VLC command line for bringing up the analog TV card

I thought I'd figure out how to get VLC started and playing from my analog TV brooktree 848 card.

The command line that works for me is:

vlc v4l2:///dev/video0 --v4l2-standard NTSC --live-caching 0 &

I like the ampersand at the end to run it in the background and keep the terminal window active.


https://wiki.videolan.org/Documentation:Modules/v4l2/

http://askubuntu.com/questions/527482/is-it-really-possible-to-set-up-vlc-to-stream-tv-from-tv-tuner-card-encore-enlt


I had to do this because it was too complicated for family members (who will go nameless) to bring up the dialogs and to do it manually.

It's amazing how just the smallest complexity can stump people.

When we had to switch to Digital Television Converter Boxes, the additional complexity of having a DTV box that broadcasts on channel 3 would completely baffle an unnamed family member. And the DTV box that has its own volume control in addition to the TVs own volume control.

They liked it when there was no complexity: you turn it on and it works. They weren't keen on having two remotes either: one remote for the TV, and one for the DTV box.

I was really glad when we found a TV (I think it was a Funai) that when plugged in would come up on channel 3 ready to go, so we could hide the TV remote.

It's the same reason why people like automatic transmissions: they just put their foot on the gas and the car goes. They don't want the trouble of having to switch gears themselves and the learning curve that goes with that.