Motion is a software that functions as a motion detector designed to work with video4linux devices. It alerts users to any movement detected and records the relevant footage.
One thing to note about Motion is that it is completely command-line based. This means that users need to configure the program either via the command-line interface or via simple ASCII files that can be edited by an ASCII editor. Therefore, Motion lacks a graphical user interface.
Another great feature of Motion is its ability to output different file formats such as jpg files, ppm format files, and mpeg video sequences. This means that users can choose the format that suits their needs best.
One of the key functionalities of Motion is that it allows users to take snapshots of movement, watch multiple video devices at the same time, and watch multiple inputs on one capture card, all in real-time. Additionally, users can create mpeg movies using libavcodec from ffmpeg, send emails or SMS messages when detecting motion, execute external commands when detecting movement, track motion, feed events to an MySQL or PostgreSQL database, and many more.
The software also includes user-configurable and defined onscreen displays, control via xml-rpc, automatic noise, and threshold control, as well as the ability to control the pan/tilt of a Logitech Sphere camera. Users can also configure how images and films are stored.
In the latest version of Motion, the developers have removed debian and FreeBSD directories, introduced Flash video format (FLV), integrated FFV1 (FF video codec 1) codec for lossless encoding, and fixed various bugs.
All things considered, Motion is an excellent video monitoring software that is worth every penny. With its powerful features, versatile file formats, and ability to track motion, it is perfect for security professionals, home users, and businesses alike.
Version 3.2.9: N/A