Thread: Timer recording

In order to record, say 'CNBC', when you are not at home, use our recommended video recorder applications. Once installed, you can save yourself the complicated programming codes to start and stop recordings of the broadcast shows without any difficulty. For this purpose you require following tools from this month's CHIP DVD-Z-Cron which will act as the timer control unit, the small tool Send key and CamStudio. You will also need to create a Batch file (BAT) to program CamStudio for recording purposes. We have step by step instructions on how to go about all this. We shall also demonstrate how to set up and configure separate programs.

RECORDER SETUP:

The Send key tool is required so that the Batch file, which we attach later, also functions. The installation is supposedly easy: Copy the _sendkey. exe_ file from this issue's CHIP DVD to the 'C:\Windows\System32\' folder. Now, to move on to the next step, this involves starting the CamStudio program with a Batch file and automatically activating the recording function. Open up Notepad from 'Start I Run I notepad.exe' and create a file called 'AutoStart.bat' and insert the following:

Sendkey *5000

Sendkey 8

The file, when run, opens CamStudio (Recorder.exe) and simulates it 5 seconds later by pressing the '8' key. We will configure CamStudio such that the recording starts with it. Copy the Batch file to CamStudio's program installation folder, probably 'C:\Program Files\ CamStudio'. Create a new Batch file 'AutoStop.bat' and append the following code to the file in order to stop the recording if the film is over:

Sendkey 9

The Z-Cron tool is the timer control device for your video recorder. Click
on 'Task', and 'Label' it as 'CNBC' for instance. Check the 'Activate task' option and load the 'AutoStart.bat' batch file by entering the folder path in the Batchfile field, for instance, 'C:\Program Files\ Ca mStud io\AutoSta rt. bat'.



NOTE, Check the option 'Display hidden files and folders' in the Folder Option window in Windows Explorer, otherwise the BAT files will not be visible.

Now switch to the 'Scheduler' tab and specify the start time by pressing the 'Scheduler' button. Start the recording for the 20:15 show ahead by five minutes, say, 20:10. Under 'Settings for period: Weekday' select Sunday and press 'Save'.

To configure CamStudio to stop the recording, if the show is over, create a new job and name it 'Stop recording '. As described above, load the 'AutoStop. bat' batch file in Z-Cron, and to be on the safe side, set the end time an extra five minutes after the scheduled end time, so that you don't miss any vital part of the show. Save the file again and perform a test run to confirm whether the task functions properly. To do this, right click on the task label 'CNBC' and select 'Start' from the context menu-this should open up CamStudio.

Now, open up the CNBC Web page on the In.com website. Define the area of the video player as the default recording area that CamStudio records. Be careful not to displace the Web browser since the recording area is predefined.

Finally, we'll make some minor setting changes to the CamStudio screen capturing tool. Go to 'Options I Keyboard Shortcuts 'and set the character'S' as the 'Record/Pause Key' and 'g' as 'Stop Key'. The best option would be to allocate the remaining shortcuts with [F1] to [F4] function keys. Now, define the area, which should be recorded by CamStudio, by going to 'Region I Fixed Region'. Activate the 'Fixed Top-Left Corner' option and specify the screen area with 'Select' and the measuring tool that opens later. Check the option 'Drag Corners to Pan' and save your settings and exit the Region window by pressing 'OK'.

TESTING RECORDER:

To make sure that everything is functioning, close the CamStudio program, open up the video on your Web browser and start the task 'CNBC' in Z-Cron by right clicking and select 'Start'. Now, the recording should start shortly. Stop the recording with 'AutoStop.bat' and save the recorded video file on the desktop.