ACCESSING AND USING ROOTSTECH
AND OTHER ONLINE FAMILY HISTORY VIDEOS

by Gerhard Ruf

COPYRIGHT 2013

     This class will introduce you to some of the more excellent and interesting Family History video presentations on the Internet. We’ll demonstrate how to download the videos so they can be used effectively in classes.

  1. Where to find family history videos
     
    - www.google.com download rootstech video
     
    - www.lds.org > Resources > Family History
     
    - www.rootstech.org > About > Videos
     
    - www.youtube.com > family history ...
     
  2. Why download videos for later use in class
     
    - Shared Internet connections interrupt the flow of video
     
    - Some sites are blocked by publicly accessible Internet
          LDS churches block Youtube and even the Mormon Channel
     
    - You can edit/select portions of a video to watch
     
  3. Download/save videos
     
    - A few web sites provide download links to save a video
          Some videos at lds.org have download links, others do not.
     
    - Most sites require the use of a video program that records the video as you play it.
     
    - Find video recording programs at download.cnet.com
          Under categories - Video Software - Video Capture Software
     
  4. Settings for using HyperCam 2
     
    - The current version is 2.28.01
     
    - The "Screen Area" tab allows you to select the region that will be recorded
          Use the Select Window button to choose the area of the screen that you want to capture
          Mark the box next to “make this rectangle blink” to synchronize the sound recording with the video.
          Mark the button for “Iconize HyperCam Window to the Task Bar” if you are using one screen.
          In my experience it is best to leave the “Capture layered/transparent ...” box unchecked.
     
    - The “Hot Keys” tab
          I prefer to use the F2 function key to start and stop the recording. You can also use the “Start Rec” or “Stop Rec” button that replaces it. These buttons are at the bottom of each tab.
          Use the Play button to play the video or use the option on the next tab to go to the folder where the videos are stored to play one manually.
     
    - Use the “AVI File” tab to control the video that is created
          The “AVI File Name” window shows the name of the last file that was created and the path to its location.
          The “Open Output Folder” button allows you to access all the files that have been created in the current folder.
          Changing the “Frames Per Second” fields does not change the size of the video files that is saved. The size of the file varies with the area of the screen that is captured and the time length of the video. Recording a 1600 x 950 window for 50 minutes will create an AVI file that is about 10 GB in size.
     
    - Note the comment in the top of the "Sound" tab window and make the correct selection from the available audio sources on your computer.
     
    - The “License” tab provides the version number of the program. This program is licensed free for personal and commercial use.
     
  5. Other considerations for effective recording
     
    - Other programs that are running on your computer that are set to automatically download updates may cause delays in the receipt of the program you are watching. You can disable suspect programs by using the Task Manager (ALT-CTRL-DEL).
     
    - If others in the family (or network) are downloading files or watching videos on the same Internet connection you may also see delays in the receipt of the program.
     


If you have questions or comments on the above please contact me at gruf@byu.net

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This page was last updated 11 Oct 2013.
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