixer and preview.
# Version 0.9.1: added video preview to VU/mixer display (use record STOP button or the mixer button to activate)
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re-uploading pavrecord 0.9.2 shortly

#28 Post by mcewanw »

Sorry I mixed up the two dotpets. I will be re-uploading the two version of pavrecord-0.9.2 again shortly.
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Re-upload (fixed) new release pavrecord-0.9.2

#29 Post by mcewanw »

NOTE: I mixed up the dotpets on previous upload and also noticed a small flaw in the code, so have fixed all that and re-uploaded with same 0.9.2 version number. Unfortunately, I thought I had taken the previous dotpets down, but hadn't, so a few people have downloaded these earlier faulty ones. Please re-download now.

This release follows a feature request by user mavroval.

NOTE WELL: Please remember to delete your old /root/.pavrecord config directory before installing this.

Also note that for Puppy Precise there continues to be a special version of pavrecord to account for a difference in provided recording codecs.

# Changes:
# Version 0.9.2: Starts in preview mode. Closes retrovol on record or quit.
# Modified Help and button text to explain popping up VU, mixer and preview.
# Version 0.9.1: added video preview to VU/mixer display (use record STOP button or the mixer button to activate)[/b]
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Special version pavrecord-0.9.2 for Puppy 4.x series

#30 Post by mcewanw »

Special version pavrecord-0.9.2 for Puppy 4.x series

This follows some comments I came across on the Puppy Akita thread. The ffmpeg there was older/different so some mods were required to pavrecord to bring it back to pretty much full functionality.

I was unable to find any problem with the sound recording part of pavrecord, however, except that I had to run alsaconf everytime I booted Akita for some reason to enable sound recording on my soundcard (to have it recognised). Without sound, the video will refuse to record, so you need to check your alsa system is fully functioning before using pavrecord. I thus suggest running alsaconf to ensure your soundcard is fully working before trying pavrecord.

Also, Akita has an older kernel than I've been using (with Slacko and Precise etc). One drawback of that seems to be that the webcam drivers may not all function, or not so well. Only one of my two plugin webcams worked okay (the other had large doubled-up video) and even the good one did not run as well as it does on Precise or Slacko. Nevertheless it worked reasonably well, and jpeg capture and x11grab all worked too now, and sound recording.

Haven't tested this on any other 4.x series Puppy - all depends on the ffmpeg I suppose, and the kernel/modules for webcam drivers. I'll try and test a few when I next have time. Might even work to some extent (or could be made to...) on a 2.x series puppy, though I don't know as yet.
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#31 Post by papos »

on puppy precise-5.4.1 I can't see the cursor when recording the desktop ( x11grab) with pavrecord or ffmpeg and different cursor
Is there the same on Slacko ?
Don't have this problem with fatdog
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#32 Post by papos »

pointer is ok with Nearly Office Pup who is an XFCE based puplet
Precise NOP 5.4.1
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=82177

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#33 Post by mini-jaguar »

Tried the main version on Slacko 5.3.3 and it worked fine.

Then I tried the 4 version on Puppeee and it needed ffplay. Installing any of the ffmpeg .pets didn't help. Is there any .pet I could install to make it work?

Pelo

YES ! to PAVrecord

#34 Post by Pelo »

YES ! to PAVrecord
It will be an alternative to Xvidcap to create HQ Grab screenshots.
Here joined may adjusment with retroprecise 5.4.3
Select area : difficult


Perhaps a little bit expensive in MBs !
Attachments
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(66.7 KiB) Downloaded 1005 times

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New versions of Pavrecord posted.

#35 Post by mcewanw »

New versions of Pavrecord posted.

These contain a system critical fix to the code used to provide arecord VU peak level meter. Forum member SFR (Jake) brought the problem to my attention and provided fix. Old version arecord VU code was overwriting /dev/null so this upgrade is important. See first post in thread for dotpets etc and more details.

Note: New versions of Precord fixing the same critical but have also been posted on Precord main thread. Also for xrecord on DebianDog developer's thread. I've also alerted the developer of Bacon recorder, which used the same buggy code for arecord VU meter.
----------------------------------------
# Changes:
# Critical system related fix for VU peak level meter. Thanks Jake (SFR)

These new versions need you to test them. Which one to use is suggested, but in practice may depend on which codecs compiled into system's ffmpeg.

