Techsmith Morae 3 Users Manual

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Morae 3.0

Recorder Help File PDF

By TechSmith Corporation

TechSmith License Agreement

TechSmith Corporation provides this manual "as is", makes no

representations or warranties with respect to its contents or use, and

specifically disclaims any expressed or implied warranties of

merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. TechSmith

Corporation reserves the right to make changes to the content of this

manual, at any time, without obligation to notify any person or entity of

such changes.

The software described in this document is furnished under a license

agreement. The software may be used, copied, or transferred only in accordance with the terms and

conditions of the License Agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as

specifically allowed under the terms and conditions of the license agreement.

No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or

mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or information storage and retrieval systems, or any other means, now known or hereafter

becomes known, for any purpose

other than the purchaser’s personal use, without the express prior written

permission of TechSmith Corporation.

Copyright © 1990-2008 TechSmith Corporation.

All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

Trademarks

TechSmith, SnagIt, Camtasia, Camtasia Studio and Morae are U.S., EU and Japanese registered

trademarks owned by TechSmith Corporation. EnSharpen, DubIt, TSCC,

Enterprise Wide, and Newsmonger are also registered marks owned by TechSmith Corporation Uservue,

Screencast.com, and Rich Recoding Technology are also marks owned by TechSmith Corporation. The

absence of a name/mark or logo in this paragraph/notice does not constitute a waiver of any and all

intellectual property rights that TechSmith Corporation has established in any of its product, feature or

service names/marks or logos.

All other registered trademarks and trademarks are the property of their

respective companies. All rights reserved.

Welcome to Morae

Morae is the premier software for deeply understanding customer experiences…and sharing those insights

clearly and powerfully. From usability testing to focus groups and beyond, Morae helps you transform designs

and marketing to make things people love.

Want to test your design? Morae makes it easy to pinpoint usability problems in software applications,

websites, prototypes, or mobile devices. Install Morae on a laptop to test at a conference or in the field!

The software captures every nuance of your testing session. See the look on a participant’s face, hear the

frustration in her voice, and discover hidden problems in your product or site. Search across recordings,

automatically calculate and graph standard metrics, and more.

Doing market research? Use Morae with up to two video cameras to record a focus group or in-depth

interview. Type notes and flag important moments as you go—all your observations are indexed to the digital

video on your hard drive, eliminating hours of tedious work.

When it’s time to present your findings, simply drag and drop video clips to produce a highlight reel. Export

charts, screenshots, and videos in standard formats…or send them directly to Microsoft Office with a click!

Work faster, more flexibly, and deliver stronger results with Morae.

Morae consists of three applications – Morae Recorder, Morae Observer and Morae Manager. These three

applications work together to record, observe, log, analyze and share a user’s experience.

See also:

• Morae Overview

• System Requirements

• Welcome to Morae Observer

• Get Started with Morae Observer

• Customize Observer for Your Session

• Log a Session

• Tips and Reference Information

Morae Overview

Morae is the premier software for deeply understanding customer experiences…and sharing those insights

clearly and powerfully. From usability testing to focus groups and beyond, Morae helps you transform designs

and marketing to make things people love.

Morae reduces the amount of work needed, not only at setup, but also during the data logging, analysis,

reporting and presentation stages.

Based on TechSmith’s patented Rich Recording Technology (RRT), Morae is a complete solution that records

the computer screen and camera video and also automatically creates a synchronized index of events

occurring behind the scenes in applications and in the operating system. You can search screen and video

recordings for specific events that occurred — like when a user viewed a Web page, clicked a link, pressed a

certain key, opened a dialog box or viewed specific text. You can easily perform in-depth analysis, log tasks,

create reports and quickly create video presentations to share.

See also Quick Overview of Morae Applications.

Morae Recorder

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Morae Recorder

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Quick Overview of Morae Applications

Morae includes three applications: Morae Recorder, Morae Observer, and Morae Manager. These

components work together to provide an easy-to-use, total recording system based on TechSmith’s patented

Rich Recording Technology (RRT).

Record – Morae Recorder

Utilizing RRT, Morae Recorder creates a complete chronicle of the events that occur behind the scenes in

applications and the operating system, as well as the onscreen and keyboard activity of the user. These data

streams are recorded in sync with video of the user (through a web camera or other camera device) and

audio of the user (through a microphone). Because Recorder runs silently in the background, it never disturbs

the user. Recorder captures only the input streams you specify during configuration. Recorder saves the

recording in a file format you can open in Morae Manager for analysis.

Observe and Log – Morae Observer

Morae Observer provides support for one or multiple computers to connect over a network to a computer

running Recorder. This flexibility allows your entire usability team to observe the screen and camera video

and hear the audio of the user, streaming from the Recorder source computer. Anyone logged into an

Observer computer can add markers during recording complete with text notes. Tasks are logged by one

Observer designated as the task logger. Observer automatically saves and indexes the markers and tasks

with the accompanying video and audio streams. The camera video, screen video and audio streams can be

saved locally in a WMV file for immediate playback. Utilizing multiple Observers, usability teams can conduct

collaborative user experience testing.

Morae Recorder

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Analyze, Graph, and Share – Morae Manager

Within Morae Manager, you can start new projects and edit existing projects, configure Recorder settings,

open and analyze recordings, create graphs of your analysis and metrics and create a presentation video.

Rich Recording Technology automatically indexes the screen and video recordings collected by Recorder,

allowing you to easily search through recordings in Morae Manager.

You can isolate tasks, important points in the video, add text notes, annotate with audio and quickly create

video highlights to share. You can display the screen video with the video of the user as a picture-in-picture

image.

System Requirements

These are the same for all three Morae components on desktops and laptops.

Minimum

• Windows XP or Vista

• 2.0 GHz Pentium M, 3.0 GHz Pentium 4, or equivalent processor

• 1 GB RAM or more

• Dedicated video card with at least 64MB of dedicated video memory

• PCI Express graphics

• DirectX version 9.0 or later

• Windows-compatible sound card, microphone, and speakers

• Approximately 10-15 MB disk space per minute for recording and highlight video creation

• Networked computer with 10 Mbps (Required for Observer)

Recommended

• Windows XP or Vista

• 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo or equivalent processor

• 2 GB RAM or more

• Dedicated video card with at least 128MB of dedicated video memory

• PCI Express x16 graphics

• DirectX version 9.0c or later

• Windows-compatible sound card, microphone, and speakers

• Approximately 10-15 MB disk space per minute for recording and highlight video creation

• Networked computer with 100 Mbps or higher (Required for Observer)

Morae Recorder

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Getting Help with Morae

Several resources are available to help when you run into questions or problems with Morae.

Morae Help Files

Each of the Morae components has its own Help File. Recorder, Observer, and Manager’s Help files contain

detailed information describing how to use Morae. Access the Help files through the Help menu or Help

buttons found in the user interface.

To open a help topic for the screen or area you are currently using,, press <F1> on your keyboard.

Morae Learning Center

For additional help, videos, and tutorials see the Morae Learning Center.

TechSmith Technical Support

We provide help with Morae installation-related issues at no cost. If you experience problems installing Morae,

search our Knowledge Base. If you don’t find your answer there, use the Contact Support tab in the

Knowledge Base to send your question to TechSmith Technical Support.

TechSmith Web Site

Additional support resources are available online at TechSmith’s Web site.

Balloon Tips and Tip Dialogs

Morae provides balloon tips (in Manager only) and tip dialogs (in Manager and Recorder). Both types of tips

contain helpful information and recommendations related to the task you are trying to complete.

Balloon tips appear only the first couple of times you complete a particular task and then they automatically

stop appearing. To reset the balloon tips, choose Help > Reset Balloon Tips.

Tip dialogs always appear unless you disable one or more of the dialogs manually. To disable all of the tip

dialogs:

• Recorder – Choose Record > Machine Settings > Preferences tab and remove the checkmark from

the Show all tips option.

• Manager – Choose File > Preferences and remove the checkmark from the Show all tips option.

You can disable an individual tip dialog by removing the checkmark from the Show tip again option in the

lower left-hand corner of the dialog box.

Morae Recorder

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Welcome to Morae Recorder

Install Morae Recorder on a computer to record a participant’s experience, including audio comments, screen

video, and/or camera video.

When recording the computer screen, Recorder also captures all system activity, including mouse clicks, web

page changes, and other application information. Recorder automatically synchronizes the video and the data,

creating a complete digital record of the user experience.

When recording from camera(s) only, you can log the session with Recorder. For more information on logging

on the computer running Recorder, see Log a Session.

See also:

• How to Use Morae Recorder

• Get to Know the Recorder Interface

• Study Configurations

• Recording Details

• Study Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• Recorder Preferences

Rich Recording Technology

Using Rich Recording Technology (RRT), Recorder creates a complete chronicle of the events that occur

behind the scenes in applications and the operating system, as well as the onscreen and keyboard activity of

the user. This data is recorded in sync with video and audio of the user.

After importing recordings into Morae Manager, you can search the recording files for the items captured with

RRT.

See also How Rich Recording Technology (RRT) Works.

Morae Recorder

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Get to Know the Recorder Interface

Use the following figure to become familiar with the main parts of the Recorder interface. To get started

recording a session, see How to Use Morae Recorder.

Recorder Toolbar

Quickly access common Recorder functions. For more information, see Recorder

Toolbar.

Record Button

Click to start a recording. Recorder provides flexible options to start Recorder

depending on your equipment and participant set up. For more information, see

Recording Start Settings and Recording Stop Settings.

Recording Details

Preview the selected Recording Details. Click Modify Recording Details to define

how to record sessions. For more information, see Define Recording Details.

Morae Recorder

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Video and Audio Sources

View and select the sources for the main video, Picture-in-Picture (PiP) video, and

audio. For more information, see Video and Audio Sources.

Audio Monitor

View and adjust the audio level. For more information, see Adjust Audio Level.

Study Details

Study Details define the study including the study name, session instructions, tasks,

markers, and surveys. For more information, see Define Study Details.

Preview Window

View the selected main and PiP video sources.

For more information on the different parts of the Recorder interface, see the following:

• Welcome to Morae Recorder Dialog Box

• Recorder Toolbar

• Recording Details

• Study Details

• Video and Audio Sources

Morae Recorder

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Welcome to Morae Recorder Dialog Box

File > New Study Configuration

The Welcome to Morae Recorder dialog box allows you to create or open a configuration.

