path: root/documentation/content/en/books/handbook/multimedia/_index.adoc

---
title: Chapter 8. Multimedia
part: Part II. Common Tasks
prev: books/handbook/desktop
next: books/handbook/kernelconfig
description: FreeBSD supports a wide variety of sound cards, allowing users to enjoy high fidelity output from a FreeBSD system
tags: ["multimedia", "sound card", "MP3", "MythTV", "scanner", "SANE"]
showBookMenu: true
weight: 11
path: "/books/handbook/"
aliases: ["/en/books/handbook/sound-setup/","/en/books/handbook/sound-mp3/","/en/books/handbook/video-playback/","/en/books/handbook/tvcard/","/en/books/handbook/mythtv/","/en/books/handbook/scanners/"]
---

[[multimedia]]
= Multimedia
:doctype: book
:toc: macro
:toclevels: 1
:icons: font
:sectnums:
:sectnumlevels: 6
:sectnumoffset: 8
:partnums:
:source-highlighter: rouge
:experimental:
:images-path: books/handbook/multimedia/

ifdef::env-beastie[]
ifdef::backend-html5[]
:imagesdir: ../../../../images/{images-path}
endif::[]
ifndef::book[]
include::shared/authors.adoc[]
include::shared/mirrors.adoc[]
include::shared/releases.adoc[]
include::shared/attributes/attributes-{{% lang %}}.adoc[]
include::shared/{{% lang %}}/teams.adoc[]
include::shared/{{% lang %}}/mailing-lists.adoc[]
include::shared/{{% lang %}}/urls.adoc[]
toc::[]
endif::[]
ifdef::backend-pdf,backend-epub3[]
include::../../../../../shared/asciidoctor.adoc[]
endif::[]
endif::[]

ifndef::env-beastie[]
toc::[]
include::../../../../../shared/asciidoctor.adoc[]
endif::[]

[[multimedia-synopsis]]
== Synopsis

FreeBSD supports a wide variety of sound cards, allowing users to enjoy high fidelity output from a FreeBSD system.
This includes the ability to record and play back audio in the MPEG Audio Layer 3 (`MP3`), Waveform Audio File (`WAV`), Ogg Vorbis, and other formats.
The FreeBSD Ports Collection contains many applications for editing recorded audio, adding sound effects, and controlling attached MIDI devices.

FreeBSD also supports the playback of video files and ``DVD``s.
The FreeBSD Ports Collection contains applications to encode, convert, and playback various video media.

This chapter describes how to configure sound cards, video playback, TV tuner cards, and scanners on FreeBSD.
It also describes some of the applications which are available for using these devices.

After reading this chapter, you will know how to:

* Configure a sound card on FreeBSD.
* Troubleshoot the sound setup.
* Playback and encode MP3s and other audio.
* Prepare a FreeBSD system for video playback.
* Play ``DVD``s, [.filename]#.mpg#, and [.filename]#.avi# files.
* Rip `CD` and `DVD` content into files.
* Configure a TV card.
* Install and setup MythTV on FreeBSD
* Configure an image scanner.
* Configure a Bluetooth headset.

Before reading this chapter, you should:

* Know how to install applications as described in crossref:ports[ports,Installing Applications: Packages and Ports].

[[sound-setup]]
== Setting Up the Sound Card

Before beginning the configuration, determine the model of the sound card and the chip it uses.
FreeBSD supports a wide variety of sound cards.
Check the supported audio devices list of the link:{u-rel120-hardware}[Hardware Notes] to see if the card is supported and which FreeBSD driver it uses.

In order to use the sound device, its device driver must be loaded.
The easiest way is to load a kernel module for the sound card with man:kldload[8].
This example loads the driver for a built-in audio chipset based on the Intel specification:

[source,shell]
....
# kldload snd_hda
....

To automate the loading of this driver at boot time, add the driver to [.filename]#/boot/loader.conf#.
The line for this driver is:

[.programlisting]
....
snd_hda_load="YES"
....

Other available sound modules are listed in [.filename]#/boot/defaults/loader.conf#.
When unsure which driver to use, load the [.filename]#snd_driver# module:

[source,shell]
....
# kldload snd_driver
....

This is a metadriver which loads all of the most common sound drivers and can be used to speed up the search for the correct driver.
It is also possible to load all sound drivers by adding the metadriver to [.filename]#/boot/loader.conf#.

To determine which driver was selected for the sound card after loading the [.filename]#snd_driver# metadriver, type `cat /dev/sndstat`.

=== Configuring a Custom Kernel with Sound Support

This section is for users who prefer to statically compile in support for the sound card in a custom kernel.
For more information about recompiling a kernel, refer to crossref:kernelconfig[kernelconfig,Configuring the FreeBSD Kernel].

When using a custom kernel to provide sound support, make sure that the audio framework driver exists in the custom kernel configuration file:

[.programlisting]
....
device sound
....

Next, add support for the sound card.
To continue the example of the built-in audio chipset based on the Intel specification from the previous section, use the following line in the custom kernel configuration file:

[.programlisting]
....
device snd_hda
....

Be sure to read the manual page of the driver for the device name to use for the driver.

Non-PnP ISA sound cards may require the IRQ and I/O port settings of the card to be added to [.filename]#/boot/device.hints#.
During the boot process, man:loader[8] reads this file and passes the settings to the kernel.
For example, an old Creative SoundBlaster(R) 16 ISA non-PnP card will use the man:snd_sbc[4] driver in conjunction with `snd_sb16`.
For this card, the following lines must be added to the kernel configuration file:

[.programlisting]
....
device snd_sbc
device snd_sb16
....

