How to get .mp4 videos from motion on a Raspberry Pi?

14,580

Solution 1

Still no answer, so I found a workaround :

In the on_movie_end event of the motion.conf, I run a command that convert my .avi file in .mp4

ffmpeg -i %f -c:v libx264 -c:a copy myvideo.mp4

( %f will be the fullpath of the video file)

Works like a charm

Solution 2

Motion 4.0 supports mp4 format. See below my config.

    Supported formats are:
    # mpeg4 or msmpeg4 - gives you files with extension .avi
    # msmpeg4 is recommended for use with Windows Media Player because
    # it requires no installation of codec on the Windows client.
    # swf - gives you a flash film with extension .swf
    # flv - gives you a flash video with extension .flv
    # ffv1 - FF video codec 1 for Lossless Encoding
    # mov - QuickTime
    # mp4 - MPEG-4 Part 14 H264 encoding
    # mkv - Matroska H264 encoding
    # hevc - H.265 / HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding)
    ffmpeg_video_codec mp4
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14,580
Maarti
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Maarti

Updated on June 18, 2022

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  • Maarti
    Maarti almost 2 years

    I use motion on my laptop and it works perfectly in any format. But when I use it on my Raspberry Pi 3 (Raspbian Jessie) with the Raspberry Camera V2, the only formats that work are : .avi and .swf.

    When I choose any other format, the output video is a "0 sec video" that is played and closed instantly.

    I would like to have .mp4 or .ogg output so I can read it easily with HTML5.

    Here is the motion codec documentation.

    Here is my config file :

    ############################################################
    # Daemon
    ############################################################
    
    # Start in daemon (background) mode and release terminal (default: off)
    daemon on
    
    # File to store the process ID, also called pid file. (default: not defined)
    process_id_file /var/run/motion/motion.pid
    
    ############################################################
    # Basic Setup Mode
    ############################################################
    
    # Start in Setup-Mode, daemon disabled. (default: off)
    setup_mode off
    
    
    # Use a file to save logs messages, if not defined stderr and syslog is used. (default: not defined)
    #logfile /mnt/camshare/Cam1/motion.log
    logfile /tmp/motion.log
    
    # Level of log messages [1..9] (EMR, ALR, CRT, ERR, WRN, NTC, INF, DBG, ALL). (default: 6 / NTC)
    log_level 2
    
    # Filter to log messages by type (COR, STR, ENC, NET, DBL, EVT, TRK, VID, ALL). (default: ALL)
    log_type all
    
    ###########################################################
    # Capture device options
    ############################################################
    
    # Videodevice to be used for capturing  (default /dev/video0)
    # for FreeBSD default is /dev/bktr0
    #videodevice /dev/video0
    
    # v4l2_palette allows to choose preferable palette to be use by motion
    # to capture from those supported by your videodevice. (default: 17)
    # E.g. if your videodevice supports both V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8 and
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_MJPEG then motion will by default use V4L2_PIX_FMT_MJPEG.
    # Setting v4l2_palette to 2 forces motion to use V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8
    # instead.
    #
    # Values :
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SN9C10X : 0  'S910'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR16 : 1  'BYR2'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8  : 2  'BA81'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SPCA561 : 3  'S561'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG8  : 4  'GBRG'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG8  : 5  'GRBG'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_PAC207  : 6  'P207'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_PJPG    : 7  'PJPG'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_MJPEG   : 8  'MJPEG'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_JPEG    : 9  'JPEG'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_RGB24   : 10 'RGB3'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SPCA501 : 11 'S501'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SPCA505 : 12 'S505'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_SPCA508 : 13 'S508'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_UYVY    : 14 'UYVY'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_YUYV    : 15 'YUYV'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_YUV422P : 16 '422P'
    # V4L2_PIX_FMT_YUV420  : 17 'YU12'
    #
    v4l2_palette 7
    
    # Tuner device to be used for capturing using tuner as source (default /dev/tuner0)
    # This is ONLY used for FreeBSD. Leave it commented out for Linux
    ; tunerdevice /dev/tuner0
    
