how to capture output from an Opengl application in a video file?

OpenGL OpenGL: Advanced Coding
1

Hi everyone,

I have written few programs using opengl that I want to capture my output in a video file. The platform I am using to program is Linux. Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot.

2

I have found the absolutely easiest way of doing this to be:

  1. buy a card with TV out
  2. hook up VCR
  3. record

This is faster, cheaper, and simpler than anything else you could try, including complicated, slow, read-back-and-record-to-disk methods.

If you want to publish a movie, you capture back from the VCR (you can use a DV camcorder as VCR) and edit/encode from that.

If you want higher quality, you buy or rent a DVI-to-component-video scan converter, and professional video recording equipment (DV-50, D-1, or similar), although the scan converter is likely to run you at least $1,500 and the recording equipment probably $5k.

3

You can change your apps to write avi files with every frame (glReadPixels). Or if you can’t make avi then make bmps or jpgs and then join it to avi in VirtualDub.

4

I just did that with avifile (http://avifile.sourceforge.net/). It is quite easy to use, but there are some problems:

  • somehow the created avi files only work on linux, not viewable under windows (really strange, I think)
  • only a few codecs are supported
  • there is hardly any documentation (but you can ask me for some sample code).

If anyone knows a better working alternative I would also be curious.

Jan

5

Thanks guys,

I was looking for a way along the lines of creating an avi file. I am going to give a try, but if there is another way that also works on Windows, please let me know. I want to post my avi(video) file on a website as demo.

Thanks again.

6

Try this:
http://www.codeproject.com/audio/avigenerator.asp

Code Project is a great website. :smiley:

-SirKnight

7

this is windows-only, right? :frowning: but looks interesting.

8

Yes it’s for windows only. I think most if not all programs on Code Project is for windows. Except for maybe basic C++ articles but everything else though. But he did want soemthing for windows so this should work just fine.

-SirKnight

9

Originally posted by ardalanbiz:
[b]Hi everyone,

I have written few programs using opengl that I want to capture my output in a video file. The platform I am using to program is Linux. Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot.[/b]
you use Camtasia Studio wut up!