# Questions before adopting FreeBSD for desktop



## joplass (Feb 8, 2019)

I am planing to migrate to FreeBSD so far I am trying it on a separate machine, no VM here.  I just need some information before I take the jump:

1.  Thanks to SirDice and Sevendogsbsd for their advice as of what version of FreeBSD to install for a newcomer like me.  
So question, is "RELEASE" the final output from developers?

2.  Does FreeBSD support HDMI output?

3.  Is there support for Web Cam?  

Thank you,


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## Sevendogsbsd (Feb 8, 2019)

Yes
Good question but I use display port and it is supported so assuming hdmi is as well (?) Faulty logic, yes, but thought I'd throw that out there!
Don't know - i have one but never tried. I am sure others will chime in on this, or I can dig mine out and see if it works.


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## PacketMan (Feb 8, 2019)

joplass said:


> 2.  Does FreeBSD support HDMI output?



I have a desktop machine running GNOME3 and it has a working HDMI output.


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## k.jacker (Feb 8, 2019)

Yes, HDMI video will allways work. Audio over HDMI does not allways work with onboard Realtek chips, but works well with my old Nvidia Geforce 650. I'm not sure if that's representative.


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## bjs (Feb 8, 2019)

3. Checkout webcamd


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## tingo (Feb 8, 2019)

HDMI works with FreeBSD
webcams work. Some might need multimedia/webcamd from ports.
And - from time to time people will run into unsupported hardware.


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## jb_fvwm2 (Feb 8, 2019)

first maybe cuse4bsd [ a port ]  required... here is a webcam CLI 90 percent guaranteed. 
`ffmpeg -y -f v4l2 -i /dev/video0 -vframes 2 test%3d.jpg`
if the hardware is detected.


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## gnath (Feb 9, 2019)

Yes, require binary updates some time.
HDMI is supported . In case of multiple audio output , default setting is needed. Here Handbook is your friend.


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## olli@ (Feb 9, 2019)

Regarding webcams: I have successfully used Logitech C210 / C310 and Philips SPC 900 NC with FreeBSD, including the built-in microphones. I'm sure that others will work, too. In some cases you have to fiddle a bit with the configuration or need to apply a special patch. For example, the Philips one needed the `pwcbsd` package (port multimedia/pwcbsd), while the Logitech ones worked with `webcamd` but required a certain usbconfig(8) command for initialization.

If you have specific questions regarding HDMI or webcams, I suggest you open a separate thread for each topic.


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## meine (Feb 9, 2019)

joplass said:


> I am planing to migrate to FreeBSD so far I am trying it on a separate machine, no VM here.  I just need some information before I take the jump.




See https://cooltrainer.org/a-freebsd-desktop-howto/ , there might be hints that answer your questions. The site is very useful for setting up a FreeBSD box from scratch .


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## joplass (Feb 10, 2019)

Thanks to you all. I sincerely appreciate the help.


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## scottro (Feb 10, 2019)

The cooltrainer page is good, but keep in mind it can often get outdated.


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## joplass (Feb 10, 2019)

scottro said:


> The cooltrainer page is good, but keep in mind it can often get outdated.


I learned that the hard way.


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## joplass (Feb 20, 2019)

I don't want to have many threads running if I can get all my answers from here since the purpose this thread is for me to get the tools I need to have my installation running the way I want it.  Admins and mods please feel free to give me proper directives if I am breaking any rules.  I will get my questions in one at the time.

