Here are some answers to some of the most common questions we get from Video Recorder users. These answers will ensure you get the most from your Video Recorder!
What if the 'Record button' is gray?
If the Record button is gray and the Video Recorder software is not recording, then simply reconnect Video Recorder to the USB port on your computer. Avoid connecting your Video Recorder via a USB hub as Video Recorder might not work correctly.
I can't hear the audio output while recording!
When Video Recorder is recording and you bring another application to the foreground, you will no longer be able to hear the audio being captured. This is perfectly normal and will not affect the audio being recorded within your movie. If you wish to hear the recorded audio all the time, then go to the Recording menu and select “Audio output in Background”. Now you can hear your audio even if you are using another application!
My movie has broken lines and tearing!
Don't worry if you are seeing horizontal and tearing lines in movies with fast movement. Most video recorded for television, such as NTSC, PAL and SECAM video is made from two interlaced fields of video. Sometimes these popular television formats can cause broken lines and tearing. To remove broken lines and tearing from your movie in Video Recorder, simply select 'Remove Fields'. Go to the Recording menu and select “Remove Fields” and then repeat capturing your movie once more.
If you are recording for YouTube, then you will find the menu option is grayed out for “Remove Fields” as YouTube won't support this setting.
What if my Video Recorder software won't open?
If Video Recorder won't open, or reports an error while opening, it is possible that the software installed has become corrupted. Simply download the latest Video Recorder software and reinstall the software to your applications folder.
Why is my video preview jerky while recording?
On older slower Macs, the video preview appears fine before recording starts but looks quite jerky when recording video to the hard drive. This is because older computers may not have enough power to preview the video smoothly at the same time as writing the video to the hard disk.
Don't worry, the jerky preview does not affect the quality of the video you are recording. When you open your movie, it should play back perfectly smoothly.
Why is my video and audio delayed?
Don't worry if there is a small delay of less than a second between the time the video and audio is recorded by Video Recorder. The delay is normal and occurs because it takes a moment or two for the Video Recorder hardware to encode your video and audio into high quality H.264 compressed movie files. We suggest that you use the video preview window in Video Recorder to determine when to start and stop recording your video.
What if I have strange video colors with component video?
If your symptoms are a strange green or magenta color shift, then using the correct cable connections as shown in the Video Recorder manual should fix this problem. Check which cables have been connected to the Video Recorder connections and then reconnect the correct component cable to the Video Recorder.
What if I have color artifacts in Black & White video?
This problem is easily solved by opening the A/V Controls and setting the Color slider all the way to the left. All color information will be eliminated and only black and white video will then be recorded. You can also use this method to capture your color video, as black and white video if you want to give your movie an older look.
Please remember to set this slider back to color when you next want to capture color again!
What if Left and Right Audio are reversed when recording?
If you notice the left and right audio channels are reversed when recording with Video Recorder, the audio cable connections are probably the wrong way around. The solution is to simply switch the audio cable connections at Video Recorder. The left audio channel is usually represented by a white connector and the right audio channel is usually represented by a red connector.
I can't record HD!
Video recorder is designed to work with standard definition (SD) video. Most high definition (HD) video devices, especially HD video cameras, provide an option to play back as standard definition analog video. Composite video and S-Video outputs are always standard definition and will always work with Video Recorder. Component video outputs could be HD or SD and must be switched to SD for use with Video Recorder.
If you accidently send an HD signal to Video Recorder via component analog video, the video preview in Video Recorder will default to either a solid blue or black color.
Recording from a DVD player or Set Top Box
Many brand name DVD players implement a copy-protection mechanism which distorts the video output so it is unwatchable with external video recording devices, such as Video Recorder. This might seem surprising as the same DVD player may play out the same commercial movie to your television.
Copy-protected commercial DVD’s should never be copied and many DVD players will prevent you from doing this, so make sure you have permission to make copies of the DVD before recording to Video Recorder.
Similar results may be experienced when attempting to record copy-protected channels from the analog video output of a digital set top box. You can use Video Recorder to capture the free to copy channels but do ensure you don’t copy Copyright material.
Can I record more than 12 hours?
Video Recorder will continue to record more than 12 hours for you, however your movies will be segmented at 12 hour intervals due to the way QuickTime works. This means Video Recorder will record very long recordings into multiple 12 hour segments.
