I'm interested in a library(for windows) written in Delphi/Pascal or C++ that allows me to record(to a video format) desktop screen, requirements:
- must be able to specify the frame rate, or at least be able to record @ 5fps;
- must be open source or free;
- the output format could be almost any, but the quality must be good enough to be able to read text from the recording;
pluses, if possible:
- option to record without colors(grayscale);
- multiple display aware;
- cross platform(Windows & Linux, other platforms would be nice as well, but not necessary);
If by any chance, I didn't explain something right, please feel free to ask so I can rephrase or give more details, etc.
FFMPEG supports screen capturing(casting) and is cross platform.
You could try Windows Media Encoder (freeware, wmv/asf only) or VLC (GPL, Win/OSX/Linux). Be aware that "hardware accelerated" views (Direct3D & OpenGL rendering for example) will not be available, and some quality loss will be experienced due to video compression. How much you lose will depend on your settings (codec, bitrate, resolution, etc)
Example: How to Stream your Desktop using VLC
vlc screen:// :screen-fps=30 :screen-caching=100 --sout '#transcode{vcodec=mp4v,vb=4096,acodec=mpga,ab=256,scale=1,width=1280,height=800}:rtp{dst=192.168.1.2,port=1234,access=udp,mux=ts}'
You can find more options in VLC documentation, for saving your stream as a file for example.
This is the one I use with Delphi, it's called "Professional Screen Camera Component". Admittedly I had to make some changes to support unicode versions (replace PChar with PAnsiChar, replace Char with AnsiChar).
It'll happily record away at whatever framerate I set it to, will encode the video with whatever codec I specify (if I want it to), and allows you to specify the region you wish to record.
Comes with a demo project too!
Oh, and it's free/open source!
FFmpeg can be used to capture the screen.
watch the screen recorded video demo using FFMPEG : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a31bBY3HuxE
Container format : MP4
Codec : MPEG4
Follow the steps to record the screen in video using FFmpeg and other libraries.
Initialize required registers
use x11grab(for linux OS) in av_find_input_format
mention the posistion to capture the video in screen (Eg. ":0.0+10,250" in av_format_open_input)
Now go for regular video parameters initialization and memory allocation.
start capturing the frames and store it in a file.
Finally, release the allocated resources once completed !.
below code is written in c++ and uses linux(ubuntu) platform video format is in mp4 format.
// sample code to record the computer screen !
#ifndef SCREENRECORDER_H
#define SCREENRECORDER_H
#include <iostream>
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <fstream>
#include <cstring>
#include <math.h>
#include <string.h>
#define __STDC_CONSTANT_MACROS
//FFMPEG LIBRARIES
extern "C"
{
#include "libavcodec/avcodec.h"
#include "libavcodec/avfft.h"
#include "libavdevice/avdevice.h"
#include "libavfilter/avfilter.h"
#include "libavfilter/avfiltergraph.h"
#include "libavfilter/buffersink.h"
#include "libavfilter/buffersrc.h"
#include "libavformat/avformat.h"
#include "libavformat/avio.h"
// libav resample
#include "libavutil/opt.h"
#include "libavutil/common.h"
#include "libavutil/channel_layout.h"
#include "libavutil/imgutils.h"
#include "libavutil/mathematics.h"
#include "libavutil/samplefmt.h"
#include "libavutil/time.h"
#include "libavutil/opt.h"
#include "libavutil/pixdesc.h"
#include "libavutil/file.h"
// lib swresample
#include "libswscale/swscale.h"
}
class ScreenRecorder
{
private:
AVInputFormat *pAVInputFormat;
AVOutputFormat *output_format;
AVCodecContext *pAVCodecContext;
AVFormatContext *pAVFormatContext;
AVFrame *pAVFrame;
AVFrame *outFrame;
AVCodec *pAVCodec;
AVCodec *outAVCodec;
AVPacket *pAVPacket;
AVDictionary *options;
AVOutputFormat *outAVOutputFormat;
AVFormatContext *outAVFormatContext;
AVCodecContext *outAVCodecContext;
AVStream *video_st;
AVFrame *outAVFrame;
const char *dev_name;
const char *output_file;
double video_pts;
int out_size;
int codec_id;
int value;
int VideoStreamIndx;
public:
ScreenRecorder();
~ScreenRecorder();
int openCamera();
int init_outputfile();
int collectFrames();
};
#endif
using namespace std;
ScreenRecorder::ScreenRecorder()
{
cout<<"\n\n Registering required functions...";
av_register_all();
avcodec_register_all();
avdevice_register_all();
cout<<"\n\n Registered successfully...";
}
ScreenRecorder::~ScreenRecorder()
{
avformat_close_input(&pAVFormatContext);
if( !pAVFormatContext )
{
cout<<"\n\n1.Success : avformat_close_input()";
}
else
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avformat_close_input()";
}
avformat_free_context(pAVFormatContext);
if( !pAVFormatContext )
{
cout<<"\n\n2.Success : avformat_free_context()";
}
else
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avformat_free_context()";
}
cout<<"\n\n---------------Successfully released all resources------------------\n\n\n";
cout<<endl;
cout<<endl;
cout<<endl;
}
int ScreenRecorder::collectFrames()
{
int flag;
int frameFinished;
//when you decode a single packet, you still don't have information enough to have a frame [depending on the type of codec, some of them //you do], when you decode a GROUP of packets that represents a frame, then you have a picture! that's why frameFinished will let //you know you decoded enough to have a frame.
