# Video Analysis software **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-analysis-software/426831 "2007-11-17T15:09:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-analysis-software/426831/1 "2007-11-17T15:09:12Z")
Does anyone know where I can get some software that will analyze a video stream for changes between two frames? What I’m looking for is an application that will watch a video stream for changes and then highlight those changes. Bonus points for something open-source or that runs under some Linux variant. Thanks and regards Testy ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-analysis-software/426831/2 "2007-11-17T18:01:23Z")
I found [this](http://mpeg2videotools.sourceforge.net/) on sourceforge if it helps. Not sure if it is what you need but it does run on Linux and is open source. Search on [www.sourceforge.net](http://www.sourceforge.net) for more, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-analysis-software/426831/3 "2007-11-17T19:21:44Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] I found [this](http://mpeg2videotools.sourceforge.net/) on sourceforge if it helps. Not sure if it is what you need but it does run on Linux and is open source. Search on [www.sourceforge.net](http://www.sourceforge.net) for more, maybe. [/QUOTE] **ZipperJJ** Thank you. I’ll check this to see if I can get it to work. Regards Testy ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-analysis-software/426831/4 "2007-11-17T23:54:27Z")
**ZipperJJ** That’s just an encoding library, no? You’re kinda vague there **Testy** , but it sounds to me like you’re looking for more of a webcam motion detection/security camera package, which would be something like [motion](http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/bin/view/Motion/WebHome) or [gspy](http://gspy.sourceforge.net/). [This site](http://www.simplehelp.net/2006/09/27/how-to-use-your-pc-and-webcam-as-a-motion-detecting-and-recording-security-camera/) has instructions on how to use a Windows app called [Dorgem](http://dorgem.sourceforge.net/) that also seems fairly decent. ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-analysis-software/426831/5 "2007-11-18T07:15:15Z")
[QUOTE=Nanoda] \*\*\ You’re kinda vague there **Testy** , but it sounds to me like you’re looking for more of a webcam motion detection/security camera package, which would be something like [motion](http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/bin/view/Motion/WebHome) or [gspy](http://gspy.sourceforge.net/). [This site](http://www.simplehelp.net/2006/09/27/how-to-use-your-pc-and-webcam-as-a-motion-detecting-and-recording-security-camera/) has instructions on how to use a Windows app called [Dorgem](http://dorgem.sourceforge.net/) that also seems fairly decent. [/QUOTE] **Nanoda** Thank you. Yeah, motion detection was what I was looking for although I hadn’t thought of it in those terms. I’ll give these a try. What I wanted to do was experiment with the various parameters of comparing two images. How big a spot to compare? Black and white or color? etc. I don’t have a serious need for this or anything, just experimenting. Thanks again Testy ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2007, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-analysis-software/426831/6 "2007-11-18T10:35:09Z")
**Nanoda** Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction. The _Motion_ software was almost exactly what I was looking for. Now I have to pick some cameras. I would like to use D-Link as I can get those locally but they don’t seem to support LINUX/UNIX at all. X-10 was another one but they seem entirely too hokey. The web site is like a used-car advertisement on late-night TV. 😛 Thanks again Testy