System Requirements

Specifications

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Main topics

System requirements

Operating system

MediaRecorder 6 supports Windows 11 64 bit Professional edition.

Language packs

MediaRecorder 6.5 was thoroughly tested with the Windows 11 U.S. English language packs. It is possible that certain local language versions of Windows may affect the performance of the program.

Touch features

MediaRecorder is not designed for use with Windows touch features.

Computer

Desktop computer

MediaRecorder 6.5 has been tested with a Dell Precision™ T3640 and 5820 PC. If you order a complete solution from Noldus Information Technology, you will obtain one of these computers, or a successor, with MediaRecorder installed and ready to use.

Laptop

MediaRecorder 6.5 has been tested on a Dell Precision™ 3551 mobile workstation with the following devices only:

Technical specifications test computers

Dell Precision™ T3640 PC

Dell Precision 5820

Dell Precision™ 3551 mobile workstation

Requirements of a custom computer

Before purchasing a new computer

We recommend that you use the Dell Precision T3640 or T5820 desktop computer. For the devices that are supported on a laptop (See Laptop), we recommend the Dell Precision 3551 mobile workstation.

If you are planning to purchase a different computer, please contact us for detailed advice.

Computer requirements

Test an unsupported setup

Aim

To test the quality of MediaRecorder videos with an unsupported camera or computer.

Background

When using an unsupported setup, the following problems may occur:

Procedure

  1. Set a timer display running on a computer monitor (preferably with both digital and analog display) and play music (not on the same computer as MediaRecorder). Make sure no background programs are running on the computer.
  2. Make a recording in the normal way. Remember to plug in your microphone if you plan to use audio.
  3. After the normal maximum recording time, give an audio and visual cue (e.g. click your fingers) and stop the recording
  4. Check the recording length in MediaInfo and number of frames in GSpot. Use the frame rate to determine if any frames are dropped.
    See Tools for troubleshooting
  5. Go to the moment where you gave the cue and check if the audio and video are in sync, and if multiple videos are in sync.

    Whether a small error (one that normally tends to occur) is to be considered a problem or not depends entirely on the required level of accuracy of the audio and video recording.

    Supported devices

    Tested devices

    The latest version of MediaRecorder has extensively been tested with the following devices:

    IP cameras

    Screen capture devices

    Earlier versions of MediaRecorder have been tested with the following devices:

    Analog cameras

    PhenoTyper Top Unit camera (EIA and CCIR) in combination with

    IP cameras

    USB cameras

    FireWire camera

    GigE camera

    Screen capture devices

    Combinations of devices

    Keyboard

    CH products RS Desktop joystick for Pan, Tilt, and Zoom control of IP cameras.

    Video formats

    Formats of video file created by MediaRecorder

    The video format MediaRecorder creates, depends on the input:

    Background information

    MPEG-4 DivX

    MPEG-4 can achieve a high rate of compression with good quality, because it separately codes the background (which does not change much from frame to frame) from the moving parts of the video. MPEG-4 is in fact best seen as a collection of definitions rather than one fixed file format, and there are many different implementations of MPEG-4. MPEG-4 has a higher compression rate than for example MPEG-2 and it can have much higher resolution (with MediaRecorder up to 1920 x 1280 pixels).

    MediaRecorder creates MPEG-4 DivX video files from several digital recording devices (see above). DivX is an implementation of MPEG-4 which has both high quality and good compression. MPEG-4 DivX decoding software for playing back the video files is installed with MediaRecorder.

    H.264 AVC

    H.264 AVC is a type of MPEG-4 and is also known under the names H.264/AVC, AVC/H.264, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-4/H.264 AVC, MPEG-4 Part 10 or x.264. It creates good video quality and uses previously-encoded pictures as references in a much more flexible way than in other standards, allowing the use of up to 16 reference frames. MediaRecorder creates H.264 AVC video files from output of analog and IP cameras (see above). H.264 decoding software for playing back the video files is installed with MediaRecorder.

    Note

    On computers with Windows 10, some Windows Media Player codecs need to be disabled to be able to play back the H.264 video files with an MPG container which MediaRecorder creates from PhenoTyper Top Unit camera. These codecs are disabled by MediaRecorder installation. De-installing MediaRecorder restores the Windows Media Player codecs. Contact Noldus Support if you want to play back the videos from PhenoTyper Top Unit camera on another computer than the one with MediaRecorder.