Screen Video Recorder

A lightweight Python-based screen recording tool that captures your entire screen and saves it as a video file. Built with OpenCV and PyAutoGUI for seamless, cross-platform screen recording.

Features

• Full Screen Recording: Capture your entire display in real-time
• Adjustable Frame Rate: Control recording quality and file size by adjusting FPS
• Easy-to-Use: Simple command-line interface with minimal configuration
• Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• Multiple Output Formats: Save recordings as MP4, AVI, or other supported video formats
• Lightweight: Minimal dependencies with efficient resource usage

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7 or higher
• pip (Python package manager)

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/screen-video-recorder.git
cd screen-video-recorder

2. Install required dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

⚠️ Important Warning

This tool only works on local systems with a display. Do NOT attempt to run this code on:

Remote servers (SSH, VPS, cloud instances) Docker containers without display forwarding Headless systems or CI/CD pipelines Any environment without a graphical interface

PyAutoGUI requires direct access to your system's display to capture screenshots. Running it on a remote environment will result in errors or unexpected behavior. Always run this recorder locally on your machine.

Requirements

The project uses the following Python libraries:

• OpenCV (opencv-python) - For video encoding and frame processing
• PyAutoGUI (pyautogui) - For capturing screenshots
• NumPy - For array operations (usually installed as OpenCV dependency)

See requirements.txt for exact versions.

Usage

Basic Recording

Run the script with default settings:

python screen_recorder.py

Custom Configuration

You can specify output filename and frame rate:

python screen_recorder.py --output my_recording.mp4 --fps 30

Command-Line Arguments

• --output or -o: Output video filename (default: recording.mp4)
• --fps or -f: Frames per second for recording (default: 20)
• --duration or -d: Recording duration in seconds (leave blank for manual stop)

Example

python screen_recorder.py -o gameplay.mp4 -f 30 -d 60

This records 60 seconds of your screen at 30 FPS and saves it as gameplay.mp4.

How It Works

The recorder operates by:

1. Screen Capture: PyAutoGUI captures screenshots of your entire display at regular intervals
2. Frame Encoding: OpenCV encodes these screenshots into a video stream using the specified codec
3. Video Output: The encoded frames are written to a video file in your chosen format

This approach ensures compatibility across different operating systems while maintaining reasonable performance.

Performance Considerations

• FPS Impact: Higher FPS values result in smoother videos but consume more CPU and disk space. 20-30 FPS is recommended for most use cases.
• Resolution: Recording at higher resolutions (1440p+) may impact performance on older machines. Consider your system specs before adjusting settings.
• CPU Usage: Screen recording is CPU-intensive. Close unnecessary applications for optimal performance.
• File Size: A 1-hour recording at 20 FPS can be 500MB-2GB depending on resolution and codec.

Limitations

• No Audio Recording: The current version captures video only. Audio recording is not supported.
• No Real-Time Compression: Large videos are generated during recording; ensure sufficient disk space.
• Single Monitor Only: Currently records from the primary display only.
• Performance Dependent: Recording speed depends on your system's CPU and GPU capabilities.

Troubleshooting

Q: The video is lagging or stuttering

• Reduce the FPS value or close other applications consuming CPU

Q: Recording uses too much disk space

• Decrease FPS or consider compressing the output file after recording

Q: Getting permission errors on macOS

• Grant accessibility permissions: System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Accessibility

Future Improvements

• Audio recording capability
• GUI interface for easier configuration and recording controls
• Multi-monitor support
• Real-time video compression options
• Pause/resume recording functionality
• Region-specific recording (record only a portion of the screen)

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Author

Created as a practical Python project exploring computer vision and screen automation libraries.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have suggestions for improvements or encounter bugs, feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request.

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Happy recording! 🎥