CaptureParameters

CaptureParameters is a term used in software development to describe a structured collection of settings that govern how data is captured from a source such as a camera, microphone, screen, or network interface. In many APIs it is represented as an object, record, or dictionary named captureParameters, often exposed through a builder or constructor. The goal is to separate capture configuration from the capture logic itself, enabling reuse and easier maintenance.

Common fields, depending on domain, include resolution or sample rate, frame rate, pixel format or sample format, color space, bitrate or encoding, duration or length, region of interest or crop, audio channels and sample rate, region or window to capture, latency, and timing controls such as timestamps or synchronization options. Additional domain-specific fields may include exposure, white balance, focus mode for imaging; gain and noise suppression for audio; protocol filters for network capture.

Usage typically involves creating a captureParameters instance and passing it to a capture engine, device driver, or API to initialize and start capture. Some frameworks support dynamic updates, while others require reinitialization when parameters change. Defaults are usually provided by the API, with validation to ensure values are within hardware capabilities and software constraints.

Domains commonly employing captureParameters include video and image capture, audio recording, screen or window capture, network packet capture, and scientific data acquisition. Across domains, captureParameters interact with hardware capabilities, processing pipelines, and storage or streaming subsystems. Considerations include privacy and security, performance impact, thread safety, and the need to serialize configurations for reuse or transfer between systems. See also: capture device, capture API, and configuration objects.