<p>You can use <code>ffmpeg</code>'s <code>blackdetect</code> for that:</p>
<p>Let's say you are interested in blackscreen with a duration greater than 2 seconds (<code>d=2</code>):</p>
<pre><code>ffmpeg -i &quot;surveillance.mp4&quot; -vf &quot;blackdetect=d=2:pix_th=0.00&quot; -an -f null -
</code></pre>
<p>output (example):</p>
<pre><code>[blackdetect @ 0x7fac3b555380] black_start:40 black_end:53.44 black_duration:13.44
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-18T14:16:13.800Z
2021-01-18T14:16:13.800Z
drake7
<p>I have a large video file (about 6 hours long), it's a record from surveillance camera, the camera itself has no illumination features, though surveiled area has pretty good light which is triggered by motion detector.</p>
<p>So now I have a large video file that is mostly just a black screen, but it might contain some action.
<br />Which software and or approach should I use to locate all action areas of the video (to watch 6 hour footage does not appeal to me).</p>
<p>I was thinking about video player that generates timeline of thumbnails or has built-in function to find non-black frames.
I prefer solution to be free and opensource, but I have searched for a while and I am kind of desperate now, so anything (that will get the job done) will do.</p>

<video><video-editor><software-recommendation><video-recording><software>
Software or method to detect sequences of non-black frames in a long video
Zaza
# Software or method to detect sequences of non-black frames in a long video

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-17)

I have a large video file (about 6 hours long), it's a record from surveillance camera, the camera itself has no illumination features, though surveiled area has pretty good light which is triggered by motion detector.

So now I have a large video file that is mostly just a black screen, but it might contain some action.
  
Which software and or approach should I use to locate all action areas of the video (to watch 6 hour footage does not appeal to me).

I was thinking about video player that generates timeline of thumbnails or has built-in function to find non-black frames.
I prefer solution to be free and opensource, but I have searched for a while and I am kind of desperate now, so anything (that will get the job done) will do.

**Tags:** video, video-editor, software-recommendation, video-recording, software


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-01-18. Score: 0

You can use ffmpeg's blackdetect for that:
Let's say you are interested in blackscreen with a duration greater than 2 seconds (d=2):
ffmpeg -i "surveillance.mp4" -vf "blackdetect=d=2:pix_th=0.00" -an -f null -

output (example):
[blackdetect @ 0x7fac3b555380] black_start:40 black_end:53.44 black_duration:13.44


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