How To...Capture, Convert, and Post your PC Game Play Footage II

[ERazer]

nm figure it out

 

[inferKNOX]

Thanks for the awesome thread ChaoticAtmosphere, I've been looking for something to encode my gameplay vids, since MediaCoder is failing.

use ScreenVirtuoso Pro .....and run fraps in background...u can record fps count

In FRAPS there is an option to simply record with the fps showing in the video too.

If you own a digi camcorder or another pc with video input card. Then use the tv out on your gaming pc's gpu.
That way you'll not get any loss of framerate when recording gameplay.

Thanks for the info.

I have a tip for people recording with fraps. Partition your HD and record the video to that other partition. It takes away probably 90% of all my lag that I get. Instead of going from 60ish fps down to 15, I go from 60ish to 45ish.

Nevermind another partition, use another, non-system drive (ie, a drive where your OS and/or game is not installed).

I just use FRAPS and Windows Media Encoder X64 edition which is also free. Excellent guide though!

Windows Media Encoder is being retired by mid 2010. We invite you to try Expression Encoder Free Edition for your encoding needs.

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Encoder4_Overview.aspx
Think it's worth trying, or should I rather stick with VirtualDub?

 

[ChaoticAtmosphere]

Well, I'm glad to see my efforts are not gone to waste Following my tutorial will get you 1080p hi res on youtube.

Don't be shy to post your results of your first vids here like Erazer did. I would like to see them

 

[inferKNOX]

In FRAPS there is an option to simply record with the fps showing in the video too.

My bad, that option is by the screenshots, not videos.

@ ChaoticAtmosphere
Thanks, but unfortunately my net here is not adequate for stuff like video upload.

Am I to guess that you're using VirtualDub x86? I've been trying with VD 1.9.9 x64 and can't get the thing to remember settings. In video (on menu bar) it at least remembers the settings as long as it remains open, but in audio, it totally ignores my setting it to mp3 and jumps back to the top (default) every time I click ok. All settings are reset upon closing the program, regardless of whether I ran it as admin or not.

Also, it totally ignores my attempts to downsize the video from my native 1920x1200.
It also didn't list the XVid even after I installed the one you linked, but I do have CCCP & K-Lite Codec Pack x64 and found ffdshow listed and tried my best to get similar settings in it to those you made in the XVid.
ffdshow remembers all settings, even though VirtualDub resets.

It did encode though, but to 1920x1200 only with uncompressed audio, which takes up 1/2 of the filesize.:shadedshu
Encoding audio to mp3 should have drastic improvements on filesize if I manage to get that done.

Ideas? Or are these bugs for the s/ware author?
Gonna try M$ Expression Encoder 4.0.1639.0 and VirtualDub x86 and see how that works out.
Also thinking of trying Shark 007's codec pack w/ x64 plugin to see if more codec options will be listed.

 

[ChaoticAtmosphere]

Yes inferKnox,

I do use VirtualDub x86. The links I've supplied for both XviD and VirtualDub are x86. My attempts to use VirtualDub x64 failed as well. I believe that is because XviD is only available in x86 and might not be compatible with the x64 version of VirtualDub.

If you want to experiment with different codecs in VirtualDub x64, go ahead. I'd be interested in finding out if you find something that works, please post your findings .

However, I'm not sure if there would be any improvement in video quality while using the x64 version. I believe it might just improve the performance of the compression and conversion performance.

Oh and also, I believe that fraps will capture in your native resolution, so if you are looking to go 1680x1050 you'll need to set it that way on your display preferences before capturing. The only thing you can change in VirtualDub is aspect ratio, not resolution if I'm not mistaken.

 

[inferKNOX]

Oh well about the resolution.
No matter though, just encode with VirtualDub, then re-encode with something else to change rezo. The main thing is compressing those initial videos from FRAPS, which other encoders were refusing to do for me.

Anyway, great news.
I uninstalled CCCP (Combined Community Codec Pack) and installed Shark007's Win7codecs + the x64 Components and found both ffdshow and Xvid listed in both the x86 and x64 versions of VirtualDub. Reason being that 32bit encoders or players need 32bit codecs, but 64bit encoders and players need 64bit codecs....duh...(can't believe I didn't realise that straight way).
I set the Xvid Codec (bitrate, etc) in VirtualDub x64 and everything encoded properly. However when I close and open VD, it forgets my settings, like to use the xvid codec, to change the framerate, etc (the settings within xvid itself are remembered though).

Do me a favour and do this experiment for me and tell me if your results are different from my own:

• go to "Menu > Video > Compression" and highlight "Xvid MPEG-4 Codec", then click ok.
• go to "Menu > Video > Compression" again.

Is the "Xvid MPEG-4 Codec" still highlighted? Mine will be.

Now:

• go to "Menu > Audio > Compression" and highlight "MPEG Layer-3", then click ok.
• go to "Menu > Audio > Compression".

Is the "MPEG Layer-3" still highlighted? Mine will not be.
Does that mean it refuses to encode the audio to mp3?
That's what's really bugging me, but anyway, as with the rezo thing, I can always re-encode again with another encoder after VD to change rezo and get full compression. Main thing is appending the video parts and compressing them to a more usable size.

So thanks again ChaoticAtmosphere, you rock for making this thread and saving some of us n00bs.

 

[ChaoticAtmosphere]

With the audio it will never remain highlighted. But once you've clicked "Full Compression" and highlight Mpeg Layer-3, That is what it will use.

 

[Alfred001]

thanks for the VirtualDub man . . . !!!
the one i was using before was not working properly it held sometimes . . .

 

[Dazzeerr]

Very nice thank you will be using this in the future.

 

[tianhui]

Thanks for the guide- I wanna start recording some footage of bc2 ( just got it T_T).!