    # The video input to be used (default: -1)
    # Should normally be set to 0 or 1 for video/TV cards, and -1 for USB cameras
    input -1
    
    # The video norm to use (only for video capture and TV tuner cards)
    # Values: 0 (PAL), 1 (NTSC), 2 (SECAM), 3 (PAL NC no colour). Default: 0 (PAL)
    norm 0
    
    # The frequency to set the tuner to (kHz) (only for TV tuner cards) (default: 0)
    frequency 0
    
    # Rotate image this number of degrees. The rotation affects all saved images as
    # well as movies. Valid values: 0 (default = no rotation), 90, 180 and 270.
    rotate 0
    
    # Image width (pixels). Valid range: Camera dependent, default: 352
    #width 1024
    width 640
    
    # Image height (pixels). Valid range: Camera dependent, default: 288
    #height 576
    height 480
    
    # Maximum number of frames to be captured per second.
    # Valid range: 2-100. Default: 100 (almost no limit).
    framerate 15
    
    # Minimum time in seconds between capturing picture frames from the camera.
    # Default: 0 = disabled - the capture rate is given by the camera framerate.
    # This option is used when you want to capture images at a rate lower than 2 per second.
    minimum_frame_time 0
    
    # URL to use if you are using a network camera, size will be autodetected (incl http:// ftp:// mjpg:// or file:///)
    # Must be a URL that returns single jpeg pictures or a raw mjpeg stream. Default: Not defined
    ;netcam_url http://127.0.0.1/cgi-bin/raspicam.sh
    
    # Username and password for network camera (only if required). Default: not defined
    # Syntax is user:password
    ; netcam_userpass value
    
    # The setting for keep-alive of network socket, should improve performance on compatible net cameras.
    # off:   The historical implementation using HTTP/1.0, closing the socket after each http request.
    # force: Use HTTP/1.0 requests with keep alive header to reuse the same connection.
    # on:    Use HTTP/1.1 requests that support keep alive as default.
    # Default: off
    netcam_keepalive off
    
    # URL to use for a netcam proxy server, if required, e.g. "http://myproxy".
    # If a port number other than 80 is needed, use "http://myproxy:1234".
    # Default: not defined
    ; netcam_proxy value
    
    # Set less strict jpeg checks for network cameras with a poor/buggy firmware.
    # Default: off
    netcam_tolerant_check off
    
    # Let motion regulate the brightness of a video device (default: off).
    # The auto_brightness feature uses the brightness option as its target value.
    # If brightness is zero auto_brightness will adjust to average brightness value 128.
    # Only recommended for cameras without auto brightness
    auto_brightness off
    
    # Set the initial brightness of a video device.
    # If auto_brightness is enabled, this value defines the average brightness level
    # which Motion will try and adjust to.
    # Valid range 0-255, default 0 = disabled
    brightness 0
    
    # Set the contrast of a video device.
    # Valid range 0-255, default 0 = disabled
    contrast 0
    
    # Set the saturation of a video device.
    # Valid range 0-255, default 0 = disabled
    saturation 0
    
    # Set the hue of a video device (NTSC feature).
    # Valid range 0-255, default 0 = disabled
    hue 0
    
    ############################################################
    # File "camera" support - read raw YUV data from a file
    ############################################################
    #filecam_path /home/pi/test-cap/motion-mmal.capture
    
    ############################################################
    # OpenMax/MMAL camera support for Raspberry Pi
    ############################################################
    mmalcam_name vc.ril.camera
    #mmalcam_control_params
    #mmalcam_raw_capture_file /home/pi/motion-mmal.capture
    
    # Switch this setting to "on" to use the still image mode of the Pi's camera
    # instead of video. This gives a wider field of view, but requires
    # a much slower frame-rate to achieve exposure stability
    # (e.g. 0.25 fps or slower). You can use the minimum_frame_time
    # parameter above to achieve this
    
    mmalcam_use_still off
    
    
    ############################################################
    # Round Robin (multiple inputs on same video device name)
    ############################################################
    