If the card uses the `0x220` I/O port and IRQ `5`, these lines must also be added to [.filename]#/boot/device.hints#:

[.programlisting]
....
hint.sbc.0.at="isa"
hint.sbc.0.port="0x220"
hint.sbc.0.irq="5"
hint.sbc.0.drq="1"
hint.sbc.0.flags="0x15"
....

The syntax used in [.filename]#/boot/device.hints# is described in man:sound[4] and the manual page for the driver of the sound card.

The settings shown above are the defaults.
In some cases, the IRQ or other settings may need to be changed to match the card.
Refer to man:snd_sbc[4] for more information about this card.

[[sound-testing]]
=== Testing Sound

After loading the required module or rebooting into the custom kernel, the sound card should be detected.
To confirm, run `dmesg | grep pcm`.
This example is from a system with a built-in Conexant CX20590 chipset:

[source,shell]
....
pcm0: <NVIDIA (0x001c) (HDMI/DP 8ch)> at nid 5 on hdaa0
pcm1: <NVIDIA (0x001c) (HDMI/DP 8ch)> at nid 6 on hdaa0
pcm2: <Conexant CX20590 (Analog 2.0+HP/2.0)> at nid 31,25 and 35,27 on hdaa1
....

The status of the sound card may also be checked using this command:

[source,shell]
....
# cat /dev/sndstat
FreeBSD Audio Driver (newpcm: 64bit 2009061500/amd64)
Installed devices:
pcm0: <NVIDIA (0x001c) (HDMI/DP 8ch)> (play)
pcm1: <NVIDIA (0x001c) (HDMI/DP 8ch)> (play)
pcm2: <Conexant CX20590 (Analog 2.0+HP/2.0)> (play/rec) default
....

The output will vary depending upon the sound card.
If no [.filename]#pcm# devices are listed, double-check that the correct device driver was loaded or compiled into the kernel.
The next section lists some common problems and their solutions.

If all goes well, the sound card should now work in FreeBSD.
If the `CD` or `DVD` drive is properly connected to the sound card, one can insert an audio `CD` in the drive and play it with man:cdcontrol[1]:

[source,shell]
....
% cdcontrol -f /dev/acd0 play 1
....

[WARNING]
====
Audio ``CD``s have specialized encodings which means that they should not be mounted using man:mount[8].
====

Various applications, such as package:audio/workman[], provide a friendlier interface.
The package:audio/mpg123[] port can be installed to listen to MP3 audio files.

Another quick way to test the card is to send data to [.filename]#/dev/dsp#:

[source,shell]
....
% cat filename > /dev/dsp
....

where [.filename]#filename# can be any type of file.
This command should produce some noise, confirming that the sound card is working.

[NOTE]
====
The [.filename]#/dev/dsp*# device nodes will be created automatically as needed.
When not in use, they do not exist and will not appear in the output of man:ls[1].
====

[[bluetooth-headset]]
=== Setting up Bluetooth Sound Devices

Connecting to a Bluetooth device is out of scope for this chapter.
Refer to crossref:advanced-networking[network-bluetooth,“Bluetooth”] for more information.

To get Bluetooth sound sink working with FreeBSD's sound system, users have to install package:audio/virtual_oss[] first:

[source,shell]
....
# pkg install virtual_oss
....

package:audio/virtual_oss[] requires `cuse` to be loaded into the kernel:

[source,shell]
....
# kldload cuse
....

To load `cuse` during system startup, run this command:

[source,shell]
....
# echo 'cuse_load=yes' >> /boot/loader.conf
....

To use headphones as a sound sink with package:audio/virtual_oss[], users need to create a virtual device after connecting to a Bluetooth audio device:

[source,shell]
....
# virtual_oss -C 2 -c 2 -r 48000 -b 16 -s 768 -R /dev/null -P /dev/bluetooth/headphones -d dsp
....

[NOTE]
====
_headphones_ in this example is a hostname from [.filename]#/etc/bluetooth/hosts#.
`BT_ADDR` could be used instead.
====

Refer to man:virtual_oss[8] for more information.

[[troubleshooting]]
=== Troubleshooting Sound

<<multimedia-sound-common-error-messages>> lists some common error messages and their solutions:

[[multimedia-sound-common-error-messages]]
.Common Error Messages
[cols="1,1", frame="none", options="header"]
|===
| Error
| Solution

|`sb_dspwr(XX) timed out`
|

The I/O port is not set correctly.

|`bad irq XX`
|

The IRQ is set incorrectly. Make sure that the set IRQ and the sound IRQ are the same.

|`xxx: gus pcm not attached, out of memory`
|

There is not enough available memory to use the device.

|`xxx: can't open /dev/dsp!`
|

Type `fstat \| grep` dsp to check if another application is holding the device open. Noteworthy troublemakers are esound and KDE's sound support.
|===

Modern graphics cards often come with their own sound driver for use with `HDMI`.
This sound device is sometimes enumerated before the sound card meaning that the sound card will not be used as the default playback device.
To check if this is the case, run dmesg and look for `pcm`.
The output looks something like this:

[.programlisting]
....
...
hdac0: HDA Driver Revision: 20100226_0142
hdac1: HDA Driver Revision: 20100226_0142
hdac0: HDA Codec #0: NVidia (Unknown)
hdac0: HDA Codec #1: NVidia (Unknown)
hdac0: HDA Codec #2: NVidia (Unknown)
hdac0: HDA Codec #3: NVidia (Unknown)
pcm0: <HDA NVidia (Unknown) PCM #0 DisplayPort> at cad 0 nid 1 on hdac0
pcm1: <HDA NVidia (Unknown) PCM #0 DisplayPort> at cad 1 nid 1 on hdac0
pcm2: <HDA NVidia (Unknown) PCM #0 DisplayPort> at cad 2 nid 1 on hdac0
pcm3: <HDA NVidia (Unknown) PCM #0 DisplayPort> at cad 3 nid 1 on hdac0
hdac1: HDA Codec #2: Realtek ALC889
pcm4: <HDA Realtek ALC889 PCM #0 Analog> at cad 2 nid 1 on hdac1
pcm5: <HDA Realtek ALC889 PCM #1 Analog> at cad 2 nid 1 on hdac1
pcm6: <HDA Realtek ALC889 PCM #2 Digital> at cad 2 nid 1 on hdac1
pcm7: <HDA Realtek ALC889 PCM #3 Digital> at cad 2 nid 1 on hdac1
...
....

