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I used to be able to capture a video of my desktop in Windows 7 in an older version of VLC. But they've recently changed the UI and I can't seem to work out now how to record my desktop in the latest version of VLC 1.1.7.

I've searched the internet, but all the tutorials and "how tos" target an older version of VLC.

Update please tell us all the steps (how you chose what file you want to save the recoding too etc) not just to use screen:// or choose desktop. The problem I'm having is actually saving it out as a file.

Update perhaps it's because my Windows 7 is 64 bit and VLC is 32 bit?

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3 Answers

up vote 6 down vote
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I'm running VLC v1.1.8

Go too Media >> Open Capture Device >> Where it says capture mode at the top click the dropdown next too Direct Show and click Desktop.

The show more options checkbox will allow you to adjust extra functions

Next click the dropdown arrow next too play and select convert

This will allow you to select the file save location (remember to add the file container e.g MP4) preform a test run in case you are unsure which file container you require.

Next select the settings you require from the drop down box you can edit them as required.

When you select convert the vlc screen will black out and recording will begin. Please note there is no audio capture (at least not in the settings I used)

Press stop to finish recording

Edit: Updated too add notes from my commect for an easier read

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The "Capture Mode" is also available from the "Streaming" menu option on the "Capture Device" tab. – heavyd Apr 7 '11 at 2:57
And then what do I do? There's a play button. Do I press that? – Matthew Lock Apr 7 '11 at 4:54
Sorry I hadn't looked into this properly, I selected the arrow dropdown then selected Convert, specified the location and saved as filename.mp4 and selected the video profile for MP4 (this may be different for you) this then blacks out the vlc screen and starts recording a file too the place you specified, too stop recording press the stop button. (There was no audio recorded even though i had audio playing) – Arch Angel Apr 8 '11 at 14:25
When I try your example I get a file (I called it out.mp4) with only 717 bytes, and which won't play in VLC afterwards. – Matthew Lock Apr 12 '11 at 3:46
I'm running 1.1.8 also and I followed this and got favorable results. Perhaps try getting 1.1.8? – gtaylor85 Apr 12 '11 at 20:57
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up vote 0 down vote

I believe "screen://" is what you are looking for.

Good discussion here: http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=48324

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I tried screen:// and then tried to get it to stream/convert to a file but it only ever seems to make a file with zero bytes in it. – Matthew Lock Mar 24 '11 at 6:23
also discussion refers to a version from 3 years ago. VLCs UI has changed a bit since then – Matthew Lock Apr 7 '11 at 5:02
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up vote 0 down vote

The following discussions can help :

how to use VLC to stream your desktop live (windows) with audio (or stream a DVD)
list of available directshow screen capture filters

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none of these have step by step how tos of how to record a desktop video in VLC sorry – Matthew Lock Apr 7 '11 at 5:01
But the first link does exactly that. And was the downvote yours? – harrymc Apr 7 '11 at 8:26
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Yes it was my downvote as the link didn't tell me how to record the desktop into a file, it's about streaming the desktop. Probably similar but I want a step by step that tells me how to record the desktop into a file. I did try choosing a file to output the stream too, but I ended up with a 717 byte mp4 file as above. – Matthew Lock Apr 12 '11 at 3:50
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If menu "Media -> Convert / Save ..." cannot save the streamed desktop, then I suggest that you give up on VLC, or go back to an earlier version where it worked. There are other excellent products like CamStudio, current version 2.6b release 294. Reviews of more tools can be found here. – harrymc Apr 12 '11 at 6:44
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