It says that I’m out of disk space, but I’ve got a lot available.
Check the Record Preferences to be sure that you’re recording to a disk that has free space available. Recording directly to a floppy disk is not recommended.
I can only record very short movies when recording to memory.
FusionRecorder will use all available memory when recording. Available memory is memory which is not in use by the System and not in use by another program. Be sure to quit all other applications and make as much memory space available as possible. Using virtual memory when recording is not recommended—recording directly to disk gives better results.
My movies are playing back jerky; the sound is fine but the screen update is slow.
It may be necessary to reduce the frame size of your movies or the frame rate, or to set the compressor to a lower quality during recording.
When I look at my movie on the Macintosh screen, everything looks fine, but when I output to videotape, there are a lot of little streaks.
Lossy compressors that do run length encoding (Animation, Apple’s Video, etc.) sometimes have artifacts that are visible on videotape, but not on a computer screen. Frequently the problem is solved by processing with the quality set to the highest level.
I’ve seen large movies at trade shows, but all my movies are small. How do I get larger movies?
If you are using a software compressor, consider using one of the hardware JPEG compressors available. They can deliver much larger sizes and greater frame rates than any of the software compressors. Some offer full screen, full motion video.
When recording with a QuickTime digitizing card, the Record Window doesn’t update, or updates very slowly.
The Record Window needs to be on the video monitor that is directly attached to the digitizing card for best results.
When recording, my Record Window doesn’t display a picture.
Make sure your video source is properly connected and the source is playing. Then choose Video Setting from the Record menu and check the Source selection.
When Recording, I can’t hear the sound.
Choose Sound Settings from the Record menu and make sure the volume isn’t turned way down. The Speaker pop-up should not be set to “Off”. Check that the proper Source has been selected. Then, check the volume on your source, the volume in the Sound Control Panel, and finally, check the audio connections from your source to your system.
Commonly Asked Questions
1) My Record Window is collapsed or very small. I can't resize it.
Problem
When I choose Show Record Window from the Record menu, the Record Window is collapsed with no picture. I can’t resize the Record Window. Video Settings and Turn Video On are dimmed in the Record menu.
Discussion
Usually a collapsed Record Window indicates a lack of video signal. There may be no video signal connected to the computer, a video signal incorrectly connected to the computer, or the built-in digitizer may be in use by another application.
If you are using a Macintosh Centris or Quadra 660AV or Quadra 840AV computer, you must have a monitor attached to the built-in monitor port. The built-in monitor shares video memory (also called VRAM) with the built-in video digitizer, so a monitor attached to the built-in monitor port is required to digitize video. You cannot digitize video if you have only one monitor attached to a third-party video display card.
If you are using an AV-equipped Power Macintosh computer, you must have a monitor attached to the built-in monitor port on the AV capture card or the built-in high density monitor port (for the Apple AudioVision 14 Display). You cannot digitize video if you have only one monitor attached to a third-party video display card.
In every case, the optimal video capture setup occurs when the recording monitor (monitor on which the Record Window appears) and the video input source (example, VCR) are connected to the same hardware.
Solution
--If you have an AV-equipped Macintosh computer (Macintosh Quadra 840AV, Macintosh Quadra or Centris 660AV, Power Macintosh AV)
1. Check your video cable connections. To record video, the video signal must come out of the video source (use the video out port) and go into the digitizing hardware of the computer (use the video in port). Restart the computer.
2. If the video cable was connected after the computer had been turned on, try restarting the computer after the cable has been connected to reset the digitizing hardware.
3. If you have a Macintosh Quadra 840AV, Quadra 660AV, Centris 660AV or Power Macintosh AV computer with only one monitor which is connected to a third-party video display card, you will not be able to digitize video. The built-in monitor shares video memory (VRAM) with the built-in video digitizer, so a monitor connected to the built-in monitor port is required to digitize video. Either connect your monitor directly to the built-in monitor port instead of the third-party video display card, or connect a second monitor to the built-in monitor port.
