Free Windows app to record conference (audio/video)?

[yetanotherlogin]

Hello

Someone I know needs a free Windows application to record a scientific conference using his laptop and its embedded webcam. The output doesn't have to be professional-grade; It's meant to be uploaded to Youtube for people who couldn't attend.


We don't expect top quality video, but sound should be OK by plugging the audio output from the loudspeaker into the laptop's audio input.


Is there a good and free Windows application for this?


Thank you.

[aedipuss]

check the laptop audio in. is it actually mic in? either way speaker level output is not going to work for line/mic level input.

[yetanotherlogin]

I'm not sure I understand.

Do you mean that the audio output from the loudspeaker won't be high enough to be recorded correctly when plugged into the laptop's audio input?

[aedipuss]

just the opposite. speaker level will burn out line/mic level inputs because it's way to high.

[yetanotherlogin]

Does it mean that the input plug will monitor level if it's a regular input plug (and hence, avoid overdrive), but will not monitor if it's a MIC input, in which way, audio level must be set low enough on the amplifier so that it's not too loud for the audio card on the laptop?

If that's the case, how can I check which type of audio input is available on the laptop? Is it a different color than the traditional pink? Anything special mentioned by Windows' Device Manager?

[redwudz]

If the laptop has a built-in camera, it almost certainly has a built-in microphone. Just use that and simplify everything. Turn the laptop toward the person speaking and adjust the audio level and the tilt of the laptop display to get a good picture. You should already have a camera app installed. Check your programs. Windows Movie Maker or other apps can also record laptop video.

[yetanotherlogin]

Thanks for the idea.


The reason I prefer to plug the output of the speaker's microphone/amplifier into the PC is that sound will be better than using the computer's microphone (no echo, no noise from the audience). It's OK to watch a so-so video with good sound, but it's no fun to watch a good video with so-so sound.


Is Windows Movie Maker good enough to record video from a webcam and sound from the sound card MIC/INPUT, or should I look at other apps?

[TreeTops]

Just try it. Put yourself in front of your laptop and start talking and record it. Just don't expect very high quality. But it is doable. If you buy a cheap web camera that attaches to the top of the laptop screen it will be much better. However I think your expectations are too high. Unless the speaker sits in front of the laptop and doesn't move around you are OK but as soon as he gets up to point to something you loose the speaker and probably his voice.

[yetanotherlogin]

My friend doesn't have the opportunity of doing a dry run with an audience to find out for certain, but yes, I expect the result to be useless if using the computer's microphone... which is why I want to plug the speaker's amplifier into the computer's MIC/INPUT plug.


Is Windows Movie Maker good enough? If not, are there other free applications to record a conference?


Thank you.

[Bjs]

Simplify the job and go buy a wireless mic for the laptop for speaker to use ... then run the speaker output from laptop to the amp... its far more safer than having an amp feed to line-in, you'll run the risk of frying the input.

[yetanotherlogin]

Simplify the job and go buy a wireless mic for the laptop for speaker to use ... then run the speaker output from laptop to the amp... its far more safer than having an amp feed to line-in, you'll run the risk of frying the input.

Thanks for the tip, but I don't understand what difference a wireless mike would make compared to a corded microphone: In both cases, the laptop will be fed the audio output from the amplifier to which the microphone is ultimately connected to.


(wireless/corded) microphone → amplifier → audio output → laptop audio input.

[TreeTops]

Once again, that audio output may have a voltage that is too high and it may fry your audio input.

[yetanotherlogin]

Thanks for the info. I'll tell him to double-check the voltage output from the amplifier before plugging it into the laptop's audio input.

[TreeTops]

That won't work as the voltage out of the amplifier will vary according to the music amplitude and the volume. A loud passage of sound will have different voltage then a soft or low sound.

[yetanotherlogin]

That won't work as the voltage out of the amplifier will vary according to the music amplitude and the volume. A loud passage of sound will have different voltage then a soft or low sound.

Ok, so the recommended solution is to buy a wireless microphone, whose receiver box should have an output suitable to connect the receiver into a computer's MIC input plug without any risk of frying it.

[jagabo]

If the mixing board, pre-amp, amp, whatever, has a line level (~1 volt) output (usually RCA connectors) you want to use that (using an RCA to stereo 1/8" pin-plug adapter). Speaker outputs are way to powerful (1 to 10+ volts) to plug into a line level or mic level input on a computer.

[yetanotherlogin]

Thanks for the precision. I'll check what output they have on their setup.

This guy seems to have the same need:
Mic 2 PC.. Do I need amp or preamp? and what's the difference?