SDA Knowledge Base - User contributions [en]

Sonic 3 and Knuckles/Tails

2015-10-31T16:58:35Z

HDL:

{{sda run|http://speeddemosarchive.com/Sonic3Knuckles.html#SSTails}}

= Current Fastest Time =
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXJ8bQfZ7dU 24:37 by HDL]

== Preliminary Notes ==

Tails's flight ability is heavily influenced by physics. It takes on the physics you currently have while entering flight, and also affects physics in its own way. Many sections require precise timing of flight. This is really hard to explain and is something best understood by developing a feel for it. For more specific game engine details, refer to [[Sonic the Hedgehog game mechanics and glitches]].

Click the level names to see videos that demonstrate the single segment routes.

Unless otherwise stated, you should start each stage with a [[Sonic_the_Hedgehog/Game_Mechanics_and_Glitches#Rolling_and_Spindashing|6-tap spin dash]].

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfpMhkL-2dI Angel Island 1] =

Start by taking the top route and rolling into the speed shoes on the left (with near perfect, TAS-like execution, the bottom route is fastest at the start). Do a 3-tap spin dash to the right, bump the ceiling with flight, and make sure not to fly afterwards. Jump upon collecting the 2nd ring and after bumping the ceiling, time your flight so you maintain speed but don't miss the ledge. There are two options for this next part:

*Slow down and jump to the left of the fire shield in such a way that you don't bounce downward and can clear the zip line with a flight.
*Hit the underside of the fire shield and time a flight so you go straight under the zip line (slightly faster, but requires more precision).

If you use the 1st method you want to clear or land on the rock. If you don't have enough speed, you'll have to time a single flight just before approaching the rock. With the 2nd method, you must be aware of how much height you have and time a single flight if you're too low (but not too early as you'll fly straight into the Monkey Dude). Jump again at the 1st or 2nd ring to clear the yellow spring. When going through the loops in Angel Island, never follow a loop jump with a roll, because the unique angle AI loops have will actually slow you down. Loop jump and maintain your run. After the starpost, there are two methods for clearing the gap and 4 yellow springs: [[File:AI1-1.png|300px|thumb|right|There's a small gap in between the platform and ground where you're airborne.]]

*Jump from the slanted ground at the 1st-2nd rings and fly so that you land on the rock up ahead.
*Jump at the very edge and bump the ceiling (slightly faster, but risky; only works if you have a really fast spin dash and jump almost as late as possible).

After landing on the crumbling platform, wait until you clear the small gap between it and the stable ground.

Jump from the ground and bump the ceiling to keep your speed, then roll to hit the Catakiller, Jr (you'll get hit if you don't have enough speed). Piano all 3 buttons when landing on the rock to increase the chances of jumping from it. If your spin dash at the starpost was really fast, then you'll go over the rock. Be aware of your speed and jump from the crumbling platform just past it.

'''Boss''': Just before the boss music cues, fly straight up for the 1st hit, then jump repeatedly for the rest. Make sure you grab the water shield, it will prevent breaking the wall in act 2 with a jump, as that is a property of the fire shield.

Time to aim for: 0:47 (Note: a 0:46 here is possible but extremely rare.)

Acceptable time: 048

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKnNpZMAi_0 Angel Island 2] =

Use a 3-tap spin dash to enter the tube. When exiting the tube, jump as soon as you touch the 2nd crumbling platform. The start positions for the swinging ropes in Angel Island are based on the power on timer (as soon as you turn your console on) as well as a few other factors. After flying up to the top route you will see one behind you, use it as a reference to know where the 2nd one will be (they are synced). After your spin dash you want to avoid grabbing the 2nd rope, so you may have to jump over it. If you do, time the jump just before you hit the enemy so that he'll reduce your upward speed and you can land quicker. The 3rd rope is not necessarily synced with the other two, so after hitting the Bloominator make sure you roll upon landing so as to slightly reduce your hit box size.

[[File:AI2-1.png|300px|thumb|left|Rolling shortens your hit box, which sometimes helps if the rope passes by.]]

After going past the 2 loops, there will be a small piece of flat ground followed by a twisted edge that launches you forward.

[[File:AI2-2.png|300px|thumb|right|You want to jump from the flat ground and fly up. If you miss and get launched, taking the two yellow springs is only a tad slower.]]

Near the two waterfall platforms you want to jump up and fly, then 6-tap off the bridge and jump. The slope might kill your momentum. If that happens, release to neutral until you are near the bottom of the slope to prevent activating the [[Sonic_the_Hedgehog/Game_Mechanics_and_Glitches#Horizontal_Movement_Lock|movement lock]], then 1-tap up the slope.

After the last starpost, stand right next to the breakable wall and do a 1-tap spin dash. Inputs in the tube are not recognized, and the tube can actually do a few different things based on your speed upon entering (faster spin dashes increase the chances of getting bad tube luck) and subpixels. You can either go very fast unhindered, get slowed down, go fast and then slowed down near the end, or even get sent in reverse. If you go very fast, simply hold right when exiting. If you're slowed down, land on the ground and spin dash, then continue to hold right without jumping so that you maintain a high run speed after Robotnik appears.

'''Boss''': Keep running until you hit the right side of the screen, then do a quick 1-tap spin dash to the left. Wait a slight moment and jump, you'll bounce repeatedly for a very easy quick kill. Depending on your timing, you might bounce too low and get hit by a fireball on the left. To always avoid this, make sure you are in-between the two guns around the 4th bounce, then move back to the left.

Time to aim for: 1:26

Acceptable time: 1:29

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqHocFWRkQo Hydrocity 1] =

Hold right while the level starts and begin a single flight after the title card leaves the screen. Once aligned with the rightmost purple column in the background, hold left and land so that the hand in the ground doesn't appear. After hitting the red spring and landing there are two options:

*Do a 1-tap spin dash and do not loop jump. Hold right and you will land on top of the next loop. Slightly after crossing the center of the loop, jump and tap flight 4 times (this will let you land in the perfect spot).
*Do a 6-tap and jump off the ramp, then time a loop jump, followed by a slope jump, and then a single flight just as you go off the top of the screen. You should land quickly on the left side of the loop; do a 6-tap, mid jump, then a single flight, and finally brake a little once you land.

Do a full jump off the wall and hold it. Hug the wall to the left, bounce off the lightning shield, and the spring will push you to the right. Hold right and, once off screen, release jump and quickly fly (alternatively, hold jump and mash the other two buttons). The longer you take to enter flight after releasing jump, the more speed you'll lose. Make sure to stay off screen.

Once you see the next wall, stop flying and count the green blocks. After the 8th one, roll and adjust your aerial speed if necessary so you land and roll just before the invincibility (go too fast and you'll bounce on it). Once off the loop, release right just before landing and Tails will do one of two things:

*He will come to a complete stop, allowing you to spin dash (most common occurrence).
*He will keep moving (you'll have to react to this and let him continue moving).

'''Boss''': When spin dashing through the loop, do not jump. Simply hold right and let Tails land. Once landed, face left and wait a short moment, then 6-tap up the wall. When you go off screen, hold right and bounce off the boss once, then adjust your position so you miss him. Land on flat ground, then jump and swim just before breaching the surface, this will give you an easy superflight. Use the invincibility for the remaining 5 hits.

Time to aim for: 0:35 (0:34 is possible but very rare.)

Acceptable time: 0:37

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWG1hmbWbnI Hydrocity 2] =

Spin dash immediately. You can deal with the upcoming slope in a few different ways: [[File:HC2-1.png|300px|thumb|right|The wall should be aligned with the top of the slope.]]

*Bump the ceiling before it to break into a run, this way you can slow down a little and control your jump.
*Jump from a very specific part of the slope to get the correct trajectory (riskier and not faster).

You should hit the starpost at 0:07, then trigger the wall. When the bottom of the wall aligns with the top of the slope, full jump left towards the wall, then hold right and swim just before the apex of your jump. You should get pushed into the ground and die from an invisible object. The time of the screen fadeout should be 0:12. When you return, a simple 1-tap, low jump, and roll will suffice. Jump and start swimming just before reaching the apex, holding right the entire time. You want to touch the rings just when you hit the apex.

[[File:HC2-2.png|300px|thumb|center|Go no further than the 3 rings.]]
[[File:HC2-3.png|300px|thumb|right|Release when the tube is on the left.]]

The wall will push you into the floor; continue holding right until you get the [[Sonic_the_Hedgehog/Game_Mechanics_and_Glitches#Level_wrap|level wrap]] and fall down (you'll see the screen move downward). At this point face left and rev your spin dash. At around 0:19 - 0:20 you will see a blue tube on screen, this is when you release the spin dash. When you get near the boss room, jump to gain a bit of extra height.

'''Boss''': Jump out of the water and fly such that you are not at the top of the screen, but close. If you hit Robotnik at the top, Tails will "stick" to the top and you won't be able to get more hits. Wait until he comes down a bit and then fly into him repeatedly 4 times. Mash the buttons quickly after the 3rd hit and move a bit left. You'll get the 4th hit quicker and get a good bounce down/right to avoid his propeller. Jump after landing and bounce for the remaining 4 hits.

Time to aim for: 0:32 + 0:05 (from death)

Acceptable time: 0:33 + 0:05

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ebm4nExdY Marble Garden 1] =

Follow the path normally. When you get near the yellow diagonal spring, there are two options: [[File:MG1-1.png|300px|thumb|right|You can make this cycle if you get here quick enough. Otherwise let the platform move up.]]

*Jump from the slanted ground just before the spring. Bump into the wall, hold left, and then fly right before touching the ceiling. This will let you clear the blue spinner and land on the slope without risk of your momentum being interrupted.
*Hit the spring without holding anything, then hold left midway through (slightly faster, but big risk of the slope stopping you).

When doing the [[Sonic_the_Hedgehog/Game_Mechanics_and_Glitches#Screen_wrap|screen wrap]], you want to hold right and jump when the black background is towards the left.

[[File:MG1-2.png|300px|thumb|center|Jump when you see this.]]

After using the fire shield to enter the wall, hold left to [[Sonic_the_Hedgehog/Game_Mechanics_and_Glitches#Zip|zip]] to the right. Jump from the slope until you go past the center of the rotating platforms, then fly to the right. Continue and fall in the mud, then full jump just before bumping the wall and fly right before the apex of the jump.

[[File:MG1-3.png]] [[File:MG1-4.png]]

[[File:MG1-5.png]] [[File:MG1-6.png]]

'''Boss''': You'll come into this room rolling. Make note of the uneven ground; if you jump from the wrong spot you'll miss the first hit entirely (either of the 2 spots above will work). You want to get 5 hits before he goes off screen (6 is possible, but it will actually result in a bad pattern for the act 2 boss). He will always appear on the far left, so fly up and stay at the top of the screen. If you only got 4 hits, stand on the left and hit him between the drills.

Time to aim for: 0:47

Acceptable time: 0:49

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRyhU48hlLI Marble Garden 2] =

After doing the level wrap, it's important to raise the screen position before it passes the boss room. Face left and do a 2-tap spin dash, you'll stop in the perfect position (there's a small chance the slope will interrupt you, simply do another 2-tap if that happens).

'''Boss''': Stand on the small slope near the right and face right. Time a spin dash so that you release a 1-tap as the left drill reaches the midway point of the screen. Walk right and jump when you collect the ring to hit Robotnik, then jump again and hold left after the 2nd hit. Before he enters the ground, stand on the left side of him and release a spin dash right before his invincibility ends. The purpose of this is to bounce off him staying as far left as possible and hitting the spikes on the left quickly. After the bounce, make sure to face left during the roll. Another quick spin dash to get to the left wall, and another spin dash to hit him as he comes up (too slow and you'll bounce off him and to the right). Make sure not to release that spin dash too early or you will still bounce to the right even if you got to the left side in time. Jump twice to get 2 more hits for this cycle, then 2 more times when he comes down the diagonal path.

Time to aim for: 0:45

Acceptable time: 0:46

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj5gYjdjz0A Carnival Night 1] =
[[File:CN1-1.png|300px|thumb|left|Aim for the blue balloon. Use the lights above it as guides.]]
An important tidbit to keep in mind at the start is that you cannot spin dash immediately when landing from Tails's auto flight. You cannot move for a few frames upon landing, so delay your spin dash appropriately. A 6-tap here is actually detrimental, but go for it anyway to increase the likelihood of 5-tap speed, then jump and fly into the 3rd or 4th balloon. When you land on the ring monitors, you will gain rightward momentum automatically from the wheel glitch, so counteract it by tapping left enough to land on the floor just before falling off the ledge. Remember not to jump, as it removes wheel glitch.

Stand near the bottom of the slope and do a quick 2-tap and hold right (make sure the spikes are out and not retracted). Continue holding right until you hit a platform, then switch to left. When you move around the platform and begin falling left, switch to holding right to grab rings, go through the fire shield, and under the balloons. Rev once after the fire shield simply to get into spin dash mode, then do a 3-tap after going under the blue ballon. Note: if you hold down for too long before spin dashing you will break your leftward momentum and fall down. After the 3-tap, start another spin dash and release it just before the level wrap so as to keep the camera as far right as possible.

[[File:CN1-2.png|300px|thumb|right|Once you touch the ceiling, count the groups of red poles and release your spin dash after the 3rd set.]]

After the level wrap, do two more spin dashes to the left, and maintain your position by alternating between left and neutral. Keep in mind that Tails will move down faster than he walks up, so you should be holding left a bit longer than neutral.

'''Boss''': Hold left and maintain your position just below the ring counter. Make note of the purplish column in the background. When the spinning top is to the immediate right of the leftmost column, hold down to roll and land on it. Alternatively, you can hold left the entire time and then roll as the top bounces off the bottom of the screen. You will not roll while still moving up, so make sure you release to neutral a bit early. Hold your spin dash and get hit. When the top nears the right wall, spin dash into the wall or tap right to push against it and then release immediately (you want to always have the same position on the top). Depending on your position when you first landed on the top, you will have hit the boss at a different time. This changes when you have to start walking and the roll off the top onto the boss.

[[File:CN1-3.png]] [[File:CN1-4.png]]

If the boss is in this position in relation to the background (left), you'll have to start walking left a bit before the top hits him (right). If the boss is a bit further left, then you must start walking when the top bounces off him, and the roll must be timed sooner.

[[File:CN1-5.png]]

Roll as the top reaches this position. This boss is very frame-dependent, so you won't always see the same result. You'll have to react to the top's bounces and dodge it accordingly.

Time to aim for: 0:54

Acceptable time: 0:56

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrPPG3Gw284 Carnival Night 2] =
[[File:CN2-1.png|300px|thumb|right|You want to stay in between these walls until you reach the boss.]]
Hold left while exiting the boosters until you land on the cylinder. After bumping the ceiling in flight, hug the middle of the curve just to the right and fly while holding left. If you fail and run out of flight, land on the spiral and fall through it, then go to the cylinder and bounce from the balloon again.

Once in the ceiling keep holding left until you start moving faster, then tap right and release to neutral, followed by holding right for a second. This will allow you to spin dash "up" the wall so that you exit from the top and begin falling to the right. When Tails begins moving rightward, tap left a few times (how long you hold left with each tap determines how many times you have to tap it), then alternate between right and neutral (holding right a tad longer). You want to try and maintain a stable, centered position. If you go too high or low, you will be stopped by walls. You can continue by releasing to neutral (if too high), or holding right (too low). Once you get past the wall and see the boss area, roll to fall down and then jump and fly in midair (otherwise you risk falling straight through the floor and dying).

'''Boss''': Stand on the far right side. As soon as Robotnik is visible, fly straight up and you should trade hits. Grab a ring and then use your invincibility to fly into him 3 times. You will get hit again as he drops his ball. Fly into him from the ground, landing in between each hit, for the remaining 4 hits. There are other methods for doing this fight that vary between 1-3 seconds and have varying degrees of risk.

Time to aim for: 0:36

Acceptable time: 0:39

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaGLEgnSREs Ice Cap] =
[[File:IC-1.png|300px|thumb|left|This is one of 3 frames that will work.]] [[File:IC-2.png|300px|thumb|right|Wait until you can no longer see the slope on the top left, then hold right.]]
Make your way to the falling ice platform, and note the blue portions of the background. When the top of the blue background ice to the immediate left is aligned with the top of the platform, hold right and you'll activate slope glitch once the platform breaks the pillar. Jump and fall straight down. From here you have three options:

*Tap jump once as soon as you land on the steep slope, then roll upon landing on the 2nd.
*Wait a split second upon landing on the slope, then tap jump twice (the 1st will not properly jump off, but the 2nd will) and roll on the next slope.
*Jump and avoid the 1st slope altogether, landing directly on the 2nd one, and roll.

The 2nd method is recommended because it avoids the possibility of entering the wall with a low y-position, which will cause you to exit the upcoming wall hitting the ice block where the spring is. Upon entering the wall hold left, then hold right after you can no longer see the slope on the top left part of the screen, and lastly switch back to left as you exit the wall and continue to hold it. This will give you the perfect trajectory to avoid being interrupted by objects in the level.

[[File:IC1-3.png|300px|thumb|left|Jump once Tails goes off the bottom of the screen. Pausing helps here.]] [[File:IC1-4.png|300px|thumb|right|Land on this spot.]]

Since the map area for Ice Cap 2 loads midway through the tunnel that leads to the act 1 boss, and Ice Cap 2 does not wrap vertically, you will die if you continue to fall without jumping. Wait until the right moment, then jump and make note of your location. Depending on where you appear, you will have to consider different things:

*If you got hit by the frost hazard, you will be able to spin dash upon landing. Jump over the blue platform so you don't lose your slope glitch and proceed into the Sonic & Tails tunnel.
*''Sonic & Tails tunnel'': Look at the small mounds of snow on the ground. Jump onto the right side of the 2nd one from the ice pillar so that slope glitch gets a downward angle. Hold right to clip into the ground and zip for a level wrap. After the wrap, hold left for about 2 seconds, then right for 1 second, then left for 1 second and jump. You should notice the screen shift downward indicating a lower y-position. Hold right and jump twice, then wait for the boss to trigger and jump down.
*''Knuckles tunnel'': Be very careful not to land on top of the bridge, ice block, or breakable platform to the right. These are all sprites and will remove your slope glitch. Also take care not to go too far to the right where the ice block is, because an ice pillar will shut behind you and you won't have enough space to get a quick level wrap (a backup strategy here exists, but it is slower). Use the 3rd mound from the bridge for the level wrap (the ones before that are not far enough, you'll wind up zipping straight into the bridge and lose slope glitch). After the wrap, hold right for 1 second, then jump when you see the tunnel just before the boss room.

[[File:IC1-5.png]] [[File:IC1-6.png]]

'''Boss''': With slope glitch still active, you can gain an upward trajectory from the mound on the left. Before the boss appears, jump and land on the far left edge of the screen. As the boss comes down, full jump when his platform is fully visible and land on the small upward slope. Continue walking to the right using this angle to gain height, then jump near the right edge of the screen and get the 1st hit. After this hit, fly ''just'' as you start to descend and roll when you land on the platform. Continue holding left and then jump to the right once you stop rolling for the following hits so you bounce leftward. After the 5th hit, move left and full jump off, then as you near the jump's apex, hold right and bounce repeatedly for the remaining 3 hits.

Time to aim for: 0:59

Acceptable time: 1:02

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bappYVpwcJ8 Launch Base 1] =
[[File:LB1-1.png|300px|thumb|right|Jump when the Flybot appears.]]
Hold right and jump as soon as you touch the alarm. Run straight into the Orbinaut, and keep holding right (do not jump, it will make the Flybot's position less consistent). The Flybot will dive left and go off screen, make sure it doesn't go too far or it'll disappear. Walk slowly towards the cylinder, from here there are two options:

*Touch the cylinder at around 8 seconds and continue to walk slowly at a steady pace, then jump from the bottom.
*Touch it at 7 1/2 seconds and hold left to hug the wall. As you reach the bottom and swing upwards, hold right and jump before the mid point so you drop down, taking note of the Flybot's position (don't let him get too close yet).

The first method is easier and more consistent. The second is only slightly riskier, but is 1 second faster. Once you jump down, make your way to the ledge above the yellow spring. Stand a bit to the right of it, if you are too close to the edge the following setup won't work. Hold up to shift the screen and wait for the Flybot to hit you.

[[File:LB1-2.png]] [[File:LB1-3.png]]

Alternatively, you can stand near the edge to make the Flybot dive sooner, which is faster (you'll have to move a bit to the right after he passes you though, which reduces the amount of time you have to shift the screen). Hold right after getting hit and when you land inside the spikes you will be ejected into the wall, zip, and then level wrap. Face left and hold down to appear in the boss room.

'''Boss''': Given that Sonic and Tails are only meant to defeat one of these, it's not necessary to destroy both. You'll have to do this fight with no rings for the best time.

Time to aim for: 0:45

Acceptable time: 0:46

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAxGe0KrhjE Launch Base 2] =
[[File:LB2-1.png|300px|thumb|left|This spot nets the best result.]] [[File:LB2-2.png|300px|thumb|right|Jump here to bounce on the Ribbot. You may have to jump sooner depending on your speed.]]
This level involves several big, strict-timing jumps. You will be immediately faced with 3 possible outcomes right after your spin dash and jump at the curve of the pipe:

*''Early'': If you jumped too early, brake when you land and do another spin dash.
*''Middle'': The middle of the curve is your target. You'll get the best jump trajectory and speed. Just hold forward and you'll continue running when you land.
*''Late'': This is the 2nd best outcome; you'll roll jump onto the platform and break into a run, but if you hold forward your momentum will be interrupted upon landing. Hold back for half a second and then forward to prevent this.

Note that these 3 are general outcomes and some other variations exist. The next big jump is after the 1st starpost when you hit the red spring. Aim for the middle of this curve. Late is bad, earlier is better than late but you might have to time a flight to adjust your descent so you don't get bounced back by a left-facing spring.

The biggest (and toughest) jump in this level comes after hitting the red switch and passing the flamethrower. Roll down the pipe and be sure to jump near the bottom so you break into a run. This is important as it'll give you aerial control for the upcoming jump. When running up the pipe, there is a smaller curve near the top. Jump as late as possible on the curve (just before the flat ground) to get the best trajectory. If you jump early or from the middle, you risk bumping parts of the ceiling that will force you to fly and land on the starpost platform. If this happens, you can still save it by reacting and releasing jump before you bump the ceiling, allowing you to retain most of your momentum.

