[done] Remote screen capture

[Mike]

I've had a request to implement a feature that for Newtek's Tricaster is called iVGA, obviously for them it was the only way to capture the output of an application as you can't run it on the tricaster PC. I will, for now, call it remote screen capture. It allows you to do screen capture on a different machine, send the data over a network to VidBlaster, and have it show up as another camera.

Does anyone else need this feature? If so, what for? Or do you need something that resembles this technology?

Thanks for your feedback!

[slickricks]

Yes, Yes, Yes.

It would be awesome if it were tweaked so that it didn't downsample the video to SD, but let you stream it at full rez, or better than SD anyway. Even if it did a partial screen capture and but didn't down sample it. Say you could select a 640 x 480 section. That way the images would stay nice and crispy, instead of soft.

Thanks
DB

[Vanlen]

Yes a MUST. Say you are doing a live sports presentation and scores need to be updated. You could have someone doing graphics on a lap top tweak and boom key it in stantly. The possibilities are endless here. I'm still trying out the Studio version which is pretty stable and looking at its features for doing the aobe and live award ceremonies, conventions etc.

Cheers and keep up the great work on this tool. (Sure would like a timed fade up and out for overlays)

[eagle]

This would be a very useful feature if the capturing is also done on the 2nd PC, either by software or preferably by capture card. I would use this for broadcasting a fullscreen videogame running on PC2.

Offloading the main mixing PC is a good idea with VidBlaster already not being such a lightweight.

[stlava]

This feature would be a life saver for my organization. We're looking at streaming a video game competition (QuakeCon) this coming summer in Dallas, TX. There are very few solutions that would work for us and if VidBlaster implemented an iVGA type idea, that would be great.

P.S. Great job on the rapid development of VidBlaster, keep up the good work.

[weconverse]

I think it would greatly enhance the value of VidBlaster for the streaming and recording on events where slides from the speakers are used. Wherea a second camera on the projected screen might "grab" the slides, the quality is not so good and there is typically the possibility that something (e.g. the presenter) obstructs the view. But I guess it would nevertheless require some extra hardware,like Epiphan's VGA2USB (which I read about at http://www.scribd.com/doc/3848605/VGA-Capture).
Or do you have anything else in mind?

[stlava]

No he means an over the network frame grabber. For example the one the tricaster uses (iVGA).

[hphjanni]

I'm thinking of broadcasting matches from FPS games and this feature will probably be better than graphic cards composite video output to Easycap. Hopefully this feature will be available in "home edition" of VidBlaster as well :)

[Tony]

oh you mean like say i have another computer and i want to play a video fro youtube i can send it to vidbaster (open the browser) ir view desktop) like they can do on tricaster?

[geeknews]

Yes,, please if your want Ivga screen shots I can send them to you. But please be aware there implementation while great is limiting. The iVga feature on the tricaster does not allow you to select a specific area to be capture. Also if you want to really make it rock all 2-3 capture areas within a single monitor. That would be major homerun. If you make it work with the tricaster as well I would pay for that..

[Mike]

We're working on this, but so far the delay is too big (several seconds). As for compatibility with tricaster, do you know if they use some standard protocol or is it proprietary? Do they have instant update or is there a delay?

[josiahbryan]

I've completed a simple "remote screen capture" program that generates MJPEG streams, which can be used in VidBlaster (... pending a bug fix ...). Right now its command line startup - e.g. "java ScreenServer 8080 1,1-640,480 ". Then you can use an MJPEG viewer (e.g. Camboozla [http://www.charliemouse.com:8080/code/cambozola/]) to view the stream on the VidBlaster computer. Then you would use a Screen Capture in vidblaster to grab the screen from Cambozla (or whatever you use.) I havn't been able to get VidBlaster to accept the MJPEG stream directly yet, though - pending the bugfix on that one.

I've gotten it up to 24fps on a windows laptop with a 640x480 capture window - downside is that it eats 35% processor on the "server" end, and about 32% on the VidBlaster end when using cambozla - oofta.

Latency isn't bad - not good, but not bad. (I'd guess < 250ms)

Related, I've developed a CameraServer that captures directly from a connected video camera (firewire, USB, whatever), and broadcasts it out as an MJPEG stream. High FPS on this one as well - 30fps in some cases - but higher CPU usage. Server end runs 70% and the viewer on vidblaster runs up to 45%. Again, need to do screen cap to get it into vidblaster.

If anyone is interested in testing either of those programs, let me know.

Caveat: Due to video latency - though not very perceptible visually, the audio is quite ahead (by about 300ms) in recordings. Not good.

[CraigB]

I have been using the trial version of VB for some time now and am planning on buying it once I have built a computer that can run it properly. One feature that I would love to see is the ability to broadcast the screen of a different networked computer. I have seen in another application where a small app is installed onto the remote computer that takes care of all of the screen cap duties. Then the main program, in this case would be VidBlaster, only needs an ip address to access the video.

