Who remembers Betamax ?

Linux Support
201
First the Betamax then the VHS... You seems to be jinxed with this recording business

I couldn’t agree more but god loves a trier,

But you might be outta luck with the Betamax, they are a bit scarce nowdays

I have a friend (yes I still have 1 or 2 left) who served his time on these things who tells me he’ll fix it for me (actually it’s just a rubber band that’s the problem)

Will resume (if you still want to) once you got the new gear.

I definitely want to do this because I have film of my daughter when she was a child and it’s on one of the Betamax tapes and I want to preserve it

So in the words of the great Arnie Schwarzenegger “I’ll be back”

Thanks for your help with this so far it’s much appreciated

Graeme

202

Hi Guys

Ok I got the VHS up and running again so I’m back in business, (never shine a light inside a VCR)

Just to recap from where we left off, I can now record video and audio by tuning the signal using xawtv then closing xawtv, opening VLC to get the picture, then re-opening xawtv to get sound

@ Mark
Here’s the terminal outputs you asked for

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ sudo updatedb
[sudo] password for graeme: 
graeme@Linux1 ~ $ locate xawtv
/home/graeme/.xawtv
/home/graeme/Documents/xawtv
/usr/bin/xawtv
/usr/bin/xawtv-remote
/usr/lib/xawtv
/usr/lib/xawtv/bilinear.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/conv-mjpeg.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/cubic.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/drv0-libv4l.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/drv0-v4l2.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/flt-disor.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/flt-gamma.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/flt-invert.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/flt-smooth.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/linear-blend.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/linedoubler.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/read-avi.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/read-dv.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/snd-oss.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/write-avi.so
/usr/lib/xawtv/write-dv.so
/usr/share/xawtv
/usr/share/doc/xawtv
/usr/share/doc/xawtv-plugins
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/NEWS.Debian.gz
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/README.bttv.gz
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/README.gz
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/README.lirc
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/README.network
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/README.recording.gz
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/README.translate
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/README.xfree4
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/changelog.Debian.gz
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/copyright
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/frequencies-europe.gz
/usr/share/doc/xawtv/frequencies-japan
/usr/share/doc/xawtv-plugins/changelog.Debian.gz
/usr/share/doc/xawtv-plugins/copyright
/usr/share/lintian/overrides/xawtv-plugins
/usr/share/linuxmint/mintinstall/icons/xawtv48x48.xpm
/usr/share/linuxmint/mintinstall/installed/xawtv48x48.xpm
/usr/share/man/es/man1/xawtv-remote.1.gz
/usr/share/man/es/man1/xawtv.1.gz
/usr/share/man/es/man5/xawtvrc.5.gz
/usr/share/man/fr/man1/xawtv.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/xawtv-remote.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man1/xawtv.1.gz
/usr/share/man/man5/xawtvrc.5.gz
/usr/share/menu/xawtv
/usr/share/pixmaps/xawtv16x16.xpm
/usr/share/pixmaps/xawtv32x32.xpm
/usr/share/pixmaps/xawtv48x48.xpm
/usr/share/xawtv/Index.map
/usr/share/xawtv/argentina.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ccir-h.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ccir-i-iii.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ccir-sl-sh.list
/usr/share/xawtv/europe-east.list
/usr/share/xawtv/europe-west.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ntsc-bcast-jp.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ntsc-bcast.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ntsc-cable-ca.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ntsc-cable-jp.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ntsc-cable.list
/usr/share/xawtv/ntsc-hrc.list
/usr/share/xawtv/oirt-h.list
/usr/share/xawtv/oirt-i-iii.list
/usr/share/xawtv/oirt-sl-sh.list
/usr/share/xawtv/pal-australia-optus.list
/usr/share/xawtv/pal-australia.list
/usr/share/xawtv/pal-bcast-cn.list
/usr/share/xawtv/pal-bcast-za.list
/usr/share/xawtv/pal-ireland.list
/usr/share/xawtv/pal-italy.list
/usr/share/xawtv/pal-newzealand.list
/usr/share/xawtv/secam-france.list
/usr/share/xawtv/secam-russia.list
/usr/share/xawtv/uhf.list
/var/cache/apt/archives/xawtv-plugins_3.102-3_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/xawtv_3.102-3_i386.deb
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv-plugins.list
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv-plugins.md5sums
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv-plugins.postinst
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv-plugins.postrm
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv-plugins.shlibs
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv.conffiles
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv.config
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv.list
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv.md5sums
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv.postinst
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv.postrm
/var/lib/dpkg/info/xawtv.templates
gedit /etc/X11/xawtvrc