[[File:LB2-3.png]] [[File:LB2-4.png]]

After getting past the Orbinaut and rolling down the pipe, you want to brake at a certain point. There is an invisible [[Sonic_the_Hedgehog_game_mechanics_and_glitches#Path_switchers|path swapper]] here that will enable you to go left without going up the pipe you came. When jumping into the spinning platform, jump from the middle of the curve so you get the best trajectory on your flight.

[[File:LB2-5.png]] [[File:LB2-6.png]]

Near the end, after taking the spinning platform up, you'll do the last big jump. Where you jump from is not as important as the position of the screen; you need to make sure the screen does not drop down past a certain point. Ideally you want to jump just as you hit the downward curve before the last starpost, so that you get the perfect flight. Jump too late and you'll be too low, so earlier is better here. After the jump, hold left briefly so you reduce the chance of bumping into the wall.

[[File:LB2-7.png]]

Fly along the ceiling keeping the screen as high as possible, otherwise you won't be able to fly over the invisible wall.

'''Boss 1''': Roll in to him while holding left. When you stop rolling, hold a spin dash for the remaining 7 hits. You can optionally release it after a hit, then face right and spin dash again quickly, but this is only faster in real time and does not offer in-game benefits.

'''Boss 2''': Simply get into position near the right side and hold a spin dash. When he descends, he can appear on either side, but he is slow and easy to react to. Make sure to get the final hit as late as possible to save time.

Time to aim for: 1:20

Acceptable time: 1:26

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZZb912V9v4 Mushroom Hill 1] =

Start with a 3-tap. There is currently no consistent setup or method for doing the door clip, however you must keep a few things in mind:

*The door will always crush you if you are too far to the left.
*It will crush you if you are still or moving left.
*You need a specific rightward walking speed to succeed.
*You need to be under the right side of the door without being too far to the right.
*You need to be partially engulfed by the door.

Once in position, hold left and jump as the door covers Tails's head up until his mouth (use the white fur and do not jump before holding left). Upon entering the ground, zip to the left side without going too far. You want to be near the edge of the wall. Align the score (rightmost digit) with the orange tree in the background so there is a small gap between the wall and the score. From this position, 12 subpixels out of 256 will not work, and all the rest will. There is a 95.3125% chance of a successful level wrap, but only if you position yourself correctly. Once you wrap, hold left for about half a second to get into position to hit the boss safely. When the screen catches up, make the necessary adjustments if you're not in the right spot.

'''Boss''': Fly straight into him from underneath. 2 hits is very easy and consistent. 3 is not that hard, but you risk dying for mistiming it. Spin dash to the right when the screen unlocks and jump as he nears the right edge of the screen. If you time 2 jumps correctly you can sneak in an extra hit before he chops the tree and moves his fire hit box.

Time to aim for: 0:39

Acceptable time: 0:42

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBQ3uJxB5nU Mushroom Hill 2] =

When you're blasted upwards by Knuckles, there is 1 frame at the apex of your ascent where the game considers you grounded. You can jump on this frame and fly to the red spring, which will save 3 seconds.

The majority of this level is straightforward, depending largely on jump and flight timings. The most important section to note is the big flight near the end. There are 2 ways of doing it:

*Fly around the apex of your jump and go right over the loop.
*Land on the loop and roll jump off the curve, flying right afterwards.

The 1st is recommended as it is much easier and more consistent, as well as gives you more leeway to adjust your aerial position. If you are too high up, you'll have to hold left slightly to avoid bumping into a floating piece of land. As you approach the area with the Dragonfly, piano all 3 buttons either once or twice (depending on height) to slow your descent, then roll to hit the Dragonfly.

When flying up the shaft, there are 2 path swappers near the top on the left and right sides. Stick to the left until you reach the ground with the red spring, as that will open the path to the top where the shields are.

'''Boss''': Fly on the edge of the screen when getting hit to guarantee that you won't be knocked to the left. Use the invincibility to spin dash and get 6 hits, then pursue him and jump to start running. There are 2 small mushrooms on the ground, when the 1st one is scrolled off screen do a full jump for the 7th hit, and another quick one for the 8th. Make sure you fly if necessary to avoid the spikes, as you will always have 0 rings here.

Time to aim for: 1:00

Acceptable time: 1:03

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlYKuYdNons Flying Battery 1] =

The "leap of faith" depends on making the platform cycle in time, so the first section has little room for error. You want to reach the platform at around 20 seconds. Low jump to the right without bumping the wall. As soon as you're below it, piano A, B, and C twice (so 6 presses total) to get the perfect descent. When the floor above you is almost off screen, fly again to bump the ceiling. Continue bumping the ceiling with only small gaps between each flight (make sure not to fly too quickly or you will stick to the ceiling for a moment and lose a lot of speed). After 5 bumps, descend a bit and then continue bumping the next ceiling.

'''Boss''': Don't get hit. Jump and land to the right of the yellow switch after the 6th hit, before he's destroyed. This will activate slope glitch for the next act. Move to the right edge of the screen to reset your horizontal subpixels to 0.

Time to aim for: 1:26

Acceptable time: 1:28

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXI7yPWFtLU Flying Battery 2] =

It's important that you begin a spin dash before the title card goes away, otherwise Tails will switch from a normal standing position to a teetering one. Landing on sprites or touching the spinning object will take away slope glitch.

As the screen shifts, 6-tap and time a jump so you bump the wall, holding right as you do so. Once you land on the sloped ceiling, hold left and Tails will begin to run down at an angle. Release to neutral just before entering the floor, and mind the orange "windows" in the center of each square. Once Tails is in the floor, watch the center windows carefully, then hold left once they touch the left edge of the screen.

When jumping on the next slope to enter the wall, do not hold anything. Tails will zip automatically and holding left will actually slow him down. Once the starpost goes off screen, jump and fly to the right until you trigger the platforms to move, then fly left and land on the edge of a platform. Take care not to stand on one too long, as it will kill Tails. Jump and fly to each one quickly to gain height, then follow the path normally. The rising platform near the boss room will be solid until it stops, so you'll have to time a flight carefully to avoid bumping it and losing momentum.

'''Boss''': He moves 10 times before swinging upwards, but you can also use a visual reference. Land in between the spikes just before he swings up and roll to hit as early as possible. Slow down, jump for another hit, then hold spin dash for the rest.

Time to aim for: 1:13

Acceptable time: 1:15

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIbzQ29C40s Sandopolis 1] =

The key to landing directly on the ground above the sandfall is jumping from the right spot. At the start, hold right when jumping out, then jump from the small curved ground and keep holding right. When in the sandfall, do 2 quick jumps, followed by a 3rd delayed jump.

To get the proper zip from the wall, you need to enter it while around the middle of the loop's pillar (slightly to the right works too). Hold right for the whole thing to guarantee the level wrap.

'''Boss''': Make sure you're not on the right side or too far left when the door opens. When he lands nears the quicksand, count 3 seconds and jump into him to get hit. Use the invincibility to hit him from the right side, then hold right to scroll the screen before he touches the sand. This will make the signpost miss the ring monitor in the ground. Before the signpost stops spinning, jump and fly up to the top of the screen, then fly once more after bumping it. This wastes just enough real time to put the object cycles in the perfect position for the next act.

Time to aim for: 1:10

Acceptable time: 1:11

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7VL0F5QVJo Sandopolis 2] =

The most important goal at the start is making the spike pillar cycle around 38-40 seconds in. There is some slight margin for error. When you reach the moving platform at around 29 seconds, you want to jump from the flat ground. Hug the wall and hold left to go straight through the ground (on extremely rare occasions, this will not work). Spin dash into the light switch to get a favorable pattern, as reaching this point quick enough means you have to wait for the spike pillar cycle anyway. If you get here late, avoid the switch altogether and focus on the cycles. Make sure not to release the sand later on, as that will cause you to die when attempting the zip in the wall. Before the screen wrap at the 2 horizontal doors, use the position of the previous spike pillar as a reference to know where the next one will be. That way you won't have to stop to prevent getting crushed. If you make it here without any mistakes, the pillar in the wall will still be in your way for a second, so bump into it and then spin dash as it moves up.

When jumping over the spike pillar near the water shield, fly and release to neutral when landing on the crumbling platform. Tails will not stop his flight animation as long as you are not holding left/right, which will enable him to drop down faster than running off.

'''Boss''': Use the pillars in the background as references to time your 1st jump. After breaking his barrier, you have to carefully time flights so as not to waste too much time in the air, and without being too far left to get hit by the spikes on his hand. Stand right next to him when jumping to avoid bouncing to the left. After the 2nd hit, hold left in midair so you accelerate faster, then jump and hold right to break the barrier again. Repeat the process. Note: you cannot break the barrier immediately when it returns, so you will have to insert small delays before hitting it.

Time to aim for: 2:05

Acceptable time: 2:07

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Vjdhgfp-Q Lava Reef 1] =

Move left slightly at the start and roll when you land. You want to aim for a specific part of the ground to get a big speed boost. When you go past the 3 stalactites, jump after the 2nd one as the ground slants upward (where the big pole is). There is a part of the ground under the 3rd one that will randomly stop you if your subpixels are misaligned, so you always want to jump over that. There is a section after the doors close behind you where you can clip into the ground if your subpixels are aligned. It is very uncommon, but if it happens it saves 9 seconds.

When you hit the switch near the spiral, take note of the time. If it's at 15, simply spin dash into it. When you're launched to the left, hold right just enough to adjust your speed so that you land on the rock enemy, then jump off him and fly, still holding right so that you can safely land in between the lavafall and spikes. When the lava yields, do a 3-tap and jump off the slanted ground and fly to the fire shield. If you don't get a good jump, you'll fly towards the yellow spring. This is roughly the same speed so it doesn't matter which happens.

If the time was at 16 when you hit the switch, then wait until about 17-18 before spin dashing so that the lavafall cycle is favorable. Land on the rock enemy and jump off, but instead of landing near the spikes you can fly straight up and left as the lavafall will have already stopped.

On the left there is an enemy you hit to open the door. For some reason after hitting this enemy, there is a small period of time when you can crouch but cannot spin dash. Wait until the door is halfway open and then spin dash to avoid accidentally jumping. After taking the elevator down and spin dashing under the Fireworms, there is a chance that you'll hit the switch from above, which will stop your momentum. If this happens, don't rush towards the rotating mace, as its position is based on the screen and you will have slow momentum when triggering it. If you did not hit the switch early, you can simply run past the mace with no risk.

For stair clip, it's important that you jump from the breakable object, as it is flat ground and will give you a consistent jump height. You need a minimum of 75% spin dash speed to succeed. Jump and release on the 4th frame to clip. If even executed correctly, there is a small chance it will fail, depending on your vertical subpixels.

'''Boss''': You can sometimes stick to the right edge of the screen if you stand there and spin dash left. Start the fight on the left side instead, standing a little bit away from the edge and facing left. Spin dash for the 1st hit and then jump for the rest, flying to get the 4th hit. When flying, move to where the targets will be or you risk getting hit. After destroying the left arm, spin dash and jump to the right, flying underneath the right arm for all 4 hits. Position yourself where the fire shield is and slightly to the right, so that when you jump you will consistently move at a leftward angle (when in doubt, look between the fingers to see where Tails jumped). When the hand appears, it'll bob 5 times. Jump on the 5th to get 3 hits.

Once he's done, stand on the far left edge of the screen. As the signpost falls down, note the bottom of the sign itself (not including the pole). When the bottom is almost aligned with Tails's head, walk right and then release to neutral once Tails is under the monitor.

Time to aim for: 1:35 (1:26 with subpixel clip)

Acceptable time: 1:42

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bAyh_O5lmE Lava Reef 2] =

When the level starts, it has not yet fully loaded. It loads over time, so you want to delay your level wrap until just the right moment. Hold right when the timer is just under 7 seconds (about 6 & ¾). Hold left when the timer says 8, and when the screen catches up Tails will walk straight into the pipe. Continue holding left as you exit.

Once you get to the wall, fly a tad to the left and land on the left side of the stable platform. Your goal is to have the screen as left as possible without teetering. This screen positioning cannot be done while walking on the floor, the flight is necessary.

Spin dash quickly to the wall (there is actually some leeway with this), then immediately do 2 fast 1-tap spin dashes at the wall to pass through. Do the same for the 2nd wall.

'''Boss''': Wave goodbye.

Time to aim for: 0:29

Acceptable time: 0:33

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyjPXW10RgQ Hidden Palace] =

This is all about optimized brakes and spin dashes.

'''Boss''': When he's more than halfway in his jump, jump and hit him underneath on the left side so he bounces right. Do this for all 8 hits and you'll save enough frames to get a 29 as opposed to 30.

Time to aim for: 0:29

Acceptable time: 0:30

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3E9DGYaPKk Sky Sanctuary] =

Hold right at the start so that you scroll the screen all the way. The moving bar past the bridge is a screen-based object, and will start moving at this point. Don't move the screen left or you will reset its position and risk having it be in your way.

Face left when shifting the screen down so that if you accidentally spin dash, you don't fall to your death. Time your flight descent carefully.

'''Boss''': Use hit invincibility to avoid Mecha Sonic's ambiguity. Don't stand on the far right edge of the screen, as the same thing that can happen in LR1 can also happen here (face left and spin dash sometimes results in going nowhere). Instead, move a bit to the left after the 1st hit so that you can always spin dash correctly without sticking to the edge.

Time to aim for: 0:55

Acceptable time: 0:57

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zflnvoQogX4 Death Egg 1] =

Fairly straightforward level that is purely about optimized movement. Use background references to get all the hits in the machine quickly.

'''Boss''': Start by flying into him to lose your lightning shield and gain invincibility. Fly underneath him for the hits instead of jumping from the sides. Depending on when you hit him, the spheres will explode in different locations. Try to time your hits to manipulate the sphere explosions, then dodge the spikes accordingly. You want to be especially careful about taking a hit after getting the 8th hit on him, as it will significantly reduce the amount of time you have to correctly position yourself for phase 2.

Watch the explosions carefully. After about 2 seconds a part of the structure will break off, and then another part will break off. You want to jump and fly ''just'' before the 2nd piece breaks off. This will let you land on one of his platforms as he pulls them out, and have enough time to rev spin dash. The rotations of the platforms are based entirely on whether you are on the left or right sides of the boss. You can manipulate them so they never hit you by timing your bounces. After the spin dash, hold left for the 1st hit, then bounce on the ride side twice, and once again on the left side. At this point you have to choose which side to bounce on based on the positions of the platforms, as frames are very important and they won't necessarily be the same every time. Adjust as needed, bouncing on either side for the remaining 4 hits.

Time to aim for: 1:26

Acceptable time: 1:32

= [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8jbSCZGTJ0 Death Egg 2] =

Like HC2, you'll have to die to unload the act 1 map area. Using spikes at the start should only waste 4 seconds.

When attempting to enter the wall, you want to pay close attention to Tails's sneaker. You want to get the sneaker as close to the wall without being ejected. Use pause to help time this. Once in the wall, zip to the left. If you go too far, you'll get stuck in a pocket of air, so pay close attention to the bottom of the screen. You want to slow down once you see the parts of the background that constantly move. Position yourself so the pipe on the left is aligned with the left of the HUD (make sure you're facing right and not left). There should be a small gap between the pipe and the left side of the screen. Jump straight, and when you land hold right to zip and level wrap.

After the wrap, continue holding right and jump towards the end of your brake sound effect. Time your flight before the apex of your jump and continue flying. As the screen nears the boss, stop flying and wait half a second, then tap flight once so you appear in the boss room guaranteed.

'''Boss 1''': Stand on the ceiling and to the right. Do 1-tap spin dashes when the objects stick to the ceiling. Do a 6-tap on the last object to make it finish the boss several frames faster.

'''Boss 2''': You want to spin dash in between the hands as they drop down each time. The directions you should face are:

*Right
*Left
*Left
*Right

After the 2nd one, you'll wind up next to the left edge of the screen. Immediately jump to the right. This will manipulate the boss so that he also moves right. Otherwise he will move left and some fingers will be in unfavorable positions.

For this next phase, you want to stay under the fire, as it can't hit you if you are far enough left. Jump and hit the left side of the nose while moving right, so that you are bounced to the left. Make sure you are moving left enough so as not to land on the floor or you risk getting hit. There is no risk of falling into the pit, as you will always get a bounce. Then simply bounce 3 more times, doing a higher jump on the last hit to avoid a low bounce that could risk killing you.

For the last phase, jump after the explosion sound effect stops, then jump to bounce on Robotnik. After hitting him on the right side, jump when landing to accelerate faster. If you hit him while touching the edge of the screen, you won't bounce to the left, useful for the 8th hit. Otherwise if you bounce left, simply piano the buttons upon landing to guarantee a jump and prevent death.

Time to aim for: 1:57 + 0:04

Acceptable time: 2:00 + 0:04

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-11-07T16:30:41Z

HDL: Important details about quality loss and ScreenFlow 5.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
= Main Website =
[http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm]

= Usage =

Important: ScreenFlow's capture is not 100% pixel or color accurate. There is some slight loss compared to lossless RGB capture with [[FFmpeg]]. If you want your screen recording to be as close to perfect as possible, use FFmpeg instead! Furthermore, ScreenFlow 5 no longer has the custom codec dialogue box, which limits the control you have over things like gamma correction, frame reordering, key frames, etc. Stick to ScreenFlow 4 for now if you want such control.

ScreenFlow does not capture specific regions of your screen when recording (you can select regions after recording). It records the entire screen, but is highly CPU efficient due to its focus on actively changing frames. Here is the basic flow:

*Go to Preferences -> Advanced and choose adaptive or lossless screen recording (more on this below).
*Choose whether or not to include your webcam in the recording.
*Select an audio device or record computer audio.
*Begin recording.
*End recording, which brings up the post-production interface.
*Crop to your desired resolution, and if you want you can add text, transitions, annotations, etc.
*Select an encoding preset (or create a custom one).
*Click export and choose a file name.

Screen recordings are 60 FPS by default. Playback in the canvas isn't perfect, so it might look like frames were dropped in the recording even though they really weren't. Assuming your hardware doesn't have performance issues, the encoded videos will show all the frames recorded correctly.

== Adaptive VS. Lossless ==

The adaptive capture method will optimize recording performance by focusing more on movement (changing pixels) and less on still parts of the screen. For instance, if you record a game window ScreenFlow will focus on that rather than the bits of your desktop. The quality is practically indistinguishable from lossless, so use this unless you have a really powerful computer.

Lossless is exactly what it sounds like. Everything on your display is recorded in full for every frame. This method is very taxing at high resolutions, so you may want to do recording tests first to ensure your computer can handle it. To minimize the performance hit, scale your monitor's resolution before recording.

Note: There is a caveat with adaptive. Depending on the visuals and movement in your source, it might mistake certain moments as "still images" and cause dropped frames in an attempt to reduce the file size. This is uncommon, but if it happens use lossless and scale the monitor resolution. You'll still need a reasonably modern computer in order to handle this without dropped frames.

= Encoding =

There are a number of presets to choose from, but it is recommended that you create custom presets based on the content you record. To do this, go to File -> Export (or press ⌘E) and click Manage. Click the "Copy" button next to a preset (Uncompressed is recommended) and it will appear on the bottom. From here you can edit your encoding settings such as frame rate, bit rate, etc. You can also do this in the main export prompt by selecting a preset and clicking "Customize." The changes made in this manner are temporary and won't be saved to the preset.

Note: ScreenFlow uses x264 but still calls it H.264.

By default the video scale will be your crop settings in the canvas, but you can change it by choosing other scale options from the dropdown or use your own custom resolution.

== ProRes Export ==

ScreenFlow's x264 codec, unfortunately, does tamper with the color space. Exporting videos like this will not preserve accurate colors in your video. For that reason it is highly recommended that you export ProRes, however we won't be using the default preset for it.

*Click on "Manage" in the export window and copy any preset.
*Click edit and change compression to ProRes 4444.
*Change FPS from Current to 60. Even if your source video is 60 FPS, leaving it at Current will export a 30 FPS video.
*Turn off automatic gamma correction.
*Set audio to Linear PCM. Sampling rate should be 48 kHz and quality should be at best.

This is a lossy format that retains an extremely high bit rate, making it ideal for offline workflows. It will produce a .mov file. It is highly recommended that you compress it with [[FFmpeg|FFmpeg's]] x264 codec, as this one will preserve the correct colors as well as allow you the option for CRF or 2-pass encoding.

Warning: ScreenFlow takes a while to export a file like this, much longer than the progress bar would suggest. If your output file is 32 GB, then you'll actually need 64 GB of free space (temporarily). The finished export will still be 32 GB and the extra space is restored. For long videos it may look like ScreenFlow won't finish, but rest assured that it will.

== Lossless Export ==

This is an alternative to ProRes. In nearly all cases it's not worth choosing this, but it is an option if you want absolutely no compression. To use it, follow the steps above for ProRes, but for the codec choose Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2. Note that this will not preserve a 4:4:4 color space, so it's not 100% accurate.

If you force quit ScreenFlow during the export process it won't delete the temp file, resulting in storage space being held hostage. You can find these temp files here:

*/private/var/folders/6b/q33l69c55dbcd07m0bjw82f00000gn/T/net.telestream.screenflow4.legacyexporter/TemporaryItems

FFmpeg

2014-11-05T15:29:45Z

HDL: Improved the example commands.

[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Main Websites =
[https://www.ffmpeg.org ffmpeg.org]

= Encoding =

Note: When encoding for SDA submissions just use [[Yua|Yua]]. It's much simpler and decreases the likelihood of mistakes. Use FFmpeg only if you know exactly what you're doing, are not encoding for SDA, or simply want more options than Yua affords.

FFmpeg is a command line application, used with Terminal (Unix) or Command Prompt (Windows). With the exception of 3rd-party options it doesn't have a GUI, so it may be tricky to learn at first. The advantages are that it's cross-platform so it can be used on any modern operating system, highly up-to-date as development is active, and it offers more flexibility than any other encoding software. Here are some examples of usage:

== 2-pass D4 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,scale=320:240:interl:0 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -ar 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,scale=320:240:interl:0 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -ar 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

== 2-pass D1 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -ar 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -ar 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

== 2-pass Progressive Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i Lossless.mov -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pix_fmt yuv420p -pass 1 -strict -2 -c:a aac -ar 48000 -b:a 320k Compressed.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i Lossless.mov -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pix_fmt yuv420p -pass 2 -strict -2 -c:a aac -ar 48000 -b:a 320k Compressed.mp4

== Constant Rate Factor ==

If you want every frame to target a specific level of quality and don't care about file size, CRF is generally better than 2-pass.