In this example, the graphics card (`NVidia`) has been enumerated before the sound card (`Realtek ALC889`).
To use the sound card as the default playback device, change `hw.snd.default_unit` to the unit that should be used for playback:

[source,shell]
....
# sysctl hw.snd.default_unit=n
....

where `n` is the number of the sound device to use.
In this example, it should be `4`.
Make this change permanent by adding the following line to [.filename]#/etc/sysctl.conf#:

[.programlisting]
....
hw.snd.default_unit=4
....

Programs using package:audio/pulseaudio[] might need to restart the
package:audio/pulseaudio[] daemon for the changes in `hw.snd.default_unit`  to
take effect.
Alternatively, package:audio/pulseaudio[] settings can be changed on the fly.
man:pacmd[1] opens a command line connection to the package:audio/pulseaudio[]
daemon:

[source,shell]
....
# pacmd
Welcome to PulseAudio 14.2! Use "help" for usage information.
>>>
....

The following command changes the default sink to card number 4 as in
the previous example:

[.programlisting]
....
set-default-sink 4
....

[WARNING]
====
Do not use the `exit` command to exit the command line interface. That will kill
the package:audio/pulseaudio[] daemon. Use kbd:[Ctrl+D] instead.
====

[[sound-multiple-sources]]
=== Utilizing Multiple Sound Sources

It is often desirable to have multiple sources of sound that are able to play simultaneously.
FreeBSD uses "Virtual Sound Channels" to multiplex the sound card's playback by mixing sound in the kernel.

Three man:sysctl[8] knobs are available for configuring virtual channels:

[source,shell]
....
# sysctl dev.pcm.0.play.vchans=4
# sysctl dev.pcm.0.rec.vchans=4
# sysctl hw.snd.maxautovchans=4
....

This example allocates four virtual channels, which is a practical number for everyday use.
Both `dev.pcm.0.play.vchans=4` and `dev.pcm.0.rec.vchans=4` are configurable after a device has been attached and represent the number of virtual channels [.filename]#pcm0# has for playback and recording.
Since the [.filename]#pcm# module can be loaded independently of the hardware drivers, `hw.snd.maxautovchans` indicates how many virtual channels will be given to an audio device when it is attached.
Refer to man:pcm[4] for more information.

[NOTE]
====
The number of virtual channels for a device cannot be changed while it is in use.
First, close any programs using the device, such as music players or sound daemons.
====

The correct [.filename]#pcm# device will automatically be allocated transparently to a program that requests [.filename]#/dev/dsp0#.

=== Setting Default Values for Mixer Channels

The default values for the different mixer channels are hardcoded in the source code of the man:pcm[4] driver.
While sound card mixer levels can be changed using man:mixer[8] or third-party applications and daemons, this is not a permanent solution.
To instead set default mixer values at the driver level, define the appropriate values in [.filename]#/boot/device.hints#, as seen in this example:

[.programlisting]
....
hint.pcm.0.vol="50"
....

This will set the volume channel to a default value of `50` when the man:pcm[4] module is loaded.

[[sound-mp3]]
== MP3 Audio

This section describes some `MP3` players available for FreeBSD, how to rip audio `CD` tracks, and how to encode and decode ``MP3``s.

[[mp3-players]]
=== MP3 Players

A popular graphical `MP3` player is Audacious.
It supports Winamp skins and additional plugins.
The interface is intuitive, with a playlist, graphic equalizer, and more.
Those familiar with Winamp will find Audacious simple to use.
On FreeBSD, Audacious can be installed from the package:multimedia/audacious[] port or package.
Audacious is a descendant of XMMS.

The package:audio/mpg123[] package or port provides an alternative, command-line `MP3` player.
Once installed, specify the `MP3` file to play on the command line.
If the system has multiple audio devices, the sound device can also be specified:

[source,shell]
....
# mpg123 -a /dev/dsp1.0 Foobar-GreatestHits.mp3
High Performance MPEG 1.0/2.0/2.5 Audio Player for Layers 1, 2 and 3
        version 1.18.1; written and copyright by Michael Hipp and others
        free software (LGPL) without any warranty but with best wishes

Playing MPEG stream from Foobar-GreatestHits.mp3 ...
MPEG 1.0 layer III, 128 kbit/s, 44100 Hz joint-stereo
....

Additional `MP3` players are available in the FreeBSD Ports Collection.

[[rip-cd]]
=== Ripping `CD` Audio Tracks

Before encoding a `CD` or `CD` track to `MP3`, the audio data on the `CD` must be ripped to the hard drive.
This is done by copying the raw `CD` Digital Audio (`CDDA`) data to `WAV` files.

The `cdda2wav` tool, which is installed with the package:sysutils/cdrtools[] suite, can be used to rip audio information from ``CD``s.

With the audio `CD` in the drive, the following command can be issued as `root` to rip an entire `CD` into individual, per track, `WAV` files:

[source,shell]
....
# cdda2wav -D 0,1,0 -B
....