shows empty file

gedit ~/.xawtv

[global]
ratio = 4:3
freqtab = europe-west
pixsize = 128 x 96
pixcols = 1
jpeg-quality = 75
keypad-ntsc = no
keypad-partial = yes
osd = yes
osd-position = 30 , 20
use-wm-fullscreen = yes

[Station name]

capture = overlay | grabdisplay | on | off

input = Television | Composite1 | S-Video | …

norm = PAL | NTSC | SECAM | …

channel =

fine = # (-128…+127)

key = keysym | modifier+keysym

color =

bright =

hue =

contrast =

[defaults]
group = main
norm = PAL-BG
input = Television
capture = grab

203

Welcome back…

Just to recap from where we left off, I can now record video and audio by tuning the signal using xawtv then closing xawtv, opening VLC to get the picture, then re-opening xawtv to get sound

I am guessing that xawtv sets the audio output to the default :-
Could you post the output from (might not exists):

cat /etc/asound.conf
204

Thanks for taking this up again :slight_smile:

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ cat /etc/asound.conf
cat: /etc/asound.conf: No such file or directory
graeme@Linux1 ~ $
205

OK, see if you got this one:

cat .asoundrc
206 
graeme@Linux1 ~ $ cat .asoundrc
cat: .asoundrc: No such file or directory
graeme@Linux1 ~ $
207

As expectd. Could you create one:

gedit .asoundrc

then add the following:


    pcm.!default {
            type hw
            card 0
    }

    ctl.!default {
            type hw
            card 0
    }

then save and exit
reboot or log out and back in and test

Also could you post:

ls /proc/asound/card0
208

Still no sound in VLC :frowning:

Here’s the output you asked for (after restart)

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ ls /proc/asound/card0
codec#0  id  pcm0c  pcm0p  pcm2c
graeme@Linux1 ~ $
209

How did you set the video and sound devices for capture in VLC ?

210
How did you set the video and sound devices for capture in VLC ?

Not as easy a question to answer as it might seem as there are so many options and permatations ( and I think I’ve tried them all) but as it is now

Capture Device
Video Device Name: /dev/video0
Audio Device Name: hw:0,0

Tools/Preferences/Audio
Output Module: Default

Tools/Preferences/Video
Output: Default

There are many options in both Video and Audio preferences and I must have tried every permutation, to be honest the video quality isn’t as good in VLC as it is in xawtv and the voice sync is out on VLC as well

211

So what was the problem with xawtv again ? … no audio ?

212
So what was the problem with xawtv again ? .. no audio ?

Audio and Video is perfect but won’t record.

When I try to record I get this error

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ xawtv
This is xawtv-3.102, running on Linux/i686 (3.5.0-17-generic)
xinerama 0: 1600x900+0+0
vid-open-auto: using analog TV device /dev/video0
WARNING: No DGA direct video mode for this display.
WARNING: keeping fbuf pitch at: 6400, as no base addr was detected
WARNING: couldn't find framebuffer base address, try manual
         configuration ("v4l-conf -a <addr>")
v4l2: WARNING: framebuffer base address mismatch
v4l2: me=(nil) v4l=(nil)
Alsa devices: cap: (null) (/dev/video0), out: default
oss: open /dev/dsp: No such file or directory
213

SeZo may have already been through this, but what’s the output from:

groups
214 
groups

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ groups
graeme adm cdrom sudo dip plugdev lpadmin sambashare
graeme@Linux1 ~ $
215

