https://github.com/deepmancer/fake-webcam-streamer
Automated Bash script to fake a webcam by streaming a video file as a virtual webcam on Ubuntu. Utilizes v4l2loopback and ffmpeg for seamless setup and operation.
https://github.com/deepmancer/fake-webcam-streamer
automation bash bash-script camera fake-camera fake-streaming fake-webcam ffmpeg ffmpeg-script linux shell ubuntu v4l2loopback virtual-camera virtual-webcam webcam webcam-streaming
Last synced: 3 months ago
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Automated Bash script to fake a webcam by streaming a video file as a virtual webcam on Ubuntu. Utilizes v4l2loopback and ffmpeg for seamless setup and operation.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/deepmancer/fake-webcam-streamer
- Owner: deepmancer
- License: mit
- Created: 2024-08-26T12:29:21.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-08-26T12:47:13.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-07-08T19:48:44.279Z (3 months ago)
- Topics: automation, bash, bash-script, camera, fake-camera, fake-streaming, fake-webcam, ffmpeg, ffmpeg-script, linux, shell, ubuntu, v4l2loopback, virtual-camera, virtual-webcam, webcam, webcam-streaming
- Language: Shell
- Homepage:
- Size: 7.81 KB
- Stars: 3
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# 📷 Fake Webcam Streamer
**Fake Webcam Streamer** is an automated Bash script designed to turn a video file into a virtual webcam on Ubuntu. Using `v4l2loopback` and `ffmpeg`, it creates a seamless virtual webcam experience that can be utilized in any video input-enabled application. Whether you’re simulating a live feed for testing, presentations, or just for fun, this script handles everything from device detection to cleanup, so you don't have to.
---
## 🚀 Features
- **🔧 Automated Setup:** Automatically detects and configures the next available video device.
- **🔄 Seamless Streaming:** Streams your chosen video file in a continuous loop as a virtual webcam.
- **🧹 Automatic Cleanup:** Ensures the virtual webcam module is removed when the script exits, leaving no traces.
- **⚠️ Error Handling:** Built-in checks for missing or invalid video files to prevent issues.
---
## 📋 Requirements
- **Ubuntu** (Tested on versions 20.04 and above)
- **v4l2loopback**: A kernel module to create virtual video devices. Refer to the official [v4l2loopback GitHub repository](https://github.com/umlaeute/v4l2loopback) for installation instructions.
- **ffmpeg**: A powerful multimedia framework to handle video streams. Install it using:
```bash
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg
```
---
## 💻 Installation
1. **Clone the repository** to your local machine:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/fake-webcam-streamer.git
cd fake-webcam-streamer
```
2. **Make the script executable:**
```bash
chmod +x fake_webcam.sh
```
3. **Install the required dependencies** as mentioned in the **Requirements** section.
---
## ▶️ Usage
To use the script, pass the path to your video file as an argument:
```bash
./fake_webcam.sh /path/to/video.mkv
```
---
### Example:
```bash
./fake_webcam.sh ~/Videos/sample_video.mkv
```
---
### ⚙️ How It Works:
- **Cleanup Function:** A function is defined to remove the virtual webcam module when the script exits (triggered by signals like `SIGINT` or `SIGTERM`).
- **Validation:** The script checks if the video file path is provided and verifies its existence.
- **Device Detection:** Finds the next available video device number (`/dev/videoX`), loads the `v4l2loopback` module on that device, and streams the video in a loop using `ffmpeg`.
---
## 🔗 Notes
- The virtual webcam will be accessible under `/dev/videoX` (where `X` is the device number found by the script). You can use this in applications like Zoom, OBS, or any other video conferencing software.
- The video will loop continuously until the script is stopped.
---
## 📄 License
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
---
## 🙏 Acknowledgements
- [v4l2loopback](https://github.com/umlaeute/v4l2loopback) - For creating virtual video devices on Linux.
- [ffmpeg](https://ffmpeg.org/) - For handling multimedia files and streams.