    # Number of frames to capture in each roundrobin step (default: 1)
    roundrobin_frames 1
    
    # Number of frames to skip before each roundrobin step (default: 1)
    roundrobin_skip 1
    
    # Try to filter out noise generated by roundrobin (default: off)
    switchfilter off
    
    
    ############################################################
    # Motion Detection Settings:
    ############################################################
    
    # Threshold for number of changed pixels in an image that
    # triggers motion detection (default: 1500)
    threshold 1500
    
    # Automatically tune the threshold down if possible (default: off)
    threshold_tune off
    
    # Noise threshold for the motion detection (default: 32)
    noise_level 32
    
    # Automatically tune the noise threshold (default: on)
    noise_tune on
    
    # Despeckle motion image using (e)rode or (d)ilate or (l)abel (Default: not defined)
    # Recommended value is EedDl. Any combination (and number of) of E, e, d, and D is valid.
    # (l)abeling must only be used once and the 'l' must be the last letter.
    # Comment out to disable
    despeckle_filter EedDl
    
    # Detect motion in predefined areas (1 - 9). Areas are numbered like that:  1 2 3
    # A script (on_area_detected) is started immediately when motion is         4 5 6
    # detected in one of the given areas, but only once during an event.        7 8 9
    # One or more areas can be specified with this option. Take care: This option
    # does NOT restrict detection to these areas! (Default: not defined)
    ; area_detect value
    
    # PGM file to use as a sensitivity mask.
    # Full path name to. (Default: not defined)
    ; mask_file value
    
    # Dynamically create a mask file during operation (default: 0)
    # Adjust speed of mask changes from 0 (off) to 10 (fast)
    smart_mask_speed 0
    
    # Ignore sudden massive light intensity changes given as a percentage of the picture
    # area that changed intensity. Valid range: 0 - 100 , default: 0 = disabled
    lightswitch 0
    
    # Picture frames must contain motion at least the specified number of frames
    # in a row before they are detected as true motion. At the default of 1, all
    # motion is detected. Valid range: 1 to thousands, recommended 1-5
    minimum_motion_frames 1
    
    # Specifies the number of pre-captured (buffered) pictures from before motion
    # was detected that will be output at motion detection.
    # Recommended range: 0 to 5 (default: 0)
    # Do not use large values! Large values will cause Motion to skip video frames and
    # cause unsmooth movies. To smooth movies use larger values of post_capture instead.
    pre_capture 2
    
    # Number of frames to capture after motion is no longer detected (default: 0)
    post_capture 2
    
    # Event Gap is the seconds of no motion detection that triggers the end of an event.
    # An event is defined as a series of motion images taken within a short timeframe.
    # Recommended value is 60 seconds (Default). The value -1 is allowed and disables
    # events causing all Motion to be written to one single movie file and no pre_capture.
    # If set to 0, motion is running in gapless mode. Movies don't have gaps anymore. An
    # event ends right after no more motion is detected and post_capture is over.
    event_gap 60
    
    # Maximum length in seconds of an mpeg movie
    # When value is exceeded a new movie file is created. (Default: 0 = infinite)
    # ATTENTION: when you're not using the motion build from the tutorial, it might fail with error 'Unknown config option "max_mpeg_time"'
    # the use this line instead:
    # max_movie_time 60
    max_movie_time 60
    
    # Always save images even if there was no motion (default: off)
    emulate_motion off
    
    
    ############################################################
    # Image File Output
    ############################################################
    
    # Output 'normal' pictures when motion is detected (default: on)
    # Valid values: on, off, first, best, center
    # When set to 'first', only the first picture of an event is saved.
    # Picture with most motion of an event is saved when set to 'best'.
    # Picture with motion nearest center of picture is saved when set to 'center'.
    # Can be used as preview shot for the corresponding movie.
    output_pictures best
    
