*dpm*
:P
Zoomplayer is a neat little media player that has the ability to play numerous file types. In particular, I use this player for all my .avi, .mpeg, .mkv & .ogm file viewing needs.
In addition, the player has the ability to grab screenshots from a video file. Which is what I’m here to explain to you today :D Where a simple press of the ‘Print Screen’ button does not allow you to take a screenshot, Zoomplayer has the ability to capture a still. This is referred to as Grab. In addition, you can capture shots from the entire video, from every frame, to every xth frame, to just a single shot.
Locating the Grab functionLet us begin with opening up the video you wish to grab a shot from. For this tute I am using an .avi file though there is no reason why .mkv, .ogm, .mpeg etc. files will not work either. The only thing is I can’t seem to do it with actual DVD discs and I’m not sure if there is a way to do it in Zoom Player.
When you open you’re video file, two icons should appear down the bottom: we are interested in the maroon one: ‘FFv’
Double click on the image and you will end up in this screen. Scroll down, tick and click the ‘Grab’ box:
Firstly, let’s set up where you want to save the file. In the middle of the window, in the box named ‘path’ click on the button with three dots to specify where you wish to save your grabs.
‘Name of prefix’ refers to how the grab will be saved, it defaults to Grab.
Select the file format that you wish to save the file from the drop down box. This defaults to ‘.jpeg’
For best quality, move the dial to 100 (it is currently at 80)
Finally, the type of grab you wish to capture. Zoomplayer provides you with 3 options:
Every frameSelect this option if you wish to rip every single frame of your video file. Be warned that this will take up a lot of space on your drive and if selected will grab every frame that is played in that video screen.
Single frame In the, you can type the number of the frame that you wish to capture. However, I see little use in this function unless you know the exact frame you wish to capture an image.
RangeIf you know the range of the interested frame you want an image of, you can input the numbers in the relevant boxes, and then underneath specify how often you wish to grab an image within that period (e.g. from every 5, to every single frame).
Once you have set your inputs, hit the ‘grab now’ button, and the frame capturing will begin.
If you are not sure of the frame range, but wish to capture an image that only flashes on screen for an instant you can have a guess-timate. This is how I would go about capturing a shot in a range of frames.
1. I would have both windows open side by side with the ‘Single frame’ function selected.
2. Click the ‘Grab now’ button when the shot you want flashes on screen (or for a frame that is near the shot you want).
3. Go to the folder which you specified as the location to save your shot and look at the grab name. The numbers at the end should specify what frame it is.
4. Go back to the ‘Grab window’ and select ‘Range’ and input a range around those numbers and the number of frames you want taken each shot (if you have only a small range, I’d recommend capturing every shot, so you have the ability to filter .
5. Click the ‘Grab now’ function, and play your video (it will only take screen shots if the video is playing). Stop the video once the segment you are interested has played and check the folder the files are saved to see if the shot you are interested in has come up.
Once you are happy with the grab you obtained, be sure to unselect the ‘Grab’ function in the ‘FFv’ window, just in case, because I’ve left it on before and wondered why my computer was so slow… only to realise that Zoom Player was taking grabs of what I was watching.
Hope that helps Ari and any questions just letme know :)
