diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index dae77c4..fa140ad 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+- adding save of videodump files for debugging purposes
+- adding make target checkdumpfile to test and gain some basic information
+  on videodumpfiles
+
 2022-11-07:
 - fixed: clear control grid after stoping a recording
 - fixed: serval gtk warnings fixed. Checked if scale has a valid
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0f9baa8..b12ec91 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ help:
 	echo "set up configuration"
 	echo "   make configlinux      to generate the linix build"
 	
+checkdumpfile: checkdumpfile.cc
+	c++ -o checkdumpfile checkdumpfile.cc
+
 configlinux: clean
 	cp -f Makefile.rules.linux Makefile.rules
 	make config
@@ -56,6 +59,7 @@ clean:
 	rm -rf *.dll
 	rm -rf *.exe
 	rm -rf Makefile.rules
+	rm -rf checkdumpfile
 	rm -rf U2SM200C-AST_Cfg_A.bin
 	rm -rf U2SM200C-AST_Cfg_SAVE.bin
 
diff --git a/checkdumpfile.cc b/checkdumpfile.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25e8413
--- /dev/null
+++ b/checkdumpfile.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <arpa/inet.h>
+
+#include <string>
+
+std::string convert_from_pixelformat (uint32_t fmt) {
+	char txt[5];
+
+	snprintf (txt, 5, "%c%c%c%c", ((char*)&fmt)[0], ((char*)&fmt)[1], ((char*)&fmt)[2], ((char*)&fmt)[3]);
+	return txt;
+};
+
+
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+	int fd;
+	int cnt = 0;
+	char *inbuf = NULL;
+	int inbufsize = 0;
+
+	uint32_t i;
+	uint32_t size;
+
+	if (argc != 2) {
+		printf ("please give a file name as parameter.\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	printf ("reading file :'%s'\n", argv[1]);
+
+	if ((fd = open (argv[1], O_RDONLY)) < 0) {
+		printf ("could not open file: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+	}
+
+	//
+	// read header w, h, pixfmt
+	if (read (fd, &i, 4) != 4) {
+		printf ("could not read all bytes.\n");
+		close (fd);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	printf ("      Width: %d\n", ntohl(i));
+
+	if (read (fd, &i, 4) != 4) {
+		printf ("could not read all bytes.\n");
+		close (fd);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	printf ("      Height: %d\n", ntohl(i));
+
+	if (read (fd, &i, 4) != 4) {
+		printf ("could not read all bytes.\n");
+		close (fd);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	printf("      Pixfmt: %s\n", convert_from_pixelformat(ntohl(i)).c_str());
+
+
+	//
+	// read frame
+	while (read (fd, &size, 4) == 4) {
+		size = ntohl(size);
+		if (read (fd, &i, 4) != 4) {
+			printf ("could not read all bytes.\n");
+			close (fd);
+			return -1;
+		}
+		i = ntohl(i);
+
+		if (inbuf == NULL){
+			inbuf = (char*) malloc (size);
+			inbufsize = size;
+		}
+		else if (inbufsize < size) {
+			inbuf = (char*)realloc(inbuf, size);
+			inbufsize = size;
+		}
+
+		if (inbuf == NULL) {
+			printf ("Error could not allocate enough memory\n");
+			close (fd);
+			return -1;
+		}
+		if (read (fd, inbuf, size) != size) {
+			printf ("could not read to next frame.\n");
+			close (fd);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		printf ("Frame: %-9d     Timestamp:%-9d    Size:%d\n", cnt++, i, size);
+	}
+
+	printf ("\nFile seems to be fine.\n");
+
+	close (fd);
+	return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/configuration.h b/configuration.h
index ebfda6c..4ab4c4f 100644
--- a/configuration.h
+++ b/configuration.h
@@ -33,4 +33,6 @@ public:
 	list<VideoDevCtrl> GetPresetButton (int btn);
 };
 
+extern char *debugpath;
+
 #endif
diff --git a/convert.cc b/convert.cc
index 7429676..3181ed9 100644
--- a/convert.cc
+++ b/convert.cc
@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <time.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <arpa/inet.h>
+
 #include "convert.h"
 #include "gui.h"
 #include "video.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 uint32_t convert_pixelformats [] = {
 		V4L2_PIX_FMT_MJPEG,
@@ -16,6 +23,127 @@ uint32_t convert_pixelformats [] = {
 };
 
