Kino Preferences

Defaults

The defaults contain the settings for DV encoding used by the FX mode.

Normalisation
Select the desired video signal format: NTSC or PAL.
Audio
Choose the audio sampling frequency. We recommend 48khz.
Aspect Ratio
Typical video is 4:3. Movies and new digital television standards use 16:9 (widescreen).

Capture

Base File Name
Enter the path where you want to store captured video followed by a file name stem. Do not add the extension. Kino generates a sequence number and optionally a timestamp that it appends to the stem file name. It also generates the file extension, currently only .avi.
File Type
Currently, Kino only supports Raw DV and DV AVI file formats. You can choose between standard DV1 or DV2 formats. DV2 is more compatible with other applications because it creates a separate interleaved audio stream. However, if you are only capturing for Kino use or for another program that supports DV1, then choose it because DV natively interleaves audio with the video and the audio stream in DV2 is wasteful. MPlayer and Avifile only playback DV2 AVI. Current versions of Windows DirectShow do support DV1, but Windows application support for DV1 is inconsistent.
The OpenDML option only applies to DV2. OpenDML allows for very large files (greater than 1GB). DV1 is natively OpenDML.
Auto Split Files
Generate a new file whenever Kino detects a new scene while capturing video.
Put Timestamp In File Name
If enabled, during capture, Kino appends a date and time to the base file name specified above.
Frames per File
Set the maximum number of frames a single AVI is to contain. While Kino has recently added support for reading large files, it does not support writing large files. The default is 7000 frames, which should be safe for PAL DV2 files. An NTSC DV1 file can hold 9000 frames.
Write Every n Frame
This is time-lapse record function. If entered, Kino skips n frames between capturing a single frame and adding it to the AVI.
Max File Size
Not yet implemented.

IEEE 1394

video1394 Device
video1394 is used to export DV over IEEE 1394. Depending upon your version of video1394, or if you have more than one adapter, you can set the video1394 device file name. In general, if you are using kernel 2.4.18 or older, set this to "/dev/video1394". If you are using kernel 2.4.19 or newer, then follow the video1394 devfs naming convention and set this to "/dev/video1394/0".
IEEE 1394 Interface
This provides support for multiple IEEE 1394 host adapters, NOT the individual plugs on a single adapter. Nothing needs to be done to address a plug on a single adapater, as 1394 automatically takes care of this. This is a zero-based number.
IEEE 1394 Channel
This provides support for selecting an isochronous channel for capture and export. The default is 63 because that is the broadcast channel. All other channels are for point-to-point communication. Only advanced users would ever need this.
Capture Buffers
The maximum number of complete frames that can be buffered by the IEEE 1394 capture thread.
VCR (AV/C) Control
Kino detects all cameras on the bus that support the AV/C command set. Select one from the list. It attempts to read the name of the device from its Configuration ROM, but not all devices implement it. If the name is not readable, then the numeric node is used. Most users only have one AV/C device connected anyway. You do not need a camera supporting AV/C to capture video! It is only used to control the tape transport mechansim.
Disable AV/C Device Control
If you have a device such as a Analog-to-DV converter that does not respond to device control, then select this. Also, if you have general stability issues in Capture mode, then you might try selecting this.
DV Export/Frame Buffers
The number of DMA buffers used by the video1394 device. Set this to a higher value if you experience buffer underruns.
DV Export/Timing
These two timing entry fields let you tweak the parameters of the DV export algorithm to achieve successful results. A value of 0 for either field selects its built-in default, which has been deemed compatible for most users based upon current feedback. However, if you need to adjust them, then it helps to know the built-in values to use as a starting point for experimentation:
Setting PAL NTSC
Increment 1 2436
Threshold 16 38400
DV Export/SYT Offset
video1394 must generate a timestamp in DV transmission stream that must be a fairly precise offset of the bus' master cycle timer. This can vary on systems due to latency or device compatibility. Values between 18000 and 20000 seem to work for most users.

