diff --git a/gui.h b/gui.h
index aed1b21..89c2626 100644
--- a/gui.h
+++ b/gui.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ G_MODULE_EXPORT gboolean cb_window_delete_event (GtkWidget *widget,
 G_MODULE_EXPORT void cb_video_btnrefreshlist  (GtkWidget *widget, gpointer data);
 G_MODULE_EXPORT void cb_video_btnrec  (GtkWidget *widget, gpointer data);
 G_MODULE_EXPORT void cb_video_btnstop (GtkWidget *widget, gpointer data);
+G_MODULE_EXPORT void cb_videoda_draw(GtkWidget *area, cairo_t *cr, int w, int h, gpointer data);
 
 //
 // thread handles
diff --git a/simpleskycam.ui b/simpleskycam.ui
index f3be78e..0a05317 100644
--- a/simpleskycam.ui
+++ b/simpleskycam.ui
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
               <object class="GtkDrawingArea" id="video-da">
                 <property name="visible">True</property>
                 <property name="can-focus">False</property>
+                <signal name="draw" handler="cb_videoda_draw" swapped="no"/>
               </object>
               <packing>
                 <property name="resize">False</property>
diff --git a/video.cc b/video.cc
index 66144b4..01089bd 100644
--- a/video.cc
+++ b/video.cc
@@ -189,6 +189,23 @@ void video_convert (VideoFrame *vf, GdkPixbuf *pixbuf) {
 
 
 
+void cb_videoda_draw(GtkWidget *area, cairo_t *cr, int w, int h, gpointer data) {
+    GdkRGBA color;
+    GtkStyleContext *context;
+
+    context = gtk_widget_get_style_context (area);
+   
+    if (video_da == NULL) return;
+
+    //cairo_move_to(cr, 30, 30);
+    //cairo_set_font_size(cr,15);
+    //cairo_show_text(cr, "hello world");
+
+    gdk_cairo_set_source_pixbuf(cr, video_pixbuf, 0, 0);
+    cairo_paint(cr);
+    cairo_fill (cr);
+};
+
 
 void video_draw_image (VideoFrame *vf) {
 	int pix_w;
@@ -218,39 +235,10 @@ void video_draw_image (VideoFrame *vf) {
 		video_pixbuf = gdk_pixbuf_new (GDK_COLORSPACE_RGB, false, 8, vf->w, vf->h);
 		pix_w = vf->w;
 		pix_h = vf->h;
-
-//		int channels = gdk_pixbuf_get_n_channels (video_pixbuf);
-//		int rowstride = gdk_pixbuf_get_rowstride (video_pixbuf);
 	}
 
 	video_convert(vf, video_pixbuf);
-
-    GdkWindow* window = gtk_widget_get_window(video_da);
-    cairo_t *cr = gdk_cairo_create(window);
-
-    gdk_cairo_set_source_pixbuf(cr, video_pixbuf, 0, 0);
-    cairo_paint(cr);
-    cairo_fill (cr);
-
-//    cairo_move_to(cr, 30, 30);
-//    cairo_set_font_size(cr,15);
-//    cairo_show_text(cr, "hello world");
-
-	cairo_destroy (cr);
-
-	/*
-	//
-	// "convert" the G*t*kWidget to G*d*kWindow (no, it's not a GtkWindow!)
-    GdkWindow* window = gtk_widget_get_window(video_da);
-    cairo_region_t * cairoRegion = cairo_region_create();
-    GdkDrawingContext * drawingContext = gdk_window_begin_draw_frame (window,cairoRegion);
-    cairo_t * cr = gdk_drawing_context_get_cairo_context (drawingContext);
-
-
-    gdk_window_end_draw_frame(window,drawingContext);
-    cairo_region_destroy(cairoRegion);
-
-    */
+    gdk_window_invalidate_rect(gtk_widget_get_window(video_da), NULL, true);
 };
 
 
@@ -328,9 +316,9 @@ gboolean cb_thread_video (gpointer data) {
 		gtk_widget_set_sensitive(btnstop, false);
 	}
 	else {
-		// printf ("%s:%d %s got video data\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__);
 		vf = videodev.FrameGet();
 		if (vf != NULL) video_draw_image(vf);
+        else printf ("%s:%d %s could not get image data\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__);
 		videodev.FrameNext();
 	}