See also:

• Get to Know the Recorder Interface

• Recorder Toolbar

• Create a Test Recording

• Recording Details

• Study Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• Recorder Preferences

• How to Use Morae Recorder

Morae Recorder

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Recorder Toolbar

RECORDER TOOLBAR

BUTTON DESCRIPTION

Creates a new study configuration file. For more information, see

Study Configurations.

Opens a previously saved study configuration file.

Saves the current study configuration in a file.

Creates a 15 second test recording, allowing you to preview the audio

and video to be captured.

For more information, see Create a Test Recording.

Opens the Batch Process Recordings dialog box. For more information

see Batch Process Recording Files.

Opens the Morae help system.

Opens the Morae Learning Center web site in your default browser.

See also:

• Get to Know the Recorder Interface

• Welcome to Morae Recorder Dialog Box

• Create a Test Recording

• Recording Details

• Study Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• Recorder Preferences

• How to Use Morae Recorder

Create a Test Recording

Recorder’s Test Recording option recording includes all of the data streams for the Capture Options defined

in the study configuration. A message appears describing any problems with the current configuration so you

can correct them prior to beginning an actual recording session.

When the 15-second test recording is complete, the screen video, camera video , Picture in Picture (PIP),

and/or audio streams immediately play back. The test playback confirms if Recorder is accurately capturing

the video and audio. This test also silently checks the other configuration settings chosen.

A Test Recording does not confirm Recorder Start and Stop Option settings..

If you are satisfied with the test recording and have not received any error messages, you can proceed to

record with those settings.

Morae Recorder

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To Run a Test Recording

1. Click the Test Recording button in the Recorder toolbar.

2. A dialog box appears asking if you want to continue with the test recording. Click Yes.

3. The Recorder UI minimizes to a tray icon. The test recording begins immediately and proceeds for 15

seconds.

4. The Recording in progress message appears in the Camera Preview pane and the status bar

confirms a recording is being made.

5. During the test recording, create some sound and activity for Recorder to capture (i.e., speak into the

microphone and actively interact with the computer).

6. At the end of the 15 seconds, the test video plays back and includes the screen video, camera video

PIP and audio from the temporary test file.

When the playback is complete, the window closes automatically. The test recording is not saved for

later viewing.

See also:

• Get to Know the Recorder Interface

• Welcome to Morae Recorder Dialog Box

• Recorder Toolbar

• Recording Details

• Study Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• Recorder Preferences

• How to Use Morae Recorder

Recording Details

Recording Details define how to record a session. These settings can vary for recordings within a study.

When you save a study configuration, Recording Details are saved in the study configuration but you can

change them for individual recordings, as needed. For example, if you need to run one session without

capturing screen text, you can change that setting in Recording Details.

Morae Recorder

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See also:

• Define Recording Details

• Get to Know the Recorder Interface

• Welcome to Morae Recorder Dialog Box

• Recorder Toolbar

• Create a Test Recording

• Study Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• Recorder Preferences

• How to Use Morae Recorder

Study Details

Study Details define the study information, including study name, tasks, markers, and surveys.

When you save a study configuration, Study Details are saved in the study configuration and must be the

same for all recordings in a study.

See also:

• Define Study Details

• Get to Know the Recorder Interface

• Welcome to Morae Recorder Dialog Box

• Recorder Toolbar

• Create a Test Recording

• Recording Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• Recorder Preferences

• How to Use Morae Recorder

Morae Recorder

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Video and Audio Sources

Video and Audio Sources show the selected video and audio sources. There is also an audio monitor and

video preview to help you set up your session.

Video and Audio Sources are affected by the hardware connected to the computer when Recorder is opened.

See also:

• Video and Audio Sources

• Get to Know the Recorder Interface

• Welcome to Morae Recorder Dialog Box

• Recorder Toolbar

• Create a Test Recording

• Study Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• Recorder Preferences

• How to Use Morae Recorder

Morae Recorder

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Recorder Preferences

The Preferences dialog box in Recorder contains settings for Recorder preferences. These settings are

“global,” and apply to every recording. In Preferences dialog box, designate the following options.

Use the following figure to become familiar with the Recorder Preference options.

Default output folder

Defines where to store recording files. This is a global setting for Recorder, all recording files

are saved in this folder.

By default, the folder is C:\\...My Documents\Morae folder on the Recorder source computer

system.

Temporary output folder

Defines the folder that temporarily holds Recorder output during recording. The temporary files

are automatically deleted when the output file is written.

We recommend using a local drive for temporary file storage. Choosing a temporary

directory located on a network drive may cause performance problems.

Morae Recorder

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Recorder hotkeys

Defines the hotkey combination to start and stop Recorder and to deliver a survey to

participants from the keyboard

• Start/stop Recorder hotkey: Choose any combination of Ctrl, Alt, Shift and any of the

keys available in the dropdown menu to create a custom hotkey to start and stop Recorder.

The default hotkey combination is <Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F9>.

• Display survey hotkey: Choose any combination of Ctrl, Alt, Shift and any of the keys

available in the dropdown menu to create a custom hotkey to deliver a survey to

participants.

The default hotkey combination is <Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F8>.

The F12 key cannot be selected alone as a hotkey.

Observer Communication Port

Allows you to change your communication port if the default (5555) is not available in your

network.

The port defined for Observers must match the port defined here. If not, they will not be

able to connect.

Recorder Display Options

Morae provides several display options for Recorder during a session.

• Minimize to System Tray appears as a tray icon when a recording begins. Right-click on

the tray icon to access a menu of Recorder control options (Start, Stop, Show Recorder and

Exit Recorder). To make Recorder visible again, double-click on the tray icon .

• Minimize to Taskbar Recorder appears on the Windows taskbar while recording.

• Hide completely: Recorder is completely hidden. To show Recorder again, use the hotkey

combination <Ctrl + Alt + Scroll Lock>.

Show all tips

Enables the general program tip dialogs that appear throughout Recorder.

Restore Default

Restores the Default and Temporary output folders and Performance options to their default

settings.

See also:

• Get to Know the Recorder Interface

• Welcome to Morae Recorder Dialog Box

• Recorder Toolbar

• Create a Test Recording

• Recording Details

• Study Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• How to Use Morae Recorder

Morae Recorder

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How to Use Morae Recorder

Use Morae Recorder to set up study configurations and record sessions.

The general process of using Recorder is:

1. Create or open a study configuration.

A study configuration defines a group of related recordings. Recordings in a study share the same

Study Details including tasks, markers, and surveys.

2. Verify Recording Details.

3. Start recording.

4. Record session.

5. If you are recording from camera(s) only, you can log the session on the computer running Recorder.

6. Stop recording.

7. Process and save recordings.

See also:

• Study Configurations

• Define Study Details

• Define Recording Details

• Video and Audio Sources

• Log a Session

Morae Recorder

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Study Configurations

The ideas of the study and the study configuration are important to understand when working with Morae.

For information on working with study configurations, see Template Study Configurations, Create a Study

Configuration, and Modify a Study Configuration.

What Is a Study?

A study involves recording, observing, and logging multiple user research sessions, analyzing the results, and

sharing the results with stakeholders.

In Morae, recordings in a study share a common study configuration file (.mrcfg), which includes the Study

Details: tasks, markers, and surveys.

Because the recordings in a study use the same configuration, you can compare and analyze the recordings

in Manager. For example, when all the sessions use the same tasks, you can compare the time it took to

complete a task across multiple participants. You can search for tasks, markers, events, and more across all

recordings in a study.

To make sure that all recordings have the same Study Details, define and save a study configuration prior to

recording any sessions.

If you need to combine recordings with different configurations into a single study, you can merge the

recordings in Manager. You can also choose to have more than one study in a single Manager project

file. See the Morae Manager Help for more information.

What is a Study Configuration?

A study configuration file (.mrcfg) defines study-specific information including Study Details and Recording

Details.

Only recordings with the same study configuration can be searched and graphed together in Morae

Manager.

Study Details must be the same for all recordings in a study and include:

• Study name, description, and instructions

• Tasks definitions and instructions

• Marker definitions and instructions

• Survey definitions and associations

Recording Details do not have to be the same for all recordings in a study and include:

• File saving and processing options

• Video sources

• What data to capture

• Who logs tasks

• How to start and end recordings

Morae Recorder

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Template Study Configurations

Recorder includes template study configurations to help you define Study Details and Recording Details for

different kinds of studies. Templates contain sample tasks, markers, and surveys, along with Recording

Details pre-configured for different types of user research.

TEMPLATE

STUDY

CONFIGURATION DESCRIPTION

Default study

configuration

Contains only basic task and marker settings. Records the screen and a PiP

video of the participant.

Focus Groups Record focus groups or in depth interviews. Use up to two cameras and log notes

on the computer running Morae Recorder.

Hardware or Mobile

Device

Test hardware device (cell phone, handheld, etc.) Point the primary camera at the

hardware device, and the PiP camera at the participant.

Paper Prototype Record low fidelity prototypes that can’t be displayed on a computer. Point the

primary camera at the paper prototype, and the PiP camera at the participant.

Software or Web

Usability Test

Use for a moderated usability test of a Web site or software. Records the screen

and a PiP video of the participant.

Unmoderated

Usability Test

Use to conduct unmoderated tests. The participant interacts with onscreen study

and task instructions, and tasks are automatically logged using AutoPilot.

See also:

• Create a Study Configuration

• Modify a Study Configuration

Create a Study Configuration

1. Open Recorder. The Welcome to Morae Recorder dialog box opens.

2. Select Create a new study configuration based on.

3. Select a template study configuration from the dropdown list.

4. Click OK. The template study configuration opens in Recorder.

5. Click Modify Study Details to open the Study Details dialog box.

Morae Recorder

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6. In the Study Details dialog box, define the study details and click OK.

7. Click Modify Recording Details to open the Recording Details dialog box.

8. In the Recording Details dialog box, define the recording details and click OK.

9. Choose File > Save Study Configuration to save the study configuration.

See also:

• Template Study Configurations

• Modify a Study Configuration

Modify a Study Configuration

1. Open Recorder. The Welcome to Morae Recorder dialog box opens.

2. Select Open a saved study configuration.

3. Select a recently used file from the dropdown list or click Browse to locate a file on your computer.

4. Click OK. The study configuration opens in Recorder.

5. Click Modify Study Details to open the Study Details dialog box.

6. In the Study Details dialog box, define the study details and click OK.

If you modify study details, new recordings will not automatically match recordings previously

made using this study configuration. You can merge these recordings later into a single study in

Manager. For more information, see the Morae Manager Help.

