CrystalMaker Guide: Recording Video

The demonstration version of CrystalMaker does not allow you to record video.

QuickTime

QuickTime is the de facto standard for digital video on all kinds of personal computer. CrystalMaker versions 3.0.3, and onwards generate QuickTime videos in a cross-platform format, letting you distribute your files to non-Macintosh users and over the Internet. In addition, QTVR object movies are ideal for CD-ROM-based multimedia.

Recording Linear QuickTime Movies

The Video Recorder panel (Windows > Video Recorder) lets you record successive manipulations of a structure as a QuickTime movie. Before you start recording you need to:-

  1. Ensure that the system has enough free memory for QuickTime (if necessary by closing down other applications)
  2. Resize the graphics window so that it matches the desired movie frame size. You can use the Windows > Set Plot Size command to specify precise pixel dimensions.
  3. Display the video recorder (Windows > Video Recorder).
  4. Specify linear video mode (Click the small movie camera icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the Video Recorder window).
  5. Choose an appropriate video compressor, quality, and frame rate. (Click the compression settings button, designated by the concertina icon.)

To begin recording, click the record button on the left-hand side of the Video Recorder window. Any changes you make to the structure (e.g., by rotating or scaling) are now recorded as movie frames. At any time you can pause the video, or click the stop button to close the movie. You must not resize the graphics window during movie recording.

Recording QuickTime VR Object Movies

You can save the structure as a fully-rotatable QuickTime VR object movie by selecting the QTVR button (the small button with the sphere icon on the top right-hand side of the Video Recorder Window). Clicking the Record button then prompts you to specify through what angular ranges the structure should be rotated, and how many views should be recorded.

QTVR uses the metaphor of an object mounted on a spindle and viewed by a camera whose vertical angle (azimuth) can be varied. Complete 3D rotation of an object would therefore require 0-to-360 degree spindle rotation (horizontal camera pan, HPAN) and a vertical camera pan from +90 degrees (i.e., directly above the object) to -90 degrees (directly below).

For general use, we recommend recording horizontal and vertical rotations in 10 degree increments. For smoother rotation you might wish to use 5 degree, or finer increments.

QuickTime on the Web

The latest QuickTime system software and a free MoviePlayer application can be downloaded from the Apple web site.
Examples of CrystalMaker-generated videos (linear movies and QTVR) are displayed on our web site.

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