OK, going with Mark’s suggestion, add yourselves to group video and audio

usermod -a -G adm,cdrom,sudo,dip,plugdev,lpadmin,sambashare,audio,video graeme

Also could you post the result of:

cat /proc/asound/card0/pcm0c/info

and

cat /proc/asound/card0/pcm2c/info

and

arecord -L

Try to record with xawtv with:

xawtv -nodga -noxv
216 
graeme@Linux1 ~ $ cat /proc/asound/card0/pcm0c/info
card: 0
device: 0
subdevice: 0
stream: CAPTURE
id: ALC888 Analog
name: ALC888 Analog
subname: subdevice #0
class: 0
subclass: 0
subdevices_count: 1
subdevices_avail: 1
graeme@Linux1 ~ $ 

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ cat /proc/asound/card0/pcm2c/info
card: 0
device: 2
subdevice: 0
stream: CAPTURE
id: ALC888 Analog
name: ALC888 Analog
subname: subdevice #0
class: 0
subclass: 0
subdevices_count: 1
subdevices_avail: 1
graeme@Linux1 ~ $ 

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ arecord -L
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pulse
    PulseAudio Sound Server
default
    Playback/recording through the PulseAudio sound server
sysdefault:CARD=Intel
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
dmix:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=Intel,DEV=2
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=Intel,DEV=2
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=Intel,DEV=2
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=Intel,DEV=2
    HDA Intel, ALC888 Analog
    Hardware device with all software conversions
graeme@Linux1 ~ $

Still no luck recording when I click on record I get this error message

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ xawtv -nodga -noxv
This is xawtv-3.102, running on Linux/i686 (3.5.0-17-generic)
xinerama 0: 1600x900+0+0
vid-open-auto: using analog TV device /dev/video0
WARNING: No DGA direct video mode for this display.
WARNING: keeping fbuf pitch at: 6400, as no base addr was detected
WARNING: couldn't find framebuffer base address, try manual
         configuration ("v4l-conf -a <addr>")
v4l2: WARNING: framebuffer base address mismatch
v4l2: me=(nil) v4l=(nil)
Alsa devices: cap: (null) (/dev/video0), out: default
oss: open /dev/dsp: No such file or directory

Only the last line shows when i try to record the rest of the output is from when xawtv starts

217

I’ve come to the conclusion that alsa-oss (OSS emulation) is broken in recent versions of Ubuntu.

it seems that snd-pcm-oss is missing (not compiled into the kernel), and that’s what provides /dev/dsp

So I can see no way of getting XAWTV to work … and believe me I’ve tried (same error as Emegra) … I’ll keep looking though.

For:

aoss xawtv

to work, you need to have the snd-pcm-oss module loaded … but it doesn’t damn well exist ::slight_smile:
(I’m guessing it could be compiled back into the kernel [?] … but I’m also guessing that may break sommat else … otherwise why take it out ?)

Something else Ubuntu have broken, and seem in now great hurry to fix (?) … yet still leave apps that need it in the repo’s

218
So I can see no way of getting XAWTV to work .. and believe me I've tried (same error as Emegra) .. I'll keep looking though.

So it looks like xawtv is out, but does that apply to any other capture programs such as VLC or Cheese ?

Could the problem be solved by using a more up to date capture card ?, I ask that because I also have a Hauppauge WinTV-HVR 900 usb capture device,

graeme@Linux1 ~ $ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 05e3:0606 Genesys Logic, Inc. USB 2.0 Hub / D-Link DUB-H4 USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 001 Device 008: ID 2040:6500 Hauppauge WinTV HVR-900
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 058f:6377 Alcor Micro Corp. Multimedia Card Reader
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 1d57:32da Xenta 2.4GHz Receiver (Keyboard and Mouse)
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 05d8:4002 Ultima Electronics Corp. Artec Ultima 2000 (GT6801 based)/Lifetec LT9385/ScanMagic 1200 UB Plus Scanner
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 007: ID 1131:1001 Integrated System Solution Corp. KY-BT100 Bluetooth Adapter
graeme@Linux1 ~ $

I’ve gave it a quick try but I can’t get it to tune in with xawtv, cheese or VLC but that’s not to say it can’t be made to work with some tweaking.

