Capture still image from remote ip cam using avconv

Question

I'm attempting to capture a single still from an ip camera with avconv in ubuntu (server).

Can anyone tell me what's wrong with the following command:

avconv -i rtsp://[USER]:[PASS]@[IPADDRESS]:554/11 -s 1920x1080 -f image2 foo.jpg

The error message I'm getting at the moment is:

avconv version 9.18-6:9.18-0ubuntu0.14.04.1, Copyright (c) 2000-2014 the Libav developers
  built on Mar 16 2015 13:19:10 with gcc 4.8 (Ubuntu 4.8.2-19ubuntu1)
[rtsp @ 0xb938e0] Could not find codec parameters (Video: h264, 1920x1080)
[rtsp @ 0xb938e0] Estimating duration from bitrate, this may be inaccurate
Guessed Channel Layout for  Input Stream #0.1 : mono
Input #0, rtsp, from 'rtsp://xxx:[email protected]:554/11':
  Metadata:
    title           : rtsp session
  Duration: N/A, bitrate: N/A
    Stream #0.0: Video: h264, 1920x1080, 90k tbn
    Stream #0.1: Audio: pcm_alaw, 8000 Hz, mono, s16, 64 kb/s
[buffer @ 0xb98520] Invalid pixel format string '-1'
Error opening filters!

In case it's of any value, I'm using a 2.0 MB IP Camera from Sinocam. I am able to view a live stream from the camera remotely using iSpy. However, I am unable to access and create an image still using avconv.

Thank you.

UPDATE

 avconv -i rtsp://[user]:[pass]@[ip]:554/11 -f h264 -pix_fmt yuyv422 -video_size 1920x1080 screenshot.png

Creates the image file, however still fails:

[rtsp @ 0x1045a80] Could not find codec parameters (Video: h264, 1920x1080)
[rtsp @ 0x1045a80] Estimating duration from bitrate, this may be inaccurate
Guessed Channel Layout for  Input Stream #0.1 : mono
Input #0, rtsp, from 'rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/11':
  Metadata:
    title           : rtsp session
  Duration: N/A, bitrate: N/A
    Stream #0.0: Video: h264, 1920x1080, 90k tbn
    Stream #0.1: Audio: pcm_alaw, 8000 Hz, mono, s16, 64 kb/s
File 'screenshot.png' already exists. Overwrite ? [y/N] y
[buffer @ 0x1035280] Invalid pixel format string '-1'
Error opening filters!

Solution 1

Finally found the answer lurking around online:

avconv -y -loglevel debug -stimeout 2 -rtsp_transport tcp -i "rtsp://[user]:[pass]@[IP]/11" -q:v 9 -s 1920x108 -vframes 1 test.png

Solution 2

According to AVcon Documentation: https://libav.org/avconv.html#fbdev

The correct syntax for taking a screenshot (using Fbdev) is:

avconv -f fbdev -frames:v 1 -r 1 -i /dev/fb0 screenshot.jpeg

Hope this helps.

Comments

[Stevanicus]

thanks for your reply unfortunately: fbdev doesn't seem to work for rtsp: ' Could not open framebuffer device: Unknown error -2 rtsp://[user]:[pass]@[ip]:554/11: No such file or directory'

[Stevanicus]

question updated

[Franco]

Have you tried changing codec parameters? Please Try 1920x1088 instead. It may be a resolution issue.

[Franco]

sorry Is this your camera: szsinocam.com/… for it says on description resolution is 1280*720. Even if its not the exact model I would try 1280*720 as well

[Stevanicus]

this is the camera: tvc-mall.com/details/…