byzanz-record

Record the screen and write the recording to a file (by default, byzanz-record will only record for 10 seconds)

$ byzanz-record [path/to/file.[byzanz|flv|gif|ogg|ogv|webm]]

$ byzanz-record [[-v|--verbose]] [path/to/file.[byzanz|flv|gif|ogg|ogv|webm]]

$ byzanz-record [[-d|--duration]] 60 [path/to/file.[byzanz|flv|gif|ogg|ogv|webm]]

$ byzanz-record --delay 10 [path/to/file.[byzanz|flv|gif|ogg|ogv|webm]]

byzanz-record [OPTIONS] FILENAME

-d, --duration=SECONDS
    Sets the recording duration in seconds.

-e, --delay=SECONDS
    Specifies a delay before recording starts.

-x, --x=PIXEL
    Defines the X-coordinate of the top-left corner of the recording area.

-y, --y=PIXEL
    Defines the Y-coordinate of the top-left corner of the recording area.

-w, --width=PIXEL
    Sets the width of the recording area.

-h, --height=PIXEL
    Sets the height of the recording area.

-c, --cursor
    Includes the mouse cursor in the recording.

-a, --audio
    Attempts to record audio along with video. Requires appropriate audio backend setup.

-v, --verbose
    Enables verbose output for more detailed information during recording.

-f, --fullscreen
    Captures the entire screen instead of a specific area.

-l, --loop
    Forces animated GIF to loop indefinitely (default for GIF).

-s, --stereo
    Records audio in stereo (if audio recording is enabled).

-r, --fps=FPS
    Sets the frames per second for the recording (default 10).

--display=DISPLAY
    Specifies the X display to use for recording.

--debug
    Enables debug output for troubleshooting and development.

--version
    Displays the byzanz version information and exits.

--help
    Shows the help message and exits.

byzanz-record is a command-line utility for capturing desktop sessions into animated files. It supports popular formats like GIF, WebM, and Ogg Theora, making it versatile for various uses such as creating short tutorials, demonstrations, or bug reports. Users can define the recording area by specifying X, Y coordinates, width, and height, or opt for full-screen capture. Key features include control over recording duration, an initial delay before capture begins, and setting the frames per second (FPS) for smoother animations. It also offers options to include the mouse cursor and, in some configurations, record audio. While simple to use, it provides enough flexibility for common screen recording needs. Its lightweight nature makes it a good choice for quick captures without heavy dependencies.

Audio recording functionality might depend on specific system configuration and available audio backends (e.g., PulseAudio or ALSA). Generated GIF files can be very large for longer recordings or higher frame rates; consider WebM or Ogg Theora for better compression. Performance can be impacted by the chosen recording area size and system resources.

byzanz-record supports three primary output formats based on the file extension:
GIF: Ideal for short, looping animations and easy sharing. Can result in large file sizes.
WebM (.webm): Offers better compression and quality than GIF, suitable for longer recordings.
Ogg Theora (.ogv): Another open video format providing good compression and quality.

You can define the exact area to record using the -x, -y, -w, and -h options. For instance, byzanz-record -x 100 -y 50 -w 640 -h 480 output.gif records a 640x480 area starting at (100,50). Alternatively, use -f or --fullscreen to capture the entire desktop.

byzanz-record originated as part of the GNOME project's efforts to provide simple, integrated desktop tools. Its development focused on offering a straightforward command-line interface for common screen recording tasks, particularly for creating animated GIFs. It has been a popular choice for quick screencasts due to its ease of use and minimal dependencies, establishing itself as a go-to for command-line based desktop capture.

ffmpeg(1), gifview(1)