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3 stars
Version: My Screen Recorder Pro 2.67
"Multiplexing after recording"
Pros: Records anything off the video screen as advertized. Audio capture is also possible.
Cons: When recording .AVI videos, records audio and video into seperate files that are re-multiplexed together after the recording session is completed. This is a lengthy process. Colors on recorded video are patchy, due to insuffecient color resolution.
Summary: My experience with MVRP is with capturing home video. This is not its advertized use, but since it will record in excess of 24 frames per second, I thought that I would give it a try. Audio capture is intended to come from a microphone, but this too can be finessed as I will explain. Your PC should be fast enough for video processing, preferably with multiple processing cores.
Configuring MVRP is a complicated process, as is figuring out the nature of all of its features. If you do not display its window in full-screen, it hides several of its important menu-bar icons. As I said above, the software records its audio and video seperately for re-combination (muxing) afterwards. I confused this process with MVRP's "Auto Tasks" function, expecting it to mux the audio of segment one while it recorded segment two. I was wrong, and I still don't know what Auto Tasking does.
In order to generate usable home video, one must adjust the area of the screen that is to be recorded (recording box). If your target medium is DVD, then this area should be set to 720 X 480, wider for full-screen video. Be consistant with these dimensions. Many video products will not process video segments with different frame sizes.
When you press the red "Record" button, you are presented with an annoying recording configuration dialog box. After you close this dialog, MVRP will also prompt you to locate the recording box manually, unless you have previously specified a fixed origion point for it. Different video sources place the video at different locations, so getting this right is a pain. MVRP will allow you to schedule your recordings, so it is important to properly pre-posotion the recording box or your scheduled recording will stall, waiting for you to place the recording box.
Select .AVI recording, best quality, at least 24 frames per second, 30 if you are recording streaming video. Select the largest video segment size of 1.9 GB (the default). Select the best quality audio.
Here is how I capture audio. My video laptop runs Vista Home Premium. I opened the control panel and created a desktop shortcut for the Sound configuration feature. Open the Sound configuration and select Playback. Select Speakers and set this to the default. Under properties, set the level to 50%, Virtual Surround and DVD quality. This is only for recording. For DVD playback, restore Playback to its original setting.
Under Recording select "Waveout Mix" and make it the default. Set the recording level to 50% and select DVD quality. Close the Sound configuration.
I have two physical wiring setups - one for recording and another for playback.
For recording I connect my sound system to the headphone jack on the front of the laptop. For playback I reconnect my speakers to the S/PDIF optical output jack on the front panel.
Start MVRP and select Tools/Audio Tuning Wizard. Test the sound and adjust the volume to a reasonable level. Select "Next" and under "Recording Devices" select "WaveOut mix" and select "Record from Microphone". Select "Next" and "Finish". Record a short test .AVI to verify that you are recording sound.
When your recording finishes, you get to supply the project's filename. Then the audio/video re-muxing process begins. Afterwards your video will be divided into 1.9 GB segments, each 80 minutes in length. These must be appended into a single video file. MVRP contains a "Join Files" feature to accomplish this.
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