7. Click Modify Recording Details to open the Recording Details dialog box.

8. In the Recording Details dialog box, define the recording details and click OK.

9. Choose File > Save Study Configuration to save the study configuration.

See also:

• Template Study Configurations

• Create a Study Configuration

Morae Recorder

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Define Recording Details

Recorder > Modify Recording Details button

Recording Details define how to record a session with Morae. In the Recording Details dialog box, define the

following:

• File Details

• Capture Options

• AutoPilot Settings

• Task Logger Settings

• Recording Start Settings

• Recorder Stop Settings

• Observer Settings

Recording Details apply to a specific test environment or participant set up. Recording Details do not

have to be the same for all recordings in a study.

Morae Recorder

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File Details

Recorder > Modify Recording Details button > File Details

The fields in the Recording File Details settings of the Recording Details dialog box define the recording

name, folder, and description, along with the file processing options.

See also:

• Capture Options

• AutoPilot Settings

• Task Logger Settings

• Recording Start Settings

• Recorder Stop Settings

• Observer Settings

Recording Name, Recording Folder, and Description

Each recording (.rdg) needs a unique name. Define the file name, location and description for a recording in

one of the following ways:

• Before you record in the File Details settings.

• After you create a recording, if you use the Prompt for details when recording stops option.

You cannot save a recording without a name. You can lose the data from a recording if the test

participant, or anyone else, closes the dialog prompting for these details after the recording

stops.

For information on the processing options, see Processing.

Define File Details before Recording

If you choose to define the File Details before you record, put information in these fields to name the

recording file, define the folder to save the recording, and describe details about the recording (optional.)

Morae Recorder

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Define File Details after Recording

the recording is finished, the Recording File Details dialog box appears.

Put information in these fields to name the recording file, define the folder to save the recording, and describe

details about the recording (optional.) You can also choose processing options in this dialog box.

Processing

Choose one of these options for processing recordings:

• Prompt for File Details When Recording Stops

• Password Protect Recording Files

• Defer Processing of Recordings (You can start the next recording immediately.)

See also: Recording Name, Recording Folder, and Description.

Morae Recorder

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Prompt for File Details When Recording Stops

You cannot save a recording without a name. You can lose the data from a recording if the test

participant, or anyone else, closes the dialog prompting for these details after the recording stops.

Enable the Prompt for file details when recording stops checkbox if you do not want to define the file name,

folder, and description prior to recording. At the end of recording, Recorder prompts you to Define File

Details after Recording.

See also:

• Password Protect Recording Files

• Defer Processing of Recordings

Password Protect Recording Files

Enable the Password protect recording file checkbox to “lock” the recording files if your recordings include

sensitive material.

You can define the password before the recording starts or after it ends.

Remember your password. After you assign a password, you cannot open the recording in Manager

without the password. TechSmith cannot retrieve your password or open the recording file, if you forget

your password.

Password Protect a Recording File before Recording

If you know that you want to password protect a recording before the session occurs, you can set a password

before you start recording.

1. Enable the Password protect recording file checkbox and click OK.

2. When the recording starts, Recorder prompts you to select and verify a password,

Password Protect a Recording File after Recording

If you are not sure if you need to password protect a recording before the session occurs, you can set

Recorder to prompt you at the end of a recording.

1. Enable the Prompt for details when recording stops checkbox and click OK.

2. When the recording stops and the Recording File Details dialog box opens, enable the Password

protect recording file checkbox.

3. The Enter Recording File Password dialog box opens and prompts you to enter and confirm a

password.

Passwords are case sensitive and can include letters, numbers and symbols in any combination. There

is no maximum length for passwords.

See also:

• Prompt for File Details When Recording Stops

• Defer Processing of Recordings

Morae Recorder

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Defer Processing of Recordings

If you defer the final processing, your date is not at an increased risk of being lost or damaged if a crash

occurs. Recorded data is written to disk immediately during recording whether you choose to defer final

processing or not. Final processing involves compressing the files into an archive.

By default, Recorder writes out and verifies each recording (.rdg) file immediately after a recording is

completed. Depending on the length and content of the recording, this processing can take some time.

Enable the Defer processing of recordings checkbox to defer recording processing, which allows you to start

another recording immediately and save recordings in the Batch Processing Queue to later process several

recordings at one time.

Use the Defer processing of recordings option with the Automatically restart Recorder option to

automatically run repeated recordings or conduct several recordings without waiting for file processing in

between.

See also:

• Prompt for File Details When Recording Stops

• Password Protect Recording Files

Batch Process Recording Files

When you complete a series of recordings and are ready to process them:

1. Click Process Deferred Recordings or File > Process Deferred Recordings. The Batch Process

Recordings dialog appears.

2. Select the recording files to process in Recording queue.

The recording files that you do not select remain in the list.

3. Click OK to process the selected recordings.

When processing is complete, the Batch Processing Results dialog appears. This dialog gives summary

information about each recording file, including whether it was successfully processed and where it is saved.

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Capture Options

Recorder > Modify Recording Details button > Capture Options

In Capture Options, define the main video source, Picture-in-Picture option, mouse video effects, and

the data to capture during recording.

The fields in the Capture Options of the Recording Details dialog box define the data you want Recorder to

include in the recording. Use this data later in Manager for analysis and graphs.

See also:

• File Details

• AutoPilot Settings

• Task Logger Settings

• Recording Start Settings

• Recorder Stop Settings

• Observer Settings

Main Video Source and Picture-in-Picture

Define if you are recording the computer screen or camera video as the main video source for your recording

and if you want to include a Picture-in-Picture (PiP) video.

These options are also available on the main interface in Video and Audio Sources. If you change the main

video source or PiP options in the Recording Details dialog box, options selected in Video and Audio Sources

update automatically.

See also:

• Mouse Video Effects

• Data

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Mouse Video Effects

Define which, if any, mouse video effects to include in the recordings. Mouse video effects help clarify mouse

when you analyze recordings in Manager.

The mouse video effects do not appear on the participant’s screen or in the Observer during recording.

The effects appear when you import the recording in Manager.

See also:

• Main Video Source and Picture-in-Picture

• Data

Data

Define which kinds of data you record. Choose to capture or exclude:

• Mouse clicks

• Keystrokes

• Screen text

By default, Recorder captures all of this data. If you are dealing with sensitive or proprietary information, you

may need to exclude some data from capture. For example, if the test deals with user names and passwords,

you can choose to exclude keystrokes. By excluding keystrokes, the recording will not capture the password.

See also:

• Main Video Source and Picture-in-Picture

• Mouse Video Effects

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AutoPilot Settings

Recorder > Modify Recording Details button > AutoPilot

The checkboxes in the AutoPilot Settings of the Recording Details dialog box define if and how you want to

use AutoPilot.

See also:

• AutoPilot

• File Details

• Capture Options

• Task Logger Settings

• Recording Start Settings

• Recorder Stop Settings

• Observer Settings

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Enable AutoPilot

Enable this checkbox to turn on AutoPilot.

When you choose to use AutoPilot, the Task Logger, Recording Start, and Recording Stop change to

AutoPilot to provide the recommended configuration.

At End of Recording

Enable the Start a new AutoPilot recording automatically checkbox to set up AutoPilot for a new recording

as soon as one recording ends.

Timeout Options

If you use AutoPilot to run an unmoderated test, someone may not finish a session. Enable the checkbox and

enter the amount of time you want AutoPilot to wait until ending the session.

Task Logger Settings

Recorder > Modify Recording Details button > Task Logger

The task logger is the one observer can log tasks for each recording. Only the task logger can mark the start

and end of tasks.

See also:

• Who Should Be The Task Logger?

• Designate the Task Logger

• File Details

• Capture Options

• AutoPilot Settings

• Recording Start Settings

• Recorder Stop Settings

• Observer Settings

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Who Should Be The Task Logger?

When defining the task logger, choose one of the following options.

• First Observer connected

Use this option if you only have one Observer or everyone connecting to the session could log tasks.

If the task logger disconnects Observer from the session, intentionally or not, the next Observer who

connects automatically becomes the task logger.

• Designated Observer

Use this option if you know exactly who you want to log the tasks.

If the designated task logger disconnects Observer from the session, whether intentionally or not, no

one else can log tasks. If the task logger re-connects, he or she can again log tasks. See Designate

the Task Logger.

The task logger name must match the name entered in Observer. For example, if you enter

only a first name in the Recoding Details and the Observer enters a first and last name, they will

not be designated as task logger.

• AutoPilot

Use this option with AutoPilot. As the participant clicks Start Task and End Task in AutoPilot, it logs

the corresponding markers in the recording.

When you enable AutoPilot, the Recording Details update to set AutoPilot to log tasks.

• Recording computer

Use this option if you record camera as the Main video source. This setting allows you to log on the

same computer you are recording on. You do not need to have any Observers connected to log a

camera video-based session.

See also:

• Task Logger Settings

• Designate the Task Logger

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Designate the Task Logger

Recorder > Modify Recording Details button > Task Logger

To designate a specific task logger by name:

1. Enable the Observer checkbox.

2. Select Designate the task logger.

3. Enter the name of the task logger.

4. Click OK.

When the task logger connects to Recorder, the Observer name must match the name designated in

Recorder.

See also:

• Task Logger Settings

• Who Should Be The Task Logger?

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Recording Start Settings

Recorder > Modify Recording Details button > Recording Start

Recorder provides flexible options to start Recorder depending on your equipment and participant set up.

The following table describes the available options to start a recording.

START

OPTION DESCRIPTION

START

BUTTON

Manually Recording starts when you click the Start button or use the hotkey

combination <Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F9>.

Based on

an event

Recording starts when a certain event occurs. Choose one of the

event types from the dropdown menu:

• Mouse Click –Recording starts at the click of the mouse.

• Application Launch – Recording starts when the specified

application launches, for example when the participant launches

Internet Explorer.

• Application Exit – Recording starts when the participant exits a

specified application.

• In an application - Click the Browse button to find the

application’s executable name (for example IEXPLORE.EXE).

Mouse click

Application

Launch

Application Exit

At a

specific

Date/Time

Recording starts at a particular date and time. Leave the box next to

the Date field unchecked if you want the recording to start at that

time on any date.