4. Digitizing hardware can be used by only one software application at a time; make sure you do not have another video recording program such as Apple’s Video Monitor utility open. Quit all other programs. Quit and re-open only the program you wish to use for video capture.
5. If any other digitizing hardware besides built-in is installed, was it installed correctly (including all necessary extensions)? Make sure you have selected the correct digitizing hardware under Video Settings and that your Source correctly reflects where your video input cable is connected.
6. Repeat the above steps with Apple’s utility Video Monitor. If the same problem persists with Video Monitor when no other programs are open, contact your Apple-authorized service provider.
--If you have a Macintosh computer which is not AV-equipped (Mac II series, PowerBook or Duo series, Performa series, non-AV Quadra series, non-AV Power Macintosh series)
1. Do you have digitizing hardware installed in your computer (usually in the form of a NuBus card or a SCSI device)? You cannot record video without some type of video digitizing hardware. Was it installed correctly (including all necessary extensions)? Make sure you have selected the correct digitizing hardware under Video Settings and that your Source correctly reflects where your video input cable is connected.
2. To attempt to use VideoFusion’s products with third-party digitizing hardware, the hardware manufacturer must provide at least one video digitizing component or VDIG which is QuickTime 1.5 or higher compatible. These files may be in the form of extensions or control panels.
2) How can I capture a single frame?
Problem
QuickTime movies are nice, but I’d like to grab just one frame. How can I do it?
Discussion
Apple’s utility “Video Monitor” that is shipped with all Macintosh AV machines will capture a single frame to the clipboard or to a PICT file. Other applications such as FusionRecorder will capture QuickTime movies, out of which single frames can be selected, copied and pasted as PICT files.
Solution
--Capturing a single frame with “Video Monitor”
Apple’s utility “Video Monitor” can capture a single frame to the clipboard or to a file. In Video Monitor, select “Copy” from the Edit menu. Consult Apple’s documentation or contact Apple’s technical support at 1-800-SOS-APPL if you have further questions about Video
Monitor.
--Capturing a single frame with VideoFusion’s software products
You may obtain a single frame from any sequence recorded with FusionRecorder regardless of length. Pressing “Stop” immediately after pressing “Record” will result in a very short QuickTime movie. If the movie was recorded from a still video camera or a live video camera pointed at a stationary subject, all frames should be virtually identical (meaning it won’t matter which one you select).
You must save the movie to the hard drive before you will be able to copy a frame from it. Click anywhere in the scroll bar beneath the movie or choose “Select None” from the Edit menu to make sure that nothing is selected. Scroll to the desired frame in the movie, hold down the Shift key, and press either the Left or Right arrow key to create a selection of one frame. A small black line will appear in the scroll bar area indicating your selection. You should be able to select “Copy” in the Edit menu, which will copy the frame to the Clipboard. Then paste the frame into any application which supports PICT files.
Consider our other software products, QuickFLIX! and VideoFusion, for further flexibility when working with single frames. For example, VideoFusion can save a single frame as a PICT file; select a single frame in the Player or Time View and save the selection as PICT.
3) How can I output to videotape from an AV Macintosh?
Problem
I’m trying to record information from my AV Macintosh onto a videotape in a VCR or camcorder. Nothing gets recorded on the tape.
Discussion
The AV series of Macintosh is capable of both capturing audio/video information from a VCR or similar source to the computer, and sending audio/video information out from the computer to a VCR or television (either an NTSC or PAL monitor). For recording to videotape, the computer must be properly set up to send out an audio/video signal (the display hardware must be in NTSC or PAL mode), the VCR must be ready to receive an audio/video signal, and appropriate cables must connect the audio/video out ports of the computer to the audio/video in ports of the VCR.