./ffmpeg -i Lossless.mov -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -crf 15 -pix_fmt yuv420p -strict -2 -c:a aac -ar 48000 -b:a 320k Compressed.mp4

= Commands =

Let's break down what these commands mean so it's easier to understand how to use them.

*./ ("Dot slash." Required on Unix systems to run applications via Terminal. Exclude this on Windows.)
*-y (Yes; used for automatically overwriting on the 2nd pass.)
*-i (Input, use this before specifying the source video.)
*-c:v (codec for video; used to choose codecs like “libx264”)
*-preset (Quality setting for x264, veryslow is best quality.)
*-b:v (bit rate for video; used to determine visual quality in Kbps.)
*-pass (used for 2-pass encoding.)
*-pix_fmt (pixel format; yuv420p is standard.)
*-vf (video filter; used for various effects like scaling, field separation, deinterlacing, etc.)
*-af (audio filter; used for various audio effects like volume.)
*-strict -2 (allows usage of experimental codecs like aac.)
*-c:a (codec for audio; used to choose codecs like “libvo_aacenc” which is the non-experimental AAC.)
*-cutoff (used to set the maximum audio frequency.)
*-b:a (bit rate for audio; used to determine aural quality in Kbps.)
*&& (Allows you to combine more than one command on Unix systems into a single line; helpful for 2-pass encoding.)

Besides these commands there are also various video and audio filter options you can use.

== Filters ==

*separatefields (This splits the fields for interlaced video at half height and doubles the frame rate; use for D4 only.)
*setdar (Use this to set the aspect ratio after separating fields or deinterlacing. Corrects the resolution without specifying values.)
*yadif (Widely used deinterlacing filter; used for D1 video instead of field separation.)
*mcdeint (Motion compensating filter used in conjunction with yadif; use to prevent pixel shift [bobbing] on D1 sources.)
*scale (Use this if you want a specific resolution. Add "interl=0" at the end to prevent scaling with interlacing.)
*volume (Increase/decrease the audio levels.)
*fps (Do not use for full frame rate videos. Useful for MQ and LQ SDA submissions.)

Note: Some commands must be entered in the correct order. For example, scaling must be done after deinterlacing, not before.

For more information on commands, filters, and usage you can check the [https://www.ffmpeg.org/documentation.html FFmpeg Documentation.]

= Trimming =

It's rare that one wants to encode all recorded footage from start to finish. Usually you want to choose a start frame and end frame. The easiest way to do this with ffmpeg is to divide the frame number by the frame rate of the video. Use a media player that can display the frame count. If you want to start on frame 117 and your source video is 30 FPS, then just divide 117 ÷ 30 = 3.9. Example:

*./ffmpeg -i FullVideo.avi -ss 3.9 -to 17.2 -vcodec copy -acodec copy Trimmed.avi

This will start the video on frame 117 and end on frame 516. Quick breakdown of the important commands:

*-ss (Starts video at that time in seconds.)
*-to (Trims to that time from the start of the video.)
*-t (Can be used in lieu of -to for trimming the video to the specified duration.)

= Screen Recording =

FFmpeg can also capture your desktop. Refer to [https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Capture/Desktop this page] to see how this is done.

= Streaming =

Harder to use than common solutions, but FFmpeg is capable of streaming to services like Twitch and Hitbox. Read [http://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/StreamingGuide this guide] for more details.

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-29T14:07:51Z

HDL: Added note about disabling gamma correction.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
= Main Website =
[http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm]

= Usage =

ScreenFlow does not capture specific regions of your screen when recording (you can select regions after recording). It records the entire screen, but is highly CPU efficient due to its focus on actively changing frames. Here is the basic flow:

*Go to Preferences -> Advanced and choose adaptive or lossless screen recording (more on this below).
*Choose whether or not to include your webcam in the recording.
*Select an audio device or record computer audio.
*Begin recording.
*End recording, which brings up the post-production interface.
*Crop to your desired resolution, and if you want you can add text, transitions, annotations, etc.
*Select an encoding preset (or create a custom one).
*Click export and choose a file name.

Screen recordings are 60 FPS by default. Playback in the canvas isn't perfect, so it might look like frames were dropped in the recording even though they really weren't. Assuming your hardware doesn't have performance issues, the encoded videos will show all the frames recorded correctly.

== Adaptive VS. Lossless ==

The adaptive capture method will optimize recording performance by focusing more on movement (changing pixels) and less on still parts of the screen. For instance, if you record a game window ScreenFlow will focus on that rather than the bits of your desktop. The quality is practically indistinguishable from lossless, so use this unless you have a really powerful computer.

Lossless is exactly what it sounds like. Everything on your display is recorded in full for every frame. This method is very taxing at high resolutions, so you may want to do recording tests first to ensure your computer can handle it. To minimize the performance hit, scale your monitor's resolution before recording.

Note: There is a caveat with adaptive. Depending on the visuals and movement in your source, it might mistake certain moments as "still images" and cause dropped frames in an attempt to reduce the file size. This is uncommon, but if it happens use lossless and scale the monitor resolution. You'll still need a reasonably modern computer in order to handle this without dropped frames.

= Encoding =

There are a number of presets to choose from, but it is recommended that you create custom presets based on the content you record. To do this, go to File -> Export (or press ⌘E) and click Manage. Click the "Copy" button next to a preset (Uncompressed is recommended) and it will appear on the bottom. From here you can edit your encoding settings such as frame rate, bit rate, etc. You can also do this in the main export prompt by selecting a preset and clicking "Customize." The changes made in this manner are temporary and won't be saved to the preset.

Note: ScreenFlow uses x264 but still calls it H.264.

By default the video scale will be your crop settings in the canvas, but you can change it by choosing other scale options from the dropdown or use your own custom resolution.

== ProRes Export ==

ScreenFlow's x264 codec, unfortunately, does tamper with the color space. Exporting videos like this will not preserve accurate colors in your video. For that reason it is highly recommended that you export ProRes, however we won't be using the default preset for it.

*Click on "Manage" in the export window and copy any preset.
*Click edit and change compression to ProRes 422 HQ.
*Change FPS from Current to 60. Even if your source video is 60 FPS, leaving it at Current will export a 30 FPS video.
*Turn off automatic gamma correction.
*Set audio to Linear PCM. Sampling rate should be 48 kHz and quality should be at best.

This is a lossy format that retains an extremely high bit rate, making it ideal for offline workflows. It will produce a .mov file. It is highly recommended that you compress it with [[FFmpeg|FFmpeg's]] x264 codec, as this one will preserve the correct colors as well as allow you the option for CRF or 2-pass encoding.

Warning: ScreenFlow takes a while to export a file like this, much longer than the progress bar would suggest. If your output file is 32 GB, then you'll actually need 64 GB of free space (temporarily). The finished export will still be 32 GB and the extra space is restored. For long videos it may look like ScreenFlow won't finish, but rest assured that it will.

== Lossless Export ==

This is an alternative to ProRes. In nearly all cases it's not worth choosing this, but it is an option if you want absolutely no compression. To use it, follow the steps above for ProRes, but for the codec choose Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2.

If you force quit ScreenFlow during the export process it won't delete the temp file, resulting in storage space being held hostage. You can find these temp files here:

*/private/var/folders/6b/q33l69c55dbcd07m0bjw82f00000gn/T/net.telestream.screenflow4.legacyexporter/TemporaryItems

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-29T00:37:40Z

HDL: ProRes information and some cleanup.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
= Main Website =
[http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm]

= Usage =

ScreenFlow does not capture specific regions of your screen when recording (you can select regions after recording). It records the entire screen, but is highly CPU efficient due to its focus on actively changing frames. Here is the basic flow:

*Go to Preferences -> Advanced and choose adaptive or lossless screen recording (more on this below).
*Choose whether or not to include your webcam in the recording.
*Select an audio device or record computer audio.
*Begin recording.
*End recording, which brings up the post-production interface.
*Crop to your desired resolution, and if you want you can add text, transitions, annotations, etc.
*Select an encoding preset (or create a custom one).
*Click export and choose a file name.

Screen recordings are 60 FPS by default. Playback in the canvas isn't perfect, so it might look like frames were dropped in the recording even though they really weren't. Assuming your hardware doesn't have performance issues, the encoded videos will show all the frames recorded correctly.

== Adaptive VS. Lossless ==

The adaptive capture method will optimize recording performance by focusing more on movement (changing pixels) and less on still parts of the screen. For instance, if you record a game window ScreenFlow will focus on that rather than the bits of your desktop. The quality is practically indistinguishable from lossless, so use this unless you have a really powerful computer.

Lossless is exactly what it sounds like. Everything on your display is recorded in full for every frame. This method is very taxing at high resolutions, so you may want to do recording tests first to ensure your computer can handle it. To minimize the performance hit, scale your monitor's resolution before recording.

Note: There is a caveat with adaptive. Depending on the visuals and movement in your source, it might mistake certain moments as "still images" and cause dropped frames in an attempt to reduce the file size. This is uncommon, but if it happens use lossless and scale the monitor resolution. You'll still need a reasonably modern computer in order to handle this without dropped frames.

= Encoding =

There are a number of presets to choose from, but it is recommended that you create custom presets based on the content you record. To do this, go to File -> Export (or press ⌘E) and click Manage. Click the "Copy" button next to a preset (Uncompressed is recommended) and it will appear on the bottom. From here you can edit your encoding settings such as frame rate, bit rate, etc. You can also do this in the main export prompt by selecting a preset and clicking "Customize." The changes made in this manner are temporary and won't be saved to the preset.

Note: ScreenFlow uses x264 but still calls it H.264.

By default the video scale will be your crop settings in the canvas, but you can change it by choosing other scale options from the dropdown or use your own custom resolution.

== ProRes Export ==

ScreenFlow's x264 codec, unfortunately, does tamper with the color space. Exporting videos like this will not preserve accurate colors in your video. For that reason it is highly recommended that you export ProRes, however we won't be using the default preset for it.

*Click on "Manage" in the export window and copy any preset.
*Click edit and change compression to ProRes 422 HQ.
*Change FPS from Current to 60. Even if your source video is 60 FPS, leaving it at Current will export a 30 FPS video.
*Set audio to Linear PCM. Sampling rate should be 48 kHz and quality should be at best.

This is a lossy format that retains an extremely high bit rate, making it ideal for offline workflows. It will produce a .mov file. It is highly recommended that you compress it with [[FFmpeg|FFmpeg's]] x264 codec, as this one will preserve the correct colors as well as allow you the option for CRF or 2-pass encoding.

Warning: ScreenFlow takes a while to export a file like this, much longer than the progress bar would suggest. If your output file is 32 GB, then you'll actually need 64 GB of free space (temporarily). The finished export will still be 32 GB and the extra space is restored. For long videos it may look like ScreenFlow won't finish, but rest assured that it will.

== Lossless Export ==

This is an alternative to ProRes. In nearly all cases it's not worth choosing this, but it is an option if you want absolutely no compression. To use it, follow the steps above for ProRes, but for the codec choose Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2.

If you force quit ScreenFlow during the export process it won't delete the temp file, resulting in storage space being held hostage. You can find these temp files here:

*/private/var/folders/6b/q33l69c55dbcd07m0bjw82f00000gn/T/net.telestream.screenflow4.legacyexporter/TemporaryItems

FFmpeg

2014-10-28T00:06:18Z

HDL: Added CRF example.

[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Main Websites =
[https://www.ffmpeg.org ffmpeg.org]

= Encoding =

Note: When encoding for SDA submissions just use [[Yua|Yua]]. It's much simpler and decreases the likelihood of mistakes. Use FFmpeg only if you know exactly what you're doing, are not encoding for SDA, or simply want more options than Yua affords.

FFmpeg is a command line application, used with Terminal (Unix) or Command Prompt (Windows). With the exception of 3rd-party options it doesn't have a GUI, so it may be tricky to learn at first. The advantages are that it's cross-platform so it can be used on any modern operating system, highly up-to-date as development is active, and it offers more flexibility than any other encoding software. Here are examples of usage on Unix systems:

== D4 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,setdar=dar=4/3 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,setdar=dar=4/3 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

== D1 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

== Progressive Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i Lossless.mov -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pix_fmt yuv420p -pass 1 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k Compressed.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i Lossless.mov -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pix_fmt yuv420p -pass 2 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k Compressed.mp4

== Constant Rate Factor ==

If you want every frame to target a specific level of quality and don't care about file size, CRF is the better choice.

./ffmpeg -i Lossless.mov -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -crf 15 -pix_fmt yuv420p -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k Compressed.mp4

= Commands =

Let's break down what these commands mean so it's easier to understand how to use them.

*./ ("Dot slash." Required on Unix systems to run applications via Terminal.)
*-y (Yes; used for automatically overwriting on the 2nd pass.)
*-i (Input, use this before specifying the source video.)
*-c:v (codec for video; used to choose codecs like “libx264”)
*-preset (Quality setting for x264, veryslow is best quality.)
*-b:v (bit rate for video; used to determine visual quality in Kbps.)
*-pass (used for 2-pass encoding.)
*-pix_fmt (pixel format; yuv420p is standard.)
*-vf (video filter; used for various effects like scaling, field separation, deinterlacing, etc.)
*-af (audio filter; used for various audio effects like volume.)
*-strict -2 (allows usage of experimental codecs like aac.)
*-c:a (codec for audio; used to choose codecs like “libvo_aacenc” which is the non-experimental AAC.)
*-cutoff (used to set the maximum audio frequency.)
*-b:a (bit rate for audio; used to determine aural quality in Kbps.)
*&& (Allows you to combine more than one command on Unix systems into a single line; helpful for 2-pass encoding.)

Besides these commands there are also various video and audio filter options you can use.

== Filters ==

*separatefields (This splits the fields for interlaced video at half height and doubles the frame rate; use for D4 only.)
*setdar (Use this to set the aspect ratio after separating fields or deinterlacing. Corrects the resolution without specifying values.)
*yadif (Widely used deinterlacing filter; used for D1 video instead of field separation.)
*mcdeint (Motion compensating filter used in conjunction with yadif; use to prevent pixel shift [bobbing] on D1 sources.)
*scale (Use this if you want a specific resolution. Add "interl=0" at the end to prevent scaling with interlacing.)
*volume (Increase/decrease the audio levels.)
*fps (Do not use for full frame rate videos. Useful for MQ and LQ SDA submissions.)

Note: Some commands must be entered in the correct order. For example, scaling must be done after deinterlacing, not before.

For more information on commands, filters, and usage you can check the [https://www.ffmpeg.org/documentation.html FFmpeg Documentation.]

= Trimming =

It's rare that one wants to encode all recorded footage from start to finish. Usually you want to choose a start frame and end frame. The easiest way to do this with ffmpeg is to divide the frame number by the frame rate of the video. Use a media player that can display the frame count. If you want to start on frame 117 and your source video is 30 FPS, then just divide 117 ÷ 30 = 3.9. Example:

*./ffmpeg -i FullVideo.avi -ss 3.9 -to 17.2 -vcodec copy -acodec copy Trimmed.avi

This will start the video on frame 117 and end on frame 516. Quick breakdown of the important commands:

*-ss (Starts video at that time in seconds.)
*-to (Trims to that time from the start of the video.)
*-t (Can be used in lieu of -to for trimming the video to the specified duration.)

= Screen Recording =

FFmpeg can also capture your desktop. Refer to [https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Capture/Desktop this page] to see how this is done. This feature is currently unavailable for OS X.

= Streaming =

Harder to use than common solutions, but FFmpeg is capable of streaming to services like Twitch and Hitbox. Read [http://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/StreamingGuide this guide] for more details.

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-27T23:46:46Z

HDL: Added info about capture methods.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
= Main Website =
[http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm]

= Usage =

ScreenFlow does not capture specific regions of your screen when recording (you can select regions after recording). It records the entire screen, but is highly CPU efficient due to its focus on actively changing frames. Here is the basic flow:

*Go to Preferences -> Advanced and choose adaptive or lossless screen recording (more on this below).
*Choose whether or not to include your webcam in the recording.
*Select an audio device or record computer audio.
*Begin recording.
*End recording, which brings up the post-production interface.
*Crop to your desired resolution, and if you want you can add text, transitions, annotations, etc.
*Select an encoding preset (or create a custom one).
*Click export and choose a file name.

Screen recordings are 60 FPS by default. Playback in the canvas isn't perfect, so it might look like frames were dropped in the recording even though they really weren't. Assuming your hardware doesn't have performance issues, the encoded videos will show all the frames recorded correctly.

== Adaptive VS. Lossless ==

The adaptive capture method will optimize recording performance by focusing more on movement (changing pixels) and less on still parts of the screen. For instance, if you record a game window ScreenFlow will focus on that rather than the bits of your desktop. The quality is practically indistinguishable from lossless, so use this unless you have a really powerful computer.

Lossless is exactly what it sounds like. Everything on your display is recorded in full for every frame. This method is very taxing at high resolutions, so you may want to do recording tests first to ensure your computer can handle it. To minimize the performance hit, scale your monitor's resolution before recording.

Note: There is a caveat with adaptive. Depending on the visuals and movement in your source, it might mistake certain moments as "still images" and cause dropped frames in an attempt to reduce the file size. This is uncommon, but if it happens use lossless and scale the monitor resolution. You'll still need a reasonably modern computer in order to handle this without dropped frames.

= Encoding =

There are a number of presets to choose from, but it is recommended that you create custom presets based on the content you record. To do this, go to File -> Export (or press ⌘E) and click Manage. Click the "Copy" button next to a preset (Uncompressed is recommended) and it will appear on the bottom. From here you can edit your encoding settings such as frame rate, bit rate, etc. You can also do this in the main export prompt by selecting a preset and clicking "Customize." The changes made in this manner are temporary and won't be saved to the preset.

Note: ScreenFlow uses x264 but still calls it H.264.

By default the video scale will be your crop settings in the canvas, but you can change it by choosing other scale options from the dropdown or use your own custom resolution.

== Lossless Export ==

ScreenFlow's x264 codec, unfortunately, does tamper with the color space. Exporting videos like this will not preserve accurate colors in your video. For that reason it is highly recommended that you export Uncompressed, but you'll have to create a custom preset of it:

*Change compression to Uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2.
*Change FPS from Current to 60. Even if your source video is 60 FPS, leaving it at Current will export a lossless 30 FPS video.
*Change audio to Linear PCM. Sampling rate should be 48 kHz and quality should be at best.

This will produce an uncompressed .mov file. It is highly recommended that you compress it with [[FFmpeg|FFmpeg's]] x264 codec, as this one will preserve the correct colors as well as allow you the option for 2-pass encoding.

Warning: ScreenFlow takes a very long time to export an uncompressed file like this. It takes much longer than the progress bar would suggest. If your output file is 100 GB, then you'll actually need 200 GB of free space (temporarily). The finished export will still be 100 GB and the extra space is restored. For long videos it may look like ScreenFlow won't finish, but rest assured that it will.

If you force quit ScreenFlow during this process, it won't delete the very large temp file, resulting in storage space being held hostage. You can find these temp files here:

*/private/var/folders/6b/q33l69c55dbcd07m0bjw82f00000gn/T/net.telestream.screenflow4.legacyexporter/TemporaryItems

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-25T14:43:14Z

HDL: Added important info about uncompressed videos.

FFmpeg

2014-10-15T14:48:52Z

HDL: Added command for progressive source.

[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Main Websites =
[https://www.ffmpeg.org ffmpeg.org]

= Encoding =

Note: When encoding for SDA submissions just use [[Yua|Yua]]. It's much simpler and decreases the likelihood of mistakes. Use FFmpeg only if you know exactly what you're doing, are not encoding for SDA, or simply want more options than Yua affords.

FFmpeg is a command line application, used with Terminal (Unix) or Command Prompt (Windows). With the exception of 3rd-party options it doesn't have a GUI, so it may be tricky to learn at first. The advantages are that it's cross-platform so it can be used on any modern operating system, highly up-to-date as development is active, and it offers more flexibility than any other encoding software. Here are examples of usage on Unix systems:

== D4 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,setdar=dar=4/3 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,setdar=dar=4/3 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

== D1 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

== Progressive Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i Lossless.mov -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pix_fmt yuv420p -pass 1 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k Compressed.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i Lossless.mov -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pix_fmt yuv420p -pass 2 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k Compressed.mp4

= Commands =

Let's break down what these commands mean so it's easier to understand how to use them.

*./ ("Dot slash." Required on Unix systems to run applications via Terminal.)
*-y (Yes; used for automatically overwriting on the 2nd pass.)
*-i (Input, use this before specifying the source video.)
*-c:v (codec for video; used to choose codecs like “libx264”)
*-preset (Quality setting for x264, veryslow is best quality.)
*-b:v (bit rate for video; used to determine visual quality in Kbps.)
*-pass (used for 2-pass encoding.)
*-pix_fmt (pixel format; yuv420p is standard.)
*-vf (video filter; used for various effects like scaling, field separation, deinterlacing, etc.)
*-af (audio filter; used for various audio effects like volume.)
*-strict -2 (allows usage of experimental codecs like aac.)
*-c:a (codec for audio; used to choose codecs like “libvo_aacenc” which is the non-experimental AAC.)
*-cutoff (used to set the maximum audio frequency.)
*-b:a (bit rate for audio; used to determine aural quality in Kbps.)
*&& (Allows you to combine more than one command on Unix systems into a single line; helpful for 2-pass encoding.)

Besides these commands there are also various video and audio filter options you can use.

== Filters ==

*separatefields (This splits the fields for interlaced video at half height and doubles the frame rate; use for D4 only.)
*setdar (Use this to set the aspect ratio after separating fields or deinterlacing. Corrects the resolution without specifying values.)
*yadif (Widely used deinterlacing filter; used for D1 video instead of field separation.)
*mcdeint (Motion compensating filter used in conjunction with yadif; use to prevent pixel shift [bobbing] on D1 sources.)
*scale (Use this if you want a specific resolution. Add "interl=0" at the end to prevent scaling with interlacing.)
*volume (Increase/decrease the audio levels.)
*fps (Do not use for full frame rate videos. Useful for MQ and LQ SDA submissions.)

