[Ffmpeg-devel] Re: [PATCH] Configure selectable video grab format

[Ramiro Polla]

Michel Bardiaux wrote:
> Ramiro Polla wrote:
>> Michel Bardiaux wrote:
>>> Ramiro Polla wrote:
>>>> Ramiro Polla wrote:
>>>>> Michel Bardiaux wrote:
>>>>>> M?ns Rullg?rd wrote:
>>>>>> [snip]
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That said, I don't like the design of the grabbing code at all.  
>>>>>>> IMHO it would
>>>>>>> be much cleaner to simply run ffmpeg -f v4l2 -i /dev/video0 or 
>>>>>>> whatever,
>>>>>>> dropping the whole concept of a default grabbing device used if 
>>>>>>> no input is
>>>>>>> specified.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> FWIW I agree.
>>>>>>
>>>>> Me too =).
>>>>>
>>>>> The code for using a default grabbing device is really buggy (the 
>>>>> grabbing interfaces depend on what has been set for output).
>>>> It seems this would be just removing a bunch of redundant code 
>>>> (like Michael said), and making few adaptations to the existing -i 
>>>> code.
>>>> One problem with -i <grab device> is when you want to use the 
>>>> default grab device. This could be accomplished by (some suggestions):
>>>> a) using the '-' character
>>>
>>> Please dont, '-' generally means stdin. AAMOF ffmpeg -i - < 
>>> /dev/video0 *should* work as expected.
>>>
>> Generally as in POSIX programs, or FFmpeg? (Sorry to ask. I searched 
>> a little, but it's quite hard to google for "-")
(Really, I'm curious now =)
>>>> b) making -grab mean -i <default device>.
>>>
>>> Why do you insist on having a default grab device?
>>>
>> First I wanted to set the default grab *format* (as is what currently 
>> happens in FFmpeg). Now I'm talking about default grab *device*.
>> It would be nice to have default devices since most grab interfaces 
>> have a widely used device (like /dev/bktr0, /dev/tuner0, /dev/video0...)
>
> Widely, yes, universal, no. This would be bad for packagers, since 
> whatever default device they select, might well not exist on the 
> target system. Pick bktr and ship to a system with a v4l device, or 
> the reverse.
>
>> And for the VFW grab interface I'm writing, the devices are set by a 
>> number (0-9), 0 meaning default.
>
> Its the *system* default, no? 
You're right. Now it makes sense for me that since FFmpeg doesn't care 
about the system, this is wrong.
> Then under Windows, if -i 0, you should look up in the registry which 
> device has been given as default.
>
Actually, VFW does it internally. I don't have to look at the registry.


So, would it be OK to drop the whole "default" thing for grabbing??? 
(format and device)
That way, -f and -i would be mandatory for any grabbing (and it would be 
even easier to implement).


Ramiro Polla