• Recorder must be running at the time the recording is set to

begin.

• A time-based start only occurs one time. After the recording is

complete, you must click Start again to set Recorder to wait for

the next time-based start.

• A time-based start can be set up to 49 days in advance of the

recording.

• If the time has already passed for today, the recording starts at

the specified time tomorrow.

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START

OPTION DESCRIPTION

START

BUTTON

Using

Observer

Recording starts when an Observer clicks Start the recording

button on Observer’s toolbar.

Click the Start button in Recorder to wait for the start signal from

Observer.

If you leave the Observer name field blank, any Observer can

start Recorder.

You need to return to the Recorder computer between recordings to

click Start. To avoid this additional interaction with Recorder, see

Automatically Restart Recorder.

AutoPilot Click the Start button to launch the AutoPilot interface.

Recording starts when the participant clicks Start after reading the

study instructions in AutoPilot.

Recorder Start

AutoPilot Start

See also:

• File Details

• Capture Options

• AutoPilot Settings

• Task Logger Settings

• Recorder Stop Settings

• Observer Settings

Automatically Restart Recorder

Enable the Automatically restart Recorder checkbox to automatically restart Recorder after each recording,

using the same recording settings.

The Automatically restart Recorder option does not work if you use the following Start and Stop options:

- Manual start

- Time based start with a date specified

- Time based stop with a date specified

- Event based start on a mouse click

To automatically restart Recorder:

1. In Recorder, click the Modify Recorder Details button. The Recording Details dialog box appears.

2. Click Recording Start and select the Recorder Start Setting.

3. Enable the Automatically restart Recorder checkbox.

4. Click File Details.

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5. Disable the Prompt for details when recording stops checkbox.

This prevents the Recording file details dialog from appearing after each recording.

6. Enable the Defer processing of recordings checkbox.

This places the recording files in a queue for later processing.

When you are finished with a series of automated recordings, go back to Recorder and batch process the

recording files (File > Process Deferred Recordings). For more information, see Batch Process Recording

Files .

Recorder sequentially numbers the recording files by adding a number to the file name entered in the

Recording Folder field.

For example, if you entered “Test” in the Recording name field, the recording names are “test.rdg”, “test-

0001.rdg” and “test-0002.rdg”, etc.

Recorder Stop Settings

Recorder > Modify Recording Details button > Recording Stop

Morae provides several options to choose how and when recordings stop. Stop recordings manually or use

one of the automated stop options.

The following table describes the available options to stop a recording.

STOP

RECORDER

OPTION DESCRIPTION

STOP

BUTTON

Manually Recording stops when you click the Stop button, use the hotkey

combination <Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F9>, or right-click the tray icon and

choose Stop from the menu.

You can always stop Recorder manually, even if you selected

another stop option.

Based on an

event

Recording stops when a certain event occurs. Choose one of the

event types from the dropdown menu:

• Application Launch – Recording stops when the specified

application launches, for example when the participant launches

Internet Explorer.

• Application Exit – Recording stops when the participant exits a

specified application.

• In an application - Click the Browse button to find the

application’s executable name (for example IEXPLORE.EXE).

Application

Launch

Application

Exit

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STOP

RECORDER

OPTION DESCRIPTION

STOP

BUTTON

Time based Recording stops at a particular date and time.

• Leave the date field disabled to stop the recording at the

specified time today.

• If this time has already passed for today, the recording stops at

the specified time tomorrow.

• A time-based stop only occurs one time. After that recording is

complete, you must click the Start button again to set Recorder

to wait for the next time-based start.

• A time-based stop can be set up to 49 days in advance of the

recording.

After Recording stops after number of hours entered. The dropdown list

only shows durations up to 2.0 hours, you can type in up to 1176

hours (49 days).

Using

Observer

Recording stops when an Observer clicks Stop the recording

button on Observer’s toolbar.

If you leave the Observer name field blank, any Observer can

stop Recorder.

You need to return to the Recorder computer between recordings to

click Start. To avoid this additional interaction with Recorder, see

Automatically Restart Recorder.

If you automatically restart, you click Start in Recorder once

and then the Observer user who has control of Recorder can

start and stop recordings repeatedly, without returning to the

Recorder computer.

AutoPilot Recording ends when:

• You click Stop in Recorder.

• A participant clicks OK in AutoPilot after completing the session

tasks and surveys.

• A participant clicks Exit Session in AutoPilot to leave a session

at any time.

Enable the Start a new AutoPilot recording automatically

checkbox to set up AutoPilot for a new recording as soon as

one recording ends. See AutoPilot Settings.

Recorder stop

AutoPilot stop

Leave

AutoPilot

See also:

• File Details

• Capture Options

• AutoPilot Settings

• Task Logger Settings

• Recording Start Settings

• Observer Settings

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Observer Settings

Recorder > Modify Recording Details > Observers

With Morae, you can allow one or multiple computers to connect over a network to a computer running

Recorder. All observers can view the recording and log markers during a session. This flexibility allows your

entire team to observe the screen and camera video and hear the audio of the user, streaming from the

Recorder computer.

To allow Observers to connect to Recorder:

1. Enable the Allow Observer checkbox.

2. Enter the amount of time Recorder waits for pending (unfinished) tasks and markers before ending

the recording. By default, Recorder waits 60 seconds.

3. Click OK.

See also:

• File Details

• Capture Options

• AutoPilot Settings

• Task Logger Settings

• Recording Start Settings

• Recorder Stop Settings

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Define Study Details

Recorder > Modify Study Details

Study Details define the study including the study name, session instructions, tasks, markers, and surveys. In

the Study Details dialog box, define the following:

• Study name, description, and instructions

• Tasks definitions and instructions

• Marker definitions and instructions

• Survey definitions and associations

The study-specific information defined in the Study Details dialog box should be the same for all recordings in

a study.

If you modify study details, new recordings will not automatically match recordings previously made

using this study configuration. You can merge these recordings later into a single study in Manager. For

more information, see the Morae Manager Help.

See also:

• To Define a Task

• To Define a Marker

• Create a Survey Using Custom Questions

• Create a Survey Using System Usability Scale Questions

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Define the Study Description

Recorder main interface > Modify Study Details > Description tab File > New or Open > Study

Configuration > Modify Study Details > Description tab

The fields in the Description tab of the Study Details dialog box define the study name, description, and

instructions.

You can open the configuration in the Morae Add-In for Microsoft Office Word and drop the study details

into a Word file to create handouts for participants. See Create Session Handouts for more

information.

Study Name and Study Description

The name and description appear in Recorder and are available when you import recordings into Manager.

Put information in these fields to describe why and when you would want to use this configuration. It will help

you to choose the correct study configuration for a session.

Study Instructions

The study name and instructions appear on the computer running AutoPilot. They are presented to the

participant before they begin a session. You can also pull these instructions into Microsoft Word to create

handouts if you are not using AutoPilot to run your session.

Put information in this field to describe the scenario or any special instructions for the participant.

See also:

• Define the Study Tasks

• Define the Study Markers

• Define the Study Surveys

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Define the Study Tasks

Recorder > Modify Study Details > Task Definitions tab

The fields in the Task Definitions tab of the Study Details dialog box define the task names, descriptions,

instructions, and success scores.

You can open the configuration in the Morae Add-In for Microsoft Office Word and drop the task

definitions and instructions into a Word file to create handouts for participants. See Create Session

Handouts for more information.

For information on working with tasks and success definitions in the Task Definitions tab, see Modify Task

and Success Score Definitions.

To Define a Task

1. Click Add to create a new task.

2. Enter a name and description for the task.

3. Enter participant instructions for the task.

See also:

• Define the Study Description

• Define the Study Markers

• Define the Study Surveys

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Task Name and Description

The task name and description appear when observing a session. If you are the task logger, once you enter a

Start task marker, you choose the task from a dropdown list.

Put information in these fields to give the task logger enough information to quickly select the correct choice

when entering a Start task marker.

After importing recordings into Manager, tasks become the basis for graphs created in Manager. You are also

able to search across recordings for events or markers that occur during a given task.

See also:

• Task Instructions

• Success Score

• Modify Task and Success Score Definitions

Task Instructions

Task instructions appear on the computer running AutoPilot. The task instructions are presented to the

participant to guide them through a session.

• After reading a task, the participant clicks Start Task, which automatically logs a Start task marker.

• After completing the task, the participant clicks End Task, which automatically logs an End task

marker.

• While working on a task, the participant can show or hide the instructions as needed.

You can also pull these instructions into Microsoft Word to create handouts if you are not using AutoPilot to

run your session.

Put information in this field to describe the task for the participant.

See also:

• Task Name and Description

• Success Score

• Modify Task and Success Score Definitions

Success Score

Success scores apply to all the tasks in a study. If you are the task logger, once you enter an End task marker,

you choose the score from a dropdown list.

You can use the default completion rate scores or create your own scale.

After importing recordings into Manager, you can quickly create a task score graph to automatically calculate

and visually display the completion rate. Completion rate is a standard metric used to analyze usability tests.

See also:

• Task Name and Description

• Task Instructions

• Modify Task and Success Score Definitions

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Modify Task and Success Score Definitions

Once you save a study configuration, adding or modifying anything on this tab changes your study

configuration. You will need to merge recordings if you want them in the same study in Manager. See

the Morae Manager Help.

In the Task Definitions tab, use the following icons to modify the tasks and success scores.

BUTTON USE

Click Add to create a new task or success definition.

You can also click in an empty row to add a new task or success

definition.

Select a task or success definition and click Edit to modify the task

name and description or success definition.

You can also double-click in a field to edit it.

Select a task or success definition and click Remove to delete a task or

success definition.

You can also select a row and press Delete to remove a task or

success definition.

Select a task and click Move Up to move a task up in the list.

If your tasks are numbered, moving the task does not change the

number.

Select a task and click Move Down to move a task down in the list.

If your tasks are numbered, moving the task does not change the

number.

See also:

• Task Name and Description

• Task Instructions

• Success Score

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Define the Study Markers

Recorder > Modify Study Details > Marker Definitions tab

The fields in the Marker Definitions tab of the Study Details dialog box define the marker colors, types,

definitions, and scores.

Markers allow you to flag important points in a recording including errors, quotes, and the start and end of

tasks. For example, you can create markers for

• Participant actions

• Participant comments and questions

• Observations about how the participant performs a task

• Interesting comments or actions to include in a highlight video

You can open the configuration in the Morae Add-In for Microsoft Office Word and drop the marker

definitions into a Word file to use to prior to a session. For example, you may want share the markers

with observers prior to the session to give them an idea what to watch for. See Create Session

Handouts for more information.