Note: Some commands must be entered in the correct order. For example, scaling must be done after deinterlacing, not before.

For more information on commands, filters, and usage you can check the [https://www.ffmpeg.org/documentation.html FFmpeg Documentation.]

= Trimming =

It's rare that one wants to encode all recorded footage from start to finish. Usually you want to choose a start frame and end frame. The easiest way to do this with ffmpeg is to divide the frame number by the frame rate of the video. Use a media player that can display the frame count. If you want to start on frame 117 and your source video is 30 FPS, then just divide 117 ÷ 30 = 3.9. Example:

*./ffmpeg -i FullVideo.avi -ss 3.9 -to 17.2 -vcodec copy -acodec copy Trimmed.avi

This will start the video on frame 117 and end on frame 516. Quick breakdown of the important commands:

*-ss (Starts video at that time in seconds.)
*-to (Trims to that time from the start of the video.)
*-t (Can be used in lieu of -to for trimming the video to the specified duration.)

= Screen Recording =

FFmpeg can also capture your desktop. Refer to [https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Capture/Desktop this page] to see how this is done. This feature is currently unavailable for OS X.

= Streaming =

Harder to use than common solutions, but FFmpeg is capable of streaming to services like Twitch and Hitbox. Read [http://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/StreamingGuide this guide] for more details.

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-15T14:43:46Z

HDL: Added details about ScreenFlow's affect on color space and lossless exporting.

Recording

2014-10-12T19:04:05Z

HDL: Added OS X link.

= Console Recording =
At a really high level, recording a speedrun for SDA means that you will try and get the best possible quality video footage from your console to your TV and to a recording device of some kind at the same time. This can be a little bit complicated, but we'll try and walk you through it step by step. You're going to need your game console, a television, some kind of recording device, and if you're capturing your run to your computer some kind of capture software. Before you jump into the fray, it would help to understand a little bit about audio and video signals and cables. [[Console_Recording|Go here]] to get acquainted with some of the stuff that you'll be working with. Once you're a bit familiar with the basics read on below and we'll cover each of the things that you'll need to record a speedrun in more detail.
 
We should mention here, once you've gone through the instructions on this page and collected your equipment, don't start trying to record your speedrun attempts just yet. You will need to capture some footage as a test. You will then [[Processing|process]] the footage and post a [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/how_to_post_a_video_quality_test..html quality test] of your finished product in the [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/board/tech_support.html Tech Support forum.] We want to make sure that there isn't anything wrong with your setup/settings before you attempt to record a full speedrun. We would hate to have to reject a speedrun over A/V quality issues.

== Equipment ==

=== Game Console ===
Which console your game is on will determine the type of equipment you will be using.

{{col-begin}}
{| class="wikitable"
|<center>'''Nintendo Systems'''</center>
|-
|[[NES_capture|NES]]
|-
|[[SNES_Capture|SNES]]
|-
|[[Nintendo_64_capture|Nintendo 64]]
|-
|[[Gamecube_Capture|GameCube]]
|-
|[[Wii_capture|Wii]]
|-
|[[Wii_U_capture|Wii U]]
|-
|[[Game_Boy_Capture|Game Boy]]
|-
|[[Game_Boy_Advance_Capture|Game Boy Advance]]
|-
|[[Test_DS_Capture_page|Nintendo DS]]
|-
|[[Test_DS_Capture_page|Nintendo 3DS]]
|-
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|<center>'''Sega Systems'''</center>
|-
|[[Genesis_Capture|Genesis / MegaDrive]]
|-
|[[Master_System_Capture|Master System]]
|-
|[[Game_Gear_Capture|Game Gear]]
|-
|[[Sega_Saturn_Capture|Saturn]]
|-
|[[Dreamcast_Capture|Dreamcast]]
|-
|<center>'''Sony Systems'''</center>
|-
|[[PS1_Capture|Playstation 1]]
|-
|[[PS2_capture|Playstation 2]]
|-
|Playstation 3
|-
|[[PS4_Capture|Playstation 4]]
|-
|[[PSP_Capture|PSP (Playstation Portable)]]
|-
|Playstation Vita
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|<center>'''Microsoft Systems'''</center>
|-
|Xbox
|-
|[[Xbox_360_Capture|Xbox 360]]
|-
|[[Xbox_One_Capture|Xbox One]]
|-
|<center>'''Other Systems'''</center>
|-
|Neo Geo
|-
|[[TurboGrafx-16_Capture|TurboGrafx-16]]
|-
|3DO
|-
|Jaguar
|-
|Atari 2600
|}
{{col-end}}
 

=== Television ===
Yes, the TV you use can make a difference in your speedrun. We're going to lump TVs into two categories.

{| class="wikitable"
|'''[[CRT_Television|CRT TVs]]
|These older televisions are ideal for speedrunning, but they have their limitations.
|-
|'''[[LCD_Television|LCD TVs]]'''
|Newer televisions are widely available and they support the latest video formats, but they pose some challenges.
|}
 

=== Recording Devices ===

{| class="wikitable"
|[[New_Recording_Devices|Video Capture Devices]]
|Strongly recommended and required for streaming.
|-
|[[DVD|DVD Recorder]]
|An acceptable alternative to capture devices.
|}
 

=== Splitter ===
No matter what your setup is, you need to find some way of getting your A/V footage to your recording device and to your television at the same time. Check out the full guide to the methods of doing this [[Splitters|here]].

{| class="wikitable"
|'''[[Splitters#Powered_Splitters|Powered Splitters]]'''
|If you can afford it, this is the way to go.
|-
|'''[[Splitters#Cable_Methods|Cable Methods]]'''
|Less expensive, but the quality of the capture may suffer. Only supports composite video.
|-
|'''[[Splitters#Passthrough|Capture Card Method]]
|Some Capture cards support a passthrough feature.
|}
 

=== Recording Software ===
If you are using a video capture device you'll need to use some type of recording software.

{| class="wikitable"
|'''[[VirtualDub]]'''
|A free, powerful, and commonly used capture program.
|-
|'''[[Amarectv]]'''
|A free and simple tool, Amarectv is popular because it can let you record your runs and stream live simultaneously.
|-
|'''[[DScaler]]'''
|A slightly less popular, but powerful capture software.
|}
 

= PC Recording =
'''[[Digital_Capture|Start here.]]''' Capturing a PC game is both easier and harder than capturing a console game. You won't be worrying about splitters or messing with cables. You will be playing the game and attempting to record your screen at the same time which can pose some unique challenges. OS X users can refer to the [[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming|Mac Recording and Streaming]] page.
 
We should mention here, once you've gone through the instructions on this page, don't start trying to record your speedrun attempts just yet. You will need to capture some footage as a test. You will then [[Processing|process]] the footage and post a [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/how_to_post_a_video_quality_test..html quality test]of your finished product in the [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/board/tech_support.html Tech Support forum.] We want to make sure that there isn't anything wrong with your setup/settings before you attempt to record a full speedrun. We would hate to have to reject a speedrun over A/V quality issues.

Digital Capture

2014-10-12T19:00:50Z

HDL: Added OS X link.

Capturing a PC game is both easier and harder than capturing a console game. Unlike consoles, a PC game is already transmitting its video information in digital format; the only thing that is needed is for this signal to end up in a file as well. However, doing so will require running a recording program alongside your game, which may or may not cause problems.

Note: OS X users can refer to the [[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming|Mac Recording and Streaming]] page.

=FRAPS=
==Introduction==
[http://www.fraps.com FRAPS] is by far the most commonly used method to record speedrun videos on the PC. For a long period of time FRAPS wasn't a very good program to use for this since it made games behave in weird ways and caused severe input delay, among other things. It has slowly been improved bit by bit and now it's actually a program you can recommend without being the slightest sarcastic. The program is running in the background and records the game you're playing, a process that's quite heavy on the hardware in most cases. Spite the hardware requirements FRAPS does have a few advantages over other recording methods such as DVD recorders.

1. Record in any resolution you want.

2. Extremely high quality recordings.

3. Easier encoding. No need to transfer your video from a DVD to your computer since it's already on your hard drive, ready for encoding.

4. No need to buy media such as discs.

5. Cheaper than a good DVD recorder.

The trial version of the program is not sufficient for recording runs for SpeedDemosArchive since it has a limit of 30 seconds per video and it also puts a watermark in them, and we do not like watermarks. The software can be bought for $37 which is much cheaper than buying a good DVD recorder, for example. Any updates after the initial purchase are free of charge. Other methods of acquiring the full version are not supported nor encouraged by SpeedDemosArchive.

==Recommended Hardware==
'''The hardware listed here is not critical to be able to record with FRAPS, this is recommended hardware for getting the best possible performance out of FRAPS.'''

'''Dual-core (or better) CPU''': This will allow you to run the game and FRAPS on different CPU cores, significantly improving the recording performance.

'''2GB (or more) of RAM''': Even though FRAPS isn't the most memory hungry application you want to make sure there's plenty of RAM to minimize the risk of sudden [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_swapping disk swapping] that can ruin your recording.

'''2 hard drives''': Same reason we want at least a dual-core CPU. Running the game on one drive while having FRAPS record to another will greatly improve recording performance. Note that drive partitions do not fall under this category, it has to be 2 physical drives.

'''Graphics card''': Anything that has an AMD/ATI or nVidia stamp on it. You want something that can at least keep a solid 30 frames per second when running the game with the resolution you're recording in.

If you have a version of FRAPS below 3.x or are running on Windows XP, you will also need '''a soundcard that can record using either Stereo Mix or ”What U Hear”'''. When software capture is not available, this will let you record sound. Just about all soundcards will have Stereo Mix, somewhat modern Creative Soundblaster cards will have ”What U Hear” which is the exact same thing but with a ridiculous name.

===Single Disk Recording===
'''Important''': Single disk recording isn't recommended since there's a much greater chance of getting your recordings ruined if Windows decides to access other files on the disk while you're recording. This section exists so that those who are forced to use a single disk can minimize the risk of getting their recordings ruined.

'''What is safe to record?''': Unfortunately there is no way to be completely safe when using a single disk for FRAPS. Games that work the best though are older games, and games that don't demand much of the computer to run smoothly.

====Minimizing The Risks====
'''ReadyBoost''': Read [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReadyBoost this article].

==FRAPS Application Settings==
Note: This part of the guide is written for FRAPS version 3.x. If you're using an earlier version some settings will not be available.

===The General Tab===
'''Monitor Aero desktop (DWM)''': Enabling this feature can in some cases allow you to record games you normally wouldn't be able to record due to lack of hardware accelerated graphics. This option only works under Vista (support added in version 2.9.0) and Windows 7 (support added in version 3.0.0) when Aero is enabled. This feature will not work on XP.

FRAPS 3.x on the left, FRAPS 2.x on the right.

[[File:Fraps_general_tab.png]] [[File:Old_fraps_general.gif]]

===The FPS Tab===
'''Overlay Corner''': Depending on if there are important HUD elements in your game you might want to change the position of the Overlay Corner (highlighted with red in the picture) so it doesn't obscure important information. Just click the corner where you want FRAPS to display the frame counter.

FRAPS 3.x on the left, FRAPS 2.x on the right.

[[File:Fraps_fps_tab.png]] [[File:Old_fraps_fps.gif]]

'''Hide overlay''': Enabling this option is not recommended since the frame counter also indicates if FRAPS is recording or not and it will also tell you (depending on recording settings) if you are dropping an excessive amount of frames while recording. In some games the frame counter will show up in the video (this is not supposed to happen) and in such cases it's best to disable the frame counter.

In the left picture the counter is yellow. That means FRAPS is running in the background but isn't recording. In the right picture the counter is red. That means FRAPS is running and recording.

[[File:Fraps_not_recording.png]] [[File:Fraps_recording.png]]

'''Benchmarking Hotkey''': FRAPS uses hotkeys for its functions, but they might be the same as the hotkeys used by the game to be recorded. You will not be using the Benchmarking hotkey so you may disable it to prevent future problems.

'''Overlay Hotkey''': Pushing this button will make the frame counter change position on the screen.
*Position 1: upper left corner
*Position 2: upper right corner
*Position 3: lower left corner
*Position 4: lower right corner
*Position 5: overlay is turned off

===The Movies Tab===
'''Folder to save movies in''': Make sure this folder is located on a drive where you are not running any heavy applications such as the game you're recording. Also try to avoid recording to the drive where Windows is installed.

'''Video Capture Hotkey''': Ideally you don't want this button anywhere near the buttons you're using in the game you're recording, you don't want to push this button by accident in the middle of a run. To change key simply click the field and then push the button you want to use.

'''Video Capture Settings (fps)''': Here you have to do a little trial and error to see what your computer is actually capable of recording at. If you are trying 60 and the fps isn't steady at 60 you have to lower the recording frame rate or else you will get a choppy video. 30 fps shouldn't be a problem for most systems, but this can vary greatly depending on the game you're recording.

'''Video Capture Settings (image size)''': This should in almost all cases be set to full-size. If you are recording a game where the graphics scale very badly, i.e getting really ugly as you lower the resolution, it can be better to run the game at a higher resolution and have FRAPS lower the video resolution through half-size recording. Full-size requires more of the hard drive while half-size requires more CPU power due to the extra processing of resizing the image.

'''Lock framerate while recording''': A very useful option that needs to be used with caution. Before this option was added FRAPS would always lock your framerate to whatever the program was set to record at but now you have the option to not have FRAPS limit your framerate. Being forced to play a game at 30 fps because your computer is not quite fast enough to record at 60 fps can be quite annoying and in such cases you want to leave the option unchecked. If your computer is fast enough to record at 60 fps you actually want to leave this option checked. The reason for this is that the frame counter (when framerate is locked) will let you know if you are dropping frames by fluctuating to values below the framerate you're recording at, when the lock is disabled this fluctuation is not present because it displays the framerate the game is actually being rendered at which is not necessarily the same framerate FRAPS is currently capable of recording at.

'''Split movie every 4 Gigabytes''': As long as the drive you're recording to is formatted with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTFS NTFS] (which is almost always the case today) there is no reason to have this turned on. When enabled FRAPS will split your recording up in 3.9 GiB segments. This is a remnant from back when the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_allocation_table#FAT32 FAT32 file system] was still commonly used in Windows installations. FAT32 is incapable of handling files larger than 4 GiB and therefore older versions of FRAPS forced a split when a recording reached 3.9 GiB. The option to turn this off/on became available in version 3.5.0.

'''Sound Capture Settings (main)''': Record Vista/Win7 sound is a feature only present in FRAPS 3.x. In Vista and Windows 7, FRAPS can record the output audio stream directly from software, without relying on hardware or drivers. If you have this option available, use it and record in Stereo. If you don't have this available, pick "Use Windows input" and follow the instructions in the Windows Settings section.

'''Sound Capture Settings (external input)''': Always disabled when recording content intended for SpeedDemosArchive. This option was added in version 3.0.0 and will therefore not exist if you're using an earlier version. It also won't work if you're using XP.

FRAPS 3.x on the left, FRAPS 2.x on the right.

[[File:Fraps_movies_tab_3.5.99.png]] [[File:Old_fraps_movies.gif]]

===Misc. Recording Settings Located In Movies Tab===
'''Hide mouse cursor in video''': Disabled.

'''Force lossless RGB capture''': Having this option disabled is the recommended setting, but feel free to try with it enabled if you want to. Important about this option is that it will not improve the quality of the final encoding due to the video codecs used on SpeedDemosArchive. This option was added in version 3.0.0 and will not exist if you're using an earlier version.

===Screenshot Tab===
No settings here are important for your recordings.

==Windows Settings==
If you were able to pick "Record Vista sound" or "Record Win7 sound" on Fraps 3.x, skip this section! You can record sound directly from Windows without relying on your sound hardware or drivers. Otherwise, follow these directions in order to set up recording from a hardware dependent stream.

===Drivers===
Make sure you have the latest official drivers for everything. Do not use third-party drivers when recording with FRAPS.

===Driver Download===
This is a list of the most commonly used official drivers/driver packages. These links will point you to the manufacturer's driver download section, not directly to driver installation files.

[http://www.amd.com/us/Pages/AMDHomePage.aspx AMD/ATI] chipset, integrated motherboard features and graphics.

[http://support.creative.com/Products/Products.aspx?catid=1 Creative] sound.

[http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support?iid=hdr+support Intel] chipset and integrated motherboard features.

[http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx Nvidia] chipset, integrated motherboard features and graphics.

===Sound Recording===
To get to the recording options click the Start Menu icon, settings, Control Panel, Sound, Recording.

It should look something like this.

[[File:recording_control.png]]

Make sure that Stereo Mix or What U Hear is selected as the default recording device. Sound recording with FRAPS should now work without problems.

==Game Settings==
These settings will vary greatly depending on the game you're recording, but there are a few rules of thumb that goes for most games. In most cases you want to go with image quality settings that are referred to as ”normal” or ”medium”.

'''Anisotropic Filtering''': Turn this off.

'''Anti-Aliasing''': Turn this off.

'''Nvidia PhysX''': Turn this off.

Not only do these settings raise the bitrate requirement for the video, they also put a lot more stress on your graphics card(s) which in turn might prevent you from running the game at a solid recording framerate. Solid recording framerate is more important than in-game graphics.

'''Vsync/vertical retrace''': If you're experiencing input delay in your game turn this off. Do not be alarmed if you see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_tearing tearing], it will not show up in your video since the video frames are captured before they're sent off to the monitor.

==Can I Record All Games With FRAPS?==
Unfortunately not. FRAPS works great for games that are using [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directx DirectX], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opengl OpenGL] or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directdraw DirectDraw], although versions prior to 2.9.9 might have some issues with DirectDraw. Games using different rendering methods will in many cases not be possible to record, [http://speeddemosarchive.com/kb/Digital_Capture#The_General_Tab this method] might solve some problems.

==To Think About Before Recording==
'''Programs to shut down before recording''': Anti-virus, p2p programs such as BitTorrent, instant-messaging services and VoIP/voice chat. These types of programs can interfere with FRAPS or the game you're running. For example, it's not acceptable to have AIM/Skype/Yahoo event sounds in your videos.

'''Check your hard drive''': Make sure that the hard drive you're recording to has plenty of free space and is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defragmentation defragmented]. Avoid defragmentation if you have a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive Solid-State Drive] as defragmenting an SSD can lower the performance of the drive and will also shorten its lifetime.

Return to the [[Main Page|front page]].

Freedom Planet

2014-10-12T18:32:17Z

HDL: Created page with "Category:Games Category:PC = Categories = Lilac: Beat the game using Lilac. Carol: Beat the game using Carol. [[Fr..."

[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:PC]]
= Categories =

[[Freedom_Planet/Lilac|Lilac]]: Beat the game using Lilac.

[[Freedom_Planet/Carol|Carol]]: Beat the game using Carol.

[[Freedom_Planet/Milla|Milla]]: Beat the game using Milla.

[[Freedom_Planet/Torque|Torque]]: Beat the game using Torque.

[[Freedom_Planet/Spade|Spade]]: Beat the game using Spade.

= General Information =
[[Freedom_Planet/Mechanics and Bugs|Mechanics and Bugs]]: Details to help you understand the game and characters.

FFmpeg

2014-10-12T15:13:13Z

HDL: Added streaming info.

[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Main Websites =
[https://www.ffmpeg.org ffmpeg.org]

= Encoding =

Note: When encoding for SDA submissions just use [[Yua|Yua]]. It's much simpler and decreases the likelihood of mistakes. Use FFmpeg only if you know exactly what you're doing, are not encoding for SDA, or simply want more options than Yua affords.

FFmpeg is a command line application, used with Terminal (Unix) or Command Prompt (Windows). With the exception of 3rd-party options it doesn't have a GUI, so it may be tricky to learn at first. The advantages are that it's cross-platform so it can be used on any modern operating system, highly up-to-date as development is active, and it offers more flexibility than any other encoding software. Here are examples of usage on Unix systems:

== D4 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,setdar=dar=4/3 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,setdar=dar=4/3 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

== D1 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

= Commands =

Let's break down what these commands mean so it's easier to understand how to use them.

*./ ("Dot slash." Required on Unix systems to run applications via Terminal.)
*-y (Yes; used for automatically overwriting on the 2nd pass.)
*-i (Input, use this before specifying the source video.)
*-c:v (codec for video; used to choose codecs like “libx264”)
*-preset (Quality setting for x264, veryslow is best quality.)
*-b:v (bit rate for video; used to determine visual quality in Kbps.)
*-pass (used for 2-pass encoding.)
*-pix_fmt (pixel format; yuv420p is standard.)
*-vf (video filter; used for various effects like scaling, field separation, deinterlacing, etc.)
*-af (audio filter; used for various audio effects like volume.)
*-strict -2 (allows usage of experimental codecs like aac.)
*-c:a (codec for audio; used to choose codecs like “libvo_aacenc” which is the non-experimental AAC.)
*-cutoff (used to set the maximum audio frequency.)
*-b:a (bit rate for audio; used to determine aural quality in Kbps.)
*&& (Allows you to combine more than one command on Unix systems into a single line; helpful for 2-pass encoding.)

Besides these commands there are also various video and audio filter options you can use.

== Filters ==

*separatefields (This splits the fields for interlaced video at half height and doubles the frame rate; use for D4 only.)
*setdar (Use this to set the aspect ratio after separating fields or deinterlacing. Corrects the resolution without specifying values.)
*yadif (Widely used deinterlacing filter; used for D1 video instead of field separation.)
*mcdeint (Motion compensating filter used in conjunction with yadif; use to prevent pixel shift [bobbing] on D1 sources.)
*scale (Use this if you want a specific resolution. Add "interl=0" at the end to prevent scaling with interlacing.)
*volume (Increase/decrease the audio levels.)
*fps (Do not use for full frame rate videos. Useful for MQ and LQ SDA submissions.)

Note: Some commands must be entered in the correct order. For example, scaling must be done after deinterlacing, not before.

For more information on commands, filters, and usage you can check the [https://www.ffmpeg.org/documentation.html FFmpeg Documentation.]