In this example, the `-D _0,1,0_` indicates the `SCSI` device [.filename]#0,1,0# containing the `CD` to rip.
Use `cdrecord -scanbus` to determine the correct device parameters for the system.

To rip individual tracks, use `-t` to specify the track:

[source,shell]
....
# cdda2wav -D 0,1,0 -t 7
....

To rip a range of tracks, such as track one to seven, specify a range:

[source,shell]
....
# cdda2wav -D 0,1,0 -t 1+7
....

To rip from an `ATAPI` (`IDE`) `CDROM` drive, specify the device name in place of the `SCSI` unit numbers.
For example, to rip track 7 from an IDE drive:

[source,shell]
....
# cdda2wav -D /dev/acd0 -t 7
....

Alternately, `dd` can be used to extract audio tracks on `ATAPI` drives, as described in crossref:disks[duplicating-audiocds,“Duplicating Audio CDs”].

[[mp3-encoding]]
=== Encoding and Decoding MP3s

Lame is a popular `MP3` encoder which can be installed from the package:audio/lame[] port.
Due to patent issues, a package is not available.

The following command will convert the ripped `WAV` file [.filename]#audio01.wav# to [.filename]#audio01.mp3#:

[source,shell]
....
# lame -h -b 128 --tt "Foo Song Title" --ta "FooBar Artist" --tl "FooBar Album" \
--ty "2014" --tc "Ripped and encoded by Foo" --tg "Genre" audio01.wav audio01.mp3
....

The specified 128 kbits is a standard `MP3` bitrate while the 160 and 192 bitrates provide higher quality.
The higher the bitrate, the larger the size of the resulting `MP3`.
The `-h` turns on the "higher quality but a little slower" mode.
The options beginning with `--t` indicate `ID3` tags, which usually contain song information, to be embedded within the `MP3` file.
Additional encoding options can be found in the lame manual page.

In order to burn an audio `CD` from ``MP3``s, they must first be converted to a non-compressed file format.
XMMS can be used to convert to the `WAV` format, while mpg123 can be used to convert to the raw Pulse-Code Modulation (`PCM`) audio data format.

To convert [.filename]#audio01.mp3# using mpg123, specify the name of the `PCM` file:

[source,shell]
....
# mpg123 -s audio01.mp3 > audio01.pcm
....

To use XMMS to convert a `MP3` to `WAV` format, use these steps:

[.procedure]
.Procedure: Converting to `WAV` Format in XMMS
. Launch XMMS.
. Right-click the window to bring up the XMMS menu.
. Select `Preferences` under `Options`.
. Change the Output Plugin to "Disk Writer Plugin".
. Press `Configure`.
. Enter or browse to a directory to write the uncompressed files to.
. Load the `MP3` file into XMMS as usual, with volume at 100% and EQ settings turned off.
. Press `Play`. The XMMS will appear as if it is playing the `MP3`, but no music will be heard. It is actually playing the `MP3` to a file.
. When finished, be sure to set the default Output Plugin back to what it was before in order to listen to ``MP3``s again.

Both the `WAV` and `PCM` formats can be used with cdrecord.
When using `WAV` files, there will be a small tick sound at the beginning of each track.
This sound is the header of the `WAV` file.
The package:audio/sox[] port or package can be used to remove the header:

[source,shell]
....
% sox -t wav -r 44100 -s -w -c 2 track.wav track.raw
....

Refer to crossref:disks[creating-cds,“Creating and Using CD Media”] for more information on using a `CD` burner in FreeBSD.

[[video-playback]]
== Video Playback

Before configuring video playback, determine the model and chipset of the video card.
While Xorg supports a wide variety of video cards, not all provide good playback performance.
To obtain a list of extensions supported by the Xorg server using the card, run `xdpyinfo` while Xorg is running.

It is a good idea to have a short MPEG test file for evaluating various players and options.
Since some `DVD` applications look for `DVD` media in [.filename]#/dev/dvd# by default, or have this device name hardcoded in them, it might be useful to make a symbolic link to the proper device:

[source,shell]
....
# ln -sf /dev/cd0 /dev/dvd
....

Due to the nature of man:devfs[5], manually created links will not persist after a system reboot.
In order to recreate the symbolic link automatically when the system boots, add the following line to [.filename]#/etc/devfs.conf#:

[.programlisting]
....
link cd0 dvd
....

`DVD` decryption invokes certain functions that require write permission to the `DVD` device.

To enhance the shared memory Xorg interface, it is recommended to increase the values of these man:sysctl[8] variables:

[.programlisting]
....
kern.ipc.shmmax=67108864
kern.ipc.shmall=32768
....

[[video-interface]]
=== Determining Video Capabilities

There are several possible ways to display video under Xorg and what works is largely hardware dependent.
Each method described below will have varying quality across different hardware.

Common video interfaces include:

. Xorg: normal output using shared memory.
. XVideo: an extension to the Xorg interface which allows video to be directly displayed in drawable objects through a special acceleration. This extension provides good quality playback even on low-end machines. The next section describes how to determine if this extension is running.
. `SDL`: the Simple Directmedia Layer is a porting layer for many operating systems, allowing cross-platform applications to be developed which make efficient use of sound and graphics. `SDL` provides a low-level abstraction to the hardware which can sometimes be more efficient than the Xorg interface. On FreeBSD, `SDL` can be installed using the package:devel/sdl20[] package or port.
. `DGA`: the Direct Graphics Access is an Xorg extension which allows a program to bypass the Xorg server and directly alter the framebuffer. As it relies on a low-level memory mapping, programs using it must be run as `root`. The `DGA` extension can be tested and benchmarked using man:dga[1]. When `dga` is running, it changes the colors of the display whenever a key is pressed. To quit, press kbd:[q].
. SVGAlib: a low level console graphics layer.

