Video resources

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Linden Lab is aware that File menu > Start/Stop Movie to Disk doesn't work reliably, depending on various factors like your make and model of computer, the video codecs you have installed, etc. Generally speaking, it works for "some" Residents but not others, and work hasn't been done (or deemed high-priority enough) to improve the built-in movie recorder — this is in part because there are a selection of 3rd-party tools which, while not necessarily free, offer more power and control than SL's own. We're keeping our options open.

This page's purpose is to provide a list of those alternatives with anecdotal experiences, and maybe include workarounds/fixes for getting the built-in recorder to work correctly.


Movie recording programs

Most of these have demo versions you can try out. There's a variety of applications on the market, but to record Second Life's on-screen action correctly, a program must have OpenGL support (it usually says in the features).

Windows

Free Tools

Torley Linden's recommended settings for Fraps
  • Game Cam (US$24.95, Lite version is US$9.95) - Torley tried this briefly and found it to be buggy and reduces FPS considerably — YMMV, see how it works for you.
  • Game Recorder (US$39)
  • Fraps (US$37) - This is possibly the most popular video capture utility. With low CPU usage and a mature history of development, it's used by a number of notable Residents to make machinima. One disadvantage is that it doesn't have high compression options, so whatever you record will consume a lot of disk space and need encoding later. Torley Linden uses this to record raw material for Video Tutorials and video bug reproductions. Note that while it will capture the default cursor, it won't capture one-click action icons (the ones in the edit tools' General tab, under "When Left-Clicked").


Mac

Free Tools

  • Capture Me - Originally a screen capture program for still images, now can also record MPEG-4 videos (no sound) up to 60 seconds.

  • iShowU (US$20)
  • Snapz Pro X (US$69) - Generally regarded as the Mac equivalent of Fraps in terms of its popularity with Residents, it's a tad on the pricey side but very elegantly-designed.


Linux

Free Tools

  • Xvidcap - Known to work for SL machinima on Linux.


Things of note

  • Try installing a comprehensive codec pack for more options when compressing footage for distribution.
  • "30 fps" is a rate for smooth video capture- this can be lowered later in a video editor.
  • 25fps conforms with the PAL standard and is easier to achieve in highly laggy or congested sims.
  • Most video capture programs support a hot-key to start/stop recording. View your gestures list inworld via Edit menu > Gestures, and select a hot-key combination that doesn't conflict with your gestures.
  • Sizer can be used to resize the viewer to resolutions not listed in File > Set Window Size.
  • Use a capture resolution suitable for the method of delivery- PAL or 800x600 is suitable for web delivery.
  • Use the Debug Settings Client > Rendering Features > UI to toggle the visibility of the user interface (useful when making machinima)
  • Recording footage to hard disk that Second Life's disk cache isn't on or using a RAID array will improve performance while the footage is being recorded.

Related resources

Known issues

  • VWR-696 Crash if recording Video
  • VWR-714 movie recorded off frame
  • VWR-715 Movie not recorded in H.264
  • VWR-2096 Movie to disk causes crash
  • VWR-2184 "Movie to Disk" can not be saved to all directories
  • SL-50734 Remove the File menu > Start/Stop Movie to Disk feature (internal Linden Lab issue that can't be viewed by Residents)
  • VWR-2085 Ctrl-Alt-1 Hide/Show UI does not work