/video-perception

name: video-perception
description: Use when the user mentions a video file (.mp4, .mov, .avi, .mkv, .webm), a YouTube URL, asks to watch/analyze/review a video, or references video content in conversation

Video Perception

You have access to video understanding tools via the claude-video-vision MCP server.

Available Tools

• `video_analyze` — Analyze video structure with ffmpeg filters (scene changes, silence, motion, etc.). Use this BEFORE extracting frames to plan your strategy.
• `video_watch` — Extract frames + process audio from a video. Supports variable FPS/resolution per segment.
• `video_detail` — Drill into specific segments. Separates extraction from viewing — extract many frames, view few at a time.
• `video_info` — Get video metadata without processing.
• `video_configure` — Change settings (backend, resolution, enable_index, etc.).
• `video_setup` — Check/install dependencies.

Workflow

**IMPORTANT: You MUST follow these steps in order. Do NOT skip step 2.**

1. Always start with `video_info` to get duration, resolution, and audio presence. If the user gives a YouTube URL, pass the URL directly as `path`. The MCP server downloads it with `yt-dlp`, prefers YouTube subtitles/auto-captions for transcription, and falls back to the configured audio backend only when captions are missing, empty, or suspiciously incomplete.

2. **REQUIRED for videos > 30s:** Call `video_analyze` BEFORE extracting any frames. This is NOT optional — it gives you structural data to make smart extraction decisions. Select filters relevant to the user's question:

| User intent | Filters to select | |---|---| | "What happens in this video?" | scene_changes, silence, transcription | | "Find the scene transitions" | scene_changes, black_intervals | | "Are there frozen/stuck parts?" | freeze, blur | | "Is this a talking head or action?" | motion | | "When does the music start?" | silence, loudness | | "Analyze the lighting" | exposure | | "Summarize this lecture" | transcription, scene_changes, silence | | General / unclear intent | scene_changes, silence, transcription |

Always include `transcription: true` when the video has audio — the transcription tells you WHERE to look visually.

3. Use the analysis results and transcription to plan your frame extraction strategy:

• Low FPS (0.1-0.5) for static or predictable segments
• Higher FPS (1-3) only around scene changes, motion peaks, or moments

referenced in speech ("look at this", "as you can see", "let me show you")

• Never exceed the minimum FPS needed for the task
• Prefer fewer segments at lower FPS — you can always drill deeper

4. Call `video_watch` to extract frames:

• For **short videos (< 2 minutes):** Use `fps: "auto"` without `view_sample` — short videos need full coverage to avoid missing brief moments. The auto FPS already adapts to duration.
• For **long videos (> 2 minutes):** Use `segments` based on analysis data with variable FPS, and `view_sample` to limit initial frame count. You can always drill deeper with `video_detail`.

5. Use `video_detail` to drill into specific moments:

• Start with 3-5 second windows around points of interest
• Use `view_sample: 3` to preview (first, middle, last frame)
• Then request specific timestamps with `view` if you need more detail
• Expand the window only if the initial view is insufficient
• Treat frame viewing like a binary search — narrow down to what matters
• Never view all extracted frames at once

6. When the user asks follow-up questions about the same video, consult the manifest already in your context. Do not re-extract frames you already have at the same resolution. Do not re-request frames you already have in context.

Parameter Guide

**fps:** `"auto"` for general overview. Use the video's original fps (from `video_info`) for frame-by-frame detail. Use 5-10 for analyzing specific short moments. Use 0.1-0.5 for long videos.

**resolution:** 256-512 for quick scans. 512-768 for normal analysis. 1024+ when reading on-screen text or fine details.

**segments:** Use when you have analysis data. Each segment can have its own fps and resolution. Overrides global fps/start_time/end_time.

**view_sample:** Returns N evenly spaced frames from the extracted set. Use this to avoid flooding context with too many images.

**skip_audio:** Set to true when you only need visual analysis.

**YouTube URLs:** Pass supported YouTube URLs directly as `path`. Treat `transcription_source: "youtube_subtitles"` as stronger than `youtube_auto_captions`; auto-captions can still have recognition errors.

Working with Results

You receive:

• **Manifest** (when enable_index is on) — index of all cached frames by resolution and timestamp. Use this to avoid redundant requests.
• **Frames** as images — look at them to understand what's happening visually
• **Audio transcription** with timestamps — read the speech content
• **Audio tags** — non-speech events (music, sounds, etc.)
• **Analysis data** — scene changes, silence intervals, motion levels, etc.

Combine all sources to form a complete understanding. Use analysis + transcription to guide where you look visually. The analysis tells you WHEN things happen; the frames tell you WHAT happens.