[[video-interface-xvideo]]
==== XVideo

To check whether this extension is running, use `xvinfo`:

[source,shell]
....
% xvinfo
....

XVideo is supported for the card if the result is similar to:

[source,shell]
....
X-Video Extension version 2.2
  screen #0
  Adaptor #0: "Savage Streams Engine"
    number of ports: 1
    port base: 43
    operations supported: PutImage
    supported visuals:
      depth 16, visualID 0x22
      depth 16, visualID 0x23
    number of attributes: 5
      "XV_COLORKEY" (range 0 to 16777215)
              client settable attribute
              client gettable attribute (current value is 2110)
      "XV_BRIGHTNESS" (range -128 to 127)
              client settable attribute
              client gettable attribute (current value is 0)
      "XV_CONTRAST" (range 0 to 255)
              client settable attribute
              client gettable attribute (current value is 128)
      "XV_SATURATION" (range 0 to 255)
              client settable attribute
              client gettable attribute (current value is 128)
      "XV_HUE" (range -180 to 180)
              client settable attribute
              client gettable attribute (current value is 0)
    maximum XvImage size: 1024 x 1024
    Number of image formats: 7
      id: 0x32595559 (YUY2)
        guid: 59555932-0000-0010-8000-00aa00389b71
        bits per pixel: 16
        number of planes: 1
        type: YUV (packed)
      id: 0x32315659 (YV12)
        guid: 59563132-0000-0010-8000-00aa00389b71
        bits per pixel: 12
        number of planes: 3
        type: YUV (planar)
      id: 0x30323449 (I420)
        guid: 49343230-0000-0010-8000-00aa00389b71
        bits per pixel: 12
        number of planes: 3
        type: YUV (planar)
      id: 0x36315652 (RV16)
        guid: 52563135-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
        bits per pixel: 16
        number of planes: 1
        type: RGB (packed)
        depth: 0
        red, green, blue masks: 0x1f, 0x3e0, 0x7c00
      id: 0x35315652 (RV15)
        guid: 52563136-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
        bits per pixel: 16
        number of planes: 1
        type: RGB (packed)
        depth: 0
        red, green, blue masks: 0x1f, 0x7e0, 0xf800
      id: 0x31313259 (Y211)
        guid: 59323131-0000-0010-8000-00aa00389b71
        bits per pixel: 6
        number of planes: 3
        type: YUV (packed)
      id: 0x0
        guid: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
        bits per pixel: 0
        number of planes: 0
        type: RGB (packed)
        depth: 1
        red, green, blue masks: 0x0, 0x0, 0x0
....

The formats listed, such as YUV2 and YUV12, are not present with every implementation of XVideo and their absence may hinder some players.

If the result instead looks like:

[source,shell]
....
X-Video Extension version 2.2
screen #0
no adaptors present
....

XVideo is probably not supported for the card.
This means that it will be more difficult for the display to meet the computational demands of rendering video, depending on the video card and processor.

[[video-ports]]
=== Ports and Packages Dealing with Video

This section introduces some of the software available from the FreeBSD Ports Collection which can be used for video playback.

[[video-mplayer]]
==== MPlayer and MEncoder

MPlayer is a command-line video player with an optional graphical interface which aims to provide speed and flexibility.
Other graphical front-ends to MPlayer are available from the FreeBSD Ports Collection.

MPlayer can be installed using the package:multimedia/mplayer[] package or port.
Several compile options are available and a variety of hardware checks occur during the build process.
For these reasons, some users prefer to build the port rather than install the package.

When compiling the port, the menu options should be reviewed to determine the type of support to compile into the port.
If an option is not selected, MPlayer will not be able to display that type of video format.
Use the arrow keys and spacebar to select the required formats.
When finished, press kbd:[Enter] to continue the port compile and installation.

By default, the package or port will build the `mplayer` command line utility and the `gmplayer` graphical utility.
To encode videos, compile the package:multimedia/mencoder[] port.
Due to licensing restrictions, a package is not available for MEncoder.

The first time MPlayer is run, it will create [.filename]#~/.mplayer# in the user's home directory.
This subdirectory contains default versions of the user-specific configuration files.

This section describes only a few common uses.
Refer to mplayer(1) for a complete description of its numerous options.

To play the file [.filename]#testfile.avi#, specify the video interfaces with `-vo`, as seen in the following examples:

[source,shell]
....
% mplayer -vo xv testfile.avi
....

[source,shell]
....
% mplayer -vo sdl testfile.avi
....

[source,shell]
....
% mplayer -vo x11 testfile.avi
....

[source,shell]
....
# mplayer -vo dga testfile.avi
....

[source,shell]
....
# mplayer -vo 'sdl:dga' testfile.avi
....

It is worth trying all of these options, as their relative performance depends on many factors and will vary significantly with hardware.

To play a `DVD`, replace [.filename]#testfile.avi# with `dvd://_N_ -dvd-device _DEVICE_`, where _N_ is the title number to play and _DEVICE_ is the device node for the `DVD`.
For example, to play title 3 from [.filename]#/dev/dvd#:

[source,shell]
....
# mplayer -vo xv dvd://3 -dvd-device /dev/dvd
....

[NOTE]
====
The default `DVD` device can be defined during the build of the MPlayer port by including the `WITH_DVD_DEVICE=/path/to/desired/device` option.
By default, the device is [.filename]#/dev/cd0#. More details can be found in the port's [.filename]#Makefile.options#.
====

To stop, pause, advance, and so on, use a keybinding.
To see the list of keybindings, run `mplayer -h` or read mplayer(1).