= Trimming =

It's rare that one wants to encode all recorded footage from start to finish. Usually you want to choose a start frame and end frame. The easiest way to do this with ffmpeg is to divide the frame number by the frame rate of the video. Use a media player that can display the frame count. If you want to start on frame 117 and your source video is 30 FPS, then just divide 117 ÷ 30 = 3.9. Example:

*./ffmpeg -i FullVideo.avi -ss 3.9 -to 17.2 -vcodec copy -acodec copy Trimmed.avi

This will start the video on frame 117 and end on frame 516. Quick breakdown of the important commands:

*-ss (Starts video at that time in seconds.)
*-to (Trims to that time from the start of the video.)
*-t (Can be used in lieu of -to for trimming the video to the specified duration.)

= Screen Recording =

FFmpeg can also capture your desktop. Refer to [https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Capture/Desktop this page] to see how this is done. This feature is currently unavailable for OS X.

= Streaming =

Harder to use than common solutions, but FFmpeg is capable of streaming to services like Twitch and Hitbox. Read [http://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/StreamingGuide this guide] for more details.

FFmpeg

2014-10-12T14:54:28Z

HDL: Created page with "Category:Recording Category:Streaming = Main Websites = [https://www.ffmpeg.org ffmpeg.org] = Encoding = Note: When encoding for SDA submissions just use [[Y..."

[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Main Websites =
[https://www.ffmpeg.org ffmpeg.org]

= Encoding =

Note: When encoding for SDA submissions just use [[Yua|Yua]]. It's much simpler and decreases the likelihood of mistakes. Use FFmpeg only if you know exactly what you're doing, are not encoding for SDA, or simply want more options than Yua affords.

FFmpeg is a command line application, used with Terminal (Unix) or Command Prompt (Windows). With the exception of 3rd-party options it doesn't have a GUI, so it may be tricky to learn at first. The advantages are that it's cross-platform so it can be used on any modern operating system, highly up-to-date as development is active, and it offers more flexibility than any other encoding software. Here are examples of usage on Unix systems:

== D4 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,setdar=dar=4/3 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 4000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf separatefields,setdar=dar=4/3 -af volume=3 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

== D1 Source ==

./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 1 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4 && ./ffmpeg -y -i InputVideo.avi -c:v libx264 -preset veryslow -b:v 5000k -pass 2 -pix_fmt yuv420p -vf yadif=3:1,mcdeint,scale=640:480:interl=0 -strict -2 -c:a aac -cutoff 48000 -b:a 320k OutputVideo.mp4

= Commands =

Let's break down what these commands mean so it's easier to understand how to use them.

*./ ("Dot slash." Required on Unix systems to run applications via Terminal.)
*-y (Yes; used for automatically overwriting on the 2nd pass.)
*-i (Input, use this before specifying the source video.)
*-c:v (codec for video; used to choose codecs like “libx264”)
*-preset (Quality setting for x264, veryslow is best quality.)
*-b:v (bit rate for video; used to determine visual quality in Kbps.)
*-pass (used for 2-pass encoding.)
*-pix_fmt (pixel format; yuv420p is standard.)
*-vf (video filter; used for various effects like scaling, field separation, deinterlacing, etc.)
*-af (audio filter; used for various audio effects like volume.)
*-strict -2 (allows usage of experimental codecs like aac.)
*-c:a (codec for audio; used to choose codecs like “libvo_aacenc” which is the non-experimental AAC.)
*-cutoff (used to set the maximum audio frequency.)
*-b:a (bit rate for audio; used to determine aural quality in Kbps.)
*&& (Allows you to combine more than one command on Unix systems into a single line; helpful for 2-pass encoding.)

Besides these commands there are also various video and audio filter options you can use.

== Filters ==

*separatefields (This splits the fields for interlaced video at half height and doubles the frame rate; use for D4 only.)
*setdar (Use this to set the aspect ratio after separating fields or deinterlacing. Corrects the resolution without specifying values.)
*yadif (Widely used deinterlacing filter; used for D1 video instead of field separation.)
*mcdeint (Motion compensating filter used in conjunction with yadif; use to prevent pixel shift [bobbing] on D1 sources.)
*scale (Use this if you want a specific resolution. Add "interl=0" at the end to prevent scaling with interlacing.)
*volume (Increase/decrease the audio levels.)
*fps (Do not use for full frame rate videos. Useful for MQ and LQ SDA submissions.)

Note: Some commands must be entered in the correct order. For example, scaling must be done after deinterlacing, not before.

For more information on commands, filters, and usage you can check the [https://www.ffmpeg.org/documentation.html FFmpeg Documentation.]

= Trimming =

It's rare that one wants to encode all recorded footage from start to finish. Usually you want to choose a start frame and end frame. The easiest way to do this with ffmpeg is to divide the frame number by the frame rate of the video. Use a media player that can display the frame count. If you want to start on frame 117 and your source video is 30 FPS, then just divide 117 ÷ 30 = 3.9. Example:

*./ffmpeg -i FullVideo.avi -ss 3.9 -to 17.2 -vcodec copy -acodec copy Trimmed.avi

This will start the video on frame 117 and end on frame 516. Quick breakdown of the important commands:

*-ss (Starts video at that time in seconds.)
*-to (Trims to that time from the start of the video.)
*-t (Can be used in lieu of -to for trimming the video to the specified duration.)

= Screen Recording =

FFmpeg can also capture your desktop. Refer to [https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Capture/Desktop this page] to see how this is done. This feature is currently unavailable for OS X.

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-12T12:23:53Z

HDL:

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Video_Capture|Mac Video Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Stream software with support for Syphon, AVFoundation, multiple sources, CoreImage effects, preview editing, local recording, etc. The go-to stream solution for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[FFmpeg|FFmpeg]]: Command line swiss army knife. It does decoding, encoding, streaming, conversions, everything. More flexible than anything else but has a learning curve.

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]: Powerful encoding software. Less simple than Yua as it requires standard encoding knowledge to use properly.

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]: Same as HandBrake.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Compressor|Compressor]]: Same as HandBrake. Part of Apple's suite of pro applications.

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]: Simple split timer with support for images and customizability.

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]: Same as above. Requires Java.

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]: Handles in-game time for games like Sonic.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Splits|Splits]]: Same as TST.

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-12T00:56:03Z

HDL:

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Video_Capture|Mac Video Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Stream software with support for Syphon, AVFoundation, multiple sources, CoreImage effects, preview editing, local recording, etc. The go-to stream solution for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[ffmpeg|ffmpeg]]: Command line swiss army knife. It does decoding, encoding, streaming, conversions, everything. More flexible than anything else but has a learning curve.

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]: Powerful encoding software. Less simple than Yua as it requires standard encoding knowledge to use properly.

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]: Same as HandBrake.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Compressor|Compressor]]: Same as HandBrake. Part of Apple's suite of pro applications.

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]: Simple split timer with support for images and customizability.

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]: Same as above. Requires Java.

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]: Handles in-game time for games like Sonic.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Splits|Splits]]: Same as TST.

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-12T00:55:11Z

HDL: Fixed CocoaSplit description.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Video_Capture|Mac Video Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Stream software with support for Syphon, AVFoundation, multiple sources, inputs, preview editing, local recording, etc. The go-to stream solution for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[ffmpeg|ffmpeg]]: Command line swiss army knife. It does decoding, encoding, streaming, conversions, everything. More flexible than anything else but has a learning curve.

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]: Powerful encoding software. Less simple than Yua as it requires standard encoding knowledge to use properly.

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]: Same as HandBrake.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Compressor|Compressor]]: Same as HandBrake. Part of Apple's suite of pro applications.

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]: Simple split timer with support for images and customizability.

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]: Same as above. Requires Java.

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]: Handles in-game time for games like Sonic.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Splits|Splits]]: Same as TST.

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-12T00:27:15Z

HDL: ffmpeg description.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Video_Capture|Mac Video Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[ffmpeg|ffmpeg]]: Command line swiss army knife. It does decoding, encoding, streaming, conversions, everything. More flexible than anything else but has a learning curve.

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]: Powerful encoding software. Less simple than Yua as it requires standard encoding knowledge to use properly.

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]: Same as HandBrake.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Compressor|Compressor]]: Same as HandBrake. Part of Apple's suite of pro applications.

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]: Simple split timer with support for images and customizability.

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]: Same as above. Requires Java.

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]: Handles in-game time for games like Sonic.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Splits|Splits]]: Same as TST.

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-12T00:25:45Z

HDL: Added ffmpeg link.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Video_Capture|Mac Video Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[ffmpeg|ffmpeg]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]: Powerful encoding software. Less simple than Yua as it requires standard encoding knowledge to use properly.

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]: Same as HandBrake.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Compressor|Compressor]]: Same as HandBrake. Part of Apple's suite of pro applications.

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]: Simple split timer with support for images and customizability.

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]: Same as above. Requires Java.

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]: Handles in-game time for games like Sonic.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Splits|Splits]]: Same as TST.

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-12T00:22:05Z

HDL: Note about x264.

Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Audio Capture

2014-10-07T00:00:26Z

HDL: Added noise gate information.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Main Websites =
[https://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/ rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/]

[https://github.com/RogueAmoeba/Soundflower github.com/RogueAmoeba/Soundflower]

[https://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/ rogueamoeba.com/freebies/] (LineIn)

[https://github.com/pje/WavTap github.com/pje/WavTap]

= Capture Flow =

Firstly, if you only want to record audio then you can do so with just Audio Hijack Pro, WavTap (supposedly conflicts with other audio software/devices), or your capture device's software. If you want to stream audio, the first order of business is to download Soundflower, which is an audio routing utility. The basic idea is to take audio from one source and send it somewhere else.

Once Soundflower is installed you need to decide which software you want to combine it with. For a free option there's LineIn (with limitations), and for $32 there's Audio Hijack Pro which is the easiest and most robust option. The flow is as follows:

*Game/mic audio are captured by Audio Hijack Pro or LineIn.
*It gets sent to Soundflower.
*Soundflower is the chosen audio device in your stream software.

In this manner you can have any number of audio sources routed through Soundflower and into your stream. This also lets you capture specific audio sources without capturing all desktop audio.

= LineIn =

To route your audio simply select your source device from the top right dropdown menu, select Soundflower (2ch) from the menu below it, then click Play Thru. If your audio is being captured correctly, you should see the volume displayed visually in the meters. To control the volume of Soundflower, hold the Option key and click the speaker icon on the menu bar, then select Soundflower. Lower or raise the volume. Because this device is not your normal speakers you will not hear the change in audio, but Soundflower is indeed being affected. Change back to your default output speakers and changing the volume will not affect Soundflower's volume.

You might notice that this method only works with one audio source. What if you want a second one, such as a mic to go along with game audio? You can run a second instance of LineIn by using Terminal. Just change to the directory where LineIn is located and then open it through Terminal. For example:

*cd /Applications
*./LineIn.app/Contents/MacOS/LineIn (note the period at the start of this command, this is important.)

Unfortunately this method does not let you control the volume for them separately. Changing Soundflower's volume will affect them both, so it may be hard to find an acceptable balance between multiple sources.

= Audio Hijack Pro =

It costs $32, but the level of control and power you have with it is unmatched. The free version is also fully functional, with the only caveat being that it distorts audio after 10 minutes. This can be reset simply by stopping the hijack and restarting it. Not exactly convenient for long stream sessions, but perfect for short recordings.

To capture an audio source go to Session -> New (⌘N) or click the + symbol on the bottom left. On the Input tab select your source type (Application, Audio Device, etc.), then choose your input from the dropdown on the right. If you've used LineIn these options should look familiar. You can route your audio to Soundflower easily by just choosing it as your output device. However, routing it in this manner will prevent you from hearing that audio and having volume control over it, so we'll be using another method.

== Auxiliary Device Output ==

Leave the output device as Default System Output and click the Effects tab. Click a square and go to 4FX Effect -> Auxiliary Device Output. Click Editor and set the device to Soundflower (2ch). When you hijack your audio source, you will not only be able to hear it while routing to Soundflower, you can control the volume you hear and Soundflower's volume independently of each other.

*To control the volume for yourself only, use the Gain slider on the left side or your volume keys. You can also click Mute on the top left of the window and it will only mute that audio source for you, without muting it for Soundflower.
*To control the volume for Soundflower, use the In/Out knobs on the Auxiliary Device Output effect. This will also affect the playback volume for you.

To actually capture the audio, make sure your application is running or device is connected. You then "hijack" it by selecting it and pressing ⌘G or clicking Hijack on the top left of the window. Pressing ⌘R will start the hijack and record to a file (use the Recording tab to configure settings), and pressing it again will end the recording without stopping the hijack.

== VoIP Capture ==

Want a Skype or Mumble call in your stream too? Auxiliary Device Output works for this as well, but there is an extra step. By default, VoIP applications like Skype have incoming and outgoing audio streams. This is for your mic audio (outgoing) and other people's audio (incoming). Audio Hijack Pro will capture both of these by default. If you route your mic audio separately your voice will have an echo for streaming the VoIP software too. If you route only the VoIP software then your stream viewers will be unable to hear you if the call drops or is ended. Ideally you want to always route your mic audio independently, so how to avoid the echo from VoIP routing?

*Click the Input tab and then Advanced on the right side.
*Uncheck "Include audio inputs."

Now when you route audio from VoIP software, only incoming audio streams (the people you're talking to) will be captured.

== Noise Gate ==

If you'd like to go the extra mile and filter out lots of background noise, you can use Audio Hijack Pro to set up a noise gate.

*Click the Effects tab.
*Click a square, then choose AudioUnit Effect -> Apple -> AUDynamicsProcessor.
*Click Editor and set a dB threshold. This is the minimal decibel level needed for your mic audio to be captured.

The threshold will be different based on your mic volume and audio filter needs. Ideally you want your mic audio to be captured even when you speak softly, but the threshold should still filter out most background noises. This even filters out most background noises while you're speaking as well, so it works better than something like Mumble's "Voice Activity" feature.

Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Audio Capture

2014-10-06T23:50:56Z

HDL: Created page with "Category:Mac Category:Recording Category:Streaming = Main Websites = [https://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/ rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/] [https://github..."

Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit

2014-10-06T21:07:19Z

HDL:

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Main Websites =
[http://cocoasplit.com cocoasplit.com]

[https://github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit]

Note: There are currently two versions of CocoaSplit, the older "classic" one and the experimental CoreImage build. This page will focus on the latter, as it is more capable and is better supported by its developer.

= Terminology =

This is not a comprehensive list, but just the basics one should know when learning how to stream with CocoaSplit.

== Video ==

*Canvas: The preview frame at the top where you can add and manage your input sources.
*Layout: A collection of input sources. Layouts can be switched and allow you to group multiple elements in sets without having to constantly change them individually. Think of these as Setups in CamTwist or Scenes in OBS.
*FPS: The ''frames per second'' that will be displayed for the stream. This is separate from the frame rate of your sources. For the smoothest motion you'll want 60 FPS, but keep in mind this will use substantially more CPU and requires a higher bit rate to maintain good quality than something like 30 FPS. You'll also want to keep your source frame rate in mind. 60 FPS is pointless if your video source is 30 FPS.
*Resolution: The height & width (in pixels) of the canvas. This is ''not'' the resolution the stream will be compressed to, but it still does affect quality based on your compression settings. The closer these values are to your compression resolution, the higher quality you'll get.
*Compress: To make the audio/video size smaller so that you can reasonably upload live video as it happens. Lossless video is far too big for most Internet connections to upload continuously.
*Profile: A set of compression settings that are saved and can be chosen from the dropdown menus.

== Audio ==

*Source: The audio device you want to use for the stream.
*Bit Rate: How much data (in kilobits) you want to upload per second. Higher gives clearer audio.
*Sample Rate: Determines how high the frequency range can go. 44100 is ideal as it gives a maximum frequency of 20 kHz, which is the highest humans can generally hear.
*Audio Shift: How long the audio should be delayed for the stream. Video and audio sources are often not properly synchronized. You can use this setting to try and bridge the gap between them.

= Source Selection =

To add a source, first select the appropriate layout you want to use (create a new one with the + symbol and name it), then click "Add New" above the layout selection to add an empty source object in the canvas. This will automatically bring up the source selection, where you can choose what to use from a dropdown menu. These include images, text boxes, Syphon sources, window capture, etc.

Note: Window Capture is currently unoptimized and will result in very low frame rate.

Syphon will give the best results for your main video. There are two approaches to use a Syphon source: you can manage all your video in CamTwist and select "Enable the Syphon Server" in its preferences, or you can make any OpenGL application temporary use Syphon by using [https://github.com/zakk4223/SyphonInject SyphonInject.] This will make it selectable in CocoaSplit as a Syphon source and share its frames with minimal CPU usage.

You can bring up these settings again by secondary clicking a source on the canvas and choosing "Settings." Alternatively, you can secondary click outside the canvas, which will list all sources from that layout in a menu.

You can resize sources by clicking and dragging the blue borders around them. For more control, go into the settings for that source and change its scale and cropping. You can reposition a source by clicking and dragging anywhere within the blue border.

As for audio sources, I highly recommend using [https://github.com/RogueAmoeba/Soundflower Soundflower] in conjunction with [http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/ Audio Hijack Pro.] This will enable you to stream multiple audio sources even though CocoaSplit only supports one. It will also enable much more control over audio in the form of mixing, gain levels, various affects, input/output, etc.

(To do: explain Layout Previews once they're fixed.)

= Compression =

You'll need to find the ideal settings based on your computer hardware capabilities, video sources, Internet connection, etc. There is no set format for this as it depends entirely on what your hardware can do and what you consider acceptable/good quality.

*Resolution: This is the resolution that you'll actually stream to. For the best quality you'll want this as close to your canvas resolution as possible, but keep in mind that resolution significantly impacts performance. You'll also want the correct values for the aspect ratio. 16:9 is the standard ratio used, and you can view a list of correct values [http://pacoup.com/2011/06/12/list-of-true-169-resolutions/ here.]
*Type: x264 will give the best results and highest compatibility with devices and stream services.
*Name: This is what you'll call your profile to distinguish it from other profiles. For example, you may call it "Genesis" if you use the same settings for all Genesis games.
*Preset: Compression efficiency. Slower results in higher quality but requires more CPU. Faster is less efficient and lower quality, but better CPU usage. Choose whichever you want other than placebo.
*Tune: This tailors some encoding options based on the type of content being streamed. For most things just choose zerolatency.
*Profile: For compression, profile means the level of complexity for encoding/decoding. This affects visual quality, CPU usage, and compatibility with devices. Baseline and main are the standards.
*VBV Max Rate: The bit rate you want to limit your stream to. Set this to something under your upload speed. For instance, if you have 1 Mbps total upload, you may want to set this around 800 Kbps.
*VBV Buffer: If not using CBR, set this to the bit rate you want to target (usually the same as VBV Max Rate). If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*Keyframe: Set this to 2 for best compatibility with stream services.
*CRF: If not using CBR, this will attempt to target a certain level of constant quality. It ranges from 0 - 51, with lower values giving higher quality (using more CPU) and 23 being the default value. Common values are 18, 23, and 28. If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*CBR: Select this if you want to increase the stability of your stream at the possible expense of visual quality during frames with many changing pixels. If your bit rate setting cannot handle high motion sequences, the quality will automatically degrade rather than skip, drop, or pile up pending frames. Highly recommended to use this setting as VBR gets more unstable or causes buffering for viewers when your bit rate spikes.

= Stream Destinations =

Destinations have a checkbox and a dropdown menu. Check whichever you want to currently stream to, and choose a compression profile on the right side before you start the stream.

== File Output ==

Click the dropdown menu under "Settings" in the main window and choose File. Enter something like this: /Users/YourUserNameHere/Desktop/Test.mp4. This will create a video called Test on your Desktop when you stream. Keep in mind that streaming again will ''overwrite'' the previous file with no warning if you do not change the file name.

== Stream Output ==

Currently the only option in the dropdown menu is "TwitchTV," but you can use this for any RTMP-based stream service. Select TwitchTV and click Add. You'll be prompted to choose a server and enter your stream key. Pick whatever server is closest to you (or gives the best connection) and find your stream key on whatever stream service website you use. A couple examples:

*Twitch: Go to your Dashboard, click Stream Key, then Show Key. It'll look something like this: live_somenumbers_morenumbersandletters.
*Hitbox: Go to Livestream -> Details and click Show Key. It will look like this: hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. The destination URL will automatically be configured as if it was Twitch. To change this, double click the destination in the output list and paste the Hitbox URL like this: rtmp://live.hitbox.tv/push/hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. This should work for any other RTMP-based service too as long as you use the correct URL for that service.

When you're done setting everything up, I recommend you quit CocoaSplit and then reopen it. Should CocoaSplit crash, any changes you made will be erased. Quitting will save all changes to a settings file. Once you're ready, simply click "Stream!" and you will go live (and/or output to a file). The window will automatically transition to the Status tab where you can see the live encoding details, such as your current frame rate and whether or not you're dropping or piling up frames.

Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Video Capture

2014-10-06T17:51:32Z

HDL: Categories.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Hardware =

There are multiple capture device options to choose from. Here is a list of currently known choices:

*[http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/Video-Capture/product1.html Elgato Video Capture]
*[http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/intensity Intensity by Black Magic Design:] Intensity Pro (internal card for Mac Pro), Shuttle (USB 3.0 version is Windows only, you need Thunderbolt), and Extreme
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytCEuuW2_A EasyCAP]
*Dazzle for Mac (this seems to be really hard to find.)
*[http://www.amazon.com/Pinnacle-Dazzle-DVC-100-Recorder/dp/B004GHHVWI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370950428&sr=8-1&keywords=dazzle+dvc+100 Dazzle DVC 100] (Windows only, but guides on YouTube explain how it can be used on OS X.)
*[http://hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html Hauppauge HDPVR]
*[http://avertv.avermedia.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=569&device=4 AVerCapture M]
*[http://avertv.avermedia.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=556&device=4 Game Capture HD]
*[http://avertv.avermedia.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=583&device=4 Game Capture HD 2]
*[http://www.elgato.com/gaming/game-capture-hd Elgato Game Capture HD]

== Elgato Video Capture ==

(To do: Need Elgato users to explain details here.)

== Intensity ==

Intensity users will likely capture their streams using Black Magic Media Express. This software comes with the Intensity, and supports QuickTime codecs. However, by default it will only offer uncompressed video for maximum quality recording. This is not optimal for disk space of performance, so it's a good idea to [http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1396 install the ProRes codecs] (using [http://www.timdoug.com/unpkg/ unpkg] if necessary to get to the individual codecs) in order to have more options. Quoth [http://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/prores_for_all_hd_capture_without_a_raid.html CMiller]:

<blockquote>
There are several variations of ProRes:

*ProRes 4444: Used primarily for 4K work or feature film finishing.