Anyway if you think there’s no point trying this device or if you think I’m just adding further complication I’ll put it back in the box

Thanks again for your help

Graeme

219

I haven’t given up on VLC, and xawtv will probably still be needed to tune in the card. VLC doesn’t need OSS and should be happy with ALSA.

There are still plenty of options:-

a) working out the audio in VLC

b) going commandline, possibly with ffmpeg or mencoder

c) booting an older version of Ubutnu … or some other distro that still has snd-pcm-oss … The Debian documentation suggests it still does.

d) booting an even older distro that used OSS

e) trying some other piece of software … Kino, maybe … though I had a quick look at Kino and couldn’t get it to capture.

f) recompiling the kernel to include snd-pcm-oss

g) seeing if we can get xawtv to use ALSA’s dsp with the -dspdev option

h) trying one of the scripts that can be found online (such as the one I’ll attach below)

i) trying different card= options with the bttv driver ← don’t think this will make any difference, but you never know

j) capturing audio and video separately … then stiching the digital copies back together <–probably not a great idea with tape, as the speeds may vary … so maybe find a way to capture both separately but at a single pass … command line maybe (?)

k) trying your other card … which I’ll look into now … I’m sure someone else had luck with one of these.

and LASTLY … dual booting Windows, doing the capture in that, then removing it :wink:

So we aint done yet :slight_smile:

I’m attaching a script … just as a matter of interest, what happens if you download it, unpack it, mark it as executable (if necessary) … then tune in the card with xawtv … then run the script, and select the inputs for capture.

It’ll make more sense once you run the script … it will start a GUI (zenity dialog boxes) that ask you to choose different options … then it will start VLC (or another app) with these settings.

220

Well it seems we still have quite a few options so as Long as you and SeZo are happy to continue trying I can do no less

a) working out the audio in VLC

probably the option I would rather go with if we can also get over the picture quality issue, personally i can’t understand why VLC (which seems a much more sophistocated and fully featured program than xawtv)wont capture audio when xawtv has no problem with it.

going commandline, possibly with ffmpeg or mencoder

You would know better than me if that is a good option, the problem I have with it is that if I ever wanted to do it again I would be dependent on someone like you or SeZo to do it for me because I’m not comfortable in the terminal, I just don’t understand the language

c) booting an older version of Ubutnu .. or some other distro that still has snd-pcm-oss .. The Debian documentation suggests it still does.

d) booting an even older distro that used OSS

Seems a bit extreme but I suppose I could install and earlier version of Ubuntu or some other distro on a usb that I can use solely for this purpose, if I could do that I would probably prefer that option to the command line.

trying some other piece of software .. Kino, maybe .. though I had a quick look at Kino and couldn't get it to capture.

Sounds good also we haven’t figured out why Cheese crashes or why guvcview wont open

g) seeing if we can get xawtv to use ALSA's dsp with the -dspdev option

h) trying one of the scripts that can be found online (such as the one I’ll attach below)

i) trying different card= options with the bttv driver ← don’t think this will make any difference, but you never know

I would just have to trust your judgement on these options

recompiling the kernel to include snd-pcm-oss

Now you’re scaring me :slight_smile:

j) capturing audio and video separately .. then stiching the digital copies back together <--probably not a great idea with tape, as the speeds may vary .. so maybe find a way to capture both separately but at a single pass .. command line maybe (?)

Oh no the dreaded command line :slight_smile:

k) trying your other card .. which I'll look into now .. I'm sure someone else had luck with one of these.

I also found information that suggested someone got it to work but it took some complicated patching which I don’t completely understand so once again I’d trust your judgement on that one

and LASTLY .. dual booting Windows, doing the capture in that, then removing it

This has always been an option for me as I have a windows partition, but I would rather get this to work in Linux if possible and I would never dare suggest it after all the effort yourself and SeZo have put in to getting this to work for me

All the above are only my opinions as I see it, whatever route you and SeZo think I should follow I’ll follow

Many thanks

Graeme