Additional playback options include `-fs -zoom`, which engages fullscreen mode, and `-framedrop`, which helps performance.

Each user can add commonly used options to their [.filename]#~/.mplayer/config# like so:

[.programlisting]
....
vo=xv
fs=yes
zoom=yes
....

`mplayer` can be used to rip a `DVD` title to a [.filename]#.vob#.
To dump the second title from a `DVD`:

[source,shell]
....
# mplayer -dumpstream -dumpfile out.vob dvd://2 -dvd-device /dev/dvd
....

The output file, [.filename]#out.vob#, will be in `MPEG` format.

Anyone wishing to obtain a high level of expertise with UNIX(R) video should consult http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/[mplayerhq.hu/DOCS] as it is technically informative.
This documentation should be considered as required reading before submitting any bug reports.

Before using `mencoder`, it is a good idea to become familiar with the options described at http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML/en/mencoder.html[mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/HTML/en/mencoder.html].
There are innumerable ways to improve quality, lower bitrate, and change formats, and some of these options may make the difference between good or bad performance.
Improper combinations of command line options can yield output files that are unplayable even by `mplayer`.

Here is an example of a simple copy:

[source,shell]
....
% mencoder input.avi -oac copy -ovc copy -o output.avi
....

To rip to a file, use `-dumpfile` with `mplayer`.

To convert [.filename]#input.avi# to the MPEG4 codec with MPEG3 audio encoding, first install the package:audio/lame[] port.
Due to licensing restrictions, a package is not available.
Once installed, type:

[source,shell]
....
% mencoder input.avi -oac mp3lame -lameopts br=192 \
	 -ovc lavc -lavcopts vcodec=mpeg4:vhq -o output.avi
....

This will produce output playable by applications such as `mplayer` and `xine`.

[.filename]#input.avi# can be replaced with `dvd://1 -dvd-device /dev/dvd` and run as `root` to re-encode a `DVD` title directly.
Since it may take a few tries to get the desired result, it is recommended to instead dump the title to a file and to work on the file.

[[video-xine]]
==== The xine Video Player

xine is a video player with a reusable base library and a modular executable which can be extended with plugins.
It can be installed using the package:multimedia/xine[] package or port.

In practice, xine requires either a fast CPU with a fast video card, or support for the XVideo extension.
The xine video player performs best on XVideo interfaces.

By default, the xine player starts a graphical user interface.
The menus can then be used to open a specific file.

Alternatively, xine may be invoked from the command line by specifying the name of the file to play:

[source,shell]
....
% xine -g -p mymovie.avi
....

Refer to http://www.xine-project.org/faq[xine-project.org/faq] for more information and troubleshooting tips.

[[video-ports-transcode]]
==== The Transcode Utilities

Transcode provides a suite of tools for re-encoding video and audio files.
Transcode can be used to merge video files or repair broken files using command line tools with stdin/stdout stream interfaces.

In FreeBSD, Transcode can be installed using the package:multimedia/transcode[] package or port.
Many users prefer to compile the port as it provides a menu of compile options for specifying the support and codecs to compile in.
If an option is not selected, Transcode will not be able to encode that format.
Use the arrow keys and spacebar to select the required formats.
When finished, press kbd:[Enter] to continue the port compile and installation.

This example demonstrates how to convert a DivX file into a PAL MPEG-1 file (PAL VCD):

[source,shell]
....
% transcode -i input.avi -V --export_prof vcd-pal -o output_vcd
% mplex -f 1 -o output_vcd.mpg output_vcd.m1v output_vcd.mpa
....

The resulting `MPEG` file, [.filename]#output_vcd.mpg#, is ready to be played with MPlayer.
The file can be burned on a `CD` media to create a video `CD` using a utility such as package:multimedia/vcdimager[] or package:sysutils/cdrdao[].

In addition to the manual page for `transcode`, refer to http://www.transcoding.org/cgi-bin/transcode[transcoding.org/cgi-bin/transcode] for further information and examples.

[[tvcard]]
== TV Cards

TV cards can be used to watch broadcast or cable TV on a computer.
Most cards accept composite video via an `RCA` or S-video input and some cards include a `FM` radio tuner.

FreeBSD provides support for PCI-based TV cards using a Brooktree Bt848/849/878/879 video capture chip with the man:bktr[4] driver.
This driver supports most Pinnacle PCTV video cards.
Before purchasing a TV card, consult man:bktr[4] for a list of supported tuners.

=== Loading the Driver

In order to use the card, the man:bktr[4] driver must be loaded.
To automate this at boot time, add the following line to [.filename]#/boot/loader.conf#:

[.programlisting]
....
bktr_load="YES"
....

Alternatively, one can statically compile support for the TV card into a custom kernel.
In that case, add the following lines to the custom kernel configuration file:

[.programlisting]
....
device	 bktr
device	iicbus
device	iicbb
device	smbus
....

These additional devices are necessary as the card components are interconnected via an I2C bus.
Then, build and install a new kernel.

To test that the tuner is correctly detected, reboot the system.
The TV card should appear in the boot messages, as seen in this example:

[.programlisting]
....
bktr0: <BrookTree 848A> mem 0xd7000000-0xd7000fff irq 10 at device 10.0 on pci0
iicbb0: <I2C bit-banging driver> on bti2c0
iicbus0: <Philips I2C bus> on iicbb0 master-only
iicbus1: <Philips I2C bus> on iicbb0 master-only
smbus0: <System Management Bus> on bti2c0
bktr0: Pinnacle/Miro TV, Philips SECAM tuner.
....

