pyCapture

Python 2 tool for capturing analogue SD video from a TV card.

Suggestion: Porting to python 3

Use this tool to capture video from a video recorder without risking lipsynch problems, see howto below.

HOWTO - Capture

; First before launching tool set input

v4l2-ctl --set-input 1

; Launch the tool

; If you are having lipsynch issue launch the tool as root with a nice level -10.

; Usage: pyCapture.py -o <capture_mjpeg.avi> -e HH:MM:SS

; -o outputfilename, -e tape duration in HH:MM:SS

; Example

./pyCapture.py -o capture_vhs_mybirthday.avi -e 00:36:20

or

sudo nice --10 ./pyCapture.py -o capture_vhs_mybirthday.avi -e 00:36:20

; *Outfile is an mjpeg file (motion picture jpeg)

; The tool uses the gstreamer library, so you can also use gst-launch to capture instead, see examples below:

; Set the input

v4l2-ctl --set-input 1

sudo nice --10 gst-launch-0.10 -e v4l2src device=/dev/video0 norm=PAL-BG do-timestamp=true ! 'video/x-raw-yuv,format=(fourcc)YV12,width=720,height=576,framerate=25/1' ! queue ! cogcolorspace ! videorate ! 'video/x-raw-yuv,format=(fourcc)YV12,framerate=25/1' ! queue ! jpegenc ! queue ! mux. alsasrc device=hw:2,0 buffer-time=2000000 do-timestamp=true ! 'audio/x-raw-int,rate=32000,channels=1,depth=16' ! queue ! audioconvert ! queue ! mux. avimux name=mux ! filesink location=capture_test.avi

sudo nice --10 gst-launch-0.10 -e v4l2src device=/dev/video0 norm=PAL-BG do-timestamp=true ! 'video/x-raw-yuv,format=(fourcc)YV12,width=720,height=576,framerate=25/1' ! queue ! videorate ! cogcolorspace ! 'video/x-raw-yuv,format=(fourcc)YV12,framerate=25/1,interlaced=true,aspect-ratio=4/3' ! jpegenc ! queue ! mux. alsasrc device=hw:2,0 buffer-time=2000000 do-timestamp=true ! 'audio/x-raw-int,rate=32000,channels=1,depth=16' ! audioconvert ! queue ! mux. avimux name=mux ! filesink location=capture_vhs_02.avi

sudo nice --10 gst-launch-0.10 -e v4l2src device=/dev/video0 norm=PAL-BG do-timestamp=true ! 'video/x-raw-yuv,format=(fourcc)YV12,width=720,height=576,framerate=25/1' ! queue ! videorate ! cogcolorspace ! 'video/x-raw-yuv,format=(fourcc)YV12,framerate=25/1,interlaced=true,aspect-ratio=4/3' ! jpegenc ! queue ! mux. pulsesrc buffer-time=2000000 do-timestamp=true ! queue ! audioconvert ! audiorate ! 'audio/x-raw-int,rate=32000,channels=1,depth=16' ! queue ! mux. avimux name=mux ! filesink location=capture_vhs_02.avi

HOWTO - Encode to x264

Handbrake

Storage Custom 512x384

Denoise Weak

Decomb Fast

Crop: H:2x14 / V:2x12

Audio: mono mp3 lame 64kbps

Advanced Encoding Settings

level=4.0:vbv-bufsize=25000:vbv-maxrate=20000:8x8dct=0:b-adapt=2:psy-rd=1|0.2:ref=5:bframes=4

Hardware

Tested successfully with the CTX953_V.1.3.1 TV/DVB-T-Tuner Card on Linux.