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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.