Category Archives: Advanced Windows Features

5. Separate Audio from Video

InformationIf you have a video file and you’d only like to utilize the audio for a unison created session, this short documentation will describe how to accomplish this.

1.) Download Expression Encoder 4 here.

2.) Install Expression Encoder.

3.) Launch Expression Encoder 4.

4.) Ensure “transcoding project” is selected, and hit OK

5.) Now that the interface has loaded, drag your video file into the highlighted area. It will load the content.

6.) Now, on the “outputs tab” choose where you want the re-encoded content to appear.

7.) Now, click on the “Encode” tab. Uncheck “video”

8.) Finally, click “Encode” in the bottom left.

*If you run into any errors while encoding, this may point to corrupt audio samples. This file will not process if this occurs.

10.) Use the newly encoded file and upload via unison.

 

4. Windows Recorder on a USB Driver

InformationThis feature allows you to run the Panopto Windows Recorder from a USB drive.

 

This means that you do not have to install the Recorder to create a recording. This is useful for customers that have the scenario of guest presenters that do not want to install the Recorder or if you ever want to run the Recorder but may not have permission on that machine to install software.

Panopto only supports USB/eSATA external hard drives. Using USB Flash drives may work but due to inconsistent results in testing, they are not recommended. 

To use this feature, login with an account that has creator rights and click the “Download Recorder” link on your Panopto site. You will see an option to download the “Panopto Recorder Live-On-USB Package”.

 

 

Right click on PanoptoRecorderNoInstallation.zip and select “Extract All”

 

 

Choose your USB/eSATA hard drive (E:\PanoptoRecorderNoInstallation in this example)

 

 

Run Recorder.exe

 

 

Enter the Panopto server URL (no http://)  – click Apply and log in.

 

 

3. Recording from two computers

InformationPresentations can be recorded from just one computer or from several computers.  In this Advanced Recording section, we will review the process of recording material from more than one computer. 

We will explain the steps for recording PowerPoint and/or Screen Capture from one computer and Video and/or Audio from another.

The Presenter should follow this set of instructions to ensure that their presentations can be captured by the Panopto system.

Presenting PowerPoint via Panopto Recorder
Logging In

Users are able to log in to the Panopto Recorder and begin using the system online immediately.  If the system will be used to record content Offline, make sure to check the “Remember Me” check box so your login is saved.  If the “Remember Me” option is not available, your local Panopto Administrator has removed that option for security reasons.

The Panopto Recorder can either be opened by double clicking on the desktop shortcut icon, or by going to Start — All Programs — Panopto — Panopto Recorder

When the Recorder opens, the Panopto server name should automatically be entered for you.  If not, please contact your local Panopto Administrator for the server name.

Click on Log in with MOODLE and use your Butler credentials to log in.

You will have to click the “Save” button after entering your server info before you can login.


The Panopto Recorder will open and allow you to begin recording content such as audio, video, PowerPoint slides, and screen capture.

If you already have a Folder created, you may wish to start recording to that Folder immediately.  To find your Folder, click the down arrow on the right-hand side of the Panopto Recorder.


Creating New Folders

If no Folders have been created, you will see the screen below.  If your Folder has already been created, please skip below to creating a new Session.


The Panopto web interface will automatically open and you will be brought to the New Folder screen:

The Folder Name is the long name of the series, like “Introduction to Business 101”.

The folder description can be anything you wish, and will be searchable in the web interface.

Check the box under “Allow anyone to access content in this folder” if you would like the folder to be public. This means anyone can view the folder.

 


Creating New Sessions

Once you have chosen the Folder that you wish to record content to, the next step is to create the specific Session within that Folder.

To create a new Session, click on “Add New Session” on the right-hand side of the Folder name.


You will be taken back to the recording screen and the date and time will automatically be used to name the new Session.  If you would like to change the name of the Session, you may do so now, by simply editing the text in the Session name field.  If you would like to change the name of a Session after recording, you may do so through the Web User Interface.


Recording Slides

Now that your Session has been created and named, you may now select the type of presentation that you’d like to complete.

PowerPoint Slides

To present a PowerPoint presentation file, click on the PowerPoint check box under “Secondary Capture Sources”.  Now click the “Open a Presentation” button and browse for and open your PowerPoint file.

The Panopto Recorder will open PowerPoint with your presentation.  You may also have the PowerPoint file open already when choosing “Capture PowerPoint” and the software will detect the opened presentation automatically.

