Webcam stream only displaying Ghost Images

Question

I just setup motion on a new Ubuntu install. When I goto the webcam port with Firefox I only get the ghost image or the difference from the last frame. When I take a snapshot or motion creates a image they are in full color and correct. So why is the webcam server not showing what the camera see's?

I have attached a Image of what the Picture looks like for me.

There is no error or much output. I just get a bunch of lines that look simular to this one
[1] Changes:  2045 - noise level: 22 - threshold: 9627

Environment

Motion version:	3.2.11
ffmpeg version:	ffmpeg 0.5
Libraries:	ffmpeg, mysql, postgresql
Server OS:	Ubuntu 2.6.28

-- AndrewDesh - 11 Jul 2009

Answer

- Extras from : http://www.lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view/Motion/TuningMotion

"...With 'motion -s' Motion runs in console mode instead of daemon. It outputs a lot of useful information for each frame from the camera. Each message is prefixed by [number] where number is the camera number (thread number).

When you look at the mjpeg webcam stream you see a black image with numbers. What you see is the number of changed pixels, number of labeled areas and noise setting. When something moves you see the pixels detected as Motion in black and white. The largest labelled area (assuming despeckle is enabled and with the 'l' at the end) is blue. It is only the blue areas which is counted as Motion. If smartmask is enabled you see this as red areas..."

- So, start motion without "-s" optional parameter (see here : http://www.lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view/Motion/CommandLineOptions ) This is not a bug, it is a feature.

-- FlorinAnton - 11 Jul 2009

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That bunch of data you get is because you are running motion with the option 'setup_mode on' , change it to off in your motion.conf

Please read the guide all is very well explained .

-- AngelCarpintero - 11 Jul 2009