[CraigB]

The program where I have seen this implemented is Wirecast using their desktop presenter app. In my "low tech" tests, there appears to little to no latency. This type of functionality would allow running skype or software reviews ect. on a seperate machine thereby not overtaxing the vidblaster machine.

[weconverse]

CraigB,
Is it perhaps so that the desktop presenter app sends as an IP camera, thus allowing VIDBlaster to take it in?

[CraigB]

CraigB,
Is it perhaps so that the desktop presenter app sends as an IP camera, thus allowing VIDBlaster to take it in?


I had wondered that myself however, I have been unable to get VB to connect to the video stream by setting it as an IP cam.

[Dragbike Live.com]

any update on this???

[Mike]

Still struggling with this one. Do we intend to use this for graphics (e.g. spreadsheets) or video (capture skype on another machine)? These 2 different uses require a completely different approach in compression and protocol, i.e. graphics require lossless compression but can do with low frame rates and no audio, while video requires audio and high frame rates but can use lossy compression.

[weconverse]

Both I guess. Personally I am more interested in smooth animations and video from a presenters presentation (ppt, keynote, Prezi, etc). Spreadsheets, and fine print, are normally not a good idea for projections (can't be read by the physical audience anyway). And for most of us the video is anyhow in a lower resolution than the projector's.

Personally I also hate when a presenter has to use the venues PC or install some extra apps.

In sum, the remote material should always be sized so that lossy compression would not matter.

[ssmyth]

I have a lot of experience capturing remote presentations and speakers. Currently we just use VB's screen capture module to grab a desktop share of their PowerPoint or app. We use Abode connect. I am interested in capturing another VB machines output remotely.

Mike would this require a separate small third part app to "broadcast" from the remote computer ?

There are so many great desktop sharing app already built that work great if you screen capture them .... but I cannot find one that broadcasts a screen and gives it an IP that VB can capture as a camera.

[Mike]

It would.

[weconverse]

Stephen, as I understand it videos are increasingly used by presenters in the presentations (eg kicking of a video in powerpoint). Does Adobe Connect, and similar remote presentation apps, really fast enough to transmit video?

[ssmyth]

Great question...because I "produce" these keynote speakers one of the requirements is I see their presentation ahead of time.

If it involves video I ask for a copy of the clip and pre cue it up in VB in a player.. then I live switch it when needed during the recording. I find that way I have more control and better quality .

I will try video on Abobe connect ... one issue may also be sound sync ..

I will report back .

[andranic]

Many times I need to show something on camera ( Youtube clip , Website ... ) rather then hooking up another capture card on my main streaming machine I would love to be able to send the screen capture Via remote .

[Mike]

This is now possible using the API. All someone needs to do is write a little app that grabs a part of the screen and send it to VidBlaster.

[andranic]

Anyone up for writing this app ? lol

[chackl]

Is it already possible to screen capture from a 2nd PC via Network? I would need that for my excel graphics scoreboard on my laptop.

[weconverse]

Andrew, a cheap shortcut is to find a free print screen program that saves to a file (or buy SnagIt) and then share the save folder via dropbox.

[chackl]

Meanwhile there are programs that extend the desktop via wlan, but it would be better VB could do that native.

[tcreson]

YES! I see this post is a couple of years old, so what's up?

We want to capture the extended desktop from one computer and show it as a camera within VidBlaster.

Here's what we're doing - The extended desktop is actually the video-to-projector (EasyWorship). If we had this option, then we'd be able to broadcast to the internet the same thing the congregation sees.

[Michael]

Tony,

Until someone writes the API, if you are still SD like we are, here's the inexpensive hardware solution we use. http://www.svideo.com/pctvez.html . It gives you composite (RCA) and S-video connections while passing through the VGA to your screen(s).

Of course, when the API comes along, it will be far better because we can get Easy Worship output via the network and then free up the composite video input on our capture card to use for an additional camera.

Sooooo, somebody write the API please.

[andranic]

Is anyone working on writing the API for this ?

[Monoscopio]

I could write this but there is no current support for it in the new API. I have asked for it and hopefully we will see it in 2.05 or near version. Question is what it is you need in terms of framerate? Would it be static images grabbed on demand?

[andranic]

We would love to do video. There is another software out there (Will not name names) that does it a decent job at it. If you would like more info please feel free to email me guysfromqueens@gmail.com

[DavidOLW]

YES! I see this post is a couple of years old, so what's up?

We want to capture the extended desktop from one computer and show it as a camera within VidBlaster.

Here's what we're doing - The extended desktop is actually the video-to-projector (EasyWorship). If we had this option, then we'd be able to broadcast to the internet the same thing the congregation sees.

If the computer has a DVI-D output on graphics card (or install one) a DVI-D to HDMI cable (if long distance between the two computers uase Cat 5 cable/converters) can be used to feed a Declink Card on Vidblaster computer. Gives top quality feed.

David

[weconverse]

Mike,
With all due respect for the possibilities offered by the API - I don't think it's correct to mark this thread as Done.