Running CaptureGem on Linux: The Ultimate Headless Setup guide illustration
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Running CaptureGem on Linux: The Ultimate Headless Setup

Table of Contents

While many users run CaptureGem on their primary Windows machines, the most reliable way to maintain a 24/7 archival rig is with a dedicated Headless Linux Server. This setup uses fewer resources, offers better uptime, and can be managed entirely via SSH or the built-in Monitor API.

1. Choosing Your Distribution

For the best compatibility with hardware encoders (NVENC/QuickSync), we recommend:

  • Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 LTS: Best driver support and documentation.
  • Debian 12: Extremely stable, great for low-power setups.

2. Installing Prerequisites

Before installing CaptureGem, ensure your hardware drivers and FFmpeg are ready.

# Update and install FFmpeg
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y ffmpeg

# For NVIDIA users (NVENC)
sudo apt install -y nvidia-headless-535 nvidia-utils-535

3. Setup via Systemd (CLI Method)

To ensure CaptureGem starts automatically after a reboot, use a systemd service.

  1. Download the Linux binary to /opt/capturegem/.
  2. Create the service file: sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/capturegem.service
[Unit]
Description=CaptureGem Recording Engine
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=ubuntu
WorkingDirectory=/opt/capturegem
ExecStart=/opt/capturegem/capturegem --port 8080 --config-dir /home/ubuntu/.config/capturegem
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
  1. Enable and start:
sudo systemctl enable capturegem
sudo systemctl start capturegem

4. Setup via Docker (Container Method)

If you prefer isolation, use the community Docker image.

version: '3.8'
services:
  capturegem:
    image: capturegem/engine:latest
    container_name: cg-engine
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
      - /mnt/recordings:/recordings
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              count: 1
              capabilities: [gpu]
    restart: unless-stopped

5. Remote Management

Once running, you don’t need a monitor or GUI.

  • Monitor API: Access the dashboard at http://your-server-ip:8080.
  • Logs: View real-time output with journalctl -u capturegem -f.
  • File Management: Use SFTP or Tailscale to securely access your .mp4 files from any device.

Conclusion

A headless Linux setup is the “gold standard” for CaptureGem power users. It provides a rock-solid, high-performance environment that lets you focus on your collection rather than maintaining your OS.

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