vpl 0.0.4

# vpl

Vide Pipe Line


# installation

Run `pip3 install vpl` (it's on pypi)

Or `pip3 install -e git://github.com/chemicaldevelopment/vpl` (for development, i.e. unstable builds)

# usage

It comes with a simple viewer, run:

`python3 -mvpl --help`

You can use `import vpl` in your code

# exposure settings

Exposure settings are extremely finicky to get working. Here's a few commands to try:

First, set the auto control cutoff to 1:

`v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 -c exposure_auto=1`

Then, try setting the exposure value to various values between -100 and +100:

`v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 -c exposure_absolute=-30`

`v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 -c exposure_absolute=0`

`v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 -c exposure_absolute=0.5`

`v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 -c exposure_absolute=20`

The optimal low/medium light setting for the Micro$oft Lifecam is:

`v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video0 -c exposure_absolute=20.9`


Use this command:

`v4l2-ctl --all`

*to print settings (and their defaults). This is the most important v4l command*

Run through setting all these to defaults


Here are the defaults for Micro$oft Lifecam:

```

Streaming Parameters Video Capture:
Capabilities : timeperframe
Frames per second: 30.000 (30/1)
Read buffers : 0
brightness (int) : min=30 max=255 step=1 default=133 value=133
contrast (int) : min=0 max=10 step=1 default=5 value=5
saturation (int) : min=0 max=200 step=1 default=83 value=83
white_balance_temperature_auto (bool) : default=1 value=1
power_line_frequency (menu) : min=0 max=2 default=2 value=2
white_balance_temperature (int) : min=2800 max=10000 step=1 default=4500 value=4500 flags=inactive
sharpness (int) : min=0 max=50 step=1 default=25 value=25
backlight_compensation (int) : min=0 max=10 step=1 default=0 value=5
exposure_auto (menu) : min=0 max=3 default=1 value=1
exposure_absolute (int) : min=5 max=20000 step=1 default=156 value=40
pan_absolute (int) : min=-201600 max=201600 step=3600 default=0 value=0
tilt_absolute (int) : min=-201600 max=201600 step=3600 default=0 value=0
zoom_absolute (int) : min=0 max=10 step=1 default=0 value=0

```


Use the script `utils/reset_lifecam.sh`