Video Capture SDK .NET vs Datastead TVideoGrabber

using VisioForge.Core.VideoCapture;
using VisioForge.Core.Types.Output;

// Create the capture engine
var capture = new VideoCaptureCore();

// Set video source (first available webcam)
var devices = await capture.Video_CaptureDevice_ListAsync();
capture.Video_CaptureDevice = devices[0];

// Set audio source
var audioDevices = await capture.Audio_CaptureDevice_ListAsync();
capture.Audio_CaptureDevice = audioDevices[0];

// Configure MP4 output with H.264
capture.Output_Format = new MP4Output
{
    Video = new H264EncoderSettings
    {
        Bitrate = 4000,
        Profile = H264Profile.Main
    },
    Audio = new AACEncoderSettings
    {
        Bitrate = 192
    }
};
capture.Output_Filename = "recording.mp4";

// Enable preview
capture.Video_Preview_Enabled = true;

// Start recording with preview
await capture.StartAsync();

// TVideoGrabber — property-based approach
var grabber = new TVideoGrabber();

// Select video device by index
grabber.VideoDevice = 0;

// Select audio device by index
grabber.AudioDevice = 0;

// Set recording mode
grabber.RecordingMethod = TRecordingMethod.rmMP4;

// Set output filename
grabber.RecordingFileName = "recording.mp4";

// Set video bitrate
grabber.VideoBitrate = 4000000;

// Set audio bitrate
grabber.AudioBitrate = 192000;

// Start capture and recording
grabber.StartPreview();
grabber.StartRecording();

// Note: Properties set before starting
// No async/await — synchronous calls
// Single output only

using VisioForge.Core.VideoCapture;
using VisioForge.Core.Types;

var capture = new VideoCaptureCore();

// Connect to ONVIF IP camera
capture.IP_Camera_Source = new IPCameraSourceSettings
{
    URL = "rtsp://192.168.1.100:554/stream",
    Login = "admin",
    Password = "password",
    Type = IPCameraType.RTSP
};

// ONVIF PTZ control
var ptz = new ONVIFPTZController(
    "192.168.1.100", "admin", "password");
await ptz.MoveAsync(PanDirection.Left, TiltDirection.Up, 0.5);
await ptz.ZoomAsync(ZoomDirection.In, 0.3);
await ptz.GoToPresetAsync("entrance");

// Record while controlling PTZ
capture.Output_Format = new MP4Output();
capture.Output_Filename = "camera_feed.mp4";

// Simultaneously stream to RTMP
capture.Network_Streaming_Enabled = true;
capture.Network_Streaming_Format = new RTMPOutput
{
    URL = "rtmp://stream.example.com/live",
    StreamKey = "KEY"
};

await capture.StartAsync();

// TVideoGrabber — ONVIF PTZ support
var grabber = new TVideoGrabber();

// Set IP camera URL
grabber.IPCameraURL = "rtsp://192.168.1.100:554/stream";
grabber.IPCameraLogin = "admin";
grabber.IPCameraPassword = "password";

// ONVIF PTZ — built-in support
grabber.ONVIF_PTZ_Move(
    ePTZ_Direction.Left, 50);
grabber.ONVIF_PTZ_Zoom(
    ePTZ_ZoomDirection.In, 30);
grabber.ONVIF_PTZ_GotoPreset("entrance");

// Record to file
grabber.RecordingMethod = TRecordingMethod.rmMP4;
grabber.RecordingFileName = "camera_feed.mp4";

grabber.StartPreview();
grabber.StartRecording();

// Note: No streaming capability
// Cannot simultaneously record + stream
// PTZ control is a strong point
// Windows only

using VisioForge.Core.VideoCapture;

var capture = new VideoCaptureCore();

// Set webcam source
var devices = await capture.Video_CaptureDevice_ListAsync();
capture.Video_CaptureDevice = devices[0];

// Output 1: High-quality local recording
capture.Output_Format = new MP4Output
{
    Video = new H264EncoderSettings
    {
        Bitrate = 8000,
        Profile = H264Profile.High
    }
};
capture.Output_Filename = "archive.mp4";

// Output 2: Stream to YouTube via RTMP
capture.Network_Streaming_Enabled = true;
capture.Network_Streaming_Format = new RTMPOutput
{
    URL = "rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2",
    StreamKey = "YOUR_KEY",
    Video = new H264EncoderSettings { Bitrate = 4500 }
};

// Output 3: Low-res recording for thumbnails
capture.AdditionalOutputs.Add(new OutputConfig
{
    Filename = "preview.mp4",
    Format = new MP4Output
    {
        Video = new H264EncoderSettings
        {
            Bitrate = 1000,
            Width = 640, Height = 360
        }
    }
});

// All three outputs run simultaneously
await capture.StartAsync();

// TVideoGrabber — single output only
var grabber = new TVideoGrabber();

// Select video device
grabber.VideoDevice = 0;

// Can only record to ONE file at a time
grabber.RecordingMethod = TRecordingMethod.rmMP4;
grabber.RecordingFileName = "archive.mp4";
grabber.VideoBitrate = 8000000;

grabber.StartPreview();
grabber.StartRecording();

// LIMITATIONS:
// - Cannot stream while recording
// - Cannot record multiple files simultaneously
// - No RTMP/SRT/HLS streaming support
// - No additional outputs at different resolutions
// - To stream, you would need a separate tool
//   alongside TVideoGrabber
//
// Multi-output and streaming are simply
// not available in TVideoGrabber at any
// price point.

using VisioForge.Core.VideoCapture;

var capture = new VideoCaptureCore();

// Set video source
var devices = await capture.Video_CaptureDevice_ListAsync();
capture.Video_CaptureDevice = devices[0];

// Enable motion detection
capture.Motion_Detection.Enabled = true;
capture.Motion_Detection.Sensitivity = 70;
capture.Motion_Detection.HighlightMotion = true;
capture.Motion_Detection.HighlightColor = Color.Red;

// Motion event handler
capture.OnMotionDetected += (s, e) =>
{
    Console.WriteLine(
        $"Motion at {DateTime.Now}: " +
        $"Level={e.Level:P0}");

    // Start recording on motion
    if (!capture.IsRecording)
    {
        capture.Output_Filename =
            $"motion_{DateTime.Now:yyyyMMdd_HHmmss}.mp4";
        capture.StartRecording();
    }
};

// Configure output
capture.Output_Format = new MP4Output
{
    Video = new H264EncoderSettings
    {
        Bitrate = 4000,
        UseHardwareEncoder = true
    }
};

// Start preview with detection
await capture.StartAsync();

// TVideoGrabber — motion detection
var grabber = new TVideoGrabber();

// Select video device
grabber.VideoDevice = 0;

// Enable motion detection
grabber.MotionDetection_Enabled = true;
grabber.MotionDetection_Sensitivity = 70;

// Motion event
grabber.OnMotionDetected += (s, e) =>
{
    Console.WriteLine(
        $"Motion detected at {DateTime.Now}");
};

// Set recording format
grabber.RecordingMethod = TRecordingMethod.rmMP4;
grabber.RecordingFileName = "motion.mp4";

grabber.StartPreview();

// Note: TVideoGrabber does support
// basic motion detection — this is
// a shared capability.
// However, no motion highlight overlay,
// no hardware encoding toggle,
// no dynamic filename switching,
// no simultaneous stream on motion.