Videoreg: script for continuous video recording from the plugged webcams

Prerequisites: you will need to install the required libraries

RabbitMQ and Ruby are required to use this script.

sudo echo "deb http://www.rabbitmq.com/debian/ testing main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
sudo wget http://www.rabbitmq.com/rabbitmq-signing-key-public.asc
sudo apt-key add rabbitmq-signing-key-public.asc
sudo apt-get update
apt-get install -y mencoder ffmpeg qc-usb-utils v4l-utils rabbitmq-server ruby1.9.1 rubygems ruby1.9.1-dev

Then write the configuration file according to your setup:

reg {
  device      '/dev/webcam0'
  resolution  '640x480'
  fps         25
  duration    60
  filename    '#{time}-webcam0.avi'
  storage     '/tmp/webcam0'
  lockfile    '/tmp/videoreg.webcam0.lock'
  store_max   5
}

reg {
  device      '/dev/webcam1'
  resolution  '640x480'
  fps         25
  duration    60
  filename    '#{time}-webcam1.avi'
  storage     '/tmp/webcam1'
  lockfile    '/tmp/videoreg.webcam1.lock'
  store_max   3
}

reg {
  device      '/dev/webcam2'
  resolution  '640x480'
  fps         25
  duration    60
  filename    '#{time}-webcam2.avi'
  storage     '/tmp/webcam2'
  lockfile    '/tmp/videoreg.webcam2.lock'
  store_max   3
}

log_path    '/tmp/videoreg.log'
pid_path    '/tmp/videoreg.pid'
mq_queue    'com.ifree.videoreg.daemon'
mq_host     'localhost'

After the installation you are able to manage the process using 'videoreg' command:

$ videoreg -h
Usage: videoreg [options]
    -c, --config CONFIG              Use the specified config
    -d, --device DEVICE              Run only the specified device
    -H, --halt DEVICE                Halt (SIGKILL) recording process
    -P, --pause DEVICE               Pause (SIGSTOP) recording process
    -R, --resume DEVICE              Resume (SIGCONT) recording process
    -r, --recover DEVICE             Recover the recording process
    -p, --pid PID                    Set the PID file for the capture process
    -l, --log LOGFILE                Set the logfile for daemon
    -e, --ensure                     Check the state of the daemon
    -C, --clear                      Clear the state (remove lock-files)
    -k, --kill                       Kills the capture processes
    -v, --version                    Show the version
    -h, --help                       Show this help message
    -U, --udev                       Generate udev rules for current config
    -I, --info                       Show info about plugged devices

To get the current daemon status:

$  videoreg -c config.rb -e
Running command 'ensure' for device(s): 'all'...
DAEMON:        [RUNNING]
Uptime:        4sec
/dev/webcam0:    [RUNNING]
/dev/webcam1:    [RUNNING]
/dev/webcam2:    [NO DEVICE]

To run the daemon:

$ videoreg -c config.rb
Daemon has started successfully

To stop the daemon:

$ videoreg -c config.rb --k
Stopped PID: 3870 at /tmp/videoreg.pid

To stop recording from the specified device:

$ videoreg -c config.rb -H /dev/webcam0
Running command 'halt' for device(s): '/dev/webcam0'...
I, [2012-07-03T14:00:35.802428 #8115]  INFO -- : Publish message to RabbitMQ 'HALT' with arg '/dev/webcam0' to 'com.ifree.videoreg.daemon'...
I, [2012-07-03T14:00:36.347704 #8115]  INFO -- : Disconnecting from RabbitMQ...

$ videoreg -c config.rb -e
Running command 'ensure' for device(s): 'all'...
DAEMON:        [RUNNING]
Uptime:        1min 18sec
/dev/webcam0:    [NOT RUNNING]
/dev/webcam1:    [RUNNING]
/dev/webcam2:    [NO DEVICE]

To run recording from the specified device:

$ videoreg -c config.rb -r /dev/webcam0
Running command 'recover' for device(s): '/dev/webcam0'...
I, [2012-07-03T14:02:12.375352 #8193]  INFO -- : Publish message to RabbitMQ 'RECOVER' with arg '/dev/webcam0' to 'com.ifree.videoreg.daemon'...
I, [2012-07-03T14:02:12.920787 #8193]  INFO -- : Disconnecting from RabbitMQ...