Solution
Make sure that the audio and/or video outputs of the AV Macintosh are connected to the inputs of the VCR. The AV Macintosh computers support both Composite and S-Video. The Power Macintosh AV comes with two non-interchangeable S-Video to RCA adapter cables marked In and Out. It is necessary to also have a television attached to the VCR output so that you can see what you are doing in the following steps.
Open the Monitor Control Panel in the Control Panels folder in the System Folder. Click the Options button. You now have two options: an instant switch to the TV or a better looking picture which requires shutdown.
1. Choosing Display Video on Television (NTSC for American TV’s) will instantly fade out the Macintosh monitor and fade up the desktop display on the TV. Single pixel width lines will show noticeable flicker.
2. Choosing the Upon Restart Display Video on Television checkbox will display a flicker-reduced desktop on the TV at restart. Disconnecting the Macintosh monitor after shutdown is required for this option.
When you have an image on the television, play your QuickTime movie and hit Record on the VCR. The entire display will be recorded to the VCR.
For more flexible output options, consider our other products QuickFLIX! and VideoFusion which have a Print to Video feature. This command will let you play your QuickTime movies in the center of the screen which has been blanked out with the background color of your choice.
4) My movies don’t have any sound.
Problem
I’m using FusionRecorder to capture a QuickTime movie. Before and after recording, I can see the movie, but I don’t hear any sound. Or, I can hear the sound before pressing the Record button (or even during recording), but the resulting QuickTime movie doesn’t play any sound.
Discussion
The absence of sound can be caused by any of a number of factors. The computer may be in a state which prevents it from playing sound, the audio signal may be improperly connected to the computer, or the software settings may be incorrect.
Solution
--Make sure the computer is capable of producing sound
1. Open the Sound control panel and make sure the Volume level is above the lowest setting (you may have to Quit any open applications before you can access the sound controls). Drag the slider to a new level or click it at its current level to test the volume. If you can’t hear anything, go to the next step.
2. Do you have a loose cable plugged into the Speaker port (a cable is plugged in but not attached to any speakers)? Or has the microphone been accidentally plugged into the Speaker port? If so, remove it. If you have external speakers, are they on? Is the volume turned up? Are they plugged into a working electrical outlet? Try removing anything plugged into the external speaker port and the microphone port if you can’t get any sound.
--Check the audio cable connection to the computer
3. Do you have a separate audio cable bringing the audio signal from the audio out port(s) of your audio source (VCR, camcorder, tape deck, external CD player) to the microphone port of the computer (or to the audio input port of your third-party digitizing card)? Audio from a VCR or camcorder uses a separate cable from the video.
4. Unless you are trying to use a third-party digitizing card to digitize audio, you should bring the audio signal in through the microphone port. A handy audio cable to have for this purpose is a dual RCA plug to 1/8” stereo mini plug cable, such as Catalog Number 42-2481A at Radio Shack. The RCA-type ports on the back of the Macintosh Quadra 660AV and Quadra 840AV are for video input and output, not audio.
5. If you have an Apple AudioVision monitor (it has a microphone and speakers built-in to the monitor), you have two options for bringing in the audio. First, you can bring the audio signal in through the microphone port on the back of the computer. Second, you can bring the audio signal in through the microphone port on the left side of the AudioVision monitor. The second option only works if you also use the monitor adapter cable to connect the monitor to the microphone port and the speaker port on the back of the computer (except on the Power Macintosh which does carry the audio through the high density monitor port).
Check to be sure that you have the AudioVision extension loaded properly. Refer to the AudioVision manual that came with the monitor for an explanation of the additional settings in the Sound control panel. Just because you hear audio playing through your AudioVision monitor doesn’t mean that you are able to record it.
