I need to capture video of my Mac in operation!

sfish

sfish

Fark Lover
I need to be able to capture the video of my Mac as a QuickTime movie while it's working or playing a game. Unfortunately, software solutions (like Snapz Pro X) slow down the video rate too much for my needs. I'm assuming the only way to capture decent frame rate video of my Mac in action is to output it as S-Video and capture it to a DV Camcorder then feed it back into my Mac via Firewire and capture that stream as a QuickTime movie. This would mean I'll need to purchase a new video card with S-Video out - something I would like to avoid.

Are there any more elegant (and less expensive) solutions? Any help is very much appreciated!

Steve Fish
 
Have you tried using the DVD camera to capture the screen? The only thing that might be troublesome is that the refresh rate of your monitor will show up.
 
Another suggestion, I don't know how elegant you'd call it would be to use Timbuktu... (I can't believe I'm suggesting this).

But I did this just a few months ago. I have a client that wants video examples of how to use the administrative backend of their site.

I used my laptop to connect to my primary machine. Used the feature on Timbuktu to capture screen movement and store it in the QuickTime format from my laptop.

It worked out great. Once connected I simply controlled my primary machine (from my primary machine) and walked through the steps while recording from the laptop.

When I was done I took the QT movie into iMove and added a sound track of my voice walking through the steps.

You could do the same thing. The primary work of screen capture will be handled by the seconday (laptop) machine. It will capture all screen movement even if it is from your primary machine. This way your screen rate should remain uneffected.

Of course the draw backs are that you need two machines, and Timbuktu... but I thought I'd suggest it in case you already had these tools.

As I said it worked out great for me, and I still use the trick.
 
These are all excellent suggestions. Thanks for your replies.

I will need to be able to capture video that will be able to keep up with the higher frame rates of games, so I think a new video card with s-video out will be the best solution. Can anyone suggest one that will work well in a 933 QuickSilver running Mac OS X?

Thanks again!
 
You could also use firewire port to output to a DV camcorder. Then you can stream it back in using the same firewire to capture a QT movie in iMovie.

I use my Sony DV camcorder to import and export to video all the time.

Of course you have to have a firewire DV camcorder, but you just might and not know it. ;)

This doesn't solve the software slowdowns in screen capture however. :(
 
So are you saying that if i connect my DV camera to my Firewire port I can automatically capture the contents of my screen? Wouldn't some piece of software have to redirect that video data to the Firewire port? Or does it just stream there by default?

- Steve
 
No I was just trying to work around the need for an extra video card.

If you buy a video card, you'll still need to have some sort of a software capture of the screen. Nothing I know of will do that by default.

Sorry that my post wasn't clear.
 
If I have a video card with s-video out won't I be able to hook that up to a DV camera with an S-video in and capture the video that way? Won't it work like the s-video out on a laptop?
 
Man, I love this board! Not only do you actually get help from people with intelligence and insight, but everyone is polite and courteous.

Thanks for the helpful feedback everyone!
 
ok... I have a similar delima, exept I have an A/V out on my computer... now how exactly do you export the video to the camera?
 
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