Display

Display Method
GDK: very compatible with X servers and the X Windows client/server architecture. Not very fast. Does not maintain frame aspect ratio.
XVideo (Xv): requires XFree86 4.x and supporting hardware and X server. Run 'xvinfo' from the shell to get information about support on your system. Very fast and Kino maintains both frame and pixel-accurate aspect ratio. You can not take a screen capture of the video preview in this mode. XVideo is similar to Microsoft DirectDraw.
Reduce Xv: Similar to XVideo above with the same advantages and disadvantages. This variation, however, uses half of the data bandwidth that is needed for compatibility on some X servers and hardware. The reduction in data bandwidth does invoke a scaling CPU overhead thereby affecting performance.
Enable preview during capture
To reduce the chance of dropped frames during video capture to disk, disable this option. If you have a fast enough system, you can turn this om and get a live preview of the video being captured.
Drop video frames as needed
When enabled, Kino uses sophisticated algorithms and threads to sacrifice the video frame rate in order to provide better audio quality of play back and to provide an overall playback rate that is consistent and true with time. Basically, only disable this if you are interested in seeing if you machine is fast enough to decode DV in realtime. If you machine is not fast enough, then your will hear audio clicks and gaps.
Fix Image Size
This keeps the video preview area the same size as you enlarge the Kino window. Sometimes it helps to improve performance to keep a smaller video window, but you want more working space in the Kino interface. Also, at 100%, this prevents any possible distortions caused by scaling for a more accurate view of the video.
DV decode quality
You can adjust the quality of the DV decoder to reduce the processing overhead for increased playback performance. This does not affect the quality of DV exported over IEEE 1394 back into your camera.
DV decode quality/Add NTSC setup
Normally, NTSC DV electronic equipment adds a base level of 7.5 IRE luma (brightness) on its analog video outputs, per the American NTSC standard. This is sometimes also referred to as "pedestal." However, some countries that use NTSC, particularly Japan do not add luma--i.e., there is no "setup." Interestingly enough, the NTSC DV standard is based upon the Japanese NTSC standard. As a result, when you view NTSC DV on your computer, it often appears darker than normal. This options adds a 16/255 luma setup during DV decoding. Japanese NTSC users should not use this option; most others will. This option does not even apply to PAL video, and is ignored. It is interesting to note that one is not supposed to add setup when exporting video to other formats or during image processing operations such as in FX mode. If enabled, then FX rendering counter-compensates for this affect; however, it really should be disabled to avoid the luma shifts back and forth.
DV decode quality/Clamp luma values
DV decode quality/Clamp chroma values
ITU-R 601 specifies that the legal range for luma is 16-235 and for chroma is 16-240 regardless of NTSC, PAL, or setup issues. However, some users take advantage of the footroom or headroom below or above these ranges to encode additional information for things such as luma keying. The luma and chroma clamp options permit the range checking to be disabled to preserve the superblack and superwhite. These options also apply to the encoder used by the FX renderer.

Audio

You can enable or disable audio and set the OSS device file to use for your machine. Kino only supports OSS at this time. If you are running a sound server in your desktop environment such as esd for GNOME, or aRts for KDE, then Kino cannot open the sound device unless your driver explicitly supports it. The SoundBlaster Live series cards and driver support multiple opens.

Enable Audio Scrub
Normally, audio only plays in the Edit and Trim modes when you choose playback, regardless of speed or direction. However, it does not play audio as you navigate using the keyboard or scrub bar (and the transport state is stopped or paused.) Enable this option to play audio as much as possible, if only for brief moments.
Enable Audio Off Timing
If you disable audio, or if Kino is unable to open the audio device, then this option attempts to compensate and normalize play back speed.

Jog/Shuttle

Enable this if you have a Contour Shuttle Pro or Sony USB Jog/Shuttle controller. See the README_jogshuttle to build the kernel module and its dependent modules.

V4L

V4L is an acronym for Video For Linux. It is a standard video API used by many TV tuners, web cams, and MJPEG video capture boards. Kino can display the video from a V4L device, change channels, and capture. Charlie Yates has more information.

Other

Disable Key Repeat
If you find that your keystrokes are buffering and you inadvertently have to wait for Kino to process all of them, then you might enable this option. If enabled, Kino only operates on the oldest event in the queue and discards all pending events. On the other hand, enabling this option may require you to use the keys more slowly in order for Kino to receive the ones you do intend it to process.
Enable time code display on startup
By default the video clip timestamp and timecode display is turned off for performance reasons. You can click the timecode field labels in the main window to turn them on, but Kino does not automatically remember that. Enable this option to make Kino always start with the timecode display active.
Default Project Directory
Set the default directory used by the File/Open and File/Save dialog. This default is used until a new directory is chosen during the current Kino session. Then, on the next session, Kino reverts back to your default project directory.

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