--Check your software settings
6. Is an item called “Turn Sound On” available in the Record menu? If so, select it to turn sound back on.
7. Check your Sound Settings. If this item is not available under the Record menu, make sure there is something plugged into the microphone port on the back of the computer and restart (check the “Further troubleshooting” section below if this option does not become available). In Sound Settings, verify that your Source Input accurately reflects where your audio cable is connected and what type of signal is being used. For example, if you are trying to capture audio from a VCR and the audio cable is connected to the microphone port, the Input should be set on Microphone or External Audio, not Internal CD. If you are using a third-party digitizing card to capture sound, the Digitizer option should be set to that card, not Built-In. Additionally, the Speaker pop-up should be set to On or Off While Recording. For testing, use the On setting. If sound is coming into the computer, you should be able to hear it, and the Level indicators should display green or red bars which mimic the varying sound level.
--Further troubleshooting
8. Was the audio cable connected to the computer prior to turning it on? If not, restart the computer.
9. If you are using a computer which is capable of Speech Recognition, turn Speech Recognition off.
10. Do not have “Play Through” checked in the Sound control panel.
11. If you are using a third-party digitizing card to capture sound, the Digitizer option should be set to that card, not Built-In under the Sound Settings. Check to be sure that the card and its software (extensions, etc.) have been installed correctly. Contact your sound board’s manufacturer to make sure you have a version of the board and its extensions which are compatible with your Macintosh and the version of QuickTime you are using.
12. Does your audio cable attenuate or weaken the signal? Try a different cable. If you don’t know if your cables weaken the signal, buy a new one which you know does not weaken it. Cables are inexpensive and readily available at Radio Shack.
13. On an AV-equipped Macintosh, do you have software which uses the computer’s sound capabilities (such as fax/modem software, speech, extra sound extensions, sound effects)? Turn off or remove as much of these potentially conflicting items as possible. If you have anything plugged into the modem port, try unplugging it and restarting the computer.
14. On an AV-equipped Macintosh, are you using an adapter to convert RCA to a 1/8” stereo mini plug? Try a dual RCA plug to 1/8” stereo mini plug cable, such as Catalog Number 42-2481A at Radio Shack instead. Some adapters, especially those which came with earlier Macintosh models such as the IIsi or IIci, are not compatible with the newer AV-equipped models.
15. On an AV-equipped Macintosh, are you using the round microphone which came with earlier Macintosh models? Use the Apple PlainTalk microphone which came with the computer instead; the round microphone is not compatible with the AV-equipped models.
5) My movie “scrolls up” or has distorted edges
Problem
I can see my video playing in the Record Window, but the picture appears to scroll up. Sometimes the right and bottom edges look very distorted or have a lot of “garbage” or weird stripes showing through, as if the video picture had been moved up and to the left. Even if I change the size of the Record Window, the problem persists.
Discussion
There are several standards of video signal available, among them NTSC, PAL, and SECAM. The digitizing hardware and Macintosh will attempt to sense the type of signal coming in, but occasionally they become confused and default to the wrong setting. In most “scrolling” cases involving non-European equipment, this setting has incorrectly defaulted to PAL instead of NTSC.
Solution
--The video in the Record Window “scrolls up” or has distorted edges
Check your Video Settings. Choose Video Settings from the Record menu. In the upper left of this dialog, there is a pop-up menu which contains the choices Compression, Image, and Source. Choose Source. There is a Format choice of NTSC or PAL. In most “scrolling” cases, this setting has incorrectly defaulted to PAL. Choose NTSC.
--I’ve checked the Video Settings and the scrolling problem persists
Check the tracking on the VCR, especially if there are horizontal streaks through the video as it is scrolling. Look at the output of the VCR on a TV to set the tracking.
--I’ve checked the tracking, but the scrolling problem persists
Are you using a professional video deck instead of a commercial or consumer-level VCR? Is there a large gray or black horizontal band through the video which gradually moves up the screen (during the course of several minutes)? If so, you may have a sync problem. AV-equipped Macintosh computers do not have a separate external sync input.
FusionRecorder and QuickFLIX! are trademarks and VideoFusion is a registered trademark of VideoFusion, Inc.
QuickTime is a trademark and Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
