hotComm User Guide
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hotComm User Guide

Document number: hcG
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Recording and Playback are described in these topics:
     Recording and Playback Overview

     Recording with Standard/Pro   HCR   WMV
       Timed Session Recording (Std/Pro)
       Session Recording Files (Std/Pro)

     Recording with CL and Lite
     Record Audio
     Playback Audio Recording

     Playback .HCR Session Recording
     Playback .WMV Session Recording






Recording with CL or Lite

This topic applies to hotComm CL, hotComm Lite, hotComm CL Plus and hotComm Lite Plus.

With basic hotComm CL or basic hotComm Lite, you can record audio only. For information, see Record Audio.

With CL Plus or Lite Plus, you can record a session in Windows Media Video format (WMV). Your recording can include the hotCam window by itself, with audio. Or, you can record the full screen of your primary monitor, with audio. Playback is through Windows Media player or other programs that support WMV format.

The recording icons are:

The A-in-a-circle button is for audio-only recording. For information about audio recording, see Record Audio.
The R-in-a-circle button is for session recording in Windows Media format (WMV). For information, see below.
  The blue icon background means that a recording is in progress.
  A green clock on top of the icon means that Timed Recording is enabled.

Notes:

  • Room moderators can disable recording in their rooms.

  • The visuals recorded are those shown on your primary monitor. Visuals shown on other monitors are not recorded.

  • The WMV recording option is grayed out unless Microsoft Windows Media Encoder 9.0 is installed. You can download the Encoder from http://www.hotcomm.com/ftppub/WMEncoder.exe, or from Microsoft.

  • Microsoft's Windows Media Encoder 9.0 requires significant system resources. For information from Microsoft, see: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/howto/articles/ScreenCodec.aspx

  • Note: You can test the WMV recording in the hotComm Audio Test room whether you have a Plus license or not. It is enabled for the Plus demo.






Setup: Install the Windows Encoder

WMV recording uses the Microsoft Windows Encoder, which records both visuals and audio on your primary monitor. To install the Windows Encoder:

  1. Close all other programs, as you may need to restart your computer.

  2. Right-click the A-in-a-circle icon . This opens the WMV Session Recording Setup window.

  3. Click the Get WM Encoder button to install the Microsoft Windows Encoder, and follow the directions in the installation screens. Note: the Get WM Encoder button disappears when the Encoder is installed.

  4. Make a test recording. You can test in the hotComm Audio test room if you wish, as it is configured for a Plus demo.

    If you have problems, please click Help, then Ask Support A Question, briefly explain the problem, and send it to us at hotComm Support. This provides information about your audio system that helps us diagnose recording problems.







Making a WMV recording

Note: You can test the WMV recording in the hotComm Audio Test room whether you have a Plus license or not.

To join the Audio Test room, click the Green Person button and select Relay:Test. The password is 123. Or, start your hotComm Lite or hotComm CL and then click this link: Audio Test Room link.

  1. Join the room of your choice.

    Note: Make sure that everything you want to record is visible on your primary monitor. The recording will not capture minimized windows or windows that display on other monitors.

  2. Right-click the R-in-a-circle icon . This opens the WMV Session Recording Setup window.

  3. Check Full Screen. This configures WMV recording to capture the full screen on your primary monitor.

    Or, if you want to capture only the hotCam window (where the charts and slides are shown), make sure that Full Screen is not checked.

  4. Un-check Record Audio Only.

  5. Set the WMV fps option, which is the frames per second. This is set by default at 1.0 fps.

  6. Adjust the volume slider if necessary. The Volume slider allows you to view the volume of the speaker as it is being picked up by the recorder. This can be helpful because the audio is being recorded by Microsoft Encoder, which uses different audio codecs than hotComm does, so the recorded volume level may be different that what you are hearing directly through hotComm.

  7. Click OK
  8. Left-click the R-in-a-circle icon. Wait several seconds for the recording to start. When the background of the icon turns blue, recording has started.

  9. To stop recording, left-click the R-in-a-circle icon again and wait until the background is no longer blue.






Playback the Recording

Recordings are saved automatically in your Transcripts folder. They can be played through Windows Media Player or other players that support these formats.

Audio recordings are saved as .WAV files.
WMV recordings are saved as .WMV files.

  1. Right-click the A-in-a-cirle or R-in-a-circle icon, which opens the Session Recording Setup window.

  2. Click the Maintain Library button. This opens the Transcripts window.

  3. Find the recording you want. Single-click or double-click to play it in your default media player program.

    Or, right-click the recording and select Open with ... and then select the media player you want to use.

  4. To stop playback, close the player program or click its Stop button.







Timed Recording

You can set the recording to start and end at specified times.

  1. Check Enable Timed Recording.
  2. Use the timer arrows to set Start and End times.

  3. Click Ok.

  4. Start hotComm CL or hotComm Lite and join the room you want to record in advance of the recording start time.

 

When timed recording is enabled, the color of the recording icon is green.



Notes:

  • You can set one time period.
  • The time is taken from your computer's time settings.
  • The recording timer is automatically reset at midnight, so the time period must be within a 24-hour period running from midnight to midnight, based on your computer's time settings.
  • You can not set the timer for a future date. However, if you leave Enable Timed Recording checked, another recording will be made at the same time every day.

If Enable Timed Recording is set, you can also make other recordings at any time by clicking the Record button. Note that if your other recording overlaps the End Time for a timed recording, the recording will stop according to the End Time setting.






Record Yourself with WMV

To record yourself:

  1. Join the room.

  2. Get your content ready, and select your recording format.

  3. Turn on the camera and start presenting the visuals.

  4. Start the recording. Wait 10-15 seconds until it is firmly established. While it is starting up, your screen (or the edge of the area you're recording) will blink. When the blinking has stopped, then the recording is firmly established.

  5. Then turn on the mic and start talking.

Note that your computer must have adequate resources to record with the Microsoft Windows Media Encoder as well as to run your presention.


Intellectual Property protection

Room moderators may disable recording in their session.

If the moderator has disabled Recording, then third-party recording products are automatically closed, with a notice.

When Recording is disabled, other methods of copying or saving session contents are also disabled.



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