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AMCap - Version 9.08 README.TXT
Copyright © 1997-2004, Microsoft Corporation December 2005
Copyright © 2004-2005, Noël Danjou <webmaster@noeld.com>
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About AMCap
-----------
AMCap is a small yet fully functional video capture application.
It is a program much like Microsoft VidCap but which adds support for
DirectShow (formerly ActiveMovie, hence the name.) It is based on the sample
AMCap source code from the Microsoft DirectX 9 SDK.
I added some requested features:
- still capture (Ctrl+L)
- quick video capture (Ctrl+C)
- support for compression (Windows Media 9 Series only)
- remember Video Input, Compression, Standard and Size settings from a
previous session
- remember window position
- full screen mode (ALT+Enter)
- support for multi-monitor and deinterlacing [using VMR9] (DirectX 9.0+)
- caption bar and menu on/off (F11)
- always on top (F12)
- quick TV channel switching (if a tuner is present) and OSD
Registration and redistribution
-------------------------------
Even though this version of the program is fully functional, I beg you please
to register to show your support and your interest. Your support would allow
me to add more features and to possibly fix bugs.
To register click the "Help" > "AMCap on the web" menu then on the web page
click the green "Register Now" button and follow the instructions.
Computer magazine publishers are welcome to redistribute the application as-is
on their complimentary or monthly CDs. Any other redistribution of the
application with commercial products is strictly forbidden without my written
permission. Please contact me for a license agreement (see "Contact details"
at the end of this file.)
How to make still captures
--------------------------
1. Configure the folder where still will be saved:
click Capture > Still > Folder
2. Configure the format in which the still will be saved:
click Capture > Still > Format
3. Optionally enable Hi-Resolution still capture:
click Capture > Still > High Resolution
4. Enable still capture:
click Capture > Still > Enable
5. Enable preview:
Options > Preview
6. click Capture > Still > Snap or Ctrl+S to make captures
Important note:
GdiPlus.dll is required. On Windows 2000, 98 and ME, you need to
install the redistributable file available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/platformsdk/sdkupdate/psdkredist.htm
(click the GDI+ link)
or
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?
FamilyID=6a63ab9c-df12-4d41-933c-be590feaa05a&DisplayLang=en
(copy and paste this link on a single line)
How to make compressed captures
-------------------------------
1. Enable Windows Media 9 Series compression:
click Capture > Compression > Windows Media 9 Series
2. Configure the capture file:
click File > Set Capture File...
3. Capture some video:
click Capture > Start Capture
(if you want to capture audio as well, first tick Capture > capture Audio)
click OK
4. Hit Escape to stop capture
5. Save the captured file:
click File > Save Captured Video...
Notes about graphic cards with Video Ports (VP)
-----------------------------------------------
- some features (Still capture and the VMR9/multi-monitor features) bypass
the Video Port on such graphic cards so the rendering may be visibly slower
than with the use of the fully accelerated VP. For better performances, use
a graphic card compatible with DirectX 9 and VMR9.
- graphic cards with a VP require the Video Port Manager filter (only
available in Windows XP and later) to make still capture and the
VMR9/multi-monitor feature possible.
Keyboard shortcuts
------------------
* Application
Ctrl+C Starts a video capture
Ctrl+H Displays the QuickHelp window
Ctrl+I Displays on-screen information (VMR9)
Ctrl+L / Enter Makes a still capture if enabled
Ctrl+S Saved captured video
Ctrl+Z Toggles the zoom (VMR9)
Alt+Enter Toggles full-screen mode
F11 Toggles menu bar and caption on and off
F12 Toggles "always pn top" state
0 .. 9 keys Selects a TV channel
Del / Backspace Cancels last typed channel digit
PgUp / PgDn Next / Previous TV channel
+ / - Next / Previous video input (if many)
Esc Stops current capture
Spacebar Pauses or unpauses the live preview
* Device
Ctrl+A Pause
Ctrl+F / Media Next Fast-Forward
Ctrl+P / Media Play Play
Ctrl+R Record
Ctrl+T / Media Stop Stop
Ctrl+W / Media Prev Rewind
Command-line parameters
-----------------------
/640
Forces the resolution to be 640*480 at startup (if supported)
/capture
Automatically starts capturing video as soon as AMCap starts.
(requires preconfiguration)
/close
Closes the application when the still capture is done or once the time-limit
of the video capture is reached.
/debug
Registers the graph with the Running Object Table so that GraphEdit can
connect to it.
/fullscreen
Starts AMCap in fullscreen mode
/nocaption
Starts AMCap without the caption and menu bars.
/snap[:<delay>]
Makes a still capture as soon as AMCap starts or after the optional delay
in milliseconds. (requires preconfiguration)
/unregister
Deregisters AMCap so that it does not accept STI events anymore.
History
-------
* December 13, 2005 - Version 9.08 (Build 68.2)
- fixed the settings were not saved in some exit conditions
- set both video capture and preview resolutions to the same size at startup
if both are available. Previously only capture resolution was restored
- implemented Demo version
* November 17, 2005 - Version 9.08 (Build 65.4)
- enhanced aspect ratio handling to avoid picture distorsion after resizing
- added Options > Set Priority menu to boost the application priority in the
multithreading scheduler and to possibly get better performances
* November 3, 2005 - Version 9.08 (Build 63.4)
- reactivated the system menu from the taskbar button when the caption and the
menubar are hidden in the application
- added on-screen display of TV channel (VMR9 required)
* October 18, 2005 - Version 9.07 (Build 61.2)
- added Window > Flip View menu
- added +/- accelerators to quickly toggle between the video inputs
* September 5, 2005 - Version 9.07 (Build 59.1)
- added /capture command-line parameter
- added save and restore feature for TV tuner input type (cable or antenna)
- added Options > Pause menu, to pause or unpause the live preview
- described supported command-line parameters
* August 5, 2005 - Version 9.06 (Build 54.4)
- added "/snap[:<delay>]" and "/close" parameters. /snap makes a still
capture as soon as AMCap starts (if it was correctly preconfigured) or
after the specified delay in milliseconds. /close closes the application
when the still capture is done.
