# Working with video - PiKVM Handbook
Open and cheap DIY IP-KVM on Raspberry Pi
Author: Maxim Devaev

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# Working with video

## Video recording

Info

H.264 is available on Pi 3 and Pi 4. Older boards won't handle it. Best of all this feature only works for HDMI to CSI bridge. For the USB HDMI dongle, there will be a decrease in FPS to 10-15 for 1080p.

1. Update OS:

   Updating PiKVM OS

   To update, run following commands under the `root` user:

       [root@pikvm ~]# pikvm-update

   If you encounter an error like:

       [root@pikvm ~]# pikvm-update
       bash: pikvm-update: command not found

   It's most likely you have an old OS release. You can update the OS as follows:

       [root@pikvm ~]# curl https://files.pikvm.org/update-os.sh | bash

   Next time you will be able to use the usual method with `pikvm-update`.

2. Install ffmpeg:

       # rw
       # pacman -S ffmpeg

3. For USB dongle only: Add line `gpu_mem=256` to `/boot/config.txt`.

4. Perform `reboot` command.

5. Run `rw` after the reboot.

6. To record a video, you need to enable the stream (open the web interface or connect via VNC). Then run something like this in the console:

       # rw
       # ustreamer-dump --sink kvmd::ustreamer::h264 --output - | ffmpeg -use_wallclock_as_timestamps 1 -i pipe: -c:v copy test.mp4

7. Press `Ctrl+C` to stop recording. Your video will be in the file `test.mp4`.

8. After finishing work, do not forget to switch the file system to read-only mode using `ro` command.

## Take a screenshot via console on PiKVM

Note

You must have a stream running

    # curl --unix-socket /run/kvmd/ustreamer.sock http://localhost/snapshot -o /tmp/screen.jpg