*ProRes 422 (HQ): High quality used for HD finishing. Same as 422 but with higher datarate.

*ProRes 422: Used for HD editing. Broadcast quality.

*ProRes 422 LT: 2/3 the datarate of 422. Used for proxy work mostly.

*ProRes 422 (proxy) - 1/3 the datarate of 422. Used for proxy work.

Capturing in 422 (HQ) and 422 both work wonderfully for 720p capture.
</blockquote>

== EasyCAP ==

There are 3 known applications that will capture video from this device: [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/norichan2.html Norichan], [http://www.bentrask.com/easycap/ EasyCapViewer], and [http://www.echofx.com/videoglide.html VideoGlide]. Norichan will only capture from the Stk1160 model (go to System Information -> USB. It should be called "USB 2.0 Video Capture Controller" and the manufacturer is Syntek Semiconducter). EasyCapViewer supports multiple models (check its site to see which ones), but its recording features are not on par with Norichan's (so no SDA submissions; needs confirmation). VideoGlide also supports specific models only, and is supposedly harder to setup properly (users with more knowledge can elaborate on this).

= Software =

Refer to the [[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming|Mac Recording and Streaming]] page for more on software and how to use them.

== Capturing ==

The software used for capturing can vary with the capture hardware used. See above.

== Editing ==

iMovie is a free and preinstalled option. From here it's pretty easy; just import whatever you want, then edit your clips so they start and end when you want them to.

(TODO: verify the following two paragraphs. I suspect a workflow of iMovie to Handbrake is more useful. Verify this.)

Once you have your clips ready to go, export them one at a time. If you want to, you can end your capturing adventures here by exporting to MPEG-4, the highest quality Internet-friendly format offered with QuickTime (choose "Expert Settings" when you go to Share your movie). Make sure that "Hinting" is turned off. Feel free to play around with the bit rates to find a level of quality you feel is satisfactory.

If you want to create a 60 FPS file it is recommended that you use ScreenFlow, which offers low CPU, lossless screen recording, post-productions features, and multiple encoding choices including x264.

== Streaming while Recording ==

Refer to [[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming|Mac Recording and Streaming]] for a list of software that can accomplish this.

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-06T17:46:37Z

HDL: Updated video capture link.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Video_Capture|Mac Video Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]: Powerful encoding software. Less simple than Yua as it requires standard encoding knowledge to use properly.

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]: Same as HandBrake.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Compressor|Compressor]]: Same as HandBrake. Part of Apple's suite of pro applications.

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]: Simple split timer with support for images and customizability.

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]: Same as above. Requires Java.

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]: Handles in-game time for games like Sonic.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Splits|Splits]]: Same as TST.

Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Video Capture

2014-10-06T17:46:04Z

HDL: HDL moved page Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Capture to Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Video Capture: Renamed for proper distinction.

= Hardware =

There are multiple capture device options to choose from. Here is a list of currently known choices:

*[http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/Video-Capture/product1.html Elgato Video Capture]
*[http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/intensity Intensity by Black Magic Design:] Intensity Pro (internal card for Mac Pro), Shuttle (USB 3.0 version is Windows only, you need Thunderbolt), and Extreme
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytCEuuW2_A EasyCAP]
*Dazzle for Mac (this seems to be really hard to find.)
*[http://www.amazon.com/Pinnacle-Dazzle-DVC-100-Recorder/dp/B004GHHVWI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370950428&sr=8-1&keywords=dazzle+dvc+100 Dazzle DVC 100] (Windows only, but guides on YouTube explain how it can be used on OS X.)
*[http://hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html Hauppauge HDPVR]
*[http://avertv.avermedia.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=569&device=4 AVerCapture M]
*[http://avertv.avermedia.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=556&device=4 Game Capture HD]
*[http://avertv.avermedia.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=583&device=4 Game Capture HD 2]
*[http://www.elgato.com/gaming/game-capture-hd Elgato Game Capture HD]

== Elgato Video Capture ==

(To do: Need Elgato users to explain details here.)

== Intensity ==

Intensity users will likely capture their streams using Black Magic Media Express. This software comes with the Intensity, and supports QuickTime codecs. However, by default it will only offer uncompressed video for maximum quality recording. This is not optimal for disk space of performance, so it's a good idea to [http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1396 install the ProRes codecs] (using [http://www.timdoug.com/unpkg/ unpkg] if necessary to get to the individual codecs) in order to have more options. Quoth [http://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/prores_for_all_hd_capture_without_a_raid.html CMiller]:

<blockquote>
There are several variations of ProRes:

*ProRes 4444: Used primarily for 4K work or feature film finishing.

*ProRes 422 (HQ): High quality used for HD finishing. Same as 422 but with higher datarate.

*ProRes 422: Used for HD editing. Broadcast quality.

*ProRes 422 LT: 2/3 the datarate of 422. Used for proxy work mostly.

*ProRes 422 (proxy) - 1/3 the datarate of 422. Used for proxy work.

Capturing in 422 (HQ) and 422 both work wonderfully for 720p capture.
</blockquote>

== EasyCAP ==

There are 3 known applications that will capture video from this device: [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/norichan2.html Norichan], [http://www.bentrask.com/easycap/ EasyCapViewer], and [http://www.echofx.com/videoglide.html VideoGlide]. Norichan will only capture from the Stk1160 model (go to System Information -> USB. It should be called "USB 2.0 Video Capture Controller" and the manufacturer is Syntek Semiconducter). EasyCapViewer supports multiple models (check its site to see which ones), but its recording features are not on par with Norichan's (so no SDA submissions; needs confirmation). VideoGlide also supports specific models only, and is supposedly harder to setup properly (users with more knowledge can elaborate on this).

= Software =

Refer to the [[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming|Mac Recording and Streaming]] page for more on software and how to use them.

== Capturing ==

The software used for capturing can vary with the capture hardware used. See above.

== Editing ==

iMovie is a free and preinstalled option. From here it's pretty easy; just import whatever you want, then edit your clips so they start and end when you want them to.

(TODO: verify the following two paragraphs. I suspect a workflow of iMovie to Handbrake is more useful. Verify this.)

Once you have your clips ready to go, export them one at a time. If you want to, you can end your capturing adventures here by exporting to MPEG-4, the highest quality Internet-friendly format offered with QuickTime (choose "Expert Settings" when you go to Share your movie). Make sure that "Hinting" is turned off. Feel free to play around with the bit rates to find a level of quality you feel is satisfactory.

If you want to create a 60 FPS file it is recommended that you use ScreenFlow, which offers low CPU, lossless screen recording, post-productions features, and multiple encoding choices including x264.

== Streaming while Recording ==

Refer to [[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming|Mac Recording and Streaming]] for a list of software that can accomplish this.

Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Capture

2014-10-06T17:46:04Z

HDL: HDL moved page Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Capture to Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Video Capture: Renamed for proper distinction.

#REDIRECT [[Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Video Capture]]

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-06T17:44:38Z

HDL: Moved a link to appropriate section.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Capture|Mac Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]: Powerful encoding software. Less simple than Yua as it requires standard encoding knowledge to use properly.

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]: Same as HandBrake.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Compressor|Compressor]]: Same as HandBrake. Part of Apple's suite of pro applications.

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]: Simple split timer with support for images and customizability.

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]: Same as above. Requires Java.

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]: Handles in-game time for games like Sonic.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Splits|Splits]]: Same as TST.

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-06T14:09:54Z

HDL: Added more software descriptions.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Capture|Mac Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]: Encoding software designed to easily and quickly produce SDA-accepted videos.

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]: Powerful encoding software. Less simple than Yua as it requires standard encoding knowledge to use properly.

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]: Same as HandBrake.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Compressor|Compressor]]: Same as HandBrake. Part of Apple's suite of pro applications.

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]: Simple split timer with support for images and customizability.

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]: Same as above. Requires Java.

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]: Handles in-game time for games like Sonic.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Splits|Splits]]: Same as TST.

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-06T01:52:34Z

HDL:

Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit

2014-10-06T01:49:51Z

HDL:

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
= Main Websites =
[http://cocoasplit.com cocoasplit.com]

[https://github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit]

Note: There are currently two versions of CocoaSplit, the older "classic" one and the experimental CoreImage build. This page will focus on the latter, as it is more capable and is better supported by its developer.

= Terminology =

This is not a comprehensive list, but just the basics one should know when learning how to stream with CocoaSplit.

== Video ==

*Canvas: The preview frame at the top where you can add and manage your input sources.
*Layout: A collection of input sources. Layouts can be switched and allow you to group multiple elements in sets without having to constantly change them individually. Think of these as Setups in CamTwist or Scenes in OBS.
*FPS: The ''frames per second'' that will be displayed for the stream. This is separate from the frame rate of your sources. For the smoothest motion you'll want 60 FPS, but keep in mind this will use substantially more CPU and requires a higher bit rate to maintain good quality than something like 30 FPS. You'll also want to keep your source frame rate in mind. 60 FPS is pointless if your video source is 30 FPS.
*Resolution: The height & width (in pixels) of the canvas. This is ''not'' the resolution the stream will be compressed to, but it still does affect quality based on your compression settings. The closer these values are to your compression resolution, the higher quality you'll get.
*Compress: To make the audio/video size smaller so that you can reasonably upload live video as it happens. Lossless video is far too big for most Internet connections to upload continuously.
*Profile: A set of compression settings that are saved and can be chosen from the dropdown menus.

== Audio ==

*Source: The audio device you want to use for the stream.
*Bit Rate: How much data (in kilobits) you want to upload per second. Higher gives clearer audio.
*Sample Rate: Determines how high the frequency range can go. 44100 is ideal as it gives a maximum frequency of 20 kHz, which is the highest humans can generally hear.
*Audio Shift: How long the audio should be delayed for the stream. Video and audio sources are often not properly synchronized. You can use this setting to try and bridge the gap between them.

= Source Selection =

To add a source, first select the appropriate layout you want to use (create a new one with the + symbol and name it), then click "Add New" above the layout selection to add an empty source object in the canvas. This will automatically bring up the source selection, where you can choose what to use from a dropdown menu. These include images, text boxes, Syphon sources, window capture, etc.

Note: Window Capture is currently unoptimized and will result in very low frame rate.

Syphon will give the best results for your main video. There are two approaches to use a Syphon source: you can manage all your video in CamTwist and select "Enable the Syphon Server" in its preferences, or you can make any OpenGL application temporary use Syphon by using [https://github.com/zakk4223/SyphonInject SyphonInject.] This will make it selectable in CocoaSplit as a Syphon source and share its frames with minimal CPU usage.

You can bring up these settings again by secondary clicking a source on the canvas and choosing "Settings." Alternatively, you can secondary click outside the canvas, which will list all sources from that layout in a menu.

You can resize sources by clicking and dragging the blue borders around them. For more control, go into the settings for that source and change its scale and cropping. You can reposition a source by clicking and dragging anywhere within the blue border.

As for audio sources, I highly recommend using [https://github.com/RogueAmoeba/Soundflower Soundflower] in conjunction with [http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/ Audio Hijack Pro.] This will enable you to stream multiple audio sources even though CocoaSplit only supports one. It will also enable much more control over audio in the form of mixing, gain levels, various affects, input/output, etc.

(To do: explain Layout Previews once they're fixed.)

= Compression =

You'll need to find the ideal settings based on your computer hardware capabilities, video sources, Internet connection, etc. There is no set format for this as it depends entirely on what your hardware can do and what you consider acceptable/good quality.

*Resolution: This is the resolution that you'll actually stream to. For the best quality you'll want this as close to your canvas resolution as possible, but keep in mind that resolution significantly impacts performance. You'll also want the correct values for the aspect ratio. 16:9 is the standard ratio used, and you can view a list of correct values [http://pacoup.com/2011/06/12/list-of-true-169-resolutions/ here.]
*Type: x264 will give the best results and highest compatibility with devices and stream services.
*Name: This is what you'll call your profile to distinguish it from other profiles. For example, you may call it "Genesis" if you use the same settings for all Genesis games.
*Preset: Compression efficiency. Slower results in higher quality but requires more CPU. Faster is less efficient and lower quality, but better CPU usage. Choose whichever you want other than placebo.
*Tune: This tailors some encoding options based on the type of content being streamed. For most things just choose zerolatency.
*Profile: For compression, profile means the level of complexity for encoding/decoding. This affects visual quality, CPU usage, and compatibility with devices. Baseline and main are the standards.
*VBV Max Rate: The bit rate you want to limit your stream to. Set this to something under your upload speed. For instance, if you have 1 Mbps total upload, you may want to set this around 800 Kbps.
*VBV Buffer: If not using CBR, set this to the bit rate you want to target (usually the same as VBV Max Rate). If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*Keyframe: Set this to 2 for best compatibility with stream services.
*CRF: If not using CBR, this will attempt to target a certain level of constant quality. It ranges from 0 - 51, with lower values giving higher quality (using more CPU) and 23 being the default value. Common values are 18, 23, and 28. If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*CBR: Select this if you want to increase the stability of your stream at the possible expense of visual quality during frames with many changing pixels. If your bit rate setting cannot handle high motion sequences, the quality will automatically degrade rather than skip, drop, or pile up pending frames. Highly recommended to use this setting as VBR gets more unstable or causes buffering for viewers when your bit rate spikes.

= Stream Destinations =

Destinations have a checkbox and a dropdown menu. Check whichever you want to currently stream to, and choose a compression profile on the right side before you start the stream.

== File Output ==

Click the dropdown menu under "Settings" in the main window and choose File. Enter something like this: /Users/YourUserNameHere/Desktop/Test.mp4. This will create a video called Test on your Desktop when you stream. Keep in mind that streaming again will ''overwrite'' the previous file with no warning if you do not change the file name.

== Stream Output ==

Currently the only option in the dropdown menu is "TwitchTV," but you can use this for any RTMP-based stream service. Select TwitchTV and click Add. You'll be prompted to choose a server and enter your stream key. Pick whatever server is closest to you (or gives the best connection) and find your stream key on whatever stream service website you use. A couple examples:

*Twitch: Go to your Dashboard, click Stream Key, then Show Key. It'll look something like this: live_somenumbers_morenumbersandletters.
*Hitbox: Go to Livestream -> Details and click Show Key. It will look like this: hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. The destination URL will automatically be configured as if it was Twitch. To change this, double click the destination in the output list and paste the Hitbox URL like this: rtmp://live.hitbox.tv/push/hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. This should work for any other RTMP-based service too as long as you use the correct URL for that service.

When you're done setting everything up, I recommend you quit CocoaSplit and then reopen it. Should CocoaSplit crash, any changes you made will be erased. Quitting will save all changes to a settings file. Once you're ready, simply click "Stream!" and you will go live (and/or output to a file). The window will automatically transition to the Status tab where you can see the live encoding details, such as your current frame rate and whether or not you're dropping or piling up frames.

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-06T01:47:48Z

HDL:

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-06T01:47:31Z

HDL:

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Main Website =
[http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm]

= Usage =

ScreenFlow does not capture specific regions of your screen when recording. It records the entire screen, but is highly CPU efficient due to its focus on actively changing frames. Here is the basic flow:

*Choose whether or not to include your webcam in the recording.
*Select an audio device or record computer audio.
*Begin recording.
*End recording, which brings up the post-production interface.
*Crop to your desired resolution, and if you want you can add text, transitions, annotations, etc.
*Select an encoding preset (or create a custom one).
*Click export and choose a file name.

Screen recordings are 60 FPS by default. Playback in the canvas isn't perfect, so it might look like frames were dropped in the recording even though they really weren't. Assuming your hardware doesn't have performance issues, the encoded videos will show all the frames recorded correctly.

= Encoding =

There are a number of presets to choose from, but it is recommended that you create custom presets based on the content you record. To do this, go to File -> Export (or press ⌘E) and click Manage. Click the "Copy" button next to a preset and it will appear on the bottom. From here you can edit your encoding settings such as frame rate, bit rate, etc. You can also do this in the main export prompt by selecting a preset and clicking "Customize." The changes made in this manner are temporary and won't be saved to the preset.

By default the video scale will be your crop settings in the canvas, but you can change it by choosing other scale options from the dropdown or use your own custom resolution.

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-06T01:46:15Z

HDL:

= Main Website =
[http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm]

= Usage =

ScreenFlow does not capture specific regions of your screen when recording. It records the entire screen, but is highly CPU efficient due to its focus on actively changing frames. Here is the basic flow:

*Choose whether or not to include your webcam in the recording.
*Select an audio device or record computer audio.
*Begin recording.
*End recording, which brings up the post-production interface.
*Crop to your desired resolution, and if you want you can add text, transitions, annotations, etc.
*Select an encoding preset (or create a custom one).
*Click export and choose a file name.

Screen recordings are 60 FPS by default. Playback in the canvas isn't perfect, so it might look like frames were dropped in the recording even though they really weren't. Assuming your hardware doesn't have performance issues, the encoded videos will show all the frames recorded correctly.

= Encoding =

There are a number of presets to choose from, but it is recommended that you create custom presets based on the content you record. To do this, go to File -> Export (or press ⌘E) and click Manage. Click the "Copy" button next to a preset and it will appear on the bottom. From here you can edit your encoding settings such as frame rate, bit rate, etc. You can also do this in the main export prompt by selecting a preset and clicking "Customize." The changes made in this manner are temporary and won't be saved to the preset.

By default the video scale will be your crop settings in the canvas, but you can change it by choosing other scale options from the dropdown or use your own custom resolution.

Mac Recording and Streaming/ScreenFlow

2014-10-06T01:23:08Z

HDL: Created page with "= Main Website = [http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm] = Usage = ScreenFlow does not capture specific regions of your s..."

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-06T00:14:41Z

HDL: Listed more software.

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Capture|Mac Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Norichan|Norichan]]: Designed to record from EasyCAPs (Syntek model only). Handles composite video very well.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/EasyCapViewer|EasyCapViewer]]: Alternative to Norichan. Its recording feature isn't as good as Norichan's, but it supports all EasyCAP models as well as vsync.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Syphon_Recorder|Syphon Recorder]]: You can use this to record anything that uses Syphon.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/SyphonInject|SyphonInject]]: Allows any OpenGL application to temporarily share its video frames with Syphon. It can then be selected as a source in Syphon Recorder or CocoaSplit.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Open_Broadcaster_Software|Open Broadcaster Software]]: Currently unfinished, yet functional alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Kumari|Kumari]]: Simple desktop region streaming. It does not support overlays, window capture, or CBR, but is very lightweight and simpler than any other option.

[[Wirecast|Wirecast]]: Very expensive alternative to CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/QuickTime_Broadcaster|QuickTime Broadcaster]]: Another alternative to CocoaSplit. Very out-of-date, but still usable.

[[Flash_Media_Live_Encoder|Flash Media Live Encoder]]: Very antiquated option. Does not support x264, Syphon, or CamTwist 3.0, but can still be used with old versions of CamTwist.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

= Encoding =

[[Yua|Yua]]:

[[HandBrake|HandBrake]]:

[[Avidemux|Avidemux]]:

[[Compressor|Compressor]]:

= Timing =

[[Time_Split_Tracker|Time Split Tracker]]:

[[Llanfair|Llanfair]]:

[[ShitSplit|ShitSplit]]:

[[Splits|Splits]]:

Streaming Resources

2014-10-05T22:38:52Z

HDL: Updated link to Mac information page.

Streaming adds a social aspect to the speedrunning process that can help you stay motivated during attempts and connect with the speedrunning community at large. A brief overview of the process is included below. If you're already familiar with the basics and want to see some more advanced content jump to our [[Additional_Resources#Additional_Streaming_Guides|streaming guides]]. 

== Requirements ==
* '''Stable broadband internet connection''' - Most video games run at 30-60 frames per second. In order for the video feed to look smooth you'll be sending a lot of high resolution images rapidly. That takes a decent internet connection. 
* '''Streaming software''' - There are a lot of options available. Right now Open Broadcaster Software and XSplit are the two most popular choices. 
* '''[[Capture Device]]''' - If you plan to stream gameplay from a console, you need a capture device to stream. You don't need this if you are streaming a PC game. 
 
== Streaming Software ==
* [[Open Broadcaster Software]] - Free and powerful. Using OBS to stream is rapidly growing in popularity.
* [[XSplit]] - A popular streaming software. The beta period for it has ended, so now it costs $40/year to use unless you want your videos to have a watermark.
* See [[Mac Recording and Streaming]] page for the OS X options.
 
== Streaming Services ==
Use [http://twitch.tv Twitch.] Twitch is a streaming service will let you broadcast your capture over the internet. Once you've created an account you'll have a dedicated channel where people can watch you play live. Twitch is currently the most popular and widely used streaming service. We currently recommend that you use Twitch to stream. A major reason to use Twitch is that as you become more established in the speedrunning community you can be added to the SpeedDemosArchive or SpeedRunsLive team streaming pages.

[http://live.nicovideo.jp NicoNico Live] is another option. You can either use much the same software as people do for Twitch, or their in-browser streaming which takes a video and audio output, and streams them for you, albeit at low quality. A small monthly fee is required to create a channel to stream to, but only free accounts are required to watch. Nico, being a long-established service with a proven foundation to support high traffic, tends not to have the same, constant stability problems some people report Twitch to have.

Analog Capture

2014-10-05T22:37:34Z

HDL: Updated link to Mac information page.

'''NOTE: Parts of this page are now outdated (such as the All-In-Wonder, VHS transfer, etc). For an alternate means of capturing to your hard drive, check out the [[DScaler]] page.'''

==Acquiring Equipment==

Note: If you use Mac OS X, check out the [[Mac Recording and Streaming]] page.

Otherwise, I recommend the [http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9600/aiw9600/index.html ATI All-In-Wonder 9600]. If you decide to record your run on VHS and let me capture, that is the card I will use. The American version supports every video standard I've ever heard of and captures in brilliant color, with full brightness transfer and virtually no dropped frames. It also captures full framerate ready video. Coming from inferior capture devices, I literally can not say enough good things about this card, so you will have to trust me that it is the best on the market.

Be sure to download and install the most recent drivers for the card (once you have it installed) from the [http://www.ati.com/ ATI site], since you never know what might happen to your video (in terms of quality) if you use old drivers.