int frame_index = 0;
value = 0;
pAVPacket = (AVPacket *)av_malloc(sizeof(AVPacket));
av_init_packet(pAVPacket);
pAVFrame = av_frame_alloc();
if( !pAVFrame )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_frame_alloc()";
return -1;
}
outFrame = av_frame_alloc();//Allocate an AVFrame and set its fields to default values.
if( !outFrame )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_frame_alloc()";
return -1;
}
int video_outbuf_size;
int nbytes = av_image_get_buffer_size(outAVCodecContext->pix_fmt,outAVCodecContext->width,outAVCodecContext->height,32);
uint8_t *video_outbuf = (uint8_t*)av_malloc(nbytes);
if( video_outbuf == NULL )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_malloc()";
}
// Setup the data pointers and linesizes based on the specified image parameters and the provided array.
value = av_image_fill_arrays( outFrame->data, outFrame->linesize, video_outbuf , AV_PIX_FMT_YUV420P, outAVCodecContext->width,outAVCodecContext->height,1 ); // returns : the size in bytes required for src
if(value < 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_image_fill_arrays()";
}
SwsContext* swsCtx_ ;
// Allocate and return swsContext.
// a pointer to an allocated context, or NULL in case of error
// Deprecated : Use sws_getCachedContext() instead.
swsCtx_ = sws_getContext(pAVCodecContext->width,
pAVCodecContext->height,
pAVCodecContext->pix_fmt,
outAVCodecContext->width,
outAVCodecContext->height,
outAVCodecContext->pix_fmt,
SWS_BICUBIC, NULL, NULL, NULL);
int ii = 0;
int no_frames = 100;
cout<<"\n\nEnter No. of Frames to capture : ";
cin>>no_frames;
AVPacket outPacket;
int j = 0;
int got_picture;
while( av_read_frame( pAVFormatContext , pAVPacket ) >= 0 )
{
if( ii++ == no_frames )break;
if(pAVPacket->stream_index == VideoStreamIndx)
{
value = avcodec_decode_video2( pAVCodecContext , pAVFrame , &frameFinished , pAVPacket );
if( value < 0)
{
cout<<"Error : avcodec_decode_video2()";
}
if(frameFinished)// Frame successfully decoded :)
{
sws_scale(swsCtx_, pAVFrame->data, pAVFrame->linesize,0, pAVCodecContext->height, outFrame->data,outFrame->linesize);
av_init_packet(&outPacket);
outPacket.data = NULL; // packet data will be allocated by the encoder
outPacket.size = 0;
avcodec_encode_video2(outAVCodecContext , &outPacket ,outFrame , &got_picture);
if(got_picture)
{
if(outPacket.pts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
outPacket.pts = av_rescale_q(outPacket.pts, video_st->codec->time_base, video_st->time_base);
if(outPacket.dts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
outPacket.dts = av_rescale_q(outPacket.dts, video_st->codec->time_base, video_st->time_base);
printf("Write frame %3d (size= %2d)\n", j++, outPacket.size/1000);
if(av_write_frame(outAVFormatContext , &outPacket) != 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_write_frame()";
}
av_packet_unref(&outPacket);
} // got_picture
av_packet_unref(&outPacket);
} // frameFinished
}
}// End of while-loop
value = av_write_trailer(outAVFormatContext);
if( value < 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_write_trailer()";
}
//THIS WAS ADDED LATER
av_free(video_outbuf);
}
int ScreenRecorder::openCamera()
{
value = 0;
options = NULL;
pAVFormatContext = NULL;
pAVFormatContext = avformat_alloc_context();//Allocate an AVFormatContext.
pAVInputFormat = av_find_input_format("x11grab");
value = avformat_open_input(&pAVFormatContext, ":0.0+10,250", pAVInputFormat, NULL);
if(value != 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avformat_open_input\n\nstopped...";
return -1;
}
value = av_dict_set( &options,"framerate","30",0 );
if(value < 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_dict_set(framerate , 30 , 0)";
return -1;
}
value = av_dict_set( &options, "preset", "medium", 0 );
if(value < 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_dict_set(preset , medium)";
return -1;
}
// value = avformat_find_stream_info(pAVFormatContext,NULL);
if(value < 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avformat_find_stream_info\nstopped...";
return -1;
}
VideoStreamIndx = -1;
for(int i = 0; i < pAVFormatContext->nb_streams; i++ ) // find video stream posistion/index.