    # Output pictures with only the pixels moving object (ghost images) (default: off)
    output_debug_pictures off
    
    # The quality (in percent) to be used by the jpeg compression (default: 75)
    quality 75
    
    # Type of output images
    # Valid values: jpeg, ppm (default: jpeg)
    picture_type jpeg
    
    ############################################################
    # FFMPEG related options
    # Film (movies) file output, and deinterlacing of the video input
    # The options movie_filename and timelapse_filename are also used
    # by the ffmpeg feature
    ############################################################
    
    # Use ffmpeg to encode movies in realtime (default: off)
    ffmpeg_output_movies on
    
    # Use ffmpeg to make movies with only the pixels moving
    # object (ghost images) (default: off)
    ffmpeg_output_debug_movies off
    
    # Use ffmpeg to encode a timelapse movie
    # Default value 0 = off - else save frame every Nth second
    ffmpeg_timelapse 0
    
    # The file rollover mode of the timelapse video
    # Valid values: hourly, daily (default), weekly-sunday, weekly-monday, monthly, manual
    ffmpeg_timelapse_mode daily
    
    # Bitrate to be used by the ffmpeg encoder (default: 400000)
    # This option is ignored if ffmpeg_variable_bitrate is not 0 (disabled)
    ffmpeg_bps 500000
    
    # Enables and defines variable bitrate for the ffmpeg encoder.
    # ffmpeg_bps is ignored if variable bitrate is enabled.
    # Valid values: 0 (default) = fixed bitrate defined by ffmpeg_bps,
    # or the range 2 - 31 where 2 means best quality and 31 is worst.
    ffmpeg_variable_bitrate 5
    
    # Codec to used by ffmpeg for the video compression.
    # Timelapse mpegs are always made in mpeg1 format independent from this option.
    # Supported formats are: mpeg1 (ffmpeg-0.4.8 only), mpeg4 (default), and msmpeg4.
    # mpeg1 - gives you files with extension .mpg
    # mpeg4 or msmpeg4 - gives you files with extension .avi
    # msmpeg4 is recommended for use with Windows Media Player because
    # it requires no installation of codec on the Windows client.
    # swf - gives you a flash film with extension .swf
    # flv - gives you a flash video with extension .flv
    # ffv1 - FF video codec 1 for Lossless Encoding ( experimental )
    # mov - QuickTime ( testing )
    # ogg - Ogg/Theora ( testing )
    #ffmpeg_video_codec msmpeg4
    ffmpeg_video_codec mp4
    
    # Use ffmpeg to deinterlace video. Necessary if you use an analog camera
    # and see horizontal combing on moving objects in video or pictures.
    # (default: off)
    ffmpeg_deinterlace off
    
    ############################################################
    # SDL Window
    ############################################################
    
    # Number of motion thread to show in SDL Window (default: 0 = disabled)
    #sdl_threadnr 0
    
    ############################################################
    # External pipe to video encoder
    # Replacement for FFMPEG builtin encoder for ffmpeg_output_movies only.
    # The options movie_filename and timelapse_filename are also used
    # by the ffmpeg feature
    #############################################################
    
    # Bool to enable or disable extpipe (default: off)
    use_extpipe off
    
    # External program (full path and opts) to pipe raw video to
    # Generally, use '-' for STDIN...
    ;extpipe mencoder -demuxer rawvideo -rawvideo w=320:h=240:i420 -ovc x264 -x264encopts bframes=4:frameref=1:subq=1:scenecut=-1:nob_adapt:threads=1:keyint=1000:8x8dct:vbv_bufsize=4000:crf=24:partitions=i8x8,i4x4:vbv_maxrate=800:no-chroma-me -vf denoise3d=16:12:48:4,pp=lb -of   avi -o %f.avi - -fps %fps
    
    
    
    ############################################################
    # Snapshots (Traditional Periodic Webcam File Output)
    ############################################################
    
