QCTools Recording Feature

QCTools now includes an experimental recording feature funded by the Knight Foundation Prototype Fund. The recording features utilize Blackmagic’s SDK to read audiovisual data from compatible Blackmagic capture hardware and record to a QuickTime file via FFmpeg. Currently the feature is experimental and provided for testing purposes only.

When QCTools is opened on a computer that has a supporting decklink device attachment a new Recording icon and toolbar menu will appear within the QCTools interface.

Recording Button

Clicking the icon will open a layout designed to set up recording instructions and the specifications of the resulting file.

Recording Configuration

Options include starting and ending time of the recording as well as video bit depth, audio bit depth, audio channel count, video codec and audio codec.

The starting point (in time) of the recording may be provided in two ways:

  • From now
  • Timecode

Specifying the starting point of the recording via timecode is only enabled if an RS-422 connection and a timecode can be detected. The ending point (out time) of the recording may be set in one of four ways:

  • Frame count
  • Duration (time code)
  • Duration (time stamp)
  • Timecode from deck

Where a time code is an expression of time in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames, a time stamp is an expression of time in hours, minutes, seconds, and milliseconds. To capture twelve and a half seconds either set ‘Duration (time stamp)’ to 00 00 12 500 or if the frame rate is NTSC set ‘Duration (time code)’ to 00 00 12 15.

Clicking ‘OK’ in this dialog will start the recording and initiate an analysis of the audiovisual frames.

Please feel free to use the QCTools issue tracker to document recording issues while noticing the hardware involved, recording settings, and expected outcome.