{
if( pAVFormatContext->streams[i]->codecpar->codec_type == AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO )
{
VideoStreamIndx = i;
break;
}
} // End for-loop
if( VideoStreamIndx == -1)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : VideoStreamIndx = -1";
return -1;
}
// assign pAVFormatContext to VideoStreamIndx
pAVCodecContext = pAVFormatContext->streams[VideoStreamIndx]->codec;
pAVCodec = avcodec_find_decoder(pAVCodecContext->codec_id);
if( pAVCodec == NULL )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avcodec_find_decoder()";
return -1;
}
value = avcodec_open2(pAVCodecContext , pAVCodec , NULL);//Initialize the AVCodecContext to use the given AVCodec.
if( value < 0 )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avcodec_open2()";
return -1;
}
}
int ScreenRecorder::init_outputfile()
{
outAVFormatContext = NULL;
value = 0;
output_file = "output.mp4";
avformat_alloc_output_context2(&outAVFormatContext, NULL, NULL, output_file);
if (!outAVFormatContext)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avformat_alloc_output_context2()";
return -1;
}
/*Returns the output format in the list of registered output formats which best matches the provided parameters, or returns NULL if there is no match.
*/
output_format = av_guess_format(NULL, output_file ,NULL);
if( !output_format )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : av_guess_format()";
return -1;
}
video_st = avformat_new_stream(outAVFormatContext ,NULL);
if( !video_st )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avformat_new_stream()";
return -1;
}
outAVCodecContext = avcodec_alloc_context3(outAVCodec);
if( !outAVCodecContext )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avcodec_alloc_context3()";
return -1;
}
outAVCodecContext = video_st->codec;
outAVCodecContext->codec_id = AV_CODEC_ID_MPEG4;// AV_CODEC_ID_MPEG4; // AV_CODEC_ID_H264 // AV_CODEC_ID_MPEG1VIDEO
outAVCodecContext->codec_type = AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO;
outAVCodecContext->pix_fmt = AV_PIX_FMT_YUV420P;
outAVCodecContext->bit_rate = 400000; // 2500000
outAVCodecContext->width = 1920;
outAVCodecContext->height = 1080;
outAVCodecContext->gop_size = 3;
outAVCodecContext->max_b_frames = 2;
outAVCodecContext->time_base.num = 1;
outAVCodecContext->time_base.den = 30; // 15fps
if (codec_id == AV_CODEC_ID_H264)
{
av_opt_set(outAVCodecContext->priv_data, "preset", "slow", 0);
}
outAVCodec = avcodec_find_encoder(AV_CODEC_ID_MPEG4);
if( !outAVCodec )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avcodec_find_encoder()";
return -1;
}
// Some container formats (like MP4) require global headers to be present
// Mark the encoder so that it behaves accordingly.
if ( outAVFormatContext->oformat->flags & AVFMT_GLOBALHEADER)
{
outAVCodecContext->flags |= AV_CODEC_FLAG_GLOBAL_HEADER;
}
value = avcodec_open2(outAVCodecContext, outAVCodec, NULL);
if( value < 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avcodec_open2()";
return -1;
}
if ( !(outAVFormatContext->flags & AVFMT_NOFILE) )
{
if( avio_open2(&outAVFormatContext->pb , output_file , AVIO_FLAG_WRITE ,NULL, NULL) < 0 )
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avio_open2()";
}
}
if(!outAVFormatContext->nb_streams)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : Output file dose not contain any stream";
return -1;
}
value = avformat_write_header(outAVFormatContext , &options);
if(value < 0)
{
cout<<"\n\nError : avformat_write_header()";
return -1;
}
cout<<"\n\nOutput file information :\n\n";
av_dump_format(outAVFormatContext , 0 ,output_file ,1);
}
int main()
{
ScreenRecorder s_record;
s_record.openCamera();
s_record.init_outputfile();
s_record.collectFrames();
cout<<"\n\n---------EXIT_SUCCESS------------\n\n";
return 0;
}
/* to compile the code : g++ -Wno-format-zero-length -Wno-write-strings -L/home/abdullah/ffmpeg_build/lib/ -L/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/ -I/home/abdullah/ffmpeg_build/include/ -o ScreenRecorder ScreenRecorder.cpp -lavdevice -lavfilter -lswscale -lavformat -lavcodec -lavutil -lswresample -lm -lva -lpthread -lvorbis -lvpx -lopus -lz -lpostproc -ldl -lfdk-aac -lmp3lame -lvorbisenc -lvorbisfile -lx264 -ltheora -lx265 -ltheoraenc -ltheoradec -ldl -lrt -lbz2 -lasound -lSDL -lSDLmain -lSDL_ttf -lfreetype -lass -llzma -lftgl -lperl -lcrypto -lxcb -lxcb-shm -lxcb-xfixes -lao -lxcb-shape -lfftw3 */
Here's the screenshot.
complete working code in github link:
I haven't done this myself before, but when I googled around (as I'm sure you have), I ran into this:
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/GDI/barry_s_screen_capture.aspx
It looks as if it should do what you're asking reasonably easily (for Windows), and it has no license associated with it (as confirmed at the bottom). I don't believe its set up as a library, but I'm sure you could bind the interface to the sample WinCap functions into one with reasonable ease.
It is probably overkill for your needs, but the video grabber component from DataStead can also record screen activity and save the output as video file. See http://www.datastead.com/products/tvideograbber/overview.html. I'm not associated with DataStead, but have been a customer for a few years and it works great.
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