You will receive a message after choosing your PowerPoint file that asks if you would like to begin recording after PowerPoint opens.  This allows you to begin recording immediately by clicking “Yes” without having to return to the Panopto Recorder to click the Record button.

alt
If you click “No” at the “Begin Recording?” window, you must return to the Panopto Recorder and click on “Record” to begin recording the PowerPoint slide transitions.

As seen above, the Recorder has a message that says, “PowerPoint is open but is not currently presenting.”  PowerPoint must be in Full Screen or Presentation Mode for the slides to be captured.  Once the presentation is made full screened by pressing F5 or click “Start Slide Show” that message will go away.

If Help Messages are enabled within the Panopto Recorder, you will receive the message prompt below.  This helps ensure that the presenter understand that they are recording PowerPoint or Screen Capture only with no audio or video selected.  Click OK to continue and begin recording.

alt

While presenting, the Panopto Recorder will record all slide transitions along with time stamps of each transition.  This will synchronize the audio, video, and PowerPoint slides when viewed.  The software will also extrapolate the slide text and make that text searchable in the Panopto Viewer.


Recording Screen(s)

To record a presentation while capturing the contents of your computer screen, click on the “Capture Screen” check box under “Other Capture Sources”.

Screen Capture will appear in the right-hand window as an active device and will immediately start showing you a preview of what the Recorder will be capturing.

To start recording, click “Record”.

Recording a second screen

To capture a secondary screen, make sure your additional monitor is detected and click the box next to “Capture Screen 2” to select this option. You can capture two screens at once by checking both boxes under “Primary Screen” and “Screen 2.” For more information please click here.

To start recording, click “Record”.

If Help Messages are enabled within the Panopto Recorder, you will receive the message prompt below.  This helps ensure that the presenter understand that they are recording Screen Capture or PowerPoint only with no audio or video selected.  Click OK to continue and begin recording.

 

alt


Recording with multiple computers

This recording scenario assumes that the presentation content is being captured on another computer.

In a two computer recording scenario, the PowerPoint and/or Screen Capture is being recorded from one computer and the audio and/or video can be captured from a separate computer.  If the same Session is chosen, the two separate recordings will be combined and synchronized on the Panopto Server and the recording will look as if it were all recorded from one physical computer.  This section will review the options for recording audio only or audio + video.  Presentations will not process through the Panopto system unless they have at least audio or video recorded to that same session. This process can be done with with both Windows and Mac computers (both of the same or a mixture of the two).

If you will be recording audio/video in this dual computer scenario, you’ll want to choose the same Session as the presenter has.  To do this, click on the down arrow on the right-hand side of the Panopto Recorder.

In this window, you can create a new session if one has not been created already, or you may select a Session that has already been started.  The person capturing PowerPoint/Screen Capture and the person capturing audio/video will need to ensure that they are choosing the same Session.  Naming the Session with the same name will not accomplish this.  One person will need to create a Session first and the other must choose it from this window.

alt

In this example above, the Session named “Session” has already been created by the presenter capturing PowerPoint and Screen Capture.  We will choose this same session and begin choosing our devices to record with.

Selecting Input Devices

To choose your video device, use the Video drop down box under Primary Source.
In this example, you can see that a Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 web camera is attached to the system.  Panopto will detect a wide range of web cameras, DV cameras, as well as video capture cards and devices.  If your device does not show up in the Panopto Recorder, please make sure that you have the latest drivers available from the device manufacturer and ensure that all cables and power are connected to the device.

To choose the video camera, simply click on the drop down window under “Video” in the Primary Source area.

alt

Then select a camera from the drop down list.

alt

You should now see a video feed in the “Primary Source” window.

alt

To choose your audio device, click on the Audio drop down box under Primary Source.

alt

Then select an audio source from the drop down menu.

alt

In this example, you can see that we have the option of choosing one of two different audio devices.  We can choose the integrated microphone (SoundMAX Integrated) or we can choose the LifeCam Cinema microphone.

An audio volume meter will appear and will show you the recording audio level of the camera.

alt

If the audio meter does not show any audio input at all, you’ll want to ensure that the microphone is not muted and that the recording levels within Windows are turned up.

Now that your audio and video devices have been chosen, you may begin recording at any time.  The final presentation will be synchronized by the audio/video start time.  The Presenter recording PowerPoint/Screen capture may also start recording when they are ready.

