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timeshift.sh for linux, bash script for doing timeshift TV (pause, fast forward and rewind while watching TV) using limited resources. Developed for analog capture devices compatible with v4l2, including digital television hybrid cards (Not all v4l2 devices are checked, tested with bttv, saa7134, TV hybrid cards cx88 and USB em28xx).

The script is an standalone TV timeshift application (probably the best you can use with analog sources in known universe), but also you can try the server side (same script) that works like a timeshift provider of captured files for a local network.

The trick to timeshit is simple: an infinite loop of video files; only is necesary an encoder that split captured videos without frame lost and a player with playlist repeat option. This bash script adds some nice features and easy configuration.

KEY FEATURES:

-Live TV window, you can watch live show while watching timeshift videos, at no added processor cost.

-You can choose your favourite video player for watching timeshift videos, among others, kaffeine, kplayer, vlc.

-Low processor load.

-Multicore support, the script runs modular processes, each with its own threat.

-Multiuser and multi-instances, you can run several timeshift.sh when you install a multidevice card.

-Standard MPEG-4 .avi videos, you can watch the videos or edit them when you want. The script utilizes a transcode filter, standard MPEG-4 videos shine like the best video encoders, even at low bitrates.

-Unique continuous sessions feature, when you close the script you can store past videos and continue recording after the last.

-Not needed terminal.

-SERVER function with the same script:

-Unlimited video size and number of video buffers, fully customizable, even months or years.

-Stable and secure.

-It might use terminal, and not needed X windows manager, optionally ttv for tv-init.

-Unattended, after a reboot the videos are recorded after the last one, with minimal data loss.

-Several possibilities for LAN configuration.

timeshift.sh 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 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. See the GNU General Public License for more details: http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.txt

Downloads

timeshift.sh final version for debian stable and other Linux distributions: Depends *transcode, bash, xawtv (or ttv for server use), vlc, kaffeine or kplayer.

download timeshift.sh 6.710 (english-utf-8)

*Size/MD5 checksum: 6020 9ddb5093be0d7fef893fe9df0ad22c43

Usage: 	Configure OSS sound capture (if you use pulseaudio then install oss-compat [deb]
	 and libasound2-plugins [deb] or alsa-plugins-pulse [rpm] packages) and
	 enable "repeat playlist" on your video player, then
 
	./timeshift.sh [OPTION1 value] [OPTION2 value] ...
	./timeshift.sh -h for help

*Be sure transcode is compiled with a working import_v4l2.so plugin.

Too Sourceforge for direct download of .tar.gz, .deb and .rpm packages.

deb-multimedia repository for debian users:

For stable packages add in your /etc/apt/sources.list

deb http://www.deb-multimedia.org stable main non-free
or
deb ftp://ftp.deb-multimedia.org stable main non-free

The package "timeshift" installs dependencies and "timeshift" in /usr/bin, so you can run timeshift with:

	timeshift [OPTION1 value] [OPTION2 value] ...
	timeshift -h for help

If you prefer to install the package for your favourite linux distribution:

Download Packages from OpenSUSE Build Service

The packages install timeshift.sh in /usr/bin, so you can run timeshift.sh with:

	timeshift.sh [OPTION1 value] [OPTION2 value] ...
	timeshift.sh -h for help

Also tested for months with CentOS 5.5 (this free linux distribution clones 100% Red Hat Enterprise Linux): kernel 2.6.18, bttv, kaffeine 0.8.7, vlc 0.9.9a (although vlc versions 0.9.x are not recommended, downgrade or upgrade as soon as possible). Only transcode 1.1.0 is tested, if you don't want or can't install my rpm then some compilation work is needed cause a bug in transcode 1.1.3 which is the last packed version, also other rpm versions are not compiled with needed v4l2 import plugin or broken dependencies in usual repositories. For i386 you can download this working rpm built with CentOS 5.5, it also installs timeshift_mpeg4_utf8.sh in /usr/bin :

download transcode 1.1.0 + timeshift_mpeg4_utf8.sh 6.66-rhe-6 (CentOS-Red Hat i386)

Not signed - Size/MD5 checksum: 3763906 8306aef7f20a2edf8673e87b024162da

You can try it without installing linux (if you are lucky with your hardware detection), LiveCD based on OpenSUSE 11.4 i586 (kernel 2.6.37, kaffeine 0.8.8, vlc 1.1.10, transcode 1.1.5). To download the CD .iso or USB image first create a free account in Suse Studio:

Download free LiveCD or USB image

Known issues:

-Actual versions do not support spaces in filenames nor subdirectories. Next versions will support them.

-All USB webcam devices I could test aren't supported. For video camera it is recommended connect a compatible video camera through video-in connector of a television card.

-For server use it is recommended tested linux distributions and any tested card, although if other system you may get incompatibility issues between v4l2 or kernel modules and v4l2 plugin of transcode. Trying other version of transcode may solve it.