==Acquiring Software==

The software I recommend for capture and editing is called [http://www.virtualdub.org/ VirtualDub]. It is freeware, which means you are not expected to pay for it. If you like VirtualDub, though, you should donate a few bucks to the man who wrote it, like I did.

VirtualDub comes as a .zip file. This means you will need a program to unzip it into its own directory. I recommend [http://www.win-rar.com/ WinRAR], because it allows you to simply right click on the VirtualDub .zip file and select "Extract to VirtualDub-(version number)". This is the most efficient way I've seen to unzip things in Windows, because you don't have to open a program or make your own directory for VirtualDub. No further installation is required.

==Acquiring Codecs==

Once you have VirtualDub and the associated software ready to go, go ahead and download the codecs you will need. You will be using [http://neuron2.net/www.math.berkeley.edu/benrg/huffyuv.html Huffyuv] (pronounced "Huff Why You Vee," in case you're interested) as your codec when you capture. Huffyuv is also freeware. I also mirror [http://www.metroid2002.com/files/huffyuv-2.1.1.zip version 2.1.1 of Huffyuv here at SDA.].

Huffyuv also comes as a .zip. Do the same thing you did for VirtualDub, only this time you will need to open the Huffyuv folder, right click on the huffyuv.inf file and click "Install" in the menu that appears. This will install Huffyuv for you.

You don't need an input audio codec; you will just capture raw audio data without compression.

For an output audio codec, I use [http://www.metroid2002.com/files/lameACM-20020202.zip version 0.8.0 of the LAME ACM]. This codec is a freeware MP3 encoder, maybe the best in the world. Be sure to only use the version I host here (0.8.0) - other versions have been proven to cause serious sound desynching issues. Once you've downloaded and unzipped the file, right click on the LameACM.inf file and click "Install" to install the codec, similarly to how you installed Huffyuv. You can visit [http://mp3dev.org LAME's homepage] to learn more about the codec, but the LAME ACM is not available there. I've decided to host it myself because it's a bit hard to find on the Internet, and because you could easily get an older version of the codec on accident.

==Capturing Video==

Once all three codecs are installed, it's time to open VirtualDub for the first time. Double-click on the VirtualDub.exe application to open it. You are presented with VirtualDub's Dub Mode, where you apply filters to video and audio and export data to a new file. You're not ready to use this mode yet, since you still need to capture your run.

==Getting Started (Capturing)==

Start by hooking your VCR up to your capture card. You will probably need to use the red or black (right channel) and white (left channel) audio cables, as well as the yellow (composite video) cable. If your VCR has an S-Video output, by all means hook up your VCR using S-Video (instead of by the yellow Composite cable), though inexpensive VCRs seldom have such outputs. Press Play on the VCR or on the VCR's remote to start playing your run. You will want to have some video playing to make adjustments to the capture software before you rewind the tape and start to capture it for real.

Select "Capture AVI..." from the File menu. If all goes well, you should be blasted with a large amount of audio static and a window full of snow. If you see your run already, fine; you can skip the next step.

==Setting Settings==

If you see snow, you need to tell your capture card to select the Composite or S-Video source, whichever you hooked your VCR up with. Select Source from the Video menu, select Video Composite or S-Video from the "Select a Video Source:" dropdown menu, and then hit OK. If you have a card other than the ATI All-In-Wonder 9600, this process may be different for you. Consult your card's documentation.

Once you see your run playing on your computer, it's time to set up your capture settings. Start with the three buttons in the lower right hand corner of the VirtualDub Capture Mode window. You need to click on the first button (starting at the left) and set it to 44.1 KHz, 16-bit stereo. (If you only plugged in a white cable since your VCR doesn't have stereo sound, select "mono" instead of "stereo".)

For the second button, choose 29.97 fps (if you're capturing NTSC video) or 25.00 fps (if you're capturing a PAL or SECAM video). If you are in the US or in Japan, you are most likely using NTSC. If you are in Europe, Australia or elsewhere, you are most likely using either PAL or SECAM (remember to select 30.00 fps instead of 25.00 fps if you used 60 Hz equipment to play and record your run; just don't worry about this if you don't know what that means). The third button is a display of how much bandwidth you need to write the data to the drive. There's no need to do anything with it.

Next, choose Format from the Video menu. This shows the resolution you will be capturing at. If you are capturing NTSC, select 640 x 480. If you are capturing PAL or SECAM, select 704 x 576. This resolution will help you keep the image dimensions correct on the computer, so that the game isn't distorted (compared to watching it on a TV screen). Your capture will also be ready to be transformed into a full framerate video. Hit OK to close out of the Format window.

After setting your resolution, select Compression from the Video menu. You should see the Huffyuv codec in the left part of the window. Select it and hit OK. Huffyuv will compress the video you are capturing by a factor of 2 or more without changing what you see at all. It is said to be the only non-lossy video compression codec in the world because of this. There's no need to set the audio compression now; you will do that later, after you've captured.

Finally, set where you will capture by going to the File menu and selecting "Set capture file...". You should use your largest available hard drive, or else just save as "capture.avi" or something on your Desktop for easy access. This is the file VirtualDub will capture to. Make sure that the file doesn't already exist, or it will be overwritten when you start to capture.

Now go to the Capture menu and select "Preferences...". Select all of the boxes before the word "Save"; there should be four of them. Then hit OK. This will save all of your settings (EXCEPT for the very first setting, the source setting on your capture card) so that you don't have to reset them the next time you capture something.

==Capturing==

With all of your settings set, you're ready to capture. Press F6 to start VirtualDub capturing, then press Play on your VCR (assuming you're already in the right place on the tape). You should see your run start on the monitor. Keep an eye on the "Frames dropped" indicator on the right side of the VirtualDub Capture Mode window. You should stop dropping frames almost entirely once the picture clears up (after a couple seconds). If not, then there may be a problem with your CPU speed, with your hard drive speed, with your capture settings, or with your capture card. Try to use the other readouts on the right side of the window to diagnose the problem.

Beware of digital autotracking indicators. On many newer VCRs, annoying displays of the autotracking (or the time position) may cover your run. If this happens, press Rewind without stopping the tape (even though I say not to in the VHS section) and back up to just before your segment starts. If you press Play at the right time, the tape will start without trying to set the tracking again and the audio read head will sync before your segment starts. If head resynching happens too late and the video is distorted or audio is cut out, try pressing Rewind again to move further back. If you can't avoid losing some of your run due to VHS, try to remember to start recording longer before you start playing next time. Also keep in mind that every time you press Rewind or Fast Forward while your tape is playing, you risk damage to the tape.

When you are done capturing, press Escape to tell VirtualDub to stop. Then select "Exit capture mode" from the File menu. You are now ready to start editing your newly captured run!

Return to the [[Main Page|front page]].

Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Video Capture

2014-10-05T22:32:20Z

HDL: Updated and cleaned up a lot.

Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Video Capture

2014-10-05T19:23:45Z

HDL: HDL moved page Mac Capture to Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Capture: Making it a subpage.

= Hardware =

As only the Mac Pro has the ability to take an internal capture card, video capture options for Mac users are more limited.

The top options would be the [http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/Video-Capture/product1.html Elgato Video Capture] for composite video, the [http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/intensity Intensity by Black Magic Design]which accepts composite, component, or HDMI video (though it cannot decrypt streams using HDCP), and the EasyCAP (which is notorious for its inconsistency between models, but it can work).

Note that the first two tools will have trouble with certain older consoles, such as an NES. In this case it is useful to pass the NES signal through an additional piece of hardware. A VCR or upscaling DVD recorder are two options.

== Elgato Video Capture ==

(Elgato users can explain their experiences here)
It's really easy to set up and use but there is a slight video lag.

== Intensity ==

Intensity users will likely capture their streams using Black Magic Media Express. This software comes with the Intensity, and supports Quicktime codecs. However by default it will only offer uncompressed video for maximum-quality recording. This is not optimal for space or disk performance, and so it is a good idea to [http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1396 install the ProRes codecs] (using [http://www.timdoug.com/unpkg/ unpkg] if necessary to get to the individual codecs) in order to have more options. Quoth [http://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/prores_for_all_hd_capture_without_a_raid.html CMiller]:

<blockquote>
There are several variations of Prores: 
 
Prores 4444- Used primarily for 4K work or feature film finishing. 
Prores 422 (HQ) - High quality used for HD finishing. Same as 422 but with higher datarate. 
Prores 422 - Used for HD editing. broadcast quality. 
Prores 422 LT - 2/3 the datarate of 422. Used for proxy work mostly. 
Prores 422 (proxy) - 1/3 the datarate of 422. used for proxy work. 
 
Capturing in 422 (HQ) and 422 both work wonderfully for 720p capture.
</blockquote>

== EasyCAP ==

There are 3 known apps that will capture video from this device: [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/norichan2.html Norichan], [http://www.bentrask.com/easycap/ EasyCapViewer], and [http://www.echofx.com/videoglide.html VideoGlide]. Norichan will only capture from the Stk1160 model (go to System Information -> USB. It should be called "USB 2.0 Video Capture Controller" and the manufacturer is Syntek Semiconducter). EasyCapViewer supports multiple models (check its site to see which ones), but its recording features are not on par with Norichan's (so no SDA submissions). VideoGlide also supports specific models only, and is supposedly harder to setup properly (users with more knowledge can elaborate on this).

= Software =

== Capturing ==

The software used for capturing can vary with the capture hardware used. See above.

[http://www.apple.com/quicktime/extending/resources.html Quicktime Broadcaster] is capable of recording from a video source, additionally.

[http://camtwiststudio.com CamTwist] can be combined with [http://syphon.v002.info/recorder/ Syphon Recorder] to record a source as well.

For desktop capture of a game running on your computer, [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/kumari_alpha_1.html Kumari] is a new option with great promise.

For older content (NES, Genesis, etc.), if you have the now-hard-to-find hardware it was written for, it is recommended you use [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/norichan_analog_capture_for_all_beta_testers_wanted.html Norichan] to record raw uncompressed video, as it never drops frames and properly captures flicker commonly seen in old games.

== Editing ==

On the software side you will need only iMovie (preinstalled on new Macs). From here it's pretty easy - just import whatever you want, then edit your clips so they start and end when you want them to.

(TODO: verify the following two paragraphs. I suspect a workflow of iMovie to Handbrake is more useful. Verify this.)

Once you have your clips ready to go, export them one at a time. If you want to, you can end your capturing adventures here by exporting to MPEG-4, the highest quality Internet-friendly format offered with QuickTime (choose "Expert Settings" when you go to Share your movie). I'd use 512 Kbps for the video track and 64 Kbps for the audio track. All of the encoders should be set on "Better" quality. Also make sure that "Hinting" is turned off. This will create a file that takes up about 4.3 MB for every minute of video it contains. Feel free to play around with the two bitrates to find a level of quality you feel is satisfactory.

If you want to create a 60 FPS file (double the framerate you will create by using MPEG-4), you will need to export your clips as full quality AVI files, using the either NTSC or PAL DV codec (not DVCPRO). By installing the MainConcept DV codec on an available Windows PC, you can use VirtualDub (which, for some reason, only runs under Windows at this time) to make full framerate videos out of your clips, even though you didn't capture them using VirtualDub. For more about this, please see the EDITING VIDEO section under the [[Editing in VirtualDub]] page.

== Streaming while Recording ==

As streaming is so popular in the speed running community now, a note on streaming is useful. [http://www.apple.com/quicktime/extending/resources.html Quicktime Broadcaster] is a great option for Mac users to broadcast a stream, though some use Adobe's [http://www.adobe.com/products/flash-media-encoder.html FMLE]. These tools can record while streaming.

These tools are great for a very basic stream direct from a video source, but for fancier stream effects, [http://camtwiststudio.com/ CamTwist] is a great option. It cannot stream on its own, so it must be combined with either FMLE, QTB, or [https://github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit CocoaSplit] (note that the 3.0 beta has abandoned the legacy capture that FMLE and QTB rely on in favor of CoreMediaIO; you'll need 2.4 to use them and 3.0 for CocoaSplit). An alternate tool like Blackmagic Media Express can be used to record the direct game feed, while CamTwist can capture the part of the screen featuring that feed, and then broadcast it with additional features, such as splits, live camera, text, and images.

The keys to getting good game audio in stream along with a microphone are [http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/ Audio Hijack Pro] plus [http://cycling74.com/products/soundflower/ Soundflower]. The former is not free, though, so an alternative to it wold be [http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/ Line In], however with that you can't control the levels of the audio components. Either way, use Audio Hijack Pro/Line In to route your microphone and your game audio both into one of the two Soundflower outputs, then have FMLE/Quicktime Broadcaster/CocoaSplit stream the Soundflower input.

If you're getting full framerate into [https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/kumari_alpha_1.html Kumari], it is an option for streaming and recording.

Mac Capture

2014-10-05T19:23:45Z

HDL: HDL moved page Mac Capture to Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Capture: Making it a subpage.

#REDIRECT [[Mac Recording and Streaming/Mac Capture]]

Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit

2014-10-05T19:11:13Z

HDL: Removing "SDA run" note.

= Main Websites =
[http://cocoasplit.com cocoasplit.com]

[https://github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit]

Note: There are currently two versions of CocoaSplit, the older "classic" one and the experimental CoreImage build. This page will focus on the latter, as it is more capable and is better supported by its developer.

= Terminology =

This is not a comprehensive list, but just the basics one should know when learning how to stream with CocoaSplit.

== Video ==

*Canvas: The preview frame at the top where you can add and manage your input sources.
*Layout: A collection of input sources. Layouts can be switched and allow you to group multiple elements in sets without having to constantly change them individually. Think of these as Setups in CamTwist or Scenes in OBS.
*FPS: The ''frames per second'' that will be displayed for the stream. This is separate from the frame rate of your sources. For the smoothest motion you'll want 60 FPS, but keep in mind this will use substantially more CPU and requires a higher bit rate to maintain good quality than something like 30 FPS. You'll also want to keep your source frame rate in mind. 60 FPS is pointless if your video source is 30 FPS.
*Resolution: The height & width (in pixels) of the canvas. This is ''not'' the resolution the stream will be compressed to, but it still does affect quality based on your compression settings. The closer these values are to your compression resolution, the higher quality you'll get.
*Compress: To make the audio/video size smaller so that you can reasonably upload live video as it happens. Lossless video is far too big for most Internet connections to upload continuously.
*Profile: A set of compression settings that are saved and can be chosen from the dropdown menus.

== Audio ==

*Source: The audio device you want to use for the stream.
*Bit Rate: How much data (in kilobits) you want to upload per second. Higher gives clearer audio.
*Sample Rate: Determines how high the frequency range can go. 44100 is ideal as it gives a maximum frequency of 20 kHz, which is the highest humans can generally hear.
*Audio Shift: How long the audio should be delayed for the stream. Video and audio sources are often not properly synchronized. You can use this setting to try and bridge the gap between them.

= Source Selection =

To add a source, first select the appropriate layout you want to use (create a new one with the + symbol and name it), then click "Add New" above the layout selection to add an empty source object in the canvas. This will automatically bring up the source selection, where you can choose what to use from a dropdown menu. These include images, text boxes, Syphon sources, window capture, etc.

Note: Window Capture is currently unoptimized and will result in very low frame rate.

Syphon will give the best results for your main video. There are two approaches to use a Syphon source: you can manage all your video in CamTwist and select "Enable the Syphon Server" in its preferences, or you can make any OpenGL application temporary use Syphon by using [https://github.com/zakk4223/SyphonInject SyphonInject.] This will make it selectable in CocoaSplit as a Syphon source and share its frames with minimal CPU usage.

You can bring up these settings again by secondary clicking a source on the canvas and choosing "Settings." Alternatively, you can secondary click outside the canvas, which will list all sources from that layout in a menu.

You can resize sources by clicking and dragging the blue borders around them. For more control, go into the settings for that source and change its scale and cropping. You can reposition a source by clicking and dragging anywhere within the blue border.

As for audio sources, I highly recommend using [https://github.com/RogueAmoeba/Soundflower Soundflower] in conjunction with [http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/ Audio Hijack Pro.] This will enable you to stream multiple audio sources even though CocoaSplit only supports one. It will also enable much more control over audio in the form of mixing, gain levels, various affects, input/output, etc.

(To do: explain Layout Previews once they're fixed.)

= Compression =

You'll need to find the ideal settings based on your computer hardware capabilities, video sources, Internet connection, etc. There is no set format for this as it depends entirely on what your hardware can do and what you consider acceptable/good quality.

*Resolution: This is the resolution that you'll actually stream to. For the best quality you'll want this as close to your canvas resolution as possible, but keep in mind that resolution significantly impacts performance. You'll also want the correct values for the aspect ratio. 16:9 is the standard ratio used, and you can view a list of correct values [http://pacoup.com/2011/06/12/list-of-true-169-resolutions/ here.]
*Type: x264 will give the best results and highest compatibility with devices and stream services.
*Name: This is what you'll call your profile to distinguish it from other profiles. For example, you may call it "Genesis" if you use the same settings for all Genesis games.
*Preset: Compression efficiency. Slower results in higher quality but requires more CPU. Faster is less efficient and lower quality, but better CPU usage. Choose whichever you want other than placebo.
*Tune: This tailors some encoding options based on the type of content being streamed. For most things just choose zerolatency.
*Profile: For compression, profile means the level of complexity for encoding/decoding. This affects visual quality, CPU usage, and compatibility with devices. Baseline and main are the standards.
*VBV Max Rate: The bit rate you want to limit your stream to. Set this to something under your upload speed. For instance, if you have 1 Mbps total upload, you may want to set this around 800 Kbps.
*VBV Buffer: If not using CBR, set this to the bit rate you want to target (usually the same as VBV Max Rate). If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*Keyframe: Set this to 2 for best compatibility with stream services.
*CRF: If not using CBR, this will attempt to target a certain level of constant quality. It ranges from 0 - 51, with lower values giving higher quality (using more CPU) and 23 being the default value. Common values are 18, 23, and 28. If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*CBR: Select this if you want to increase the stability of your stream at the possible expense of visual quality during frames with many changing pixels. If your bit rate setting cannot handle high motion sequences, the quality will automatically degrade rather than skip, drop, or pile up pending frames. Highly recommended to use this setting as VBR gets more unstable or causes buffering for viewers when your bit rate spikes.

= Stream Destinations =

Destinations have a checkbox and a dropdown menu. Check whichever you want to currently stream to, and choose a compression profile on the right side before you start the stream.

== File Output ==

Click the dropdown menu under "Settings" in the main window and choose File. Enter something like this: /Users/YourUserNameHere/Desktop/Test.mp4. This will create a video called Test on your Desktop when you stream. Keep in mind that streaming again will ''overwrite'' the previous file with no warning if you do not change the file name.

== Stream Output ==

Currently the only option in the dropdown menu is "TwitchTV," but you can use this for any RTMP-based stream service. Select TwitchTV and click Add. You'll be prompted to choose a server and enter your stream key. Pick whatever server is closest to you (or gives the best connection) and find your stream key on whatever stream service website you use. A couple examples:

*Twitch: Go to your Dashboard, click Stream Key, then Show Key. It'll look something like this: live_somenumbers_morenumbersandletters.
*Hitbox: Go to Livestream -> Details and click Show Key. It will look like this: hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. The destination URL will automatically be configured as if it was Twitch. To change this, double click the destination in the output list and paste the Hitbox URL like this: rtmp://live.hitbox.tv/push/hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. This should work for any other RTMP-based service too as long as you use the correct URL for that service.

When you're done setting everything up, I recommend you quit CocoaSplit and then reopen it. Should CocoaSplit crash, any changes you made will be erased. Quitting will save all changes to a settings file. Once you're ready, simply click "Stream!" and you will go live (and/or output to a file). The window will automatically transition to the Status tab where you can see the live encoding details, such as your current frame rate and whether or not you're dropping or piling up frames.

Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit

2014-10-05T19:10:37Z

HDL: HDL moved page CocoaSplit to Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit: Making it a subpage.

{{sda run|http://speeddemosarchive.com/Mac_Capture}}

= Main Websites =
[http://cocoasplit.com cocoasplit.com]

[https://github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit]

Note: There are currently two versions of CocoaSplit, the older "classic" one and the experimental CoreImage build. This page will focus on the latter, as it is more capable and is better supported by its developer.

= Terminology =

This is not a comprehensive list, but just the basics one should know when learning how to stream with CocoaSplit.

== Video ==

*Canvas: The preview frame at the top where you can add and manage your input sources.
*Layout: A collection of input sources. Layouts can be switched and allow you to group multiple elements in sets without having to constantly change them individually. Think of these as Setups in CamTwist or Scenes in OBS.
*FPS: The ''frames per second'' that will be displayed for the stream. This is separate from the frame rate of your sources. For the smoothest motion you'll want 60 FPS, but keep in mind this will use substantially more CPU and requires a higher bit rate to maintain good quality than something like 30 FPS. You'll also want to keep your source frame rate in mind. 60 FPS is pointless if your video source is 30 FPS.
*Resolution: The height & width (in pixels) of the canvas. This is ''not'' the resolution the stream will be compressed to, but it still does affect quality based on your compression settings. The closer these values are to your compression resolution, the higher quality you'll get.
*Compress: To make the audio/video size smaller so that you can reasonably upload live video as it happens. Lossless video is far too big for most Internet connections to upload continuously.
*Profile: A set of compression settings that are saved and can be chosen from the dropdown menus.

== Audio ==

*Source: The audio device you want to use for the stream.
*Bit Rate: How much data (in kilobits) you want to upload per second. Higher gives clearer audio.
*Sample Rate: Determines how high the frequency range can go. 44100 is ideal as it gives a maximum frequency of 20 kHz, which is the highest humans can generally hear.
*Audio Shift: How long the audio should be delayed for the stream. Video and audio sources are often not properly synchronized. You can use this setting to try and bridge the gap between them.

= Source Selection =

To add a source, first select the appropriate layout you want to use (create a new one with the + symbol and name it), then click "Add New" above the layout selection to add an empty source object in the canvas. This will automatically bring up the source selection, where you can choose what to use from a dropdown menu. These include images, text boxes, Syphon sources, window capture, etc.

Note: Window Capture is currently unoptimized and will result in very low frame rate.

Syphon will give the best results for your main video. There are two approaches to use a Syphon source: you can manage all your video in CamTwist and select "Enable the Syphon Server" in its preferences, or you can make any OpenGL application temporary use Syphon by using [https://github.com/zakk4223/SyphonInject SyphonInject.] This will make it selectable in CocoaSplit as a Syphon source and share its frames with minimal CPU usage.