The messages will differ according to the hardware.
If necessary, it is possible to override some of the detected parameters using man:sysctl[8] or custom kernel configuration options.
For example, to force the tuner to a Philips SECAM tuner, add the following line to a custom kernel configuration file:

[.programlisting]
....
options OVERRIDE_TUNER=6
....

or, use man:sysctl[8]:

[source,shell]
....
# sysctl hw.bt848.tuner=6
....

Refer to man:bktr[4] for a description of the available man:sysctl[8] parameters and kernel options.

=== Useful Applications

To use the TV card, install one of the following applications:

* package:multimedia/fxtv[] provides TV-in-a-window and image/audio/video capture capabilities.
* package:multimedia/xawtv[] is another TV application with similar features.
* package:audio/xmradio[] provides an application for using the FM radio tuner of a TV card.

More applications are available in the FreeBSD Ports Collection.

=== Troubleshooting

If any problems are encountered with the TV card, check that the video capture chip and the tuner are supported by man:bktr[4] and that the right configuration options were used.
For more support or to ask questions about supported TV cards, refer to the {freebsd-multimedia} mailing list.

[[mythtv]]
== MythTV

MythTV is a popular, open source Personal Video Recorder (`PVR`) application.
This section demonstrates how to install and setup MythTV on FreeBSD.
Refer to http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/[mythtv.org/wiki] for more information on how to use MythTV.

MythTV requires a frontend and a backend.
These components can either be installed on the same system or on different machines.

The frontend can be installed on FreeBSD using the package:multimedia/mythtv-frontend[] package or port.
Xorg must also be installed and configured as described in crossref:x11[x11,The X Window System].
Ideally, this system has a video card that supports X-Video Motion Compensation (`XvMC`) and, optionally, a Linux Infrared Remote Control (`LIRC`)-compatible remote.

To install both the backend and the frontend on FreeBSD, use the package:multimedia/mythtv[] package or port.
A MySQL(TM) database server is also required and should automatically be installed as a dependency.
Optionally, this system should have a tuner card and sufficient storage to hold recorded data.

=== Hardware

MythTV uses Video for Linux (`V4L`) to access video input devices such as encoders and tuners.
In FreeBSD, MythTV works best with `USB` DVB-S/C/T cards as they are well supported by the package:multimedia/webcamd[] package or port which provides a `V4L` userland application.
Any Digital Video Broadcasting (`DVB`) card supported by webcamd should work with MythTV.
A list of known working cards can be found at https://wiki.freebsd.org/WebcamCompat[wiki.freebsd.org/WebcamCompat].
Drivers are also available for Hauppauge cards in the package:multimedia/pvr250[] and package:multimedia/pvrxxx[] ports, but they provide a non-standard driver interface that does not work with versions of MythTV greater than 0.23.
Due to licensing restrictions, no packages are available and these two ports must be compiled.

The https://wiki.freebsd.org/HTPC[wiki.freebsd.org/HTPC] page contains a list of all available `DVB` drivers.

=== Setting up the MythTV Backend

To install MythTV using binary packages:

[source,shell]
....
# pkg install mythtv
....

Alternatively, to install from the Ports Collection:

[source,shell]
....
# cd /usr/ports/multimedia/mythtv
# make install
....

Once installed, set up the MythTV database:

[source,shell]
....
# mysql -uroot -p < /usr/local/share/mythtv/database/mc.sql
....

Then, configure the backend:

[source,shell]
....
# mythtv-setup
....

Finally, start the backend:

[source,shell]
....
# sysrc mythbackend_enable=yes
# service mythbackend start
....

[[scanners]]
== Image Scanners

In FreeBSD, access to image scanners is provided by SANE (Scanner Access Now Easy), which is available in the FreeBSD Ports Collection.
SANE will also use some FreeBSD device drivers to provide access to the scanner hardware.

FreeBSD supports both `SCSI` and `USB` scanners.
Depending upon the scanner interface, different device drivers are required.
Be sure the scanner is supported by SANE prior to performing any configuration.
Refer to http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html[http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html] for more information about supported scanners.

This chapter describes how to determine if the scanner has been detected by FreeBSD.
It then provides an overview of how to configure and use SANE on a FreeBSD system.

[[scanners-kernel-usb]]
=== Checking the Scanner

The [.filename]#GENERIC# kernel includes the device drivers needed to support `USB` scanners.
Users with a custom kernel should ensure that the following lines are present in the custom kernel configuration file:

[.programlisting]
....
device usb
device uhci
device ohci
device ehci
device xhci
....

To determine if the `USB` scanner is detected, plug it in and use `dmesg` to determine whether the scanner appears in the system message buffer.
If it does, it should display a message similar to this:

[source,shell]
....
ugen0.2: <EPSON> at usbus0
....

In this example, an EPSON Perfection(R) 1650 `USB` scanner was detected on [.filename]#/dev/ugen0.2#.

If the scanner uses a `SCSI` interface, it is important to know which `SCSI` controller board it will use.
Depending upon the `SCSI` chipset, a custom kernel configuration file may be needed.
The [.filename]#GENERIC# kernel supports the most common `SCSI` controllers.
Refer to [.filename]#/usr/src/sys/conf/NOTES# to determine the correct line to add to a custom kernel configuration file.
In addition to the `SCSI` adapter driver, the following lines are needed in a custom kernel configuration file:

[.programlisting]
....
device scbus
device pass
....

Verify that the device is displayed in the system message buffer:

[source,shell]
....
pass2 at aic0 bus 0 target 2 lun 0
pass2: <AGFA SNAPSCAN 600 1.10> Fixed Scanner SCSI-2 device
pass2: 3.300MB/s transfers
....

