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How to capture 720p video from webcam?

Hello!


I am wondering what an easy solution would be to capture HD, 720p resolution video from an HD webcam?


I have a MacBook Pro, mid-2010 with the standard-def iSight. I will not be using the iSight for the video capture. Rather, I will be using a 3rd-party USB HD webcam.


The camera works well with Skype and the like, but I would like to capture full 720p video using a standalone piece of software.


Could you recommend anything?


Thanks a lot.

Posted on Jun 18, 2012 7:56 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jun 18, 2012 9:01 AM

tripSwitch wrote: ... I would like ... a standalone piece of software.


I know of no stand-alone software that will record any video from any Mac.


The two following applications can record hi-def, but they are certainly NOT stand-alone software. Both must be used with Mac OS. If you are using Lion (Mac OS X 10.7.4), both are already available on your Mac unless you have deleted them.


(1) iMovie versions later than iMovie5 can do it. More detailed info near bottom of this post: http://discussions.apple.com/thread/3994616?answerId=18535582022#18535582022


You will use iMovie's Camera: Choices Bar to select between your built-in SD and Mac-compatible external HD webcam like one of those listed in http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/


Use your Mac's iMovie > Help if you need help using iMovie.


(2) QuickTime (QuickTimeX) Player that comes with Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) can also use your Mac-compatible external HD webcam to record 720p by using the "High" Quality setting shown in the image at http://discussions.apple.com/thread/3994616?answerId=18535582022#18535582022.


For compatible hi-def webcams with resolution beyond 720p, QTX's "Maximum" Quality setting may be able to record even higher resolution video. The posted image shows how to select between compatible camera and resolution (Quality) settings.





Message was edited by: EZ Jim



Mac OSX 10.7.4

9 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jun 18, 2012 9:01 AM in response to tripSwitch

tripSwitch wrote: ... I would like ... a standalone piece of software.


I know of no stand-alone software that will record any video from any Mac.


The two following applications can record hi-def, but they are certainly NOT stand-alone software. Both must be used with Mac OS. If you are using Lion (Mac OS X 10.7.4), both are already available on your Mac unless you have deleted them.


(1) iMovie versions later than iMovie5 can do it. More detailed info near bottom of this post: http://discussions.apple.com/thread/3994616?answerId=18535582022#18535582022


You will use iMovie's Camera: Choices Bar to select between your built-in SD and Mac-compatible external HD webcam like one of those listed in http://www.mac-compatible-web-cam.com/


Use your Mac's iMovie > Help if you need help using iMovie.


(2) QuickTime (QuickTimeX) Player that comes with Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) can also use your Mac-compatible external HD webcam to record 720p by using the "High" Quality setting shown in the image at http://discussions.apple.com/thread/3994616?answerId=18535582022#18535582022.


For compatible hi-def webcams with resolution beyond 720p, QTX's "Maximum" Quality setting may be able to record even higher resolution video. The posted image shows how to select between compatible camera and resolution (Quality) settings.





Message was edited by: EZ Jim



Mac OSX 10.7.4

Jun 19, 2012 5:59 AM in response to EZ Jim

EZ Jim,


Thanks very much for your reply. You're helping a lot of users out -- probably more than you know, what-with people searching and getting answers that you've posted.


Your suggestion of iMovie is intriguing, so I will install it from my Applications disc right now. Will come back with an update.

By the way, I am on 10.6.8, so I am unsure if my version of iMovie will be up-to-date enough. Again, I will report back.


Thanks.

Jun 19, 2012 6:47 AM in response to tripSwitch

You're most welcome, tripSwitch.


Unless someone has deleted it, iMovie should already be in your Mac's Finder > Go > Applications folder. Alternatively, look for iMovie with a Spotilight search. BTW, if a separate iLife disk was provided with your Mac, iMovie will be on that disk instead of "Applications".


We will watch for your update.



