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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Use vcsi’s -S (or --actual-size) option to capture thumbnails at the source video’s actual 1:1 resolution. That does not upscale the video, and it does not set a fixed resolution for the finished contact sheet: the sheet’s dimensions also depend on the grid and number of frames.
What vcsi’s actual-size option does
vcsi builds a contact sheet by capturing frames from a video and arranging them as thumbnails. The project documents -S and --actual-size for making those thumbnails at the video’s actual resolution. In other words, the option preserves the source frame’s dimensions for each thumbnail; it cannot add detail or increase the resolution of the source video. See vcsi’s project documentation.
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The individual thumbnail resolution and the composite image dimensions are separate. A grid combines multiple thumbnails into one output, so the arrangement and sample count affect the overall sheet. There is no single output resolution guaranteed by -S.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteInstall vcsi and check its dependencies
The project documents installation with pip or uv. It also requires ffmpeg and ffprobe to be callable from your command line. Its listed Python dependencies include numpy, pillow, jinja2, texttable, and parsedatetime. Consult the current project instructions or PyPI page for installation details, since package instructions and platform availability can change.
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Generate a contact sheet with 1:1 thumbnails
After installing vcsi and its dependencies, run a command such as:
vcsi input-video.mp4 -S -g 4x4 -o contact-sheet.pngReplace input-video.mp4 with your video’s path. This example combines the documented actual-size option, a 4-by-4 grid, and an output path. It is an option pattern, not a claim that this exact command has been tested. The project’s examples also document setting output width and choosing PNG output.
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Choose the grid, sample count, width, and format
These controls affect the layout or encoding of the contact sheet; they do not replace the role of -S in selecting actual-size thumbnails.
| Option | What it controls | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
-S / --actual-size |
Thumbnail resolution | Use it when you want thumbnails at the source video’s actual resolution. |
-g |
Grid arrangement | Set the number of rows and columns, such as 4x4. |
-s |
Sample count | Set how many frames to include. |
-w |
Contact-sheet width | Set a width when you want to constrain the sheet’s layout. |
-f / --format |
Image format | Choose a format supported by Pillow; the project gives PNG and JPG as examples. |
--quality |
Output quality setting | The CLI documents a scale from 0 to 100 and describes 100 as best quality. |
-o |
Output path | Provide the destination filename, such as contact-sheet.png. |
For example, a larger sample count or a different grid can change the composite’s dimensions. Setting a width gives you another layout control, while format and quality affect how the image is encoded. The project documentation does not specify a universal maximum sheet size, memory limit, or performance guarantee, so choose settings according to the output you need rather than relying on a fixed size or speed expectation.
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Why a full-resolution sheet can become large
With -S, each thumbnail uses the source video’s actual frame resolution. A contact sheet then combines multiple thumbnails into one image. As a practical consequence, a sheet with many large thumbnails may have substantial pixel dimensions and require more storage or handling than a sheet made with smaller thumbnails. This is an expectation based on the documented behavior, not a measured benchmark.
To keep the result manageable, adjust the number of samples and the grid, and consider the output width and format. Each choice involves a tradeoff: fewer frames show less of the video, while a denser or larger arrangement can expand the composite; image format and quality affect the saved output. vcsi’s documentation does not publish a single recommended setting for every video.
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