To start recording, simply click ‘Record’.

alt

When you have finished recording, click on the ‘Stop’ button to end your session.

alt

 

2. High Quality Recordings in the Windows Recorder

InformationWhen you have the ability to create the perfect recording, it allows users to focus more on the content, and in the end produces better results. Follow these steps to ensure that you’re creating the highest quality session you can with your equipment.

Creating High Quality Recordings

When you have the ability to create the perfect recording, it allows users to focus more on the content, and in the end produces better results. After you have a basic understand of how the Panopto Recorder works by reading the “Basic Recording” article, you can follow these steps to ensure that you’re creating the highest quality session you can with your equipment.


Environment

If you want to provide the best quality Audio/Video, you will want to make sure that you have a few things setup correctly.

Lighting

It’s best practice to have an indirect light source. Indirect light, is light coming in from all sides. It’s helpful to use some sort of reflector to abstain from having a beam of light facing directly at you. If you have a lamp, possibly put a shade over it, or place a white piece of paper over it to turn it into a source of indirect light. You don’t need to have a professional indirect lighting, you can get great results from making your own indirect light.

Sound

In order to get the best quality sound out of your Microphone, the first you will want to try to do is get rid of as much ambient noise in the room as you can. This will be very apparent once you listen to your recording. A few suggestions would be to 1) Unplug office machines in the room you’re in, 2) Place your Microphone away from your computer (PC fans may increase in speed due to the hardware usage during a recording), 3) Place a sign on the door of the room your recording in to let others know your recording.

Background

Check what is located in the backdrop of your camera! Make sure there is nothing distracting, or anything that you wouldn’t want displayed for the world to see. We recommend a solid wall, or anything that will force the viewers to concentrate on you, and not your surroundings.


Equipment

It may not always be possible to get extremely high quality equipment. However, it is possible to get the most out of the equipment you have, by adjusting the settings you have control over. If you would like more information on types of equipment that other Panopto users have had success with, please see our Equipment Guide forum.

Audio

To get the best Audio, especially in an large classroom or auditorium setting, you may want to consider using a Uni-directional microphone. This will ensure the sound that is picked up, is only gathered from one direction, instead of an Omni-directional microphone which pulls sound from every angle. Also, please ensure that all drivers for your device of choice are running the latest version. Not having the correct driver’s can, and usually will cause undesired results. These can always be found on the device manufacturer’s website.

To adjust the volume for your microphone in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, follow these steps:

1. Enter the Control Panel, and click “Sound”.

2. In the Sound dialog box, click the Recording tab.

3. Click your Microphone, and then click Properties in the bottom right corner of the dialogue box.

Note Make sure that Default Device appears under Microphone. If Default Device does not appear, click Microphone, and then click Set Default.

4. In the Microphone Properties dialog box, click the Levels tab.

5. Adjust the volume slider to the level that you want, and then click OK.

6. Click OK to close the Sound dialog box.

Video

When using a high-quality device, please refer to the Manufacturer’s documentation to get the most out of your device. There will be many settings that can enhance the output quality, especially with professional quality cameras. Also, please ensure that all drivers for your device of choice are running the latest version. Not having the correct driver’s can, and usually will cause undesired results. These can always be found on the device manufacturer’s website. You may also want to consider using our Smooth Stream feature. To get the most out of your Webcam / Camera, there a few simple, but important steps to consider:

– Do not use your computer monitor as a light source, especially if you wear glasses. Not only will the color of the page your displaying on your screen cause a hue to appear on your face, but will also reflect onto the lenses of your glasses.

– If your webcam has a small utility to adjust Focus / Zoom / Tilt / Pan , try adjusting those settings to get the best picture. You can use our support article for Advanced Video Settings to enable the “Video Capture Device Property Pages” that is built into the Panopto Recorder.

Screen Capture

The best suggestion is to match the exact display resolution that your computer is set to. Meaning, if you have a monitor that is displaying 1920×1080, you should set the recorder to match. That will make it pixel for pixel exact and it will look perfect on playback!

Computer

To get the best use of the hardware your computer has to offer, there are a few simple practices to have optimal hardware resources available. Please be advised that when using the highest Bit Rate and Frame Rate for screen capture, CPU resources can take a significant performance hit, especially when using Smooth Stream to capture. In order to receive the best outcome, we recommend at minimal, the following configuration:

Standard/High: Intel i3 2.5 ghz or 2.6ghz AMD Phenom II X4 910.

