VANTRUE Dashcam Video Stitcher — Effortlessly create…

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About this project

This tool simplifies the process of stitching dual-channel video files from a VANTRUE dashcam. By automating the detection of front and cabin footage, and utilizing powerful FFmpeg capabilities, it provides a seamless way to create engaging picture-in-picture videos while offering features like date filtering and file cleanup.

Transforming your VANTRUE dashcam footage into seamless, engaging videos is made simple with the VANTRUE Dashcam Video Stitcher. This Python script efficiently processes dual-channel video recordings, seamlessly integrating front and cabin camera views into a clear picture-in-picture (PiP) format using the powerful FFmpeg tool.

Key Features

Automated Video Pairing: The script scans a specified directory for VANTRUE video files (.MP4), identifying and pairing front (_A.MP4) and cabin (_B.MP4) clips based on their timestamps.
Session Grouping: It intelligently groups recordings into continuous sessions, even if these sessions cross over midnight, ensuring no footage is left behind.
Date Filtering: Choose to process videos by specific days, weeks, or months, giving you control over which footage is stitched together.
Output Management: Once processed, the original video files are organized into separate directories, making it easy to manage your projects without clutter.

Usage Example

Running the script is straightforward. Here’s how it can be executed from the command line:

python3 stitch.py --video_dir Normal --file_type N

This command locates all videos in the Normal/ directory, groups them into sessions, and produces a single stitched clip for each session incorporating the cabin view overlay. The resulting videos are saved in the stitched_videos/ directory, while the original files are moved to Normal/processed/ for easy retrieval.

Date Filtering Commands

You can narrow down your video processing by using:

# Specific day
python3 stitch.py --date 2023-10-27

# Specific week
python3 stitch.py --week 2023-W43

# Specific month
python3 stitch.py --month 2023-10

Use the --dry-run flag to preview the actions without affecting any files, ensuring a controlled processing environment.

Clean-Up Utility

Alongside the stitching capabilities, a cleanup script is included to manage original files post-processing. This script checks for verification through checksums to ensure files are correctly moved before deletion:

# Preview which files will be deleted
./cleanup_processed.sh -n Normal

# Delete verified originals
./cleanup_processed.sh Normal

Developing with Conventions

The VANTRUE Dashcam Video Stitcher relies on specific filename conventions for optimal performance, specifically structured as YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_####_[N|E]_[A|B].MP4. Future enhancements may also include support for additional camera angles.

The versatility and automation of the VANTRUE Dashcam Video Stitcher streamline the video processing workflow, making it an invaluable tool for anyone looking to enhance their dashcam footage with minimal effort.