---
name: "v4lctl"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "xawtv"
version: "3.06-3"
release: "Debian 2.2 (Potato)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xawtv-remote/1x"
---

# v4lctl(1x)

Part of [xawtv-remote(1x)](/xawtv-remote/1x.md).

## NAME

xxx

## SYNOPSIS

**xawtv-remote \[ options \] command**\
 **v4lctl \[ options \] command**

## DESCRIPTION

**xawtv-remote** and **v4lctl** can be used to control a video4linux driven TV card. **xawtv-remote** passes the command to a already running xawtv instance using X11 properties. **v4lctl** sets the parameters directly.

## OPTIONS

**xawtv-remote** knows the following options:

- **-h**

  print a short help text

- **-d dpy**

  Set the X11 display

- **-i id**

  Set the Window ID.

**v4lctl** understands these options:

- **-h**

  print a short help text

- **-c device**

  Set video4linux device.

- **-v n**

  Set debug level to **n**, where n = \[0..2\]

## COMMANDS

Both tools basically use the same set of commands.  Some of them are useful for xawtv-remote only (fullscreen for example).

- **setstation \[ \<name\> \| \<nr\> \| next \| prev \| back \]**

  Set the TV station.  This selects on of the TV stations which are configured in the .xawtv config file.  The argument can be the station name or a number (the first one listed in the config file is 0, ...). next/prev jumps to the next/previous station in the list, back to the previously selected one.

- **setchannel \[ \<name\> \| next \| prev \]**

  Tune in some channel.

- **setfreqtab \<table\>**

  Set the frequency table.  See the menu in xawtv for a list of valid choices.

- **setnorm \<norm\>**

  Set the TV norm (NTSC/PAL/SECAM).

- **setinput \[ \<input\> \| next \]**

  Set the video input (Television/Composite1/...)

- **capture \[ on \| off \| overlay \| grabdisplay \]**

  Set capture mode.

- **volume \<n\>**

  - **color \<n\>**

  - **hue \<n\>**

  - **bright \<n\>**

  - **contrast \<n\>**

  Set the parameter to the specified value.  Range for all values is 0 \<= n \<= 65535.  \<n\> can be either absolute (like "32768") or relative (marked by a sign, like "+1000" or "-512").  "inc" and "dec" are accepted too and increase/decrease the parameter by one percent. "volume" additionally accepts "mute".

- **snap \[ jpeg \| ppm \] \[ full \| win \| widthxheight \] \<filename\>**

  Capture one image.

- **fullscreen**

  Toggle fullscreen mode.

- **msg text**

  Display text on the on-screen display.

- **quit**

  quit xawtv

- **keypad n**

  enter digit 'n'.  That's the two-digit channel selection, entering two digits within 5 seconds switches to the selected station.  Useful for lirc.

## SEE ALSO

[xawtv(1)](/xawtv/1.md), [fbtv(1)](/fbtv/1.md)

## AUTHOR

Gerd Knorr \<kraxel@goldbach.in-berlin.de\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 1997-99 Gerd Knorr \<kraxel@goldbach.in-berlin.de\>

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.