Kino Preferences
Capture
- Base File Name
- Enter the path where you want to store captured video
followed by a file name stem. Do not add the extension. Kino
generates a sequence number and optionally a timestamp that
it appends to the stem file name. It also generates the file
extension, currently only .avi.
- File Type
- Currently, Kino only supports DV AVI file formats. You
can choose between standard DV1 or DV2 formats. DV2 is more
compatible with other applications because it creates a
separate interleaved audio stream. However, if you are only
capturing for Kino use or for another program that supports
DV1, then choose it because DV natively interleaves audio
with the video and the audio stream in DV2 is wasteful.
MPlayer and Avifile only playback DV2 AVI. Current versions
of Windows DirectShow do support DV1, but Windows application
support for DV1 is inconsistent.
- Auto Split Files
- Generate a new file whenever Kino detects a new scene
while capturing video.
- Put Timestamp In File Name
- If enabled, during capture, Kino appends a date and time
to the base file name specified above.
- Frames per File
- Set the maximum number of frames a single AVI is to
contain. While Kino has recently added support for reading
large files, it does not support writing large files. The
default is 7000 frames, which should be safe for PAL DV2
files. An NTSC DV1 file can hold 9000 frames.
- Write Every n Frame
- This is time-lapse record function. If entered, Kino
skips n frames between capturing a single frame and adding it
to the AVI.
- Max File Size
- Not yet implemented.
IEEE 1394
- IEEE 1394 Interface
- This provides support for multiple IEEE 1394 host
adapters, NOT the individual ports on a single adapter.
Nothing needs to be done to address a port on a single
adapater, as 1394 automatically takes care of this. This is a
zero-based number.
- IEEE 1394 Channel
- This provides support for selecting an isochronous
channel for capture and export. The default is 63 because
that is the broadcast channel. All other channels are for
point-to-point communication. Only advanced users would ever
need this.
- VCR (AV/C) Control
- Kino detects all cameras on the bus that support the AV/C
command set. Select one from the list. It attempts to read
the name of the device from its Configuration ROM, but not
all devices implement it. If the name is not readable, then
the numeric node is used. Most users only have one AV/C
device connected anyway. You do not need a camera supporting
AV/C to capture video! It is only used to control the tape
transport mechansim.
- DV Export/Timing
-
These two timing entry fields let you tweak the parameters
of the DV export algorithm to achieve successful results. A
value of 0 for either field selects its built-in default,
which has been deemed compatible for most users based upon
current feedback. However, if you need to adjust them, then
it helps to know the built-in values to use as a starting
point for experimentation:
Setting |
PAL |
NTSC |
Increment |
1 |
2436 |
Threshold |
16 |
38400 |
- DV Export/SYT Offset
- video1394 must generate a timestamp in DV transmission
stream that must be a fairly precise offset of the bus'
master cycle timer. This can vary on systems due to latency
or device compatibility. Values between 18000 and 20000 seem
to work for most users.
Display
- Display Method
- GDK: very compatible with X servers and the X
Windows client/server architecture. Not very fast. Does not
maintain frame aspect ratio.
XVideo (Xv): requires XFree86 4.x and supporting
hardware and X server. Run 'xvinfo' from the shell to get
information about support on your system. Very fast and Kino
maintains both frame and pixel-accurate aspect ratio. You can
not take a screen capture of the video preview in this mode.
XVideo is similar to Microsoft DirectDraw.
Reduce Xv: Similar to XVideo above with the same
advantages and disadvantages. This variation, however, uses
half of the data bandwidth that is needed for compatibility
on some X servers and hardware. The reduction in data
bandwidth does invoke a scaling CPU overhead thereby
affecting performance.
- Enable preview during capture
- To reduce the chance of dropped frames during video
capture to disk, disable this option. If you have a fast
enough system, you can turn this om and get a live preview of
the video being captured.
- Drop video frames as needed
- When enabled, Kino uses sophisticated algorithms and
threads to sacrifice the video frame rate in order to provide
better audio quality of play back and to provide an overall
playback rate that is consistent and true with time.
Basically, only disable this if you are interested in seeing
if you machine is fast enough to decode DV in realtime. If
you machine is not fast enough, then your will hear audio
clicks and gaps.
- DV decode quality
- You can adjust the quality of the DV decoder to reduce
the processing overhead for increased playback performance.
This does not affect the quality of DV exported over IEEE
1394 back into your camera.
Audio
You can enable or disable audio and set the OSS device file
to use for your machine. Kino only supports OSS at this time.
If you are running a sound server in your desktop environment
such as esd for GNOME, or aRts for KDE, then Kino cannot open
the sound device unless your driver explicitly supports it. The
SoundBlaster Live series cards and driver support multiple
opens.
Jog/Shuttle
Enable this if you have a Contour Shuttle Pro or Sony USB
Jog/Shuttle controller. See the README_jogshuttle to build the
kernel module and its dependent modules.
Other
- Disable Key Repeat
- If you find that your keystrokes are buffering and you
inadvertently have to wait for Kino to process all of them,
then you might enable this option. If enabled, Kino only
operates on the oldest event in the queue and discards all
pending events. On the other hand, enabling this option may
require you to use the keys more slowly in order for Kino to
receive the ones you do intend it to process.
- Enable time code display on startup
- By default the video clip timestamp and timecode display
is turned off for performance reasons. You can click the
timecode field labels in the main window to turn them on, but
Kino does not automatically remember that. Enable this option
to make Kino always start with the timecode display
active.
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