If the scanner was not powered-on at system boot, it is still possible to manually force detection by performing a `SCSI` bus scan with `camcontrol`:

[source,shell]
....
# camcontrol rescan all
Re-scan of bus 0 was successful
Re-scan of bus 1 was successful
Re-scan of bus 2 was successful
Re-scan of bus 3 was successful
....

The scanner should now appear in the `SCSI` devices list:

[source,shell]
....
# camcontrol devlist
<IBM DDRS-34560 S97B>              at scbus0 target 5 lun 0 (pass0,da0)
<IBM DDRS-34560 S97B>              at scbus0 target 6 lun 0 (pass1,da1)
<AGFA SNAPSCAN 600 1.10>           at scbus1 target 2 lun 0 (pass3)
<PHILIPS CDD3610 CD-R/RW 1.00>     at scbus2 target 0 lun 0 (pass2,cd0)
....

Refer to man:scsi[4] and man:camcontrol[8] for more details about `SCSI` devices on FreeBSD.

=== SANE Configuration

The SANE system provides the access to the scanner via backends (package:graphics/sane-backends[]).
Refer to http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html[http://www.sane-project.org/sane-supported-devices.html] to determine which backend supports the scanner.
A graphical scanning interface is provided by third party applications like Kooka (package:graphics/kooka[]) or XSane (package:graphics/xsane[]).
SANE's backends are enough to test the scanner.

To install the backends from binary package:

[source,shell]
....
# pkg install sane-backends
....

Alternatively, to install from the Ports Collection

[source,shell]
....
# cd /usr/ports/graphics/sane-backends
# make install clean
....

After installing the package:graphics/sane-backends[] port or package, use `sane-find-scanner` to check the scanner detection by the SANE system:

[source,shell]
....
# sane-find-scanner -q
found SCSI scanner "AGFA SNAPSCAN 600 1.10" at /dev/pass3
....

The output should show the interface type of the scanner and the device node used to attach the scanner to the system.
The vendor and the product model may or may not appear.

[NOTE]
====
Some `USB` scanners require firmware to be loaded.
Refer to sane-find-scanner(1) and sane(7) for details.
====

Next, check if the scanner will be identified by a scanning frontend.
The SANE backends include `scanimage` which can be used to list the devices and perform an image acquisition.
Use `-L` to list the scanner devices.
The first example is for a `SCSI` scanner and the second is for a `USB` scanner:

[source,shell]
....
# scanimage -L
device `snapscan:/dev/pass3' is a AGFA SNAPSCAN 600 flatbed scanner

# scanimage -L
device 'epson2:libusb:000:002' is a Epson GT-8200 flatbed scanner
....

In this second example, `epson2` is the backend name and `libusb:000:002` means [.filename]#/dev/ugen0.2# is the device node used by the scanner.

If `scanimage` is unable to identify the scanner, this message will appear:

[source,shell]
....
# scanimage -L
No scanners were identified. If you were expecting something different,
check that the scanner is plugged in, turned on and detected by the
sane-find-scanner tool (if appropriate). Please read the documentation
which came with this software (README, FAQ, manpages).
....

If this happens, edit the backend configuration file in [.filename]#/usr/local/etc/sane.d/# and define the scanner device used.
For example, if the undetected scanner model is an EPSON Perfection(R) 1650 and it uses the `epson2` backend, edit [.filename]#/usr/local/etc/sane.d/epson2.conf#.
When editing, add a line specifying the interface and the device node used.
In this case, add the following line:

[.programlisting]
....
usb /dev/ugen0.2
....

Save the edits and verify that the scanner is identified with the right backend name and the device node:

[source,shell]
....
# scanimage -L
device 'epson2:libusb:000:002' is a Epson GT-8200 flatbed scanner
....

Once `scanimage -L` sees the scanner, the configuration is complete and the scanner is now ready to use.

While `scanimage` can be used to perform an image acquisition from the command line, it is often preferable to use a graphical interface to perform image scanning.
Applications like Kooka or XSane are popular scanning frontends.
They offer advanced features such as various scanning modes, color correction, and batch scans.
XSane is also usable as a GIMP plugin.

=== Scanner Permissions

In order to have access to the scanner, a user needs read and write permissions to the device node used by the scanner.
In the previous example, the `USB` scanner uses the device node [.filename]#/dev/ugen0.2# which is really a symlink to the real device node [.filename]#/dev/usb/0.2.0#.
The symlink and the device node are owned, respectively, by the `wheel` and `operator` groups.
While adding the user to these groups will allow access to the scanner, it is considered insecure to add a user to `wheel`.
A better solution is to create a group and make the scanner device accessible to members of this group.

This example creates a group called `_usb_`:

[source,shell]
....
# pw groupadd usb
....

Then, make the [.filename]#/dev/ugen0.2# symlink and the [.filename]#/dev/usb/0.2.0# device node accessible to the `usb` group with write permissions of `0660` or `0664` by adding the following lines to [.filename]#/etc/devfs.rules#:

[.programlisting]
....
[system=5]
add path ugen0.2 mode 0660 group usb
add path usb/0.2.0 mode 0666 group usb
....

[NOTE]
====
It happens the device node changes with the addition or removal of devices, so one may want to give access to all USB devices using this ruleset instead:

[.programlisting]
....
[system=5]
add path 'ugen*' mode 0660 group usb
add path 'usb/*' mode 0666 group usb
....

====

Refer to man:devfs.rules[5] for more information about this file.

Next, enable the ruleset in /etc/rc.conf:

[.programlisting]
....
devfs_system_ruleset="system"
....

And, restart the man:devfs[8] system:

[source,shell]
....
# service devfs restart
....

Finally, add the users to `_usb_` in order to allow access to the scanner:

[source,shell]
....
# pw groupmod usb -m joe
....

For more details refer to man:pw[8].