View source for User:Torley Linden/Capture

{{TOCright}} This page is targeted at [[Destination Guide]] machinima capture to be used by Brett and Torley Linden, and maybe others.

== Episodes ==

* 2010-08-25 - '''[http://blogs.secondlife.com/community/community/eureka/blog/2010/08/25/madpea-productions-in-second-life MadPea Productions]'''
* 2010-08-10 - '''[http://blogs.secondlife.com/community/community/eureka/blog/2010/08/25/madpea-productions-in-second-life The Next Day]'''

== <font color="red">Optimal settings ''before'' filming</font> ==

# In '''Me''' menu > '''Preferences''' and in the '''Graphics''' tab, click '''Ultra''' on the '''Quality and speed''' slider.
# While you're there, click '''Hardware''' and check '''Anisotropic Filtering''' and set '''Antialiasing''' to '''4x''' or higher.
# Click '''OK'''.
# Restart the Viewer or '''Antialiasing''' won't take effect.

Also:

* Boost performance a little by enabling '''Advanced''' > '''Run Multiple Threads'''.
* Remember to turn off HUD attachments so they don't clutter the screen while filming!
* Feel free to fine-tune things in the '''Graphics''' tab depending on the scene. If performance gets chunky, lower '''Draw Distance''' or disable '''Water reflections'''.
* Sometimes, classic clouds look like ass (and slow performance somewhat too). Turn them off:
*# Go to '''World''' menu > '''Sun'''.
*# Click '''Advanced Sky'''.
*# Click '''CLOUDS''' tab.
*# Uncheck '''Draw Classic Clouds'''.

== Resizing the Viewer window ==

This is important so your shots are the exact size and don't need to be cropped later.

# Open the '''[[Advanced menu|Advanced]]''' menu.
# Choose '''Advanced''' > '''Set Window Size'''.
# Change window size to <code>1280 x 720</code> (it'll autocomplete, it's a preset).
# Click '''Set'''.

== Hiding the user interface ==

This removes distractions so you can focus on great shots inworld!

# Choose '''Advanced''' > '''Rendering Features''' > '''UI''' — ''but'' before you toggle that, be sure to note the shortcut key. You'll need it to turn the UI back on, or else you need to relog.

In some cases you'll want the UI on (to capture text chat, name tags, etc.).

== FRAPS settings ==

: [[File:FRAPS_settings.png]]

Some of these need to be tailored to your specific preferences. For example, set '''Video Capture Hotkey''' to what you like most.

* '''Video Capture Settings''' - Usually '''30 fps''', you won't see higher in most content-rich regions, anyway.
* '''Sound Capture Settings'''
** Check '''Record Win7 sound''' if you want to record voice chat coming from ''other people'' in Second Life. This also records all other system sound so make sure you have distractions (like music streams) turned off if preferred.
** Check '''Record external input''' if you want to record your voice chat (and everything else that's fed into your mic input). Otherwise, for cleaner sound, turn this off (because there may still be ambient noise and bumps). Unlike on a Mac solution like Screenflow, on FRAPS, both '''Record Win7 sound''' and '''Record external input''' are ''mixed together'', so make sure you do a test recording and get the levels right (for example, so your voice isn't substantially softer than what's inworld).
* '''Hide mouse cursor in video''' - You'll want this checked for most "beauty" machinima shots, especially if the UI is hidden.

== Encoding ==

Get and install '''[http://teejee2008.wordpress.com/ffcoder/ FFCoder]'''.

{{KBcaution|Also see the '''Downloads''' section of the above page, you need to install and place additional stuff ''' required for audio encoding to work'''.}}

Then, open FFCoder and:

# Click the '''File Format''' dropdown and choose '''MP4 (*.mp4)''' .
# Click the '''Video''' dropdown and choose '''H.264 (x264)''' .
# Under '''Video''', click '''Configure'''.
# In the '''General''' tab, match these settings and click '''OK'''.
#: [[File:FFCoder_-_H-264.png|320px]]

If you also want to include sound:

{{KBwarning|Brett, if a FRAPS file has essential audio, please don't encode it, and send it raw to Torley. There's a codec bug which results in renders failing.}}

{{KBtip|Change the '''Audio''' dropdown to '''disable''' if there's no noteworthy sounds in the clips you're converting. This saves some disk space.}}

# Click the '''Audio''' dropdown and choose '''AAC (nero)'''.
# Under '''Audio''', click '''Configure'''.
# In the NeroAAC Window, match these settings and click '''OK'''.
#: [[File:FFCoder_-_NeroAAC.png|320px]]

Then, the steps you repeat with each batch:

# Drag FRAPS video files onto FFCoder to add them to the list.
#: [[File:FFCoder.png|320px]]
# Click '''Output''' to choose a folder for them to be saved.
# Click '''Start''' to begin the process. (It's nice to see how much disk space is saved!)

After conversion, play the files to verify they look good, then transfer as usual.

You may want to save this preset via '''File''' > '''Save Preset''' but I've had buggy behavior with it.

You can try experimenting with including '''Audio''' — it crashes me but it may work for you.

== Torley's lab notes ==

* TechSmith TSCC [http://forums.techsmith.com/archive/index.php/t-13132.html doesn't work with 64-bit Sony Vegas]. I've requested a new version.
* Vegas Pro 9.0e [http://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/24/915313 loads FRAPS very slowly]. I might downgrade to 9.0c but 9.0d "[http://sony-630.vo.llnwd.net/dspcdn/releasenotes/vegaspro90e_readme_enu.htm Fixed] the ability to seek in files rendered using the MainConcept AAC/AVC format." So could it be a happy balance? Argh, subtleties.
* [https://mindsprockets.com/movietool.php MovieTool] on Mac might be a good transcoder for FRAPS -> H.264 MOV. But don't see how to contact their support. Surprised there aren't more elegant solutions — video codecs are like chewing and crawling on glass shards simultaneously.
** '''[http://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/4971356478/ Tenatively, these settings.]'''
* As mentioned above, FFcoded x264 files ''with'' audio suck — they track slowly in Vegas and lead to render failure. ''Stay away from them!''
* Apple QuickTime-encoded H.264 MP4s, which previously seemed to work fine, may render as black. UGH. Stay away from these for the time being, too — search for a better editing codec that isn't so tightly bound. Bigger disk space usage but smoother cutting is worth it.
* Beware of [http://torley.com/fix-wanted-for-quicktime-h264-gamma-shift-bug gamma shifts] when using QuickTime-based H.264.