---
name: "zapping"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "zapping"
version: "0.10~cvs6-16"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/zapping"
---

# zapping(1)

a Gnome TV and Teletext viewer

## NAME

zapping - a Gnome TV and Teletext viewer

## SYNOPSIS

**zapping** \[-b, --bpp *NUMBER*\] \[-c, --command *STRING*\] \[--console-errors\] \[--cpu-features *FEATURES*\] \[-d, --debug\] \[--device *FILENAME*\] \[--dword-align\] \[-n, --tunerless-norm *STRING*\] \[--no-overlay, --remote\] \[--no-plugins\] \[--no-vbi\] \[--no-xv-image\] \[--no-xv-video\] \[-v, --no-xv\] \[--xv-image-port *NUMBER*\] \[--xv-port *NUMBER*, --xv-video-port *NUMBER*\] \[-y, --yuv-format *STRING*\] \[-z, --no-zsfb\]

## DESCRIPTION

Zapping is a program to watch TV on a computer, within the Gnome environment. You can take screenshots and record video and audio. Zapping has a Teletext viewer built in and supports Closed Caption and Teletext subtitles. For more information open the Gnome help and choose Applications -\> Multimedia -\> Zapping. This manual page refers to **zapping** version 0.10.

## OPTIONS

- **-b, --bpp** *NUMBER*

  Color depth of the X display. In TrueColor mode (24 or 32 bits per pixel) you might get a very distorted image that spreads all around the desktop. This usually means Zapping could not correctly determine the color depth, which can be given here.

- **-c, --command** *COMMAND*

  Execute the given command and exit. This was intended to create a sort of batch mode, you may want to use [**zapping\_remote**(1)](/zapping_remote/1.md) instead. Only one command is implemented. The **set\_channel** command allows one to change the channel by giving the channel name or RF channel number, for example:

  ```
  zapping -c "set_channel BBC"
  ```

- **--console-errors**

  Redirect the error messages to the console, useful for bug reports.

- **--cpu-features** *FEATURES*

  Override the CPU detection for tests. Possible features are: none, mmx, 3dnow, sse, sse2, sse3, altivec. When your CPU does not support the given features Zapping may crash.

- **-d, --debug**

  Print debug messages on standard output. You should include this information when submitting a bug report, as it can help to trace the problem.

- **--device** *FILENAME*

  Kernel video device to use, usually /dev/video. You can specify emulator for tests.

- **--dword-align**

  Forces doubleword alignment of the video in overlay mode. Can help when the image is distorted at certain sizes but looks fine at others.

- **-n, --tunerless-norm** *STRING*

  This option has no function but is recognized for compatibility with earlier versions of Zapping. It determined the video standard to be used when your TV card has no tuner, one of NTSC, PAL or SECAM.

- **--no-overlay, --remote**

  Do not overlay video. The **--remote** option refers to the X display. Overlay is only possible if the graphics card and TV card are plugged into the same computer. Capture mode is possible on a remote display (on another computer or in a nested display) but requires a high network bandwidth.

- **--no-plugins**

  Do not use any plugins, usually for testing purposes.

- **--no-vbi**

  Do not capture and decode VBI data, i.e. Teletext, Subtitles, Closed Caption and station names. This option is intended for tests and applies only to the current session. To override it or disable VBI support permanently see the Devices -\> VBI section in the Zapping preferences.

- **--no-xv-video**

  Do not use the XVideo extension for video overlay.

- **--no-xv-image**

  Do not use the XVideo extension for hardware image scaling.

- **-v, --no-xv**

  Do not use the XVideo extension for video overlay or hardware image scaling.

- **--xv-image-port** *NUMBER*

  Number of the XVideo port to use for hardware image scaling. Zapping lists the available ports with the **-d** option.

- **--xv-port** *NUMBER***, --xv-video-port** *NUMBER*

  Number of the XVideo port (similar to a device) to use for video overlay. Zapping lists the available ports with the **-d** option.

- **-y, --yuv-format** *STRING*

  This option has no function but is recognized for compatibility with earlier versions of Zapping. It determined the pixel format in capture mode when XVideo hardware image scaling was available, either YUYV or YVU420.

- **-z, --no-zsfb**

  This option has no function but is recognized for compatibility with earlier versions of Zapping. It used to prevent the execution of [**zapping\_setup\_fb**(1)](/zapping_setup_fb/1.md) on startup. Now Zapping calls the helper application only if necessary.

## SEE ALSO

[**zapping\_remote**(1)](/zapping_remote/1.md), [**zapping\_setup\_fb**(1)](/zapping_setup_fb/1.md)

## AUTHORS

Zapping was written by Iñaki García Etxebarria, Michael H. Schimek (mschimek@users.sourceforge.net) and many contributors.

This manual page was written by Michael H. Schimek based on work by Christian Marillat.

## CONTACT

Zapping homepage: http://zapping.sourceforge.net

Please report bugs with the Zapping bug tracker http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group\_id=2599 or mail us at zapping-misc@lists.sourceforge.net