    # Make automated snapshot every N seconds (default: 0 = disabled)
    snapshot_interval 0
    
    
    ############################################################
    # Text Display
    # %Y = year, %m = month, %d = date,
    # %H = hour, %M = minute, %S = second, %T = HH:MM:SS,
    # %v = event, %q = frame number, %t = thread (camera) number,
    # %D = changed pixels, %N = noise level, \n = new line,
    # %i and %J = width and height of motion area,
    # %K and %L = X and Y coordinates of motion center
    # %C = value defined by text_event - do not use with text_event!
    # You can put quotation marks around the text to allow
    # leading spaces
    ############################################################
    
    # Locate and draw a box around the moving object.
    # Valid values: on, off, preview (default: off)
    # Set to 'preview' will only draw a box in preview_shot pictures.
    locate_motion_mode off
    
    # Set the look and style of the locate box if enabled.
    # Valid values: box, redbox, cross, redcross (default: box)
    # Set to 'box' will draw the traditional box.
    # Set to 'redbox' will draw a red box.
    # Set to 'cross' will draw a little cross to mark center.
    # Set to 'redcross' will draw a little red cross to mark center.
    locate_motion_style box
    
    # Draws the timestamp using same options as C function strftime(3)
    # Default: %Y-%m-%d\n%T = date in ISO format and time in 24 hour clock
    # Text is placed in lower right corner
    text_right %d.%m.%Y\n%T
    
    # Draw a user defined text on the images using same options as C function strftime(3)
    # Default: Not defined = no text
    # Text is placed in lower left corner
    ; text_left CAMERA %t
    text_left HofCam
    
    # Draw the number of changed pixed on the images (default: off)
    # Will normally be set to off except when you setup and adjust the motion settings
    # Text is placed in upper right corner
    text_changes off
    
    # This option defines the value of the special event conversion specifier %C
    # You can use any conversion specifier in this option except %C. Date and time
    # values are from the timestamp of the first image in the current event.
    # Default: %Y%m%d%H%M%S
    # The idea is that %C can be used filenames and text_left/right for creating
    # a unique identifier for each event.
    text_event %Y%m%d%H%M%S
    
    # Draw characters at twice normal size on images. (default: off)
    text_double on
    
    
    # Text to include in a JPEG EXIF comment
    # May be any text, including conversion specifiers.
    # The EXIF timestamp is included independent of this text.
    ;exif_text %i%J/%K%L
    
    ############################################################
    # Target Directories and filenames For Images And Films
    # For the options snapshot_, picture_, movie_ and timelapse_filename
    # you can use conversion specifiers
    # %Y = year, %m = month, %d = date,
    # %H = hour, %M = minute, %S = second,
    # %v = event, %q = frame number, %t = thread (camera) number,
    # %D = changed pixels, %N = noise level,
    # %i and %J = width and height of motion area,
    # %K and %L = X and Y coordinates of motion center
    # %C = value defined by text_event
    # Quotation marks round string are allowed.
    ############################################################
    
    # Target base directory for pictures and films
    # Recommended to use absolute path. (Default: current working directory)
    target_dir /home/pi
    
    # File path for snapshots (jpeg or ppm) relative to target_dir
    # Default: %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S-snapshot
    # Default value is equivalent to legacy oldlayout option
    # For Motion 3.0 compatible mode choose: %Y/%m/%d/%H/%M/%S-snapshot
    # File extension .jpg or .ppm is automatically added so do not include this.
    # Note: A symbolic link called lastsnap.jpg created in the target_dir will always
    # point to the latest snapshot, unless snapshot_filename is exactly 'lastsnap'
    snapshot_filename %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S-snapshot
    
    # File path for motion triggered images (jpeg or ppm) relative to target_dir
    # Default: %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S-%q
    # Default value is equivalent to legacy oldlayout option
    # For Motion 3.0 compatible mode choose: %Y/%m/%d/%H/%M/%S-%q
    # File extension .jpg or .ppm is automatically added so do not include this
    # Set to 'preview' together with best-preview feature enables special naming
    # convention for preview shots. See motion guide for details
    picture_filename %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S-%q
    
