Desktop capturing

[hjortmannen]

Trying to capture a 3D visualization generated by a GIS software with final goal to put in on DVD (720x576). Tried to capture with Fraps, CamStudio etc, but the 3D viz becomes "jumpy" during capture although no frames appears lost. Also tried to send the desktop through the video out connection (S-VHS) of my graphic card (ASUS V8440 Deluxe/GeForce4Ti 128 Mb) to a Mini DV/S-VHS VCR (JVC HR-DVS3EU) but the output signal seems to be of VHS(?!) quality or worse. The system is well equipped for the task (W2K,2 UATA 133 80Gb/7200 rpm, IDE Raid 160 Gb/7200 rpm, P4 2.4 GHz/1.0 Gb) and I´ve tried with several configs (choise of target disk, size and placement of swap, newly defrag disks, termination of unused processes etc) without success. During capture of the 3D viz less than 50% of avaliable physical memory are used and CPU usage stable round ~80-90%.
Any ideas how to solve this prob? I really need high-res (DVD) in the final result for. Is there perhaps some way to use/convert the DVI connection to DV? Or the analog signal?

;-)

Hjortmannen

[cplevel42]

OK, 1st off CamStudio sucks. Use Camtasia Studio instead.

Right click on your desktop and choose Settings and reduce your screen resolution. Then go into the advanced button and then find the trouble shooting tab and move the video acceleration tab to zero. Click apply and OK.

This method will work depending on how powerful your system is and how much memory you have available. When doing the capture, go to Ctrl Alt Del and raise the memory priority to "high" this will allocate more resources to your capture app and can help quite a bit.

Don't run any other apps in the background including anti-virus software.

Try this and see if it works. If not, you will need to make a couple of changes inside the "prefrences" tab within Camtasia Studio. I'm at work, so I will need get home to see exactly what changes to go with. I have done this before and it works nicely.

Respond back if you are still haveing problems and if you end up getting Camtasia Studio, I walk you through the settings that need to be changed.

[hjortmannen]

Thanks for the fast reply!
I tested with all setting in between full and without video acceleration. I got the impression that the setting next to full acc gave best result, if any. However, the 3D app uses GLScene technology (www.GLscene.org) and therefore works best with acceleration enabled, or? Anyhow, I´ve tested Camtasia but even when capturing uncompressed frames it was apparently slower (in captured fps) than Fraps, and the 3D viz became even more jumpy (also in real-time). And, as in previous attempts I´ve killed all processes that was not needed and varied the process priority for both capture and 3D app, without significant results. But I´m willing to give your optimized settings for Camtasia a try as I´ve have it for 30 days evaluation.

;-)

[cplevel42]

OK cool!

I'll post with the settings for camtasia tonight.

[cplevel42]

Oops, forgot to post. How is camtasia working for you? Better than camstudio?

[hjortmannen]

No problem. I´ve used the time to find alternative solutions (https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=182508). I really can´t see any significant difference between the results from Camtasia and CamStudio, at least not with the settings I use. But Fraps (www.fraps.com) is clearly superior if compared with the other two (that is, with my settings) when it comes to the result (fps and resolution). If you have those special settings I could give them a try.

;-)

[Ejoc]

I like camstudio. Video output from the videocard using S-Video cables isnt very good, as you found out. What codec are you using to capture with? What capture method are you using? Fullscreen, (i cant remember the names off the top of my head) the fixed rectangle or the selectable rectangle?

[cplevel42]

Yeah! That FRAPS looks very cool. I'm gonna give that a try too.

OK, here are the Camtasia settings under tools>options>program tab. Check "boost porioity during capture" and "disable display acceleration during
capture". These two are important.

See the screen shot.

[hjortmannen]

cplevel42, I´ll try the settings as soon as possible, thanks. And Ejoc, I try to get a valid dvd output (PAL) so main goal is 720x576 which is easiest to obtain with the "fixed region" option. I´ve tested all codecs that´s listed under video option (xvid, ms mpeg4 v1/v2, ms video 1, cinepak). Strange enough a bunch of codecs that are installed on the system can´t be found in the list... In order to decrease the cpu utilization I would like to use uncompressed format (I have enough space and disk speed), but as the option does not exist... Xvid is nearly fast enough but give crappy result (-with the speed needed).

btw, has anyone of you any experience concerning my post below? No response so far...

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=182508