Below is my .conkyrc, when not running, conky should show as "mpd not running" when running the artist name should show up.  Is there any wrong with mpd/musicpc lines?  All that is displayed is the script itself "${if_mpd_playing}..."


```
override_utf8_locale yes

use_xft yes
xftfont Cantarell:size=8
text_buffer_size 1024
update_interval 1.0
total_run_times 0

double_buffer yes
own_window yes
own_window_transparent no
#own_window_type override
own_window_colour 000000
double_buffer yes
own_window_hints undecorated,above,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager

minimum_size  1920 0
#maximum_width 1920 1


draw_shades no
draw_outline no
draw_borders no
draw_graph_borders no

default_color 5f5a5a
color1 red

#alignment tl
#alignment bl
gap_x 0
gap_y 5

no_buffers no
uppercase no
#cpu_avg_samples 8
short_units yes

border_inner_margin 0
border_outer_margin 0

out_to_x no
out_to_console yes
total_run_times 0
use_spacer none

TEXT
Job | ${color 9db270}FreeBSD${color 9c77b2} | ${color 7086b2}Machine:${color b26f7a}$nodename${color 9c77b2} | Uptime ${uptime} ${color 7086b2} | Cpu:${color 8c8b8b}${cpu cpu0}% | RAM: $mem / $memmax $memperc% | Swap ${swapperc}% | ${color 7086b2}Home ${fs_used_perc /home/job/}% | ${color d1d1d1}Hdd:${color} ${fs_used_perc /}% ${fs_used /} - ${fs_size /}${color} | ${color d1d1d1}Free:${color} ${fs_free /}${color}${font} | ${color 9c77b2}${if_up rl0}Up :${color e0e0e0}${upspeedf rl0}kb/s ${color 82BA00} ${color 82BA00}Down :${color e0e0e0}${downspeedf rl0}kb/s ${color 82BA00}|${color 9db270}${if_mpd_playing} ${exec musicpc current} ${else} mpd Not Running ${endif}
```


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## vermaden (Feb 20, 2019)

joplass said:


> So question, is "RELEASE" the final output from developers?


Its what most people use, mostly works, if not, run STABLE, if STABLE does not work, try CURRENT.



joplass said:


> 2.  Does FreeBSD support HDMI output?


Yes, works well.



joplass said:


> 3.  Is there support for Web Cam?


Yes with *webcamd*.


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## Sevendogsbsd (Feb 20, 2019)

To tag on to that (slightly): display port works well also. I have a 4k monitor hooked to DP on my HD630 Intel (i915) and have zero problems with this set up.


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## marcelbonnet (Feb 20, 2019)

If you use a Laptop, there is a chance you can find the hardware status here: https://wiki.freebsd.org/Laptops


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## olli@ (Feb 21, 2019)

Regarding HDMI support …


vermaden said:


> Yes, works well.


Even audio via HDMI is supported, so you don't have to use a separate audio connection if your monitor has built-in speakers.


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## joplass (Mar 13, 2019)

h264enc does not exist in freeBSD correct?  I like transcoding/recoding videos.  Is there a similar tool for freeBSD?  I am not a big fan of ffmpeg.

Is pulseaudio-equalizer workable?  I sent an email to the team at freebsd ports but I don't believe I will get an answer.  If there is no go for pulseaudio-equalizer is there something graphical one can use?


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## scottro (Mar 13, 2019)

You can encode in h264 or h265 with FreeBSD. I use ffmpeg which you said you don't like,but I think most things use it as a back end anyway.

Or is h264enc a program? In that case, I don't know the answer, I thought you were just asking can one encode to h264, and the answer is yes.


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## joplass (Mar 13, 2019)

scottro said:


> You can encode in h264 or h265 with FreeBSD. I use ffmpeg which you said you don't like,but I think most things use it as a back end anyway.
> 
> Or is h264enc a program? In that case, I don't know the answer, I thought you were just asking can one encode to h264, and the answer is yes.



What front end do you use with ffmpeg?   

yes h264enc is a little program. 

Thanks for the reply.


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## scottro (Mar 14, 2019)

I don't use a front end.  But  Handbrake, for example, in both its GUI and CLI versions, uses ffmpeg for back end. 
I did a quick search, and it doesn't seem that h264enc is available with FreeBSD. I'm sorry I can't be of much help, I've always used ffmpeg and command line to do this (and on occasion HandBrake command line). 

You can always try putting in a request for a package to be made. (This is usually done as a bug report.   
https://www.freebsd.org/support/bugreports.html explains submitting bugs. Even though this is more an RFE (request for enhancement ) than a bug, that is usually where one requests new packages. 

By the way, I see that h264enc is no longer actively developed, so you may wish to look for something else. http://h264enc.sourceforge.net/


I see it was (is?)  a front end for mencoder, which is also a good program, though I gradually switched to completely using ffmpeg.  A casual look at it makes me wonder if HandBrake GUI would be a good substitute for you.


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## scottro (Mar 14, 2019)

For what it's worth, avidemux seems a popular front end. However, in FreeBSD, it may not have been updated. See this thread. https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/video-editor.68373/


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