---
name: "str2ppm"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "vstream"
version: "0.4.5-3"
release: "Debian 3.1 (Sarge)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/str2ppm"
---

# str2ppm(1)

converts the captured video stream to ppm files

## NAME

str2ppm - converts the captured video stream to ppm files

## SYNOPSIS

**str2ppm** \[*options*\] *parameter-file*

## DESCRIPTION

Vstream is a collection of utilities for capturing reasonably high quality video from a v4l device (specifically configured for bttv).  A simultaneous audio track is also captured.

This utility - **str2ppm** - converts the captured video stream to ppm files.  When the stream is being converted, it is restored to the ideal framerate, so dropped pictures will result in a slightly jerky picture, but no loss of synchronisation.  (A patch against mpeg2encode/decode by the MPEG Software Simulation Group (MSSG) is also included to allow direct MPEG encoding from this stream).

## OPTIONS

- **-str \<output stream x\>**

  write to output stream(s) \<output stream x\> instead of ppm files. This option can be used multiple times.

- **parameter-file**

  name of parameter file (normally "str2ppm.par").

## NOTES

Creates video:\<frame number\>.ppm files in the current directory! The filename can be changed by changing the root-name in "str2ppm.par". The file \<root-name\>:cliptab must exist. When outputting to another stream, make sure you have enough disk space; no space checking is done! Also, no default cliptabs/parameter files are created, so you'll have to make your own.

## SEE ALSO

[**audioclip**(1)](/audioclip/1.md), [**audioconv**(1)](/audioconv/1.md), [**stream**(1)](/stream/1.md), [**ppm2str**(1)](/ppm2str/1.md), [**xfv**(1)](/xfv/1.md), **xsf**(1).

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Lenart Janos \<ocsi@debian.org\>, for the Debian GNU system (but may be used by others).