Ultra: Intel i7 2600 Processor (3.4GHz) or 3.2ghz

AMD Phenom II X6 1090T

4GB RAM

Tips

– If you’re using a laptop, make sure it is plugged into a power source, and set to high performance mode. Certain laptops enter a mode which allows for extended battery life. This may cause reduced graphics card capabilities, or reduced CPU usage. Windows includes three power plans—Power saver, High performance, and Balanced to conserve battery power, make your computer perform better, or strike a balance between the two. Unless you change the power plan, your laptop uses the Balanced power plan to automatically balance system performance and battery life

– Close all of your other applications that you’re not using. Certain applications can take a significant portion of system resources, just sitting idle.

In conclusion, every recording scenario has its own intricacies. The best way to take control of these, is to test out what configuration works best for you. After a few tests, with some setting changes, you will find the setup that works best for you.

1. Advanced Settings in Windows Recorder

InformationThe Focus Recorder contains features to fine tune your video properties. It is not recommended to modify these settings unless you are experiencing problems with the resolution or quality of your primary video feed.

 Windows Recorder Settings

To start, open the Panopto Recorder and click on the Settings tab at the top of the window.

After clicking this, you will proceed to the basic settings page.

Use Smart Video Capture Resolution Detection

This setting (default is ON) controls the video resolution configured on the primary/secondary video capture device. Smart capture resolution refers to a method of examining every possible output resolution supported by a video device to find and select the one that most closely matches the specified target resolution, without exceeding the target pixel count.  For example, if 1280×1024 is specified for the secondary source target resolution, and your webcam only supports 1280×720 and 1920×1080, you’ll get 1280×720.  If you select a target of 720×576 (“standard”) and your webcam supports 800×480 and 640×480, you’ll actually get 800×480 (because 800*480 = 384000 pixels, which is still less than the target of 720*576 = 414720 pixels).

If you turn off smart resolution detection, we just take the first available output resolution supported by the device, regardless of what you pick.  You could be asking for 1920×1080, but if the device reports 640×480 as its default resolution, that’s what you get even if it supports higher resolutions.

Prefer Primary Capture Device Input Resolution

If the “Smart Video Capture Resolution Detection” setting is unchecked, this setting does nothing. If it is checked, then this specifies the primary/secondary video capture device target resolution described above, as follows:

      • Auto (default) – Target resolution is specified by the quality setting selected in the UI.
      • NTSC – 720×486
      • PAL – 720×576
      • 720p – 1280×720
      • 1080i/p – 1920×1088

If you are having resolution difficulties on your primary feed, the  “Prefer primary capture device capture resolution” section may be the source of the problem.

– This function is primarily used when you need to override the way a camera input is displayed in the Panopto recorder.  In most cases, the “Auto” selection will detect which setting is best. If you are experiencing problems with this setting, we recommended that you refer to your recording device’s instruction manual to determine your device’s standard resolution type.
– This is especially useful for capture devices that accept multiple video inputs. You will use this function to communicate the desired resolution between the capture device and Panopto Recorder.
– The enable video capture device property page will not work with all cameras. For example, DV or HDV cameras will not make use of this function. This feature is best used with webcams and capture cards/devices.

If all else fails and you still receive a blank video feed, disable the smart video capture resolution detection by un-checking the box. Remember to hit save.

Windows Recorder Advanced Settings

To continue to the other features, click on the tab entitled “Advanced Settings.”

Enabled Video Capture Device Properties Page

The Enable video capture device property pages will allow you to access and change the native settings of your input device directly in the Windows Recorder.

alt

Check this box and hit SAVE in order to activate this feature. Then click back to the “Create New Recording” tab.

If you have a video source selected, you will see a new button with a wrench image inside of it. Clicking this button brings up the device property menu.

alt

Modifying these settings is only recommended for advanced users.

After changing any of the settings on the slider (or checking any of the boxes in the “Auto” column) make sure you click “Apply” so the settings take effect.

The same instructions apply to the next tab titled “Camera Control”

alt

This tab will modify other features of your camera as it is displayed through the Panopto Recorder.

Once again, after changing any of the settings on the slider (or checking any of the boxes in the “Auto” column) make sure you click “Apply” so the settings take effect.

After clicking “Apply” click the “OK” button when you are finished to confirm the changes and return to the “Create New Recording” page.