I trying to capture the X display with ffmpeg using the following command:

ffmpeg -f x11grab -s cif -i :0.0 /tmp/out.mpg

but it fails with the following error:

[x11grab @ 0xb7f36b14]device: :0:0 -> display: :0:0 x: 0 y: 0 width: 0 height: 0
[x11grab @ 0xb7f36b14]Could not open X display.
:0:0: I/O error occured
Usually that means that input file is truncated and/or corrupted.

I dont know what more can I do I tried searching in google and cannot find any useful results

Can it be that you run ffmpeg in a terminal where you have become root using "su -" or "sudo -i"?
If so, try going back to your normal user account and then re-run the ffmpeg command.

Eric

heywood@darkstar:~$ ffmpeg -f x11grab -s 720x480 -r 23.976 -i :0.0 /tmp/out.mpg


Try omitting the cif

I think the problem is the document at FFMPEG, http://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-doc.html, is incorrect, old.

When I tried the command
that is from the document, the same error printed, however, I think you misread the error. More description of the problem printed in the error explained the rate '-r' was unset.

Try the command any rate value that works with FFMPEG, for example 25
From document

I think the problem is not '-s cif'. That command sets size to cif, that is an alias to value pixels '352x288'. I prefer to write the size as pixels.

someone may want to notify FFMPEG that the document causes problems. http://ffmpeg.org/contact.html


andrew

I'd also recommend setting -sameq (or the desired quality) before the output filename. Otherwise your will come out with beaucoup artifacts.

Don't know how to capture the software cursor yet...