Note that the versions 0.9.4 introduces new tooltip text. I realise this is a nightmare for translators but it needed to be done since old text, inherited in part from precord, didn't make sense in pavrecord.

Version 4.x with vufix is just a critical bugfix release. Too much work at the moment to change the tooltip text on that one. Otherwise much the same functionality as 0.9.4 versions.
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new pAVrecord 0.9.5 posted (works with ffmpeg or avconv)

#36 Post by mcewanw »

Download from first post of this thread.

NOTE WELL: Please remember to delete your old $HOME/.pavrecord config directory before installing this.

This new pAVrecord version 0.9.5 works with either avconv or ffmpeg (though current avconv itself seems to have a bug with jpeg production at low frame rates, so ffmpeg is preferred). pAVrecord has been developed/tested_as_working on Slacko-5.7, Puppy Precise 5.7.1, DebianDog, and Puppy Akita. Note that for Akita you need to create an empty file called noxvid in /etc/pavrecord; that causes it to use the alternative mpeg4 encoder - the same trick may be needed in some other Puppy distributions. Whether pAVrecord will work in earlier Puppies, or Quirky, Wary, or Racy, depends on the ffmpeg/avconv functionality they have. Read the program provided Help, including that in the first post of this thread, for more details and installation tips.

Note: This version has many changes and bug-fixes under the hood. In this new pAVrecord (and also in the soon to be released new precord) it is now possible to alter much of its internal processing functionality via external code modules. I'll document that later via an example or two, once I have completed the new precord, and find the time to work on such additions.
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New version pAVrecord 0.9.6 now uploaded

#37 Post by mcewanw »

Sorry to those who just downloaded version 0.9.5. I couldn't resist adding something, so have now re-uploaded as version 0.9.6. Has additional program expansion facilities in the form of the capability to add external program modules, which I refer to as the 'hijack' facility.

I'll be adding the equivalent 'hijack' facility to Precord, which I am working on now. I will however shortly post a quick 'hijack' test module for pavrecord, which should explain how to add your own expansion modules without needed to modify the core program itself. Don't worry, I don't intend updating any further pavrecord revisions until the current 0.9.6 upload has undergone some user testing. The most likely later change will be to my gettext strings, for other languages - I usually make a mess of that... :-)

downloads for pAVrecord 0.9.6 as usual in first post of this thread here:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=81332

Cheers, William

EDIT: You can find some examples of how to extend or alter pAVrecord functionality via its new 'hijack' modular plugin facility in the second post of this thread, here:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 913#656913

Note that these are just simple exemplars to show the basic idea. I intend using this very crude extension facility to allow me to easily use pAVrecord (etc) as a backend for other GUI apps I plan to write, so any created hijack module(s) will need to be stored away for re-use since it/they is/are likely to be overwritten by different frontend apps. I'll start a new thread for 'hijack' module development later, and include more details in there.
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#38 Post by 01micko »

William, is there any point in me keeping the pavrecord-precise-0.9.4 version in the repo database? The package can of course stay in the repository.
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#39 Post by mcewanw »

01micko wrote:William, is there any point in me keeping the pavrecord-precise-0.9.4 version in the repo database? The package can of course stay in the repository.
No point at all anymore. The new version covers all options for Precise (or will be updated if flawed in any way).

William
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new version 9.0.0 pAVrecord released

#40 Post by mcewanw »

NOTE WELL: Please remember to delete your old $HOME/.pavrecord config directory before installing this.

Download from first post of this thread, here:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=81332

ver 9.0.0 changes:

Substantial modification to config GUI and re-alignment with code in latest release of its companion application Precord.

This new pAVrecord works with either avconv or ffmpeg (though current avconv itself seems to have a bug with jpeg production at low frame rates, so ffmpeg is preferred). pAVrecord has been developed/tested_as_working on Slacko-6 beta, Puppy Precise 5.7.1, DebianDog, and Puppy Akita.
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