For information on working with markers and score definitions in the Marker Definitions tab, see Modify

Marker and Marker Score Definitions.

To Define a Marker

1. Click Add to create a new marker.

2. Select a color and type (letter) and add a description to define the marker. Observers can use <Ctrl+

[letter]> as a keyboard shortcut to log tasks in Observer, where [letter] is the letter assigned in the

Type column.

See also:

• Define the Study Description

• Define the Study Tasks

• Define the Study Surveys

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Marker Color, Type, and Definition

The marker color, type, and definition appear when observing a session. People observing with Morae

Observer can enter markers and add notes to these markers during the recording.

By adding markers and notes during a session, you can save time analyzing and automatically create graphs

after importing the recordings into Morae Manager. If you cannot add markers and notes during a session,

you can do so in Manager.

•

Color distinguishes the markers on the

Manager Timeline.

• Type is a letter that is used in

combination with CTRL as a keyboard

shortcut for entering a marker in

Observer.

• Definition explains to observers what

each marker should be used to flag

during a session.

You cannot edit Start task and End task marker definitions; they are required for logging tasks. You can

change the color or letter (type).

See also:

• Marker Scores

• Modify Marker and Marker Score Definitions

Marker Scores

Marker scores apply to all markers in a study. After entering a marker, observers can include a score. For

example, if you use marker scores for errors, analysis would determine the average severity of the errors.

You can use the default marker scores or create your own scale.

After importing recordings into Manager, you can create marker score graphs to automatically calculate and

visually display the marker severity rate.

See also:

• Marker Color, Type, and Definition

• Modify Marker and Marker Score Definitions

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Modify Marker and Marker Score Definitions

Once you save a study configuration, adding or modifying anything on this tab changes your study

configuration. You will need to merge recordings if you want them in the same study in Manager. See

the Morae Manager Help.

In the Marker Definitions tab, use the following icons to modify the markers and score scores.

BUTTON USE

Click

Add

to create a new marker or marker score definition.

You can also click in an empty row to add a new marker or marker score

definition.

Select a marker or marker score definition and click

Edit

to modify the

marker color, type, and description or marker score definition.

You can also double-click in a field to edit it.

Select a marker or marker score definition and click

Remove

to delete a

marker or marker score definition.

You can also select a row and press Delete to remove a marker or

marker score definition.

Select a marker and click

Move Up

to move a marker up in the list.

Select a marker and click

Move Down

to move a marker down in the list.

See also:

• Marker Color, Type, and Definition

• Marker Scores

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Define the Study Surveys

Recorder > Modify Study Details > Survey Definitions tab

Survey Definitions tab of the Study Details dialog box lists the surveys available in a study and associates

a survey with a point in the session, such as the end of the task.

You can either Create a Survey Using Custom Questions or Create a Survey Using System Usability

Scale Questions.

Morae includes the ability to deliver multiple surveys during a session. The participant answers are captured

and saved with the recording file. When you import the recordings into Manager, you can review, adjust,

analyze, and graph survey responses.

You can open the configuration in the Morae Add-In for Microsoft Office Word and drop surveys into a

Word file to create handouts for participants. See Create Session Handouts for more information.

See also:

• Define the Study Description

• Define the Study Tasks

• Define the Study Markers

Survey Name

The survey name appears as the title of a survey dialog box and identifies a survey in the study configuration.

You can only edit the name of an existing survey in the Survey Definition tab. To create a new survey,

click the Add button. For information on how to create a new survey, see Create a Survey Using

Custom Questions and Create a Survey Using System Usability Scale Questions.

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Survey Association

Choose to associate surveys with session events. Session events include the beginning and end of the

recording, as well as the end of each defined task.

By associating a survey with a session event, it is “linked” to that event.

• AutoPilot automatically displays surveys when the associated session event occurs.

• Observer readies the survey associated with the current session event. Click Send Survey to display

the survey.

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Create a Survey Using Custom Questions

Recorder > Modify Study Details > Survey Definitions tab > Add

To create a new survey:

1. In the Survey Definitions tab, click Add. The Survey Definition dialog box opens.

2. Enter the Survey Details.

You can modify survey names and associations in the Survey Definitions tab.

3. Select Custom Questions.

For information on creating a survey using the SUS questions, see Create a Survey Using

System Usability Scale Questions.

4. Define questions for the survey. For more on adding questions and the available types, see Survey

Question Types.

5. When you finish adding questions, click OK to close the Survey Definition dialog box.

See also:

• Create a Survey Using System Usability Scale Questions

• Survey Question Types

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Create a Survey Using System Usability Scale Questions

Recorder main interface > Modify Study Details > Survey Definitions tab > Add

The System Usability Scale (SUS) is freely available for use in usability assessment and is used for a variety

of research projects; the only prerequisite for its use is that any published report must acknowledge the

source of the measure.

Acknowledgements

SUS was developed as part of the usability engineering program in integrated office systems

development at Digital Equipment Co Ltd., Reading, United Kingdom.

Morae only allows you to use the SUS questions once in a study. You cannot modify the SUS questions.

To create a survey using the SUS questions:

1. In the Survey Definitions tab, click . The Survey Definition dialog box opens.

2. Enter the Survey Details.

You can modify survey names and associations in the Survey Definitions tab.

3. Select Standard System Usability Scale (SUS) questions (one SUS survey per study).

For information on creating a survey using custom questions, see Create a Survey Using

Custom Questions.

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4. Click OK to close the Survey Definition dialog box.

See also:

• Create a Survey Using Custom Questions

• Survey Question Types

Survey Question Types

Recorder > Modify Study Details > Survey Definitions tab > Survey Definition > Add

Create custom questions or use the System Usability Scale (SUS) questions to populate your surveys.

You can use the SUS questions only once in a study.

Custom Question Types

You can create various types of questions including

CUSTOM SURVEY

QUESTION TYPE EXAMPLE

Scale

Select one answer

Select one or more

answers

Freeform only answer

See also:

• Create a Survey Using Custom Questions

• Create a Survey Using System Usability Scale Questions

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Scale Question

For a Scale question in a custom survey, you can define the question, the scale from 1-10, the labels for each

end of the scale and you can include a freeform comment.

You can add a freeform answer to the Scale custom questions.

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Select One Question

For a Select One question in a custom survey, you can define the question, the answers where participants

can only select one answer and if you want to include a freeform comment.

You can add a freeform answer to the Select one custom question.

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Select One or More Question

For a Select One or More question in a custom survey, you can define the question, the answers where

participants can select one or more of the answers and if you want to include a freeform comment.

You can add a freeform answer to the Select one or more answers custom questions.

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Freeform Question

For a Freeform question in a custom survey, you can define the question and have the participants enter a

text answer or ask for participant comments.

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Video and Audio Sources

The Video and Audio Sources pane allows you to view and select the sources for the main video, Picture-in-

Picture (PiP) video, and audio. You can also adjust the audio level and preview the selected video sources.

Video and Audio Sources are affected by the hardware connected to the computer when Recorder

opens. Always verify the selected sources prior to recording start.

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Quick Tips for Setting Video and Audio Sources

• Record from the screen, camera, screen and camera, or two cameras. For more on the video options,

see Choose Video Sources.

• You can flip your camera video, both vertically and horizontally, so you can set up your camera out of

the way of the participant. To flip camera video, click Modify camera settings .

• If the audio is going into the red in the Audio monitor, move the audio slider to the left. For more on

audio levels, see Adjust Audio Level.

• Click Test Recording in the Recorder toolbar to create a 15-second video test recording to verify the

video and audio. For more information, see Create a Test Recording.

• Need to save disk space? You can change the size and frame rate of the recording. See Modify

Video Settings.

• Morae chooses the recommended codec for screen and camera video. If you want to use a specific

codec, see Screen Video Compression Setup Options or Camera Camera Video Compression Setup

Options.

• If your video is too dark or you want to zoom in, some cameras allow you to adjust these settings. To

change the camera properties and preview the results, see Camera Properties Options.

See also:

• Choose Video Sources

• Examples

• Choose Audio Source

• Modify Video Settings

• Camera Video Settings

Choose Video Sources

Use the dropdown lists to select from the various video sources. You can choose both a Main Video and a

PiP Video, or just a main video source.

To see examples screenshots of the various options, see Examples.

If you record both main and PiP videos, after you import the recording into Manager, you can produce

highlight videos with or without the PiP included. You can also adjust the location of the PiP.

Main Video

Select a video source and click Modify screen video/camera settings to adjust the video settings.

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For the main video source, select from screen or camera. You have the following options:

• Screen (Primary Monitor): Record the desktop of the monitor set as the primary monitor.

You can set the primary monitor in Start > Control > Display > Settings tab.

• Screen (Entire Desktop): Record the desktop of all monitors connected to the computer.

The more monitors you record, the larger the recording file size.

• Screen (Region): Select and record a portion of the desktop.

If you have multiple monitors, but only want to record from one that is not the primary monitor, use

Screen (Region) to select the desktop of only one monitor. For more information, see Select a

Region.

• Camera: Select from the connected cameras.

To set up a configuration without the session cameras connected, select Camera (Not plugged in) to

set a camera as the main video. Save the configuration and reopen it once a camera is attached. The

camera is automatically selected as the main video source.

PiP Video

Select a video source and click Modify camera settings to adjust the video settings.

For the PiP video source, you can select a camera. You have the following options:

• None: Do not record a PiP video.

• Camera: Select from the connected cameras.

To set up a configuration without the session cameras connected, select Camera (Not plugged in) to

include a PiP video. Save the configuration and reopen it once a camera is attached. The camera is

automatically selected as the PiP video source.

See also:

• Examples

• Select a Region

• Choose Audio Source

• Modify Video Settings

• Camera Video Settings

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Examples

The following show example configurations as seen in the Preview Window.

See also:

• Choose Video Sources

• Select a Region

• Choose Audio Source

• Modify Video Settings

• Camera Video Settings

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Select a Region

To record only a portion of the full computer desktop, choose to record any rectangular Region of the desktop.

You may want to record a region for any of the following reasons:

• You want to capture one monitor that is not the primary monitor.

• You want to capture an area that spans more than one monitor but do not want to record the entire

desktop.

