[sf-lug] introducing a newbie...bill hill

Fri Sep 5 12:28:31 PDT 2008

hi

On Fri, Sep 5, 2008 at 11:50 AM, BillHill <aropoika at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Hi,
> I'm just getting into Ubuntu more seriously again (after a couple years
> when it didn't seem to be 'ready' - or was it me? :)  Now I want to 'get it
> all working' on a dual boot desk machine (winXP/ubuntu8.04 already installed
> on this fry's 'GQ3091' 1.6ghz AMD Duron PC that i upped the ram to 1gb, and
> added a 500gb hd).

Video capture on that machine is possible, but you might experience dropped
frames occasionally.  My recommendation would be to close all other apps
when capturing.

You can capture with Kino.

Also, it is actually fairly easy to capture with the commandline, believe it
or not.  First, make sure your video camera is attached with firewire to the
computer.  Then,  open the shell. (I can tell you  how to do that if you
need help).  Then navigate to the directory (folder) where you want to
capture the video.  Then become root by typing sudo -s .  Then type this
command:

# dvgrab  --format raw [mymovie]

Dvgrab will begin capture, and will chunk out your video into raw .dv files
of 1 GB each.  You want to have raw .dv files if you are going to edit and
render your edits, because with compressed video you will lose integrity on
subsequent generations of rendering.  Dvgrab will automatically append the
numbers 001.dv 002.dv 003.dv and so forth for each 1 GB chunk.  Depending on
how you shot, you will end up with about 8.5 GB of video for a 40 minute
miniDV tape, and about 12.5 GB for a 60 minute miniDV tape.  Typing the
above command will yield a file with this type of path:

/home/BillHill/video/mymovie001.dv
/home/BillHill/video/mymovie002.dv
/home/BillHill/video/mymovie003.dv

You can see examples of a path of a dvgrab video here.  This is our raw
video archive, where we currently have 76 hours of raw rough cut  video.
This video will need to be re-rendered for most applications other than
casual watching, as it is our "source code".  It has no plot or music or
transitions.

 http://www.archive.org/details.php?identifier=digitaltippingpoint

Our keyword search index page is located below.  It is the place to go to
find specific persons or themes for our footage.

http://tinyurl.com/yluwoc

Here is one example of a video captured by dvgrab and rough-edited by Kino:

http://www.archive.org/details/e-dv226_berlin_12_phipps_09-23_001.ogg

> One of the projects i want to do on the machine is video capture from my
> sony digital8 camcorder via firewire - now to wmv files and ultimately to
> make DVD's, (and I've had semi success with windows movie maker, except that
> the 'movie' wmv runs twice as fast as it should on playback, and wondering
> if 1.6ghz duron is fast enough.)

This probably has to do with audio settings.  It also has to do with the
fact that Windows is bunk.

> I'm even able to play the wmv file thru ubuntu - hurray!, would be
> interesting to see the capture happen in ubuntu.

You can also capture from the GUI in Kino, although I have never done that,
because I capture with the command line.

> Another peripheral is to get my canon Lide90 usb connected scanner working
> in ubuntu, maybe with GIMP?

If you are using Hardy Ubuntu, you will find that it just works, usually.  I
have an HP printer, and it should just work.  Try clicking on System >
Administration > Printing.  You will find the System menu in the upper right
hand corner of your Hardy Ubuntu GNOME screen.  Please let us know if you
are not using GNOME.

> Finally i want to set up a periodicals library database, maybe with DLP
> (distributed library project - google it for more) which wants to be
> installed and run in Apache - definitely a linux project, but is ubuntu a
> good enough linux substrate to maybe try out on the GQ3091?

Please let me know what solution you come up with here, because SF-LUG is
supporting a public middle school with FOSS, and one of the things they will
need long term is a software package for managing book libraries.  I do know
that the Meadeville Public Library in Meadeville, Pennsylvania, uses open
source software for managing its collection:

http://www.meadvillelibrary.org/os/doku.php

The main page for the Meadville public library is here:

http://www.meadvillelibrary.org/

-- 
Christian Einfeldt,
Producer, The Digital Tipping Point
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