How to Configure the Default Detail Mode in Claude Video

The default detail mode in Claude Video is set to "balanced" via the DEFAULT_DETAIL constant in skills/watch/scripts/config.py, and you can override it for all runs using the WATCH_DETAIL environment variable or by modifying the configuration file directly.

Claude Video, an open-source video analysis tool from the bradautomates/claude-video repository, uses a configurable detail setting to control how many frames are extracted from video content. This setting determines the balance between processing speed and visual analysis depth. When users don't specify a detail level via command-line arguments, the application falls back to a default value that can be customized through several mechanisms.

Where the Default Detail Mode Is Defined

The primary definition for the default detail mode resides in the configuration module. In skills/watch/scripts/config.py, the constant DEFAULT_DETAIL is explicitly set to "balanced":

# skills/watch/scripts/config.py (lines 12-14)

DEFAULT_DETAIL = "balanced"

This constant serves as the authoritative fallback when no other configuration is provided.

How the Configuration Fallback Works

When you run Claude Video without specifying a detail mode, the application follows a specific resolution path. In skills/watch/scripts/watch.py, the script first checks for a --detail command-line argument. If omitted, it looks for the detail key in the configuration dictionary (config["detail"]). If that entry is missing or contains an invalid value, the code finally falls back to the DEFAULT_DETAIL constant defined in the configuration module.

According to the source code at lines 54-57 in watch.py, this fallback chain ensures that "balanced" is always used as the safe default unless explicitly overridden.

Methods to Configure the Default Detail Mode

You have three primary ways to configure or override the default detail mode in Claude Video.

Method 1: Use the WATCH_DETAIL Environment Variable

The WATCH_DETAIL environment variable overrides the default before the configuration is loaded. This is the recommended approach for temporarily setting a different default without modifying source files.

Set the variable in your shell:

# Bash/Linux/macOS

export WATCH_DETAIL=efficient

# Windows PowerShell

$env:WATCH_DETAIL = "efficient"

The test suite in tests/test_config.py (lines 49-50) confirms that setting WATCH_DETAIL correctly injects the override value before the configuration initializes.

Method 2: Edit the Configuration File

To permanently change the default for all users of the installation, modify the DEFAULT_DETAIL constant in skills/watch/scripts/config.py:

# skills/watch/scripts/config.py

DEFAULT_DETAIL = "token-burner"  # Changed from "balanced"

After editing, all subsequent runs will use your new default unless overridden by environment variables or command-line flags.

Method 3: Command-Line Override for Single Runs

For one-off executions, pass the --detail flag directly:

claude-video watch https://youtu.be/example --detail transcript

This overrides both the environment variable and the configuration file defaults.

Available Detail Modes in Claude Video

Claude Video supports four distinct detail modes, each interpreted in watch.py (lines 72-73 and 204-209) to select the appropriate frame-selection engine:

• efficient: Uses a key-frame extraction engine optimized for speed and token conservation.
• balanced: Uses a scene-aware engine that extracts frames at regular intervals (the default).
• token-burner: Aggressive frame extraction for maximum visual detail at higher token costs.
• transcript: Focuses primarily on audio transcription with minimal visual analysis.

Practical Configuration Examples

Set a persistent default via environment variable:

# Add to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc for persistence

export WATCH_DETAIL=efficient

# Verify it works

claude-video watch https://youtu.be/example

Modify the source configuration:

# skills/watch/scripts/config.py

DEFAULT_DETAIL = "token-burner"

Override for a single execution:

claude-video watch https://youtu.be/example --detail efficient

Summary

• The default detail mode is "balanced", defined as DEFAULT_DETAIL in skills/watch/scripts/config.py.
• You can override the default using the WATCH_DETAIL environment variable for session-level changes.
• For permanent changes, edit the DEFAULT_DETAIL constant in the configuration file.
• Four modes are available: efficient, balanced, token-burner, and transcript.
• Command-line --detail flags take highest precedence, followed by environment variables, then the configuration file constant.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the default detail mode in Claude Video?

The default detail mode is "balanced". This is hard-coded as the DEFAULT_DETAIL constant in skills/watch/scripts/config.py (line 12) and is used whenever users don't specify a detail level via command-line arguments or environment variables.

Can I change the default detail mode without editing code?

Yes. Set the WATCH_DETAIL environment variable to your preferred mode (efficient, balanced, token-burner, or transcript). This overrides the code-based default without requiring modifications to config.py, making it ideal for containerized or shared environments.

Where does Claude Video process the detail mode setting?

The detail mode is interpreted in skills/watch/scripts/watch.py. Lines 72-73 handle the initial CLI argument parsing, while lines 204-209 map the detail string to the appropriate frame-selection engine (key-frame, scene-aware, etc.). The fallback logic at lines 54-57 ensures the default is applied when no other value is specified.

What happens if I specify an invalid detail mode?

If you provide an invalid detail mode via --detail, the script falls back to checking config["detail"]. If that is also missing or invalid, it uses the DEFAULT_DETAIL constant ("balanced") as the final fallback, ensuring the application always runs with a valid configuration.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}