patchy631--ai-engineering-hub/video-rag-gemini/USAGE.md

🎬 Video RAG Usage Guide

This guide will help you get started with the Video RAG demo using Google's Gemini API.

Quick Start

1. Setup Environment

# Clone or navigate to the video-rag-gemini directory
cd video-rag-gemini

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Test your setup
python test_setup.py

2. Get Gemini API Key

1. Visit Google AI Studio
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Click "Create API Key"
4. Copy your API key

3. Configure API Key

Option A: Environment Variable (Recommended)

# Create .env file
cp .env.example .env

# Edit .env file and add your API key
GEMINI_API_KEY=your_actual_api_key_here

Option B: Enter in App

• You can also enter the API key directly in the Streamlit sidebar

4. Run the Application

streamlit run app.py

The app will open in your browser at http://localhost:8501

Using the App

Step 1: Enter API Key

• If you haven't set up the environment variable, enter your Gemini API key in the sidebar
• The key is masked for security

Step 2: Upload Video

• Click "Choose a video file" in the sidebar
• Supported formats: MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, WEBM
• File size limit: ~100MB (larger files may fail)
• Wait for the video to be processed (this can take several minutes)

Step 3: Start Chatting

• Once processing is complete, you'll see example questions
• Click on example questions or type your own
• Ask anything about the video content!

Example Questions

General Analysis

• "What is happening in this video?"
• "Summarize the main events"
• "Describe the overall scene"

People & Objects

• "Who are the people in this video?"
• "What objects can you see?"
• "Describe the clothing or appearance of people"

Actions & Events

• "What actions are taking place?"
• "What is the sequence of events?"
• "What happens at the beginning/middle/end?"

Environment & Setting

• "What is the setting or location?"
• "Describe the environment"
• "What time of day is it?"

Specific Details

• "What colors are prominent in the video?"
• "What sounds might be present?" (Note: Gemini analyzes visual content)
• "What emotions are expressed?"

Tips for Best Results

Video Quality

• Use clear, well-lit videos
• Avoid very shaky or blurry footage
• Higher resolution generally works better

Question Types

• Be specific in your questions
• Ask about visual elements (Gemini can't hear audio)
• Break complex questions into simpler parts

File Management

• Keep video files under 100MB when possible
• Use common formats (MP4 is most reliable)
• Compress large files if needed

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Error uploading video"

• Check file format and size
• Ensure stable internet connection
• Try a different video file

"Video processing failed"

• File may be too large or corrupted
• Try compressing the video
• Check if format is supported

"Error generating response"

• API key may be invalid or expired
• Check your API quota/billing
• Try a simpler question first

App is slow or unresponsive

• Large videos take time to process
• Wait a few minutes before trying again
• Refresh the page if needed

Getting Help

1. Check Setup: Run python test_setup.py
2. Verify API Key: Make sure it's correct and has quota
3. Test with Small Video: Try a short, small video first
4. Check Logs: Look at the Streamlit terminal for error messages

Advanced Usage

Command Line Demo

# Run the command-line demo
python demo.py

Environment Variables

# Set API key for session
export GEMINI_API_KEY=your_key_here

# Run app
streamlit run app.py

Custom Configuration

You can modify app.py to:

• Change the Gemini model (e.g., gemini-1.5-flash for faster responses)
• Adjust file size limits
• Customize the UI theme
• Add additional video formats

API Limits & Costs

• Free Tier: Limited requests per minute/day
• File Size: ~100MB per file
• Processing Time: Varies by video length and complexity
• Rate Limits: May need to wait between requests

Check Gemini API pricing for current limits and costs.

Security Notes

• Never share your API key publicly
• Use environment variables for production
• The app doesn't store videos permanently
• Videos are uploaded to Google's servers for processing

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Happy video chatting! 🎬✨