$ videoreg -c config.rb -e
Running command 'ensure' for device(s): 'all'...
DAEMON:        [RUNNING]
Uptime:        2min 34sec
/dev/webcam0:    [RUNNING]
/dev/webcam1:    [RUNNING]
/dev/webcam2:    [NO DEVICE]

To pause the device:

$ videoreg -c config.rb -P /dev/webcam0
Running command 'pause' for device(s): '/dev/webcam0'...
I, [2012-07-03T14:03:28.840693 #8254]  INFO -- : Publish message to RabbitMQ 'PAUSE' with arg '/dev/webcam0' to 'com.ifree.videoreg.daemon'...
I, [2012-07-03T14:03:29.386111 #8254]  INFO -- : Disconnecting from RabbitMQ...

$ videoreg -c config.rb -e
Running command 'ensure' for device(s): 'all'...
DAEMON:        [RUNNING]
Uptime:        3min 50sec
/dev/webcam0:    [PAUSED]
/dev/webcam1:    [RUNNING]
/dev/webcam2:    [NO DEVICE]

To resume the device:

$ videoreg -c config.rb -R /dev/webcam0
Running command 'resume' for device(s): '/dev/webcam0'...
I, [2012-07-03T14:04:34.870130 #8308]  INFO -- : Publish message to RabbitMQ 'RESUME' with arg '/dev/webcam0' to 'com.ifree.videoreg.daemon'...
I, [2012-07-03T14:04:35.415852 #8308]  INFO -- : Disconnecting from RabbitMQ...

$ videoreg -c config.rb -e
Running command 'ensure' for device(s): 'all'...
DAEMON:        [RUNNING]
Uptime:        4min 58sec
/dev/webcam0:    [RUNNING]
/dev/webcam1:    [RUNNING]
/dev/webcam2:    [NO DEVICE]

Get the information about the plugged webcams:

$ videoreg -I
usb1[1-1] --> /dev/webcam0
usb2[2-1] --> /dev/webcam1

To generate the udev rules file (create the user-friendly symlinks to the webcam devices):

$ videoreg -U
Writing the rules to /etc/udev/rules.d/50-udev-videoreg.rules file:
            BUS=="usb" ACTION=="add" DEVPATH=="/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/*/video4linux/video*" SYMLINK+="webcam0" GROUP="video"
            BUS=="usb" ACTION=="add" DEVPATH=="/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/*/video4linux/video*" SYMLINK+="webcam1" GROUP="video"
File has been written successfully! Now restart udev (/etc/init.d/udev restart) and replug the webcams!

Changelog

03.07.2012

Current status

  • Реализация правил udev (добавление симлинков на девайсы по определённым правилам)

29.06.2012

Current status

  • Проверка наличия всех девайсов (камер)
  • По команде прервать запись с определенной камеры и начать заново (это нужно чтобы вытащить кадр из текущего кусочка записи)
  • "Ленивая" инициализация заданной камеры: пауза/запуск процесса записи

28.06.2012

Current status

  • Запуск видеозаписи
    • Параметры для всех камер хранятся в одном конфиге (разрешение, фпс, длительность каждого файла)
    • Запись по кускам (по 10минут в один файл например)
    • Слежение

TODO

  • Состояние системы (свободное место на винте, время работы с момента последней перезагрузки и тп) – тоже в конфиге как-то хранить
  • Слежение за свободным местом на диске (например записи с камер 1 и 2 должны хранится 12 часов, но все вместе не более 15Гб)
  • Алерты об ошибках в Приложение1
  • Запуск Приложения3 – при появлении файлов с определенной камеры надо запускать нашу программку (Приложение2), потом файлик удалять (или не удалять – параметр в конфиге)