Video4Linux
Encyclopedia
Video4Linux or V4L is a video
capture application programming interface
for Linux
. Many USB
webcam
s, TV tuners
, and other devices are supported. Video4Linux is closely integrated with the Linux kernel
. Video4Linux was named after Video for Windows
(which is sometimes abbreviated "V4W"), but is not technically related to it.
The project DVB-Wiki is now hosted on LinuxTV
web site.
Some programs support V4L2 as v4l2:// MRL
.
V4L1 support was dropped in kernel 2.6.38.
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
capture application programming interface
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
for Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
. Many USB
Universal Serial Bus
USB is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices....
webcam
Webcam
A webcam is a video camera that feeds its images in real time to a computer or computer network, often via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi.Their most popular use is the establishment of video links, permitting computers to act as videophones or videoconference stations. This common use as a video camera...
s, TV tuners
TV tuner card
A TV tuner card is a kind of television tuner that allows television signals to be received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards, allowing them to record television programs onto a hard disk much like the Tivo digital video recorder does.-Variants: The interfaces for...
, and other devices are supported. Video4Linux is closely integrated with the Linux kernel
Linux kernel
The Linux kernel is an operating system kernel used by the Linux family of Unix-like operating systems. It is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software....
. Video4Linux was named after Video for Windows
Video for Windows
Video for Windows was a multimedia framework developed by Microsoft that allowed Microsoft Windows to play digital video.-Overview:...
(which is sometimes abbreviated "V4W"), but is not technically related to it.
V4L2
V4L2 is the second version of V4L. The original V4L was introduced late into the 2.1.X development cycle of the Linux kernel. Video4Linux2 fixed some design bugs and started appearing in the 2.5.X kernels. Video4Linux2 drivers include a compatibility mode for Video4Linux1 application, though practically, the support can be incomplete and it is recommended to use V4L2 devices in V4L2 mode.The project DVB-Wiki is now hosted on LinuxTV
LinuxTV
The LinuxTV project is an informal group of volunteers who develop software related to digital television for the Linux operating system. The community develops and maintains the DVB driver subsystem which is part of the Linux 2.6.x kernel...
web site.
Some programs support V4L2 as v4l2:// MRL
Media Resource Locator
A media resource locator is a URI used to uniquely identify and locate a multimedia resource. It is used by the VideoLAN and Xine media players, as well as by the Java Media Framework API.VLC, for example, supports the following MRLs:...
.
V4L1 support was dropped in kernel 2.6.38.
Software supporting Video4Linux
- aMSNAMSNaMSN is a free Windows Live Messenger clone. aMSN attempts to emulate the look and feel of Windows Live Messenger, and supports many of its features...
- DVswitch
- EkigaEkigaEkiga /i k ai g a/ is a VoIP and video conferencing application for GNOME and Windows. It is distributed as free software under the terms of the GNU General Public License. It was the default VoIP client in Ubuntu until October 2009, when it was replaced by Empathy...
- FreeJFreeJFreeJ is a modular video mixer for GNU/Linux systems. It is marketed as a "vision mixer". It is capable of real-time video manipulation, for amateur and professional uses. It can be used as an instrument in the fields of dance theater, veejaying, medical visualisation and TV...
- GStreamerGStreamerGStreamer is a pipeline-based multimedia framework written in the C programming language with the type system based on GObject.GStreamer allows a programmer to create a variety of media-handling components, including simple audio playback, audio and video playback, recording, streaming and editing...
- kdetvKdetvkdetv is a television capturing program in the KDE application suite that allows Linux and UNIX users to view television programs on their computer, if they have a working TV tuner card installed...
- KopeteKopeteKopete is a multi-protocol, free software instant messaging client. Although it can run in numerous environments, it was designed for and integrates with the KDE desktop environment...
- MPlayerMPlayerMPlayer is a free and open source media player. The program is available for all major operating systems, including Linux and other Unix-like systems, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. Versions for OS/2, Syllable, AmigaOS and MorphOS are also available. The Windows version works, with some minor...
- MythTVMythTVMythTV is a free and open source home entertainment application with a simplified "10-foot user interface" design for the living-room TV, and turns a computer with the necessary hardware into a network streaming digital video recorder, a digital multimedia home entertainment system, or home theater...
- OpenCVOpenCVOpenCV is a library of programming functions mainly aimed at real time computer vision, developed by Intel and now supported by Willow Garage. It is free for use under the open source BSD license. The library is cross-platform. It focuses mainly on real-time image processing...
- SkypeSkypeSkype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chat over the Internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system...
- tvtimeTvtimetvtime is a program for Linux that allows a person to watch television through his or her PC using a TV tuner or a satellite receiver card DVB-S....
- VLC media playerVLC media playerVLC media player is a free and open source media player and multimedia framework written by the VideoLAN project.VLC is a portable multimedia player, encoder, and streamer supporting many audio and video codecs and file formats as well as DVDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. It is able to...
- xawtvXawtvxawtv is a program that allows a person to watch and record television through a PC with either a TV tuner or a Satellite receiver card DVB-S. xawtv works on Unix-like operating systems, and is licensed under the GPL....
- ZoneminderZoneMinderZoneMinder is a free, open source CCTV software application developed for Linux.It is released under the terms of the GNU General Public License .-Feature List:*Runs on any Linux distribution supporting Video4Linux....