oCam Advanced Settings - Recording - Game Tab
oCam is software that provides settings specialized for game recording, helping gamers and content creators capture high-quality gameplay footage with ease. In the settings window that appears when you click the "Tools - Options" menu, the "Game" tab under the "Recording" category provides detailed settings optimized specifically for game recording. The options in this tab include various features for managing gameplay frame rates (FPS) and optimizing system resources, allowing users to adjust recording to suit their own environment. Below is a detailed explanation of the main settings in the "Game" tab.
Show FPS
The "Show FPS" option determines whether the real-time FPS (frames per second) value is displayed in the top-left corner of the screen while using game recording mode. By default, this option is checked, so the FPS value appears on the screen during game recording. This feature is useful for users who want to monitor game performance in real time. For example, it helps you check whether the game is running smoothly or whether frame drops are occurring during recording. If you do not need the FPS display, you can disable this option to keep the screen cleaner.
FPS Calculation - Interval (Milliseconds)
The "FPS Calculation - Interval" setting lets you specify the time interval used to display FPS in milliseconds (ms). FPS means the number of frames drawn per second and is calculated based on 1,000 milliseconds (1 second). If the user enters a value smaller than 1,000 ms, oCam calculates and displays a predicted FPS value based on that interval. For example, if it is set to 500 ms, the FPS will be updated every 0.5 seconds. This setting is useful when you want to monitor frame rate changes in more detail.
In addition, "Rounding Mode" is an option that lets you choose how decimal values are handled when calculating FPS. You can select rounding, round up, or round down, allowing you to adjust how the FPS value is displayed. For example, if you choose rounding, the FPS will be shown as a neatly rounded whole number.
FPS Limit
"FPS Limit" is a feature that restricts the game's frame rate in game recording mode to a value specified by the user. This setting allows you to adjust the game's FPS to the level you want, which is useful for optimizing system resource usage or maintaining consistent recording quality. Two modes are provided for FPS limiting:
Consume CPU Cycles: This mode continuously uses the CPU to keep the frame rate as close as possible to the FPS value entered by the user. This method is suitable when precise FPS control is needed, such as when you want stable recording in a high-spec game. However, CPU usage may increase, so you should pay attention to system performance.
Yield to CPU: This mode limits FPS while minimizing CPU usage. It adjusts frames by using idle time, so it has the advantage of reducing CPU load, but FPS limiting may have a slight margin of error. This method is useful for users who want to save system resources or record on a lower-spec PC.
Limit FPS Only While Recording
The "Limit FPS Only While Recording" option applies the FPS limit only while recording is actually in progress. In other words, the specified FPS limit works only while recording is active after pressing the record button, and once recording stops, the game runs again at its original FPS. This setting is useful for users who want to manage gameplay and recording separately. For example, you can enjoy the game at maximum performance during normal play and limit FPS only during recording to get more stable video.
Usage Tips
The settings in the "Game" tab play a key role in balancing recording quality and system performance. For example, when recording a high-spec game, you can use the "Consume CPU Cycles" mode to set an accurate FPS limit and adjust FPS to 60 or higher for smoother footage. On the other hand, on a lower-spec system, it is better to choose the "Yield to CPU" mode to reduce resource usage. In addition, by enabling the Show FPS feature to check performance in real time, you can quickly identify frame drops or performance degradation during recording.
Today's News/Tips
Can I record only the computer system sound and save it as MP3?
Not only video recording, but audio recording is also now supported.
You can record through the following simple steps.
In the oCam main window, click the Sound tab at the top.
Then the mode is changed to audio recording.
In this state, when you click the Record button, system sound is recorded instead of screen recording.
Then click the Codec button as shown below to set which audio file type to save.
(Currently, MP3, WMA, FLAC, and M4A extensions are supported.)
1. MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3)
- Features: MP3 is the most widely used audio compression format, developed in the 1990s.
- Compression method: It uses lossy compression, which greatly reduces file size.
- Sound quality: Some audio data is lost during compression, so quality may drop compared to the original. However, at 192 kbps or higher, most users may not notice a clear difference.
- File size: About 2.4 MB per minute at 320 kbps, which is relatively small.
- Compatibility: It is supported on almost all devices and software, making it suitable for streaming, downloading, and playback.
- Use case: Commonly used for portable music players, online streaming, and everyday music listening.
2. WMA (Windows Media Audio)
- Features: An audio format developed by Microsoft, designed as an alternative to MP3.
- Compression method: Supports both lossy and lossless compression modes.
- Sound quality: Claimed to provide better quality than MP3 at the same bitrate, though the actual difference is often minimal. Lossless WMA preserves original audio quality.
- File size: Similar to MP3 in lossy mode; in lossless mode, files are much larger (about 10~20 MB per minute).
- Compatibility: Strong support in Windows environments, though compatibility may be weaker on other platforms such as macOS or some Android devices.
- Use case: Mainly used in Windows-based software and Microsoft products such as Xbox; DRM support makes it suitable for protected content distribution.
3. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec)
- Features: A popular lossless audio format among audiophiles.
- Compression method: Uses lossless compression, preserving 100% of the original audio data.
- Sound quality: Provides original-quality audio with no loss, suitable for high-resolution playback.
- File size: Much larger than MP3, but about 50~70% smaller than the original WAV file (roughly 20~30 MB per minute).
- Compatibility: Supported by most advanced audio players and software, but may be difficult on some low-spec or older devices.
- Use case: Suitable for high-quality music listening, audio archiving, and studio work where preserving quality is important.
4. M4A (MPEG-4 Audio)
- Features: An MPEG-4 based audio format mainly used by Apple, including AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) and ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec).
- Compression method: Supports lossy AAC and lossless ALAC.
- Sound quality: AAC is more efficient than MP3 and often provides better quality at the same bitrate. ALAC preserves original quality as lossless.
- File size: AAC is similar to or slightly smaller than MP3 (about 2 MB per minute), while ALAC is similar in size to FLAC (about 20~30 MB per minute).
- Compatibility: Strongly supported on Apple devices (iTunes, iPhone, iPad) and macOS; some Android devices or other platforms may require additional codecs.
- Use case: Mainly used in iTunes, Apple Music streaming, and podcasts, with AAC suitable for streaming and efficient storage.
Additional tips
- If you prioritize quality: choose FLAC or M4A (ALAC).
- If you prioritize file size and compatibility: choose MP3 or M4A (AAC).
- In Windows environments: WMA is also a good option, but MP3 may be more universally compatible.
- For Apple device users: M4A is most suitable, and AAC is especially good for streaming and saving storage.