• You are only interested in what happens in one area of the desktop, possibly in one application.

(Saves file size while recording at full size.)

To record a region:

1. Open Recorder.

2. Select Screen (Region) in the Main video source dropdown list.

3. Define the rest of the study configuration.

4. Click the Record button. The Region Selection dialog box opens.

5. Modify the selected region by:

o Click and drag the corners of the region box.

o Click the center of the region to move the entire region.

o Click Select Region in the Region Selection dialog box. Click and drag to select a region.

6. After you select the correct region, click Record in the Region Selection dialog box to begin recording.

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See also:

• Choose Video Sources

• Examples

• Choose Audio Source

• Modify Video Settings

• Camera Video Settings

Choose Audio Source

Use the dropdown list to select from the various audio sources or choose not to record audio. You can also

use the Adjust Audio Level to view and adjust the audio level.

Use the dropdown list to select the audio source. You have the following options:

• None: Do not record audio.

• Audio Devices: Select from the available audio devices, including stand-alone microphones,

computer sound cards, and camera microphones.

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Adjust Audio Level

Use the Audio Monitor to view and adjust the audio level. Use the following to help you adjust the audio level.

Before each recording, create a test recording to verify audio levels.

Good Audio Level

Low Audio Level

High Audio Level

Modify Video Settings

Click Modify screen video settings or Modify camera settings to adjust the video settings. The

exact settings available depend on the video sources you select.

See also:

• Screen Video Settings

• Camera Video Settings

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Screen Video Settings

In the Screen Video dialog box, choose the compression and performance options that match your recording

situation.

The Screen Video options apply to the capture of screen video only and not to the video input from a

camera.

The following are the settings available when you use screen as the main video source.

OPTION DESCRIPTION AND USE

Lossless video

(recommended)

Provides the best quality video recording for most situations. If your screen video

contains full motion (such as video playback), this option may increase recording file

size.

Full motion

video

Provides good quality with full motion recordings while keeping the recording file

sizes down.

Custom

compression

(advanced)

Select a custom codec.

We do not recommend selecting this option unless you are an advanced

codec user.

Video

Compression

Setup

Opens the Video Compression Setup dialog box with a list of available codecs. You

can also adjust any compression settings.

For more information, see Screen Video Compression Setup Options.

Frame rate Enter the frame rate (in frames per second). The default setting is five frames per

second. We recommend keeping this default.

Disable display

acceleration

during capture

Disables hardware acceleration during recording. Checking this box generally results

in better screen video recordings.

Remove

desktop

wallpaper

during capture

Disables any desktop wallpaper on the Recorder computer. Checking this box

generally results in better compression of recording files and better system

performance.

Restore Default Restores the screen video options to the default settings.

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Screen Video Compression Setup Options

In the Video Compression Setup dialog box, you can change your screen video codec selection and adjust

compression quality and key frame rate. Additional configuration options for the codec may be available by

clicking the Configure button in the Video Compression Setup dialog box.

For more information on codecs, see Codecs in Morae.

The contents of this dialog box may differ and certain options may be disabled, depending on the screen

video codec chosen.

Each codec has unique configuration options. For more information about a particular codec's options,

consult the documentation from the company providing that codec.

The following table describes the Video Compression Setup dialog box.

OPTION DESCRIPTION

Compressor Select the codec from the dropdown list.

Compression

quality

Configures the codec to compress at a lower image quality and create a smaller file size,

or compress at a higher image quality, resulting in a larger file size.

Adjust the compression quality using the slider bar. For higher quality, move the bar to

the right. For lower quality, move the bar to the left.

Key frame

every (n)

frames

Specify how often to record a key frame. We recommend that you accept the default

value for the codec.

The codec places key frames at regular intervals, either spacing them by number of

seconds or number of frames. Each codec has an optimized key frame setting.

Data rate

(KB/Sec)

Determine the number of bytes of data the codec transmits or receives in one second. A

higher data rate results in better quality and larger file sizes.

If this option is available for the codec, place a checkmark in the adjacent box and

specify the data rate in Kb/Sec.

Configure Set configuration options for the selected compressor. For more information, see

Configure Video Compression Setups.

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Configure Video Compression Setup

The Configure button in the Video Compression Setup dialog box allows you to customize the compression

settings for the video codec.

This table describes the TSCC codec. Each codec has its own unique configuration options. For information

on each of those options, consult the manufacturer's documentation.

OPTION DESCRIPTION AND USE

Compression

Control

Use the slider bar to choose faster compression (resulting in a larger file size) or better

compression (resulting in a smaller file size). In all cases, the TSCC video codec is 100%

lossless. Typically, you want faster compression during recording and a smaller file size

when producing/editing.

Default Resets the Compression Control slider to its default configuration.

Camera Video Settings

In both the Main Camera Settings and PiP Camera Settings dialog boxes, choose the compression and

performance options that match your recording situation.

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The following are the settings available when you use a camera as either the main or PiP video source.

CAMERA

TAB

OPTION DESCRIPTION AND USE

Flip Flip the video vertically, horizontally, or both.

Camera

Properties

Opens the Camera Properties dialog box to adjust various aspects of video quality, such

as brightness, contrast, sharpness, RGB values, etc. For more information, see Camera

Properties Options.

Main

Camera

Video

Format

Opens the Camera Video Format dialog box to adjust variables such as frame rate and

output size. For more information, see Camera Video Format.

Camera Properties Options

The camera manufacturer provides the information in Camera Properties dialog box and the options available

in the dialog box vary.

In general, you can adjust various aspects of image quality, such as brightness, contrast, gamma, sharpness,

RGB values and exposure.

The preview in the Main Camera Settings dialog box updates so that you can immediately see how the

settings affect the video.

For more information about the options in the camera Properties dialog box, consult the camera manufacturer.

We recommend using the default settings for your camera. The defaults are optimized to give you the

best overall video quality.

Camera Video Format

In the Camera Video Format dialog box, select the size of the video, the framerate, and the codec.

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OPTION DESCRIPTION AND USE

Video Size Use the default sizes or lower the size for smaller video and file size.

The dimensions given with the Video Size slider are approximate and actually

video size may vary depending on your camera properties.

Framerate Select the framerate for the camera. The value of Max depends on your camera

properties.

If your captured video is choppy, try lowering the framerate setting.

Full motion

video

Selects the recommended default camera video codec (Windows Media Video).

Custom

compression

Selects a custom camera video codec.

We do not recommend selecting this option unless you are an advanced

codec user.

Video

Compression

Setup

Opens the Video Compression Setup dialog box to browse through a list of available

codecs.

For more information, see Camera Video Compression Setup Options.

Restore Default Returns the options on this dialog box to the default settings.

Camera Video Compression Setup Options

In the Video Compression Setup dialog box, you can change your camera video codec selection and adjust

compression quality and key frame rate. Additional configuration options for the codec may be available by

clicking the Configure button in the Video Compression Setup dialog box.

For more information on codecs, see Codecs in Morae.

The contents of this dialog box may differ and certain options may be disabled, depending on the codec

chosen.

Each codec has unique configuration options. For more information about a particular codec's options,

consult the documentation from the company providing that codec.

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The following table describes the Video Compression Setup dialog box.

OPTION DESCRIPTION

Compressor Select the codec from the dropdown list.

Compression

quality

Configures the codec to compress at a lower image quality and create a smaller file size,

or compress at a higher image quality, resulting in a larger file size.

Adjust the compression quality using the slider bar. For higher quality, move the bar to

the right. For lower quality, move the bar to the left.

Key frame

every (n)

frames

Specify how often a key frame is recorded. We recommend that you accept the default

value for the codec you have chosen.

The codec places key frames at regular intervals, either spacing them by number of

seconds or number of frames. Each codec has an optimized key frame setting.

Data rate

(KB/Sec)

Determine the number of bytes of data the codec transmits or receives in one second. A

higher data rate results in better quality and larger file sizes.

If this option is available for the codec, place a checkmark in the adjacent box and specify

the data rate in Kb/Sec.

Configure Set configuration options for the selected compressor. For more information, see

Configure Video Compression Setup.

Configure Video Compression Setup

The Configure button in the Video Compression Setup dialog box allows you to customize the compression

settings for the video codec.

This table describes the TSCC codec. Each codec has its own unique configuration options. For information

on each of those options, consult the manufacturer's documentation.

OPTION DESCRIPTION AND USE

Compression

Control

Use the slider bar to choose faster compression (resulting in a larger file size) or better

compression (resulting in a smaller file size). In all cases, the TSCC video codec is 100%

lossless. Typically, you want faster compression during recording and a smaller file size

when producing/editing.

Default Resets the Compression Control slider to its default configuration.

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AutoPilot

Morae AutoPilot presents study and task instructions along with surveys right on the computer running

Recorder. By default, AutoPilot logs the start and end of tasks automatically, while Observers can still connect

and log markers.

Uses of AutoPilot

There are many reasons to use AutoPilot. Here are some examples:

• You do not have someone to log tasks with Observer.

• You want to conduct unmoderated sessions.

• You want to log tasks automatically.

• You want to present surveys automatically.

• You want to avoid the need print task and survey paperwork.

• For more information on how an AutoPilot session works, see Run an AutoPilot Session.

Set Up AutoPilot

To set up Recorder to use AutoPilot, you can either Use the Unmoderated Usability Study Template or

Add AutoPilot to a Study Configuration.

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Use the Unmoderated Usability Study Template

1. Open Recorder. The Welcome to Morae Recorder dialog box opens.

2. Select Create a new study configuration based on.

3. Select the Unmoderated Usability Study template from the dropdown list.

4. Click OK. The template study configuration opens in Recorder.

5. Click Modify Study Details to open the Study Details dialog box.

6. In the Study Details dialog box, modify the study details making sure to include the following:

o Description tab: Fill in the Study Instructions field with directions for the participant. This could

include an introduction to the test along with scenario information.

o Task Definitions tab: Fill in the Task instructions for participant field for all tasks. Include the

task and any information a participant needs to complete the task, such as a user name and

password.

o Survey Definitions tab: Create and associate surveys with session events, such as the end of

Task 1. Only associated surveys automatically display with AutoPilot.

7. Click OK.

The Recording Details are set up to run sessions with AutoPilot, record the screen and PiP,

automatically restart after a recording ends, defer recording processing, and allow Observers. If

you need the change these settings, click Modify Recording Details.