* June 10, 2005 - Version 9.06 (Build 52.5)
- fixed a memory leak
- enhanced STI to DirectShow device lookup
* May 17, 2005 - Version 9.06 (Build 50.2)
- added "Register for STI events" menu under Capture. This option enables
AMCap to appear in the list of applications in the Events tab of the
item properties in "Scanners and Cameras"
* May 4, 2005 - Version 9.06 (Build 49.3)
- changed still image filenames to unique time-based filenames to avoid
overwriting
- added a "Copy to clipboard" option in the Capture > Still menu. If ticked
the Snap option copy the image to the clipboard instead of to the disk
- remember and restore the selected audio input on entry and on exit
* April 12, 2005 - Version 9.05 (Build 48.2)
- added support for mouse wheel to change the TV channel
* March 25, 2005 - Version 9.05 (Build 47.5)
- added Remember > Image Controls menu to optionally save and restore
Brightness, Contrast, Hue, Saturation, Gamma, Sharpness, WhiteBalance,
and Gain.
- the settings are now saved and loaded to/from an AMCap.ini file which
must be placed in the same folder as AMCap.exe. This allows easy
preconfiguration.
- added a Capture > Still > Format menu to specify the format in which
still images are saved. JPEG and PNG are now supported.
* February 5, 2005 - Version 9.04 (Build 44.6)
- added keyboard accelerators for device control
* January 31, 2005 - Version 9.04 (Build 44.1)
- fixed: the application crashed if MPEG2 was selected but the device does
not support it
* November 4, 2004 - Version 9.04 (Build 43.4)
- fixed: the selected video input was not correctly saved and restored
* October 28, 2004 - Version 9.04 (Build 42.4)
- added power management. Allows hibernation while previewing is active.
* October 18, 2004 - Version 9.04 (Build 41.1)
- added Zoom options for VMR9
* October 12, 2004 - Version 9.04 (Build 40.1)
- added Deinterlacing options for VMR9
- save/restore the MPEG2 flag
- added command-line parameters:
/640 default to 640*480 on first launch
/nocaption starts application w/o caption and menu bar
/fullscreen starts application in fullscreen mode
* July 23, 2004 - Version 9.03 (Build 33.5)
- added delayed still capture
* July 9, 2004 - Version 9.03 (Build 32.5)
- disables screensaver while in fullscreen mode
- fixed a possible crash when video capture reaches the 2GB size
* June 17, 2004 - Version 9.03 (Build 29.4)
- delay loaded WMVCore.dll in case Windows Media 9 Series is not installed
- removed the "Mode" menu and replaced it with a toolbar. Only available when
a DV camcorder is connected
- fixed lack of audio in preview when used with a DV camcorder and VMR9 or
still capture are enabled
- fixed: keyboard shortcuts were not available in fullscreen mode (not VMR9)
* May 31, 2004 - Version 9.02 (Build 23.1)
- added support for hardware trigger (when hi-res still capture is enabled)
- save/restore last TV channel
- added the possibility of switching the TV channel by typing the channel on
the keyboard. Always use 2 digits (e.g. channel #1 is 01) Use DEL or
BACKSPACE to correct the first digit
- added PgUp / PgDn to switch to next / previous TV channel
* May 19, 2004 - Version 9.02 (Build 17.3)
- fixed a problem with the Window menu
* May 10, 2004 - Version 9.02 (Build 17.1)
- fixed: "Audio Format..." in the Options menu was not visible
- added the Window > Remember Position menu option
- added a warning if the requested capture file size is too large for the
file system of the partition on which it is created
- added a "Mode" menu to control a DV camcorder. All commands may not be
supported by the driver or the device
- display full version numbers in About
- added some links to my website in the Help menu
- now shows progress while saving a WMV capture file
- displays the actual capture file size after a capture
* April 29, 2004 - Version 9.02 (Build 14.4)
- added new shortcuts (capture, save)
- arranged layout of controls in dialog boxes
- remembers video compression/colorspace setting and compression settings
- added an option to create a new capture file (in Allocate File Space) to
preserve the current one(s)
* April 16, 2004 - Version 9.01 (Build 12.5)
- added support for full-screen mode support when VMR9 is enabled
- added support for high-resolution still captures, only enabled if the
driver implements a still pin
* April 5, 2004 - Version 9.01 (Build 8.1)
- remembers video standard and video size from previous session
- added still capture
- added Windows Media 9 Series compression
* January 19, 2004 - Version 9.0 (Build 6.2)
- added multi-monitor support (VMR9) requires DirectX 9.0 runtimes
- remembers video input from previous session
- added full screen mode support
* Version 9.0 - 1st public custom version
- added "caption bar and menu on and off" and "always on top" features
* Version 9.0
- inital build release by Microsoft in DirectX 9.0 SDK
Latest versions
---------------
The latest version of AMCap is always available from my web site:
http://noeld.com/programs.asp?cat=video#AMCap
Contact details
---------------
E-mail:
webmaster@noeld.com
WWW:
http://noeld.com
Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.