    # File path for motion triggered ffmpeg films (movies) relative to target_dir
    # Default: %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S
    # Default value is equivalent to legacy oldlayout option
    # For Motion 3.0 compatible mode choose: %Y/%m/%d/%H%M%S
    # File extension .mpg or .avi is automatically added so do not include this
    # This option was previously called ffmpeg_filename
    movie_filename %v-%Y%m%d%H%M%S
    
    # File path for timelapse movies relative to target_dir
    # Default: %Y%m%d-timelapse
    # Default value is near equivalent to legacy oldlayout option
    # For Motion 3.0 compatible mode choose: %Y/%m/%d-timelapse
    # File extension .mpg is automatically added so do not include this
    timelapse_filename %Y%m%d-timelapse
    
    ############################################################
    # Global Network Options
    ############################################################
    # Enable or disable IPV6 for http control and stream (default: off )
    ipv6_enabled off
    
    ############################################################
    # Live Stream Server
    ############################################################
    
    # The mini-http server listens to this port for requests (default: 0 = disabled)
    stream_port 8080
    
    # Quality of the jpeg (in percent) images produced (default: 50)
    stream_quality 50
    
    # Output frames at 1 fps when no motion is detected and increase to the
    # rate given by stream_maxrate when motion is detected (default: off)
    stream_motion on
    
    # Maximum framerate for stream streams (default: 1)
    stream_maxrate 4
    
    # Restrict stream connections to localhost only (default: on)
    stream_localhost off
    
    # Limits the number of images per connection (default: 0 = unlimited)
    # Number can be defined by multiplying actual stream rate by desired number of seconds
    # Actual stream rate is the smallest of the numbers framerate and stream_maxrate
    stream_limit 0
    
    # Set the authentication method (default: 0)
    # 0 = disabled
    # 1 = Basic authentication
    # 2 = MD5 digest (the safer authentication)
    stream_auth_method 0
    
    # Authentication for the stream. Syntax username:password
    # Default: not defined (Disabled)
    ; stream_authentication username:password
    
    
    ############################################################
    # HTTP Based Control
    ############################################################
    
    # TCP/IP port for the http server to listen on (default: 0 = disabled)
    webcontrol_port 8081
    
    # Restrict control connections to localhost only (default: on)
    webcontrol_localhost off
    
    # Output for http server, select off to choose raw text plain (default: on)
    webcontrol_html_output on
    
    # Authentication for the http based control. Syntax username:password
    # Default: not defined (Disabled)
    ; webcontrol_authentication username:password
    
    
    ############################################################
    # Tracking (Pan/Tilt)
    #############################################################
    
    # Type of tracker (0=none (default), 1=stepper, 2=iomojo, 3=pwc, 4=generic, 5=uvcvideo, 6=servo)
    # The generic type enables the definition of motion center and motion size to
    # be used with the conversion specifiers for options like on_motion_detected
    track_type 0
    
    # Enable auto tracking (default: off)
    track_auto off
    
    # Serial port of motor (default: none)
    ;track_port /dev/ttyS0
    
    # Motor number for x-axis (default: 0)
    ;track_motorx 0
    
    # Set motorx reverse (default: 0)
    ;track_motorx_reverse 0
    
    # Motor number for y-axis (default: 0)
    ;track_motory 1
    
    # Set motory reverse (default: 0)
    ;track_motory_reverse 0
    
    # Maximum value on x-axis (default: 0)
    ;track_maxx 200
    
    # Minimum value on x-axis (default: 0)
    ;track_minx 50
    
    # Maximum value on y-axis (default: 0)
    ;track_maxy 200
    
    # Minimum value on y-axis (default: 0)
    ;track_miny 50
    
    # Center value on x-axis (default: 0)
    ;track_homex 128
    
    # Center value on y-axis (default: 0)
    ;track_homey 128
    
    # ID of an iomojo camera if used (default: 0)
    track_iomojo_id 0
    
    # Angle in degrees the camera moves per step on the X-axis
    # with auto-track (default: 10)
    # Currently only used with pwc type cameras
    track_step_angle_x 10
    
    [...]