8. Save the study configuration file.

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File > Save Study Configuration or click the Save Configuration icon.

Add AutoPilot to a Study Configuration

1. Click Modify Recording Details to open the Recording Details dialog box.

1. In the Recording Details dialog box, click AutoPilot.

2. Select to Enable AutoPilot.

3. When you enable AutoPilot, all other settings needed to run an AutoPilot session automatically

change to provide the recommended configuration.

4. Modify any other recording details and click OK.

5. Save the study configuration file.

File > Save Study Configuration or click the Save Configuration icon.

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Run an AutoPilot Session

The following is the step by step of how an AutoPilot session works.

1. Open Recorder. The Welcome to Morae Recorder dialog box opens.

2. Select Open a saved study configuration and open your saved AutoPilot study configuration.

3. Click the Record button.

4. AutoPilot starts and displays the study instructions. The participant clicks Start.

5. The first task displays. The participant reads the task and clicks Start.

Recorder automatically logs a Start Task marker.

6. The AutoPilot window collapses and the participant works on the task.

The participant can click Show Instructions to view the task instructions for the task.

7. The participant finishes the task and clicks End Task.

Recorder automatically logs an End Task marker.

8. If there is a survey associated with the end of the task, it displays before moving to the next task.

9. The participant finishes the survey and clicks Done.

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10. The next task displays. This process continues until the participant reaches the end of the test.

11. After the participant clicks End Task for the final task, if there is a survey associated with the end of

the test, it displays.

12. When the final survey is complete, a thank you message appears. The participant clicks OK to end

the test.

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With the help of the Morae Add-In for Word, you can use a study configuration to create paper handouts for

your sessions.

To create session handouts from a study configuration:

1. In Recorder, create a study configuration, making sure to enter the Study Instructions and Task

Instructions in the Study Details dialog box.

2. Save the study configuration.

3. Open Microsoft Word and the Morae Task Pane.

o In Word 2003, click the Show Morae Wnd button in the Word toolbar to open or close the Morae

Task Window.

o In Word 2007, by default, the Morae Task Pane opens with Word. Open or close the Morae Task

Pane with the check box in Add-Ins tab > TechSmith Morae group.

4. In the Morae Task Pane, click Browse to locate the saved study configuration file (.mrcfg).

5. All available study components open in the Morae Task Pane. Click and drag the task Instructions

and surveys to the open Word file.

6. Add page breaks and text formatting, as needed.

7. Save and print the handouts.

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Study Components Available in the Morae Add-In for Microsoft Word

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Log a Session

When recording only camera video, you are able to log on the computer running Recorder. You can log

markers, marker scores, and add text notes to save with the recording file. You can set up the Study

Configuration to allow the person logging with Recorder or an Observer to logs tasks and task scores. At the

end of a session, the tasks and task scores are saved with the recording.

The components used when logging with the computer running Recorder are:

See also:

• Customize Observer for Your Session

• Get to Know the Log

• Quick Tips for Logging a Session

• Markers

• Tasks

• Surveys

• View Recording Details

• View Your Notes and Markers Right After a Session

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Get to Know the Log

When logging, Recorder includes a Log displayed like a spreadsheet with rows and columns. The Log

displays all markers entered in Observer during the recording. If you are the logging tasks, the Log also

displays the tasks.The Log also displays the surveys, if applicable.

Quick Tips for Logging a Session

• There are several different ways to log markers and tasks. Review Different Ways to Log a Marker.

• Tasks only appear in the Log if you are the task logger. See How to Log a Task.

• During recording, you can go back and edit previously logged markers and tasks.

• The markers and tasks defined in the study configuration are available to log. See Define a Study

Configuration in Recorder for information on setting up a study configuration.

• Log marker and task scores to use in Manager during analysis. For example, if you log marker scores,

you can create a graph that automatically calculates error severity rate.

• While you can add markers, tasks, and scores in Manager after importing the recording, you will save

time by logging tasks and markers during a session.

• You can save a copy of the Log after each session as a .txt file to print or open in other applications

(i.e. Microsoft Excel). See View Your Notes and Markers Right After a Session.

• If you need immediate access to the recording, save a copy of the recording as a WMV. See Save the

Recording as a WMV File.

See also:

• Get to Know the Log

• Markers

• Tasks

• Surveys

• View Recording Details

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Markers

Use markers to quickly log important points in a recording. During analysis, you can quickly find and review

the markers to identify points of interest. You can set an unlimited number of markers in a recording.

Markers are recording-specific (defined in the study configuration) and all observers for a recording use the

same set of pre-defined markers to work with.

During recording, you can go back and edit previously logged markers and tasks. You can also edit or add

markers, tasks, or scores in Manager after importing the recording.

The task logger log tasks by marking the start and end of a task the participant performs during the recording.

For more information, see Tasks.

Different Ways to Log a Marker

When you see a point in the recording to mark, do one of the following to log a marker:

• Choose <Ctrl+ [letter]> on the keyboard.

• In the Marker Type column, enter the letter of a marker.

• Pick a marker from the drop-down list in the Marker Type column.

• Click a defined Type button in the Marker Definitions window.

• Choose the Marker menu and select the letter (Type) from the menu. Defined markers appear at the

top of the menu.

To create markers without a type assigned, choose the generic option from the list marker types or use

the <Ctrl + Space> hotkey combination.

See also:

• Get to Know the Log

• Quick Tips for Logging a Session

• Tasks

• Surveys

• View Recording Details

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Tasks

While each observer can log markers, marker scores, and text notes, only the designated task logger can log

tasks and task scores. The task logger is defined in the study configuration. For more information, see Define

Task Logger Options.

The task logger logs tasks by entering start and end markers at the beginning and end of the tasks the

participant performs during the recording.

If you enter a start or end marker too early, you can enter another start or end marker. Manager uses

the last start or end marker for the task.

While you can add markers, tasks, and scores in Manager after importing the recording, you will save time by

logging tasks and markers during a session.

How to Log a Task

1. As the task logger, log a Start task marker. (For the various ways to log a marker, see Different

Ways to Log a Marker.)

2. In the Log, pick a task from the drop-down list in the Task column.

3. Add an optional Note.

4. Add markers during the task, as needed.

5. Log an End task marker.

6. Select a Score.

7. Send a task survey, if applicable. (See How to Deliver Surveys.)

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See also:

• Get to Know the Log

• Quick Tips for Logging a Session

• Markers

• Surveys

• View Recording Details

Surveys

You can open (deliver) surveys anytime during the recording. While logging, read the survey questions to the

participant and enter the answers in the open survey, or have the participant fill out the surveys on the

computer running Recorder. You can later graph the answers in Manager.

You can have multiple surveys. Some ways to use surveys include, but are not limited to

• Pre-session demographic questionnaire

• Task completion survey

• Post-test satisfaction survey

• Session follow-up questions

Surveys create and associate with session events, such as the end of a task, in the study configuration. See

Define the Study Surveys for information about setting up surveys.

How to Deliver Surveys

To deliver a survey

1. Select the survey from the survey dropdown list.

When you log an End Task marker, the survey associated with that task is automatically

selected in the dropdown list.

2. Click Send Survey.

If you send the wrong survey, you can click Recall to close the survey.

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Quick Tips for Surveys

Surveys are available at the top of the Log and in the Recording Control menu.

• Surveys appear in the order they are entered into the study configuration.

• If linked to a session event, a survey is selected in the survey dropdown list when that session event

occurs. For example, at the end of Task 1, the survey associated with the end of Task 1 is selected in

the survey dropdown list.

• If you send the wrong survey, you can Recall a survey before it is complete.

• If a survey is already complete, you can Resend a survey. Any answers already filled are not

removed, but you can adjust the answers, if needed.

See also:

• Get to Know the Log

• Quick Tips for Logging a Session

• Markers

• Tasks

• View Recording Details

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View Recording Details

View > Recording Details

The Recording Details dialog box displays data about the current recording session.

See also:

• Get to Know the Log

• Quick Tips for Logging a Session

• Markers

• Tasks

• Surveys

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View Your Notes and Markers Right After a Session

After observing and logging a session, you may want quick access to the notes and markers created during

the session. Use the following procedures to save and view your markers and notes.

• Save Your Notes and Markers

• View Your Notes and Markers

Save Your Notes and Markers

1. Prior to a session, open Observer and enable Marker > Prompt to save copy of log.

2. Proceed with the session, logging markers and notes.

3. After you disconnect from the session, you are prompted to save your log. Browse to the location to

save your log and click Save. The file is saved as a text only file (.txt).

View Your Notes and Markers

You can open your log as plain text in a program such as Microsoft® Word® or Microsoft® Notepad, or for

easier viewing, as a table in Microsoft Excel®.

To open a .txt file in Excel:

1. Open Excel and choose File > Open.

2. Choose Text Files in the Files of type dropdown list.

3. Select the file you want to open and click Open.

4. A message appears that Excel does not recognize the file format. Click OK to continue.

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5. Follow the steps in the Text Import wizard.

The log opens in Excel.

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Customize Logging for the Session

To help you view the recording more easily, Morae allows you to customize how you view and log a session.

See the following topics for more information about the various ways to customize the interface:

• Adjust the View of the Recording Session

• Picture in Picture (PiP)

• Marker Definitions Window

Adjust the View of the Recording Session

To make it easier to view the recording, you may need to adjust the way the video appears. You can view the

screen and/or camera video being captured in several ways.

• Normal View (default)

• Full Screen View

• Scale to Fit View

Try the different views to find one that works well for your test. You can adjust the view at any time, prior to

and during a recording.

Normal View (default)

By default, the interface opens in the Normal view. This view shows the recording activity within a regular

window. The toolbar, status bar, menu bar, Marker Definitions window, and PIP window are visible by default.

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Full Screen View

The Full Screen view fills the entire screen with the recording and a floating toolbar appears.

To toggle the Full Screen view on/off, do one of the following:

• Click the Full Screen button .

• Use the <Alt + Enter> hotkey.

• Choose View > Full Screen.

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Scale to Fit View

If the recording is larger than the Viewing window, choose the Scale to Fit view. This view fits the entire

recording into the Viewing window. This option is available in both Normal and Full Screen view.

To toggle the Scale to Fit option on or off, do one of the following:

• Click the Toggle Scale-to-Fit button .

• Use the <Ctrl + Alt + S> hotkey.

• Choose View > Scale to Fit.

