Multimedia Capture

The LEADTOOLS Multimedia product line incorporates DirectShow capture operations into DLL API  that are easy to use in non-C compilers that support them.

For full details on LEADTOOLS Multimedia Capture functions, refer to IltmmCapture topics under Multimedia Function References .

Multimedia Capture functionality includes:

Support for WDM, native DirectShow including DV DV stands for Digital Video and has been defined in "Specification of Consumer-use Digital VCRs" (aka the Blue Book)., and Video for Windows capture devices.

Programmatically select the capture devices to use.

Compress Audio streams and Video streams while capturing.

Output compressed and uncompressed AVI, Windows Media content, OGG, DVSD OGG, WAVE, MPEG1Audio (MP3), MPEG1 System This format supports both audio and video files., MPEG2 Program, DVD*, and Network** formats.

Control the interleaving mode when writing AVI files.

Camera control (Brightness, Contrast, Zoom, Pan, etc).

Editing mode: Change capturing configuration without rebuilding the graph – speeds up the graph modification.

Save still bitmaps with control over format and quality.

Save capture settings to files and streams; settings include processors, compressors, devices, and controls.

Support for built-in audio sources in video devices.

Incoming video signal adjustment using the VideoProcAmp interface properties - Brightness, Contrast, Gamma, Hue, etc.

Support for analog video capture devices configuration.

Capture directly to a file or save images individually to memory.

Flicker-free video and audio preview during capture.

Video preview supports zooming: (Fit to window, stretch, 50%, 75%, 100%, 200%, and full screen)

Use the audio source built into the video device or a different audio source.

Support for close captioning.

Full support for TV tuners.

Programmatically change channels.

Programmatically change the video input sources including the TV Tuner, S-Video or composite video.

Support for multiple built-in configuration dialog boxes.

Obtain statistics during capture.

Support for video and audio processing DirectShow or DirectX filters.

Multiple capture modes:

Streaming video and audio.

Automatically triggered video frame sequences with or without audio.

Manually triggered video frame sequences with or without audio.

Still images.

Mask.

Inhibit Run.

Built-in dialogs allow you to easily configure the capture devices. LEADTOOLS can display TV Tuner, crossbars and video capture pins and audio capture properties all in one dialog.

Support for capturing live streaming video and audio from memory for all of your streaming video and audio needs.

Capture preview supports three kinds of preview images:

As images come from the capture card, but before any video processors or compressors are applied.

After the video processors have been applied, but before the compressor Also known as an encoder Also known as compressor, this is a module or algorithm to compress data. Playing that data back requires a decompressor, or decoder., this is a module or algorithm to compress data. Playing that data back requires a decompressor, or decoder Also known as a decompressor, this is a module or algorithm to decompress data.. is applied.

After the video processors and compressors are applied.

Built-in support for generic multiplexers and renderers. Multiplexers are filters that combine two or more streams of data. LEADTOOLS Multimedia can create MPEG files, if MPEG video and audio encoders and an MPEG multiplexer A module that combines audio and video into one file. is available on the computer.

Create DV AVI files with the use of a DV multiplexer.

Capture audio from DV devices and the audio and video data is not split (unless specified), resulting in faster capture and fewer dropped frames.

Put data into a DV device: Download the video from a DV device, cut unwanted pieces and put the good portion back into the DV device.

Control DV tape functions such as play, pause, rewind, fast forward and record programmatically.

Read and seek DV devices based on timecode SMPTE timecode, more properly known as SMPTE time and control code, is a series of digital frame address values, flags and additional data applied to a video or audio stream The portion of the file holding the audio data. The audio data might be compressed to save disk space. The data has to be decompressed using an audio decompressor before you can play (hear) it., and is defined in ANSI/SMPTE 12-1986. Its purpose is to provide a machine-readable address for video and audio. These are usually measured in seconds and they measure the time elapsed from the beginning of the file. It is a term describing the number you see on the VCR while you are playing a tape. information.

Pause during capture.

Capture frame from player.

Adjust the amount of time the sound is buffered during capture to synchronize video and audio previews.

Display capture device properties without stopping the capture.

Enumerate and select available capture sizes programmatically during capture.

Examples of applications that take advantage of the above functionality:

Applications to create video and/or audio files.

Applications that sample, grab and copy streaming audio and video to a file.

Applications that capture music and video from the Internet.

Applications that record streaming audio and video clips.

Software for streaming audio and video hosting servers and sites.

Software to create feeds from digital video cams for online live video streaming.

Software to stream music videos.

Applications to capture video and audio from capturing from interlaced and progressive scanning digital camcorders.

Software PVR/DVR applications.

Computer based video recording applications.

Security applications: record video when movement is detected. Record audio when a noise is detected.

ATM video capturing system: start recording when a person approaches the ATM kiosk and stop when the person leaves.

Video conferencing: grab each compressed video and audio sample and send it across the network medium.