 
+/*
+ * dump data into debug file
+ *
+ * file description:
+ * <HEDER>
+ * 		uint32_t width;
+ * 		uint32_t height;
+ * 		uint32_t pixelformat;
+ * <FRAMEHEADER>
+ * 		uint32_t size;
+ * 		uint32_t timestamp_ms;
+ * <FRAME>
+ * 		uint8_t data[size];
+ * <FRAMEHEADER>
+ * <FRAME>
+ * ....
+ */
+int convert_debug_fd = -1;
+struct timeval convert_debug_tv;
+
+/*
+ * will be called on first frame
+ */
+#define LEN_FILENAME 64
+#define LEN_FULLFILENAME 256
+int convert_debug_open(uint32_t pixelformat, int srcw, int srch) {
+	time_t t = time(NULL);
+	struct tm *tmptr;
+	char fname[LEN_FILENAME];
+	char fullfname[LEN_FULLFILENAME];
+
+	if (debugpath == NULL) return -1;
+
+	printf ("%s:%d %s\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__);
+
+	//
+	// check to create file, if not possible try creating the directory and create the file again
+	tmptr = localtime(&t);
+	strftime(fname, LEN_FILENAME, "%F-%R", tmptr);
+	snprintf (fullfname, LEN_FULLFILENAME, "%s/%s.videodump", debugpath, fname);
+
+	if ((convert_debug_fd = creat (fullfname, 0666)) == -1) {
+		printf ("%s:%d could not create file '%s'. Error:%s\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, fullfname, strerror(errno));
+		printf ("%s:%d try to create folder\n", __FILE__, __LINE__);
+
+		// create folder
+		if ((mkdir (debugpath, 0777)) == -1) {
+			printf ("%s:%d could not create debug folder.\n", __FILE__, __LINE__);
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		if ((convert_debug_fd = creat (fullfname, 0666)) == -1) {
+			printf ("%s:%d could again not create file '%s'. Error:%s\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, fullfname, strerror(errno));
+			return -1;
+		}
+	}
+
+
+	//
+	// file is open for writing, write header information
+	uint32_t wwidth = htonl(srcw);
+	uint32_t wheight = htonl(srch);
+	uint32_t wpixfmt = htonl(pixelformat);
+	write (convert_debug_fd, &wwidth, 4);
+	write (convert_debug_fd, &wheight, 4);
+	write (convert_debug_fd, &wpixfmt, 4);
+
+	//
+	// save start time, this is needed to calculate the time between the frames
+	gettimeofday (&convert_debug_tv, NULL);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * if fd is not open open file and set up header
+ */
+void convert_debug_dumpframe(unsigned char *ptrsrc, int srcsize, uint32_t pixelformat, int srcw, int srch) {
+	struct timeval tv;
+	uint32_t wts, ts;
+	uint32_t wsize;
+
+	if (ptrsrc == NULL) return;
+	if (debugpath == NULL) return;
+	if (convert_debug_fd == -1)
+		if (convert_debug_open(pixelformat, srcw, srch) == -1) return;
+
+	//
+	// construct and write header
+	wsize = htonl(srcsize);
+	gettimeofday (&tv, NULL);
+	ts = 1000 * (tv.tv_sec - convert_debug_tv.tv_sec) +
+			    (tv.tv_usec - convert_debug_tv.tv_usec) / 1000;
+	wts = htonl(ts);
+
+	write (convert_debug_fd, &wsize, 4);
+	write (convert_debug_fd, &wts, 4);
+
+	//
+	// write frame
+	write (convert_debug_fd, ptrsrc, srcsize);
+};
+
+
+/*
+ * close file and reset all data
+ */
+void convert_debug_close() {
+
+	printf ("%s:%d %s\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__);
+
+	if (convert_debug_fd != -1) {
+		close (convert_debug_fd);
+		convert_debug_fd = -1;
+	}
+}
+
+
+
+
 
 /*
  * helper part for converting different video types
@@ -69,8 +197,9 @@ int ConvertStart(ConvertData *cdata, uint32_t pixelformat) {
 };
 
 int ConvertStop(ConvertData *cdata, uint32_t pixelformat) {
-	if (cdata == NULL) return VDEV_STATUS_ERROR;
+	convert_debug_close();
 
+	if (cdata == NULL) return VDEV_STATUS_ERROR;
 	if (pixelformat == V4L2_PIX_FMT_MJPEG) jpeg_destroy_decompress(&cdata->cinfo);
 
 	return VDEV_STATUS_OK;
@@ -86,6 +215,8 @@ int Convert (ConvertData *cdata, VideoFrame *dest, unsigned char *ptrsrc, int sr
 	unsigned char cb, cr, y1;
 	unsigned char *ptrdst = NULL;
 
+	if (debugpath != NULL) convert_debug_dumpframe(ptrsrc, srcsize, pixelformat, srcw, srch);
+
 	struct jpg_error_mgr jerr;
 	if (cdata == NULL) return VDEV_STATUS_ERROR;
 
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 5947b4e..7016a30 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ GtkBuilder *_builder_ = NULL;		// work around for the thread situation
 Filter filter;
 Detect detect;
 Configuration config;
+char *debugpath = NULL;
+char *readdumppath = NULL;
 
 int main (int argc, char **argv) {
 	GtkBuilder *builder;
@@ -33,6 +35,29 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	printf ("SimpleSkyCam - %s\n", VERSION);
 	printf ("  written by Steffen Pohle <steffen@gulpe.de>\n");
+	printf ("\n");
+	printf ("Command Line Options for testing purpose:\n");
+	printf (" -d <debugpath>     destination for video debugging path\n");
+	printf (" -dd                disable debugging path\n");
+	printf ("\n");
+	printf (" -rd <debugpath>    read video from dumpfile folder\n");
+	printf ("\n");
+	printf ("\n");
+
+	for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
+		if (strcmp (argv[i], "-d") == 0) {
+			i++;
+			debugpath = argv[i];
+		}
+		if (strcmp (argv[i], "-dd") == 0) {
+			i++;
+			debugpath = NULL;
+		}
+		if (strcmp (argv[i], "-rd") == 0) {
+			i++;
+			readdumppath = argv[i];
+		}
+	}
 
 	gtk_init (&argc, &argv);
 	_builder_ = builder = gtk_builder_new ();