...motion is started off root's cli, this is /var/log/messages :
Jul  9 19:59:48 a45 motion: [0] Processing thread 0 - config file /etc/motion/motion.conf
Jul  9 19:59:48 a45 motion: [0] Motion 3.2.11 Started
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70215.320036] usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 5
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70215.533038] usb 2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0ac8, idProduct=0302
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70215.533045] usb 2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70215.533050] usb 2-2: Product: PC Camera
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70215.533054] usb 2-2: Manufacturer: V Micro. Corp.
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70215.533217] usb 2-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70215.536019] gspca: probing 0ac8:0302
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70215.771816] zc3xx: probe sif 0x0000
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70216.091701] zc3xx: probe sensor -> 000a
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70216.091706] zc3xx: Find Sensor PB0330. Chip revision 0
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70216.096874] gspca: probe ok
Jul  9 20:00:07 a45 kernel: [70216.096928] gspca: probing 0ac8:0302
Jul  9 20:00:20 a45 motion: [0] Processing thread 0 - config file /etc/motion/motion.conf
Jul  9 20:00:20 a45 motion: [0] Motion 3.2.11 Started
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [0] Processing thread 0 - config file /etc/motion/motion.conf
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [0] Motion 3.2.11 Started
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [0] Created process id file /var/run/motion.pid. Process ID is 10170
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [0] Motion running as daemon process
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [0] ffmpeg LIBAVCODEC_BUILD 3355136 LIBAVFORMAT_BUILD 3409664
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [0] Thread 1 is from /etc/motion/motion.conf
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] cap.driver: "zc3xx"
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] cap.card: "PC Camera"
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] cap.bus_info: "usb-0000:00:1d.0-2"
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] cap.capabilities=0x05000001
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] - VIDEO_CAPTURE
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] - READWRITE
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] - STREAMING
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] Supported palettes:
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] 0: JPEG (JPEG)
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] index_format 3 Test palette JPEG (640x480)
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] Using palette JPEG (640x480) bytesperlines 640 sizeimage 115790 colorspace 00000007
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] found control 0x00980900, "Brightness", range 0,255
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1]         "Brightness", default 128, current 128
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] found control 0x00980901, "Contrast", range 0,256
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1]         "Contrast", default 128, current 128
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] found control 0x00980910, "Gamma", range 1,6
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1]         "Gamma", default 4, current 4
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1] found control 0x00980912, "Auto Gain", range 0,1
Jul  9 20:00:46 a45 motion: [1]         "Auto Gain", default 1, current 1
Jul  9 20:00:47 a45 motion: [1] Resizing pre_capture buffer to 1 items
Jul  9 20:01:21 a45 kernel: [70289.185033] motion[10171]: segfault at c ip b7e35c8e sp b5e469a0 error 4 in libavformat.so.52.32.0[b7e1f000+ad000]
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [0] Processing thread 0 - config file /etc/motion/motion.conf
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [0] Motion 3.2.11 Started
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [0] Created process id file /var/run/motion.pid. Process ID is 12169
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [0] Motion running as daemon process
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [0] ffmpeg LIBAVCODEC_BUILD 3355136 LIBAVFORMAT_BUILD 3409664
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [0] Thread 1 is from /etc/motion/motion.conf
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] cap.driver: "zc3xx"
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] cap.card: "PC Camera"
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] cap.bus_info: "usb-0000:00:1d.0-2"
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] cap.capabilities=0x05000001
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] - VIDEO_CAPTURE
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] - READWRITE
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] - STREAMING
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] Supported palettes:
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] 0: JPEG (JPEG)
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] index_format 3 Test palette JPEG (640x480)
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] Using palette JPEG (640x480) bytesperlines 640 sizeimage 115790 colorspace 00000007
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] found control 0x00980900, "Brightness", range 0,255
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1]         "Brightness", default 128, current 253
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] found control 0x00980901, "Contrast", range 0,256
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1]         "Contrast", default 128, current 128
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] found control 0x00980910, "Gamma", range 1,6
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1]         "Gamma", default 4, current 4
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1] found control 0x00980912, "Auto Gain", range 0,1
Jul  9 20:05:35 a45 motion: [1]         "Auto Gain", default 1, current 1
Jul  9 20:05:36 a45 motion: [1] Resizing pre_capture buffer to 1 items
Jul  9 20:06:06 a45 kernel: [70575.109034] motion[12170]: segfault at 2241 ip b7e5bc8e sp b5e6c9a0 error 4 in libavformat.so.52.32.0[b7e45000+ad000]
Jul  9 20:09:39 a45 kernel: [70787.552048] usb 2-2: USB disconnect, address 5
Jul  9 20:09:39 a45 kernel: [70787.552297] gspca: disconnect complete


...(" segfault at 2241 ip " is with movie_filename in /etc/motion/motion.conf,
" segfault at c ip " was with a ffmpeg_filename attempt there.)

Hi

I have the same problem with libavformat.so.52.34.0 from
debian-multimedia. My ugly workarround is this :

#!/bin/sh
trap "exit 0" SIGINT SIGTERM
while :; do
  motion
done

I can see about 1-3 crashes / period of 12 hours

Xavier

Hello,

I recently took over maintenance for the package motion in Debian.

This bug is quite old and related to old version of motion and libav.
Since it hasn't got any update since 2009, I have the sensation it can
be closed.

I'll wait a little bit for a feedback before closing it.

/Nicolas