Message was edited by: EZ Jim



Mac OSX 10.7.4

Jun 20, 2012 5:24 AM in response to EZ Jim

Hello, EZ Jim,


I believe on my last re-install of OS X, I opted-out of installing iMovie. Thus, I had to install it from disc.


After the installation, I started up iMovie, and the drop-down to select my cameras did not show my USB webcam. Photobooth sees it just fine, it's just that Photobooth does not record in HD resolution, so that isn't an option...


It looked as though iMovie could record in HD, as the video-screen showed the two side black bars when showing what my iSight was shooting. It just didn't recognize my USB webcam.


Would there be an update that I should perform?


Thanks, EZ Jim.

Jun 20, 2012 8:23 AM in response to tripSwitch

You're welcome.

tripSwitch wrote: .... I started up iMovie, and the drop-down to select my cameras did not show my USB webcam. Photobooth sees it just fine, ....


(1) If you have not repaired permissions since installing iMovie, restart Mac and use Mac's Disk Utility to repair permissions. Then check to see if iMovie recognizes your inbuilt- iSight again.


If iSight is still not recognized, reinstall iMovie and repair permissions again after the reinstall is complete.


(To ensure that the installer and installed software can work properly, I always repair permissions before and after installing any software that asks for my user account and password.)


tripSwitch wrote: ... Would there be an update that I should perform?


(2) Immediately following this (or any other Apple software installation), use

your Mac's  > Software Update... to check for and install any needed

updates for your iMovie version.


If an update is required, install it and repair permissions again before testing iMovie again.


If you need to post back for other help, use your Mac's iMovie > About iMovie menu command to find the iMovie version you are using. Include your iMovie's version info in your next post. For example, mine shows iMovie '11 version 9.0.6 (1763). You should provide the equivalent info for your iMovie.



Message was edited by: EZ Jim



Mac OSX 10.7.4

Dec 4, 2015 9:52 AM in response to EZ Jim

Hi Jim. Thanks.


I deleted iMovie thinking it was just the world's worst video editor, I didn't know it could do something useful like record video in a normal resolution where Photobooth fails.

Quick Time seems to work great, here's the idiot's guide on MacBooks with OS X Yosemite in case anybody needs it:


1. Open QuickTime Player (This is a standard built in program, it looks like it only plays files but it also records. Ignore the dialog box asking you to open a file and click on File -> New Movie Recording).


2. Click “New Movie Recording”.


3. Set the volume all the way down to avoid feedback and click the red button to start the recording. Quality should be set “High” and not “Maximum” or you will get unmanageable file sizes. High should be the default.


4. Press the stop button to stop the recording.


5. Click on File -> Save to chose where to save the file.


6. You're all set.


Note that it looks like it takes up 1 GB of space per 10-12 minutes of recording time so keep your external hard drive handy if you are doing anything long.


Curious if anyone knows if there are any other options besides 1280x720p @ "High" or "Maximum" quality? The file sizes are quite large even only on "High" at maximum they're virtually useless, requiring almost 1 GB per minute according to my tests on MacBook Pro Retina and MacBook Air.

Dec 5, 2015 10:55 AM in response to brsm1990

brsm1990 wrote:... Thanks...


You're most welcome.


brsm1990 wrote:... I deleted iMovie ...


You can restore from a backup or reinstall it if you decide to try iMovie's video recording capability.

brsm1990 wrote: ... Quick Time ... idiot's guide ... in case anybody needs it...


Alternatively, you can use the instructions from Apple's KBase Article

or

the instructions returned by your Mac when you search QuickTime > Help for "record" (without the quotation marks.)

User uploaded file

brsm1990 wrote:... Curious if anyone knows if there are any other options ...


Yes. I know.


All options available on your Mac are shown in your QTX Preferences:


    User uploaded file





Message was edited by: EZ Jim


Mac OSX 10.11.1

How to capture 720p video from webcam?

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