You can bring up these settings again by secondary clicking a source on the canvas and choosing "Settings." Alternatively, you can secondary click outside the canvas, which will list all sources from that layout in a menu.

You can resize sources by clicking and dragging the blue borders around them. For more control, go into the settings for that source and change its scale and cropping. You can reposition a source by clicking and dragging anywhere within the blue border.

As for audio sources, I highly recommend using [https://github.com/RogueAmoeba/Soundflower Soundflower] in conjunction with [http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/ Audio Hijack Pro.] This will enable you to stream multiple audio sources even though CocoaSplit only supports one. It will also enable much more control over audio in the form of mixing, gain levels, various affects, input/output, etc.

(To do: explain Layout Previews once they're fixed.)

= Compression =

You'll need to find the ideal settings based on your computer hardware capabilities, video sources, Internet connection, etc. There is no set format for this as it depends entirely on what your hardware can do and what you consider acceptable/good quality.

*Resolution: This is the resolution that you'll actually stream to. For the best quality you'll want this as close to your canvas resolution as possible, but keep in mind that resolution significantly impacts performance. You'll also want the correct values for the aspect ratio. 16:9 is the standard ratio used, and you can view a list of correct values [http://pacoup.com/2011/06/12/list-of-true-169-resolutions/ here.]
*Type: x264 will give the best results and highest compatibility with devices and stream services.
*Name: This is what you'll call your profile to distinguish it from other profiles. For example, you may call it "Genesis" if you use the same settings for all Genesis games.
*Preset: Compression efficiency. Slower results in higher quality but requires more CPU. Faster is less efficient and lower quality, but better CPU usage. Choose whichever you want other than placebo.
*Tune: This tailors some encoding options based on the type of content being streamed. For most things just choose zerolatency.
*Profile: For compression, profile means the level of complexity for encoding/decoding. This affects visual quality, CPU usage, and compatibility with devices. Baseline and main are the standards.
*VBV Max Rate: The bit rate you want to limit your stream to. Set this to something under your upload speed. For instance, if you have 1 Mbps total upload, you may want to set this around 800 Kbps.
*VBV Buffer: If not using CBR, set this to the bit rate you want to target (usually the same as VBV Max Rate). If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*Keyframe: Set this to 2 for best compatibility with stream services.
*CRF: If not using CBR, this will attempt to target a certain level of constant quality. It ranges from 0 - 51, with lower values giving higher quality (using more CPU) and 23 being the default value. Common values are 18, 23, and 28. If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*CBR: Select this if you want to increase the stability of your stream at the possible expense of visual quality during frames with many changing pixels. If your bit rate setting cannot handle high motion sequences, the quality will automatically degrade rather than skip, drop, or pile up pending frames. Highly recommended to use this setting as VBR gets more unstable or causes buffering for viewers when your bit rate spikes.

= Stream Destinations =

Destinations have a checkbox and a dropdown menu. Check whichever you want to currently stream to, and choose a compression profile on the right side before you start the stream.

== File Output ==

Click the dropdown menu under "Settings" in the main window and choose File. Enter something like this: /Users/YourUserNameHere/Desktop/Test.mp4. This will create a video called Test on your Desktop when you stream. Keep in mind that streaming again will ''overwrite'' the previous file with no warning if you do not change the file name.

== Stream Output ==

Currently the only option in the dropdown menu is "TwitchTV," but you can use this for any RTMP-based stream service. Select TwitchTV and click Add. You'll be prompted to choose a server and enter your stream key. Pick whatever server is closest to you (or gives the best connection) and find your stream key on whatever stream service website you use. A couple examples:

*Twitch: Go to your Dashboard, click Stream Key, then Show Key. It'll look something like this: live_somenumbers_morenumbersandletters.
*Hitbox: Go to Livestream -> Details and click Show Key. It will look like this: hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. The destination URL will automatically be configured as if it was Twitch. To change this, double click the destination in the output list and paste the Hitbox URL like this: rtmp://live.hitbox.tv/push/hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. This should work for any other RTMP-based service too as long as you use the correct URL for that service.

When you're done setting everything up, I recommend you quit CocoaSplit and then reopen it. Should CocoaSplit crash, any changes you made will be erased. Quitting will save all changes to a settings file. Once you're ready, simply click "Stream!" and you will go live (and/or output to a file). The window will automatically transition to the Status tab where you can see the live encoding details, such as your current frame rate and whether or not you're dropping or piling up frames.

CocoaSplit

2014-10-05T19:10:37Z

HDL: HDL moved page CocoaSplit to Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit: Making it a subpage.

#REDIRECT [[Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit]]

Mac Recording and Streaming

2014-10-05T19:06:44Z

HDL: Created page with "Category:Mac Category:Recording Category:Streaming = Audio/Video Capture = Mac Capture: Basic information about captur..."

[[Category:Mac]]
[[Category:Recording]]
[[Category:Streaming]]
= Audio/Video Capture =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Capture|Mac Capture]]: Basic information about capture devices for OS X.

= Recording =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/ScreenFlow|ScreenFlow]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

= Streaming =

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CocoaSplit|CocoaSplit]]: Screen recording software that also offers post-production and encoding features.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/CamTwist|CamTwist]]: Video broadcasting software that lets you combine multiple sources and produce professional-looking feeds. Can be used in conjunction with CocoaSplit.

[[Mac_Recording_and_Streaming/Mac_Audio_Capture|Mac Audio Capture]]: Information about audio capture, recording, and management on OS X.

Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit

2014-10-05T18:22:39Z

HDL: Layout preview note.

Mac Recording and Streaming/CocoaSplit

2014-10-05T18:13:02Z

HDL: Created page with "{{sda run|http://speeddemosarchive.com/Mac_Capture}} = Main Websites = [http://cocoasplit.com cocoasplit.com] [https://github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit github.com/zakk4223/Coc..."

{{sda run|http://speeddemosarchive.com/Mac_Capture}}

= Main Websites =
[http://cocoasplit.com cocoasplit.com]

[https://github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit github.com/zakk4223/CocoaSplit]

Note: There are currently two versions of CocoaSplit, the older "classic" one and the experimental CoreImage build. This page will focus on the latter, as it is more capable and is better supported by its developer.

= Terminology =

This is not a comprehensive list, but just the basics one should know when learning how to stream with CocoaSplit.

== Video ==

*Canvas: The preview frame at the top where you can add and manage your input sources.
*Layout: A collection of input sources. Layouts can be switched and allow you to group multiple elements in sets without having to constantly change them individually. Think of these as Setups in CamTwist or Scenes in OBS.
*FPS: The ''frames per second'' that will be displayed for the stream. This is separate from the frame rate of your sources. For the smoothest motion you'll want 60 FPS, but keep in mind this will use substantially more CPU and requires a higher bit rate to maintain good quality than something like 30 FPS. You'll also want to keep your source frame rate in mind. 60 FPS is pointless if your video source is 30 FPS.
*Resolution: The height & width (in pixels) of the canvas. This is ''not'' the resolution the stream will be compressed to, but it still does affect quality based on your compression settings. The closer these values are to your compression resolution, the higher quality you'll get.
*Compress: To make the audio/video size smaller so that you can reasonably upload live video as it happens. Lossless video is far too big for most Internet connections to upload continuously.
*Profile: A set of compression settings that are saved and can be chosen from the dropdown menus.

== Audio ==

*Source: The audio device you want to use for the stream.
*Bit Rate: How much data (in kilobits) you want to upload per second. Higher gives clearer audio.
*Sample Rate: Determines how high the frequency range can go. 44100 is ideal as it gives a maximum frequency of 20 kHz, which is the highest humans can generally hear.
*Audio Shift: How long the audio should be delayed for the stream. Video and audio sources are often not properly synchronized. You can use this setting to try and bridge the gap between them.

= Source Selection =

To add a source, first select the appropriate layout you want to use, then click "Add New" above the layout selection to add an empty source object in the canvas. This will automatically bring up the source selection, where you can choose what to use from a dropdown menu. These include images, text boxes, Syphon sources, window capture, etc.

Note: Window Capture is currently unoptimized and will result in very low frame rate.

Syphon will give the best results for your main video. There are two approaches to use a Syphon source: you can manage all your video in CamTwist and select "Enable the Syphon Server" in its preferences, or you can make any OpenGL application temporary use Syphon by using [https://github.com/zakk4223/SyphonInject SyphonInject.] This will make it selectable in CocoaSplit as a Syphon source and share its frames with minimal CPU usage.

You can bring up these settings again by secondary clicking a source on the canvas and choosing "Settings." Alternatively, you can secondary click outside the canvas, which will list all sources from that layout in a menu.

You can resize sources by clicking and dragging the blue borders around them. For more control, go into the settings for that source and change its scale and cropping. You can reposition a source by clicking and dragging anywhere within the blue border.

As for audio sources, I highly recommend using [https://github.com/RogueAmoeba/Soundflower Soundflower] in conjunction with [http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/ Audio Hijack Pro.] This will enable you to stream multiple audio sources even though CocoaSplit only supports one. It will also enable much more control over audio in the form of mixing, gain levels, various affects, input/output, etc.

= Compression =

You'll need to find the ideal settings based on your computer hardware capabilities, video sources, Internet connection, etc. There is no set format for this as it depends entirely on what your hardware can do and what you consider acceptable/good quality.

*Resolution: This is the resolution that you'll actually stream to. For the best quality you'll want this as close to your canvas resolution as possible, but keep in mind that resolution significantly impacts performance. You'll also want the correct values for the aspect ratio. 16:9 is the standard ratio used, and you can view a list of correct values [http://pacoup.com/2011/06/12/list-of-true-169-resolutions/ here.]
*Type: x264 will give the best results and highest compatibility with devices and stream services.
*Name: This is what you'll call your profile to distinguish it from other profiles. For example, you may call it "Genesis" if you use the same settings for all Genesis games.
*Preset: Compression efficiency. Slower results in higher quality but requires more CPU. Faster is less efficient and lower quality, but better CPU usage. Choose whichever you want other than placebo.
*Tune: This tailors some encoding options based on the type of content being streamed. For most things just choose zerolatency.
*Profile: For compression, profile means the level of complexity for encoding/decoding. This affects visual quality, CPU usage, and compatibility with devices. Baseline and main are the standards.
*VBV Max Rate: The bit rate you want to limit your stream to. Set this to something under your upload speed. For instance, if you have 1 Mbps total upload, you may want to set this around 800 Kbps.
*VBV Buffer: If not using CBR, set this to the bit rate you want to target (usually the same as VBV Max Rate). If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*Keyframe: Set this to 2 for best compatibility with stream services.
*CRF: If not using CBR, this will attempt to target a certain level of constant quality. It ranges from 0 - 51, with lower values giving higher quality (using more CPU) and 23 being the default value. Common values are 18, 23, and 28. If using CBR, leave this at 0.
*CBR: Select this if you want to increase the stability of your stream at the possible expense of visual quality during frames with many changing pixels. If your bit rate setting cannot handle high motion sequences, the quality will automatically degrade rather than skip, drop, or pile up pending frames. Highly recommended to use this setting as VBR gets more unstable or causes buffering for viewers when your bit rate spikes.

= Stream Destinations =

Destinations have a checkbox and a dropdown menu. Check whichever you want to currently stream to, and choose a compression profile on the right side before you start the stream.

== File Output ==

Click the dropdown menu under "Settings" in the main window and choose File. Enter something like this: /Users/YourUserNameHere/Desktop/Test.mp4. This will create a video called Test on your Desktop when you stream. Keep in mind that streaming again will ''overwrite'' the previous file with no warning if you do not change the file name.

== Stream Output ==

Currently the only option in the dropdown menu is "TwitchTV," but you can use this for any RTMP-based stream service. Select TwitchTV and click Add. You'll be prompted to choose a server and enter your stream key. Pick whatever server is closest to you (or gives the best connection) and find your stream key on whatever stream service website you use. A couple examples:

*Twitch: Go to your Dashboard, click Stream Key, then Show Key. It'll look something like this: live_somenumbers_morenumbersandletters.
*Hitbox: Go to Livestream -> Details and click Show Key. It will look like this: hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. The destination URL will automatically be configured as if it was Twitch. To change this, double click the destination in the output list and paste the Hitbox URL like this: rtmp://live.hitbox.tv/push/hitboxusername?key=lettersandnumbers. This should work for any other RTMP-based service too as long as you use the correct URL for that service.

When you're done setting everything up, I recommend you quit CocoaSplit and then reopen it. Should CocoaSplit crash, any changes you made will be erased. Quitting will save all changes to a settings file. Once you're ready, simply click "Stream!" and you will go live (and/or output to a file). The window will automatically transition to the Status tab where you can see the live encoding details, such as your current frame rate and whether or not you're dropping or piling up frames.

Streaming Resources

2014-10-05T15:02:53Z

HDL: Edited the Mac OS X line.

Streaming adds a social aspect to the speedrunning process that can help you stay motivated during attempts and connect with the speedrunning community at large. A brief overview of the process is included below. If you're already familiar with the basics and want to see some more advanced content jump to our [[Additional_Resources#Additional_Streaming_Guides|streaming guides]]. 

== Requirements ==
* '''Stable broadband internet connection''' - Most video games run at 30-60 frames per second. In order for the video feed to look smooth you'll be sending a lot of high resolution images rapidly. That takes a decent internet connection. 
* '''Streaming software''' - There are a lot of options available. Right now Open Broadcaster Software and XSplit are the two most popular choices. 
* '''[[Capture Device]]''' - If you plan to stream gameplay from a console, you need a capture device to stream. You don't need this if you are streaming a PC game. 
 
== Streaming Software ==
* [[Open Broadcaster Software]] - Free and powerful. Using OBS to stream is rapidly growing in popularity.
* [[XSplit]] - A popular streaming software. The beta period for it has ended, so now it costs $40/year to use unless you want your videos to have a watermark.
* See the [[Mac Capture]] page for the OS X options.
 
== Streaming Services ==
Use [http://twitch.tv Twitch.] Twitch is a streaming service will let you broadcast your capture over the internet. Once you've created an account you'll have a dedicated channel where people can watch you play live. Twitch is currently the most popular and widely used streaming service. We currently recommend that you use Twitch to stream. A major reason to use Twitch is that as you become more established in the speedrunning community you can be added to the SpeedDemosArchive or SpeedRunsLive team streaming pages.

[http://live.nicovideo.jp NicoNico Live] is another option. You can either use much the same software as people do for Twitch, or their in-browser streaming which takes a video and audio output, and streams them for you, albeit at low quality. A small monthly fee is required to create a channel to stream to, but only free accounts are required to watch. Nico, being a long-established service with a proven foundation to support high traffic, tends not to have the same, constant stability problems some people report Twitch to have.

Analog Capture

2014-10-05T15:02:00Z

HDL: Edited the Mac OS X line.

'''NOTE: Parts of this page are now outdated (such as the All-In-Wonder, VHS transfer, etc). For an alternate means of capturing to your hard drive, check out the [[DScaler]] page.'''

==Acquiring Equipment==

Note: If you use Mac OS X, check out the [[Mac Capture]] page.

Otherwise, I recommend the [http://www.ati.com/products/radeon9600/aiw9600/index.html ATI All-In-Wonder 9600]. If you decide to record your run on VHS and let me capture, that is the card I will use. The American version supports every video standard I've ever heard of and captures in brilliant color, with full brightness transfer and virtually no dropped frames. It also captures full framerate ready video. Coming from inferior capture devices, I literally can not say enough good things about this card, so you will have to trust me that it is the best on the market.

Be sure to download and install the most recent drivers for the card (once you have it installed) from the [http://www.ati.com/ ATI site], since you never know what might happen to your video (in terms of quality) if you use old drivers.

==Acquiring Software==

The software I recommend for capture and editing is called [http://www.virtualdub.org/ VirtualDub]. It is freeware, which means you are not expected to pay for it. If you like VirtualDub, though, you should donate a few bucks to the man who wrote it, like I did.

VirtualDub comes as a .zip file. This means you will need a program to unzip it into its own directory. I recommend [http://www.win-rar.com/ WinRAR], because it allows you to simply right click on the VirtualDub .zip file and select "Extract to VirtualDub-(version number)". This is the most efficient way I've seen to unzip things in Windows, because you don't have to open a program or make your own directory for VirtualDub. No further installation is required.

==Acquiring Codecs==

Once you have VirtualDub and the associated software ready to go, go ahead and download the codecs you will need. You will be using [http://neuron2.net/www.math.berkeley.edu/benrg/huffyuv.html Huffyuv] (pronounced "Huff Why You Vee," in case you're interested) as your codec when you capture. Huffyuv is also freeware. I also mirror [http://www.metroid2002.com/files/huffyuv-2.1.1.zip version 2.1.1 of Huffyuv here at SDA.].

Huffyuv also comes as a .zip. Do the same thing you did for VirtualDub, only this time you will need to open the Huffyuv folder, right click on the huffyuv.inf file and click "Install" in the menu that appears. This will install Huffyuv for you.

You don't need an input audio codec; you will just capture raw audio data without compression.

For an output audio codec, I use [http://www.metroid2002.com/files/lameACM-20020202.zip version 0.8.0 of the LAME ACM]. This codec is a freeware MP3 encoder, maybe the best in the world. Be sure to only use the version I host here (0.8.0) - other versions have been proven to cause serious sound desynching issues. Once you've downloaded and unzipped the file, right click on the LameACM.inf file and click "Install" to install the codec, similarly to how you installed Huffyuv. You can visit [http://mp3dev.org LAME's homepage] to learn more about the codec, but the LAME ACM is not available there. I've decided to host it myself because it's a bit hard to find on the Internet, and because you could easily get an older version of the codec on accident.

==Capturing Video==

Once all three codecs are installed, it's time to open VirtualDub for the first time. Double-click on the VirtualDub.exe application to open it. You are presented with VirtualDub's Dub Mode, where you apply filters to video and audio and export data to a new file. You're not ready to use this mode yet, since you still need to capture your run.

==Getting Started (Capturing)==

Start by hooking your VCR up to your capture card. You will probably need to use the red or black (right channel) and white (left channel) audio cables, as well as the yellow (composite video) cable. If your VCR has an S-Video output, by all means hook up your VCR using S-Video (instead of by the yellow Composite cable), though inexpensive VCRs seldom have such outputs. Press Play on the VCR or on the VCR's remote to start playing your run. You will want to have some video playing to make adjustments to the capture software before you rewind the tape and start to capture it for real.

Select "Capture AVI..." from the File menu. If all goes well, you should be blasted with a large amount of audio static and a window full of snow. If you see your run already, fine; you can skip the next step.

==Setting Settings==

If you see snow, you need to tell your capture card to select the Composite or S-Video source, whichever you hooked your VCR up with. Select Source from the Video menu, select Video Composite or S-Video from the "Select a Video Source:" dropdown menu, and then hit OK. If you have a card other than the ATI All-In-Wonder 9600, this process may be different for you. Consult your card's documentation.

Once you see your run playing on your computer, it's time to set up your capture settings. Start with the three buttons in the lower right hand corner of the VirtualDub Capture Mode window. You need to click on the first button (starting at the left) and set it to 44.1 KHz, 16-bit stereo. (If you only plugged in a white cable since your VCR doesn't have stereo sound, select "mono" instead of "stereo".)

For the second button, choose 29.97 fps (if you're capturing NTSC video) or 25.00 fps (if you're capturing a PAL or SECAM video). If you are in the US or in Japan, you are most likely using NTSC. If you are in Europe, Australia or elsewhere, you are most likely using either PAL or SECAM (remember to select 30.00 fps instead of 25.00 fps if you used 60 Hz equipment to play and record your run; just don't worry about this if you don't know what that means). The third button is a display of how much bandwidth you need to write the data to the drive. There's no need to do anything with it.

Next, choose Format from the Video menu. This shows the resolution you will be capturing at. If you are capturing NTSC, select 640 x 480. If you are capturing PAL or SECAM, select 704 x 576. This resolution will help you keep the image dimensions correct on the computer, so that the game isn't distorted (compared to watching it on a TV screen). Your capture will also be ready to be transformed into a full framerate video. Hit OK to close out of the Format window.

After setting your resolution, select Compression from the Video menu. You should see the Huffyuv codec in the left part of the window. Select it and hit OK. Huffyuv will compress the video you are capturing by a factor of 2 or more without changing what you see at all. It is said to be the only non-lossy video compression codec in the world because of this. There's no need to set the audio compression now; you will do that later, after you've captured.

Finally, set where you will capture by going to the File menu and selecting "Set capture file...". You should use your largest available hard drive, or else just save as "capture.avi" or something on your Desktop for easy access. This is the file VirtualDub will capture to. Make sure that the file doesn't already exist, or it will be overwritten when you start to capture.

Now go to the Capture menu and select "Preferences...". Select all of the boxes before the word "Save"; there should be four of them. Then hit OK. This will save all of your settings (EXCEPT for the very first setting, the source setting on your capture card) so that you don't have to reset them the next time you capture something.

==Capturing==

With all of your settings set, you're ready to capture. Press F6 to start VirtualDub capturing, then press Play on your VCR (assuming you're already in the right place on the tape). You should see your run start on the monitor. Keep an eye on the "Frames dropped" indicator on the right side of the VirtualDub Capture Mode window. You should stop dropping frames almost entirely once the picture clears up (after a couple seconds). If not, then there may be a problem with your CPU speed, with your hard drive speed, with your capture settings, or with your capture card. Try to use the other readouts on the right side of the window to diagnose the problem.

Beware of digital autotracking indicators. On many newer VCRs, annoying displays of the autotracking (or the time position) may cover your run. If this happens, press Rewind without stopping the tape (even though I say not to in the VHS section) and back up to just before your segment starts. If you press Play at the right time, the tape will start without trying to set the tracking again and the audio read head will sync before your segment starts. If head resynching happens too late and the video is distorted or audio is cut out, try pressing Rewind again to move further back. If you can't avoid losing some of your run due to VHS, try to remember to start recording longer before you start playing next time. Also keep in mind that every time you press Rewind or Fast Forward while your tape is playing, you risk damage to the tape.

When you are done capturing, press Escape to tell VirtualDub to stop. Then select "Exit capture mode" from the File menu. You are now ready to start editing your newly captured run!

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