See also:

• Picture in Picture (PiP)

• Marker Definitions Window

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Picture in Picture (PiP)

When recording begins, a window containing the Picture in Picture (PiP) camera video appears by default in

the lower right-hand corner of the Viewing window. You can move and resize the PiP window in the Viewing

window.

PiP is best viewed with the Scale to Fit option turned on. If you can’t find the PiP window, choose View

> Scale to Fit and the PIP window appears in the lower right-hand corner.

PIP WINDOW

ACTION DESCRIPTION

To move the PiP

window

Click in the PiP window and drag it to a different location.

To resize the PiP

window

1. Point at a corner of the window with your cursor and grab

the handles that appear.

2. Drag the corner out or in to make the window larger or

smaller.

To hide or show the

PiP window

Choose View > Picture in Picture (PIP).

See also:

• Adjust the View of the Recording Session

• Marker Definitions Window

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Marker Definitions Window

The Marker Definitions window displays the markers defined in the study configuration that you can use to log

events and tasks during the recording.

To log a marker, click a button in the Type column.

The Marker Definitions window is visible by default. To hide the marker definitions, choose View >

Marker Definitions.

See also:

• Adjust the View of the Recording Session

• Picture in Picture (PiP)

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Change the Communication Port

In some cases, Recorder and Observer cannot connect on the default communication port (5555). In this

case, the study configuration in Recorder and the communication port in Observer must be set to an

alternative port number.

If you change the post in Recorder, all observers must set the same port to connect. Make sure to give

the port number to all potential observers.

To use an alternative port:

1. Contact your system administrator to determine which port to use.

2. In Recorder, select Tools > Preferences.

3. When the Preferences dialog box opens, enter the port number in the Communication port field.

4. Open Observer. In the Connect to Recorder dialog box, click Change Port. Enter the new port

number.

o Click Test Port to verify that you can connect to Recorder with this port.

o Click Restore Default to return to the default port (5555).

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5. Click OK to apply the selected port and return to the Connect to Recorder dialog box.

If you have any problems with connecting on an alternative port, please contact the person who set up

the session and your system administrator.

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Troubleshoot Observer to Recorder Connection Issues

Trouble connecting to Recorder? Here are some answers to common questions:

• I cannot establish a connection between Observer and Recorder. What should I do?

• I got disconnected during a session. What should I do?

• My video is lagging behind the test. Can I make the video play in Observer in real-time?

I cannot establish a connection between Observer and Recorder. What should I do?

If you cannot connect, check the following items::

• Is Recorder installed and open on the recording computer?

• Is the Recorder computer name (or IP address) entered in the Connect to Recorder dialog box

correct?

If the computer name does not work, use the full domain name or IP address. For information on

finding the computer name or IP address, see Choose the Recorder Computer Name or IP

Address.

• Is there another Observer connected with the same user name?

• Are the Recorder and Observer computers connected to the same LAN or WAN network? Contact

your system administrator for network problems.

• Are the Observer and Recorder applications running the same version of Morae?

• Do you have Windows XP Service Pack 2? This includes its own firewall. When prompted the first

time you run Recorder, select to Unblock the firewall.

• Is there a firewall on the network? Ask your system administrator if there is a firewall blocking the

connection.

• Are Recorder and Observer set up to use the same communication ports?

The communication protocol used by Morae is TCP/IP with listening ports established on ports 5555

and 8080. The system administrator may have to intentionally allow traffic through these ports in

order for Observer to connect to Recorder.

If these ports are already in use, you can use different ports, as long as both Recorder and Observer

are set up to use the same ports. For more information, see Change the Recorder and Observer

Communication Port.

I got disconnected during a session. What should I do?

At anytime during the session, if you get disconnected, you can reconnect to the same session.

1. In Observer, click Connect to a Recorder to open the Connect to Recorder dialog box.

2. Click Connect. You reconnect to the same session.

My video is lagging behind the test. Can I make the video play in Observer in real-time?

Depending on the Observer options you choose, you may experience a video delay in Observer. For more

information, see Video Delay in Observer.

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Tips and Reference Information

This section contains additional information based on some frequently asked user questions. The topics

covered in this section include:

• How Rich Recording Technology (RRT) Works

• Check for Upgrade Settings Options

• Morae Player

• Recording File Recovery Options

• Codecs in Morae

• Morae Recorder COM Server

• Record Silently

How Rich Recording Technology (RRT) Works

During recording, Rich Recording Technology (RRT) collects and fuses two types of information: video input

(camera video, screen video and microphone audio) and data input (keyboard entry, screen text, mouse

clicks and system and application events). Morae Observer input is optional. The video streams are precisely

correlated in time with the data streams.

For example, where the data streams identify when a particular toolbar button is pressed in a specific

application, the screen recording shows the user pressing the toolbar button. The synchronized video and

data streams are saved in a recording file you can open within Morae Manager.

When the recording file is opened and indexed by Morae Manager, users can conduct a search of the data

input streams, select one of the search results and then see a specific event highlighted visually in the

indexed screen video, which appears in the Player window.

See also:

• Check for Upgrade Settings Options

• Morae Player

• Recording File Recovery Options

• Codecs in Morae

• Morae Recorder COM Server

Check for Upgrade Settings Options

All three components of Morae have an automatic Check for Upgrade feature. The first time you open a

component after installation, you are asked if you want Morae to check for available upgrades on the

TechSmith site.

To manually check for an upgrade, choose Help > Check for Upgrade > Check Now.

To change the settings for the automatic Check for Upgrade, choose Help > Check for Upgrade > Settings.

The Check for Upgrade Settings dialog appears.

The following options are available in all three components of Morae:

• Enable automatic check for upgrade - Morae automatically checks for available upgrades. If you

disable this option, Morae does not check for upgrades.

• Days between checks – Define how often you want Morae to check for available upgrades by

entering the number of days.

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• Prompt before checking for upgrade - Morae displays a dialog asking whether you want to check

for available upgrades. If you disable this option, the Check for Upgrade runs silently in the

background (without prompting you).

• Restore Default - Returns the settings in this dialog to the default values.

See also:

• How Rich Recording Technology (RRT) Works

• Morae Player

• Recording File Recovery Options

• Codecs in Morae

• Morae Recorder COM Server

Morae Player

Start > All Programs > Morae > Morae Player

Morae Player is a standalone video player, optimized for playing screen recordings. Morae Player always

plays videos at 100% of their original size so that they remain readable. The Player is a single .exe file that

does not need any setup, nor does it use the registry or any configuration files.

Command line options allow Morae Player to be invoked in various ways from CD-ROMs, multimedia

authoring tools and scripting languages or batch files. The command line options are listed in Morae Player

Command Line Customizations.

Morae Player only plays AVI video files. Morae Player has built-in support for the TechSmith Screen Capture

Codec (TSCC). This means that an AVI encoded with the TSCC codec always plays in the Morae Player,

even if the TSCC codec is not installed on the system. Any other audio or video codecs required by the AVI

file must be installed before Morae Player can play the video. Morae Player does not setup any shell

associations to become the default AVI player.

Morae Player Playback Controls

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Morae Player System Requirements

To run Morae Player, your system must meet the following requirements:

• Microsoft Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP or later version.

• Windows-compatible sound card and speakers (recommended)

• 360 KB of hard-disk space for program installation

• Basic Windows multimedia and AVI file support must be installed. This is normally installed by default

with Windows.

• The standard Windows MCI Microsoft Video for Windows must be installed.

To check if the Windows MCI Microsoft Video for Windows is installed:

1. Choose Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds and Audio Devices >

Hardware tab.

2. Double-click on Media Control Devices.

3. Click on the Properties tab. The (MCI) Microsoft Video for Windows should appear.

Any audio or video codecs required by your AVI files must be installed. To check if a codec is installed:

1. Choose Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices> Sounds and Audio Devices > Hardware

tab.

2. Double-click on the Audio Codecs or Video Codecs category. Click on the Properties tab the

installed codecs.

See also:

• How Rich Recording Technology (RRT) Works

• Check for Upgrade Settings Options

• Recording File Recovery Options

• Codecs in Morae

• Morae Recorder COM Server

Morae Player Command Line Customizations

When you launch Morae Player, by default it has a title bar, a menu bar, a tool bar and a status bar. You can

customize those elements by specifying arguments on the command line when launching Morae Player. If

you have installed Morae Player in the default directory, the exact syntax for the command line arguments is:

MoraePlay.exe [<options>] [<file>]

where <options> can include any of the command line options described in the table below and <file> is the

path to any video file (including the file name is optional). Enclose the path to the file in quotes.

For example, you could set up Morae Player to run a specific file in full screen (/F) and then exit when finished

(/E), by using the following syntax:

MoraePlay.exe /F /E “[path to video file]”

If you get an error message that Morae Player cannot be found, type the entire path to the directory that

contains Morae Player with the pathname in quotes. For example:

"C:\Program Files\TechSmith\Morae\MoraePlay.exe"

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Morae Player Command Line Options

The following table describes all of the command line options available for Morae Player.

COMMAND

LINE OPTION DESCRIPTION

/A Launches with “Always on top” option.

/BC

RGB(255,0,255)

Sets background color; the default is black. For more information,

see Change the Morae Player Background Colors from the

Command Line.

/D Launches without allowing “dragging” by the video area.

/E Exits after playing the video.

/F Launches in Full Screen mode.

/M Launches without a menu bar.

/MX Launches without its window maximized.

/open Opens the specified video (<file>) but does not play it.

/play Immediately plays the specified video (<file>); this is the default

setting.

/R Repeats the video indefinitely.

/S Launches without a status bar.

/ST Stays on last frame after playback.

/T Launches without a title bar.

/TB Launches without a tool bar.

Examples of Command Line Use with Morae Player

Play an AVI with Morae Player’s default user interface, for example:

MoraePlay.exe “C:\MyVideos\[name].avi”

Open an AVI without a menu bar, for example:

MoraePlay.exe /M “C:\MyVideos\[name].avi”

Play an AVI full screen and fill the background with dark gray if the video does not fill the entire screen, for

example:

MoraePlay.exe /BC RGB(128,128,128) /F “C:\MyVideos\[name].avi”

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Change the Morae Player Background Colors from the Command Line

You can change the background color for the video files displayed in Morae Player. The background color

only shows when the video playing does not fill the entire frame. For example, if the player is maximized while

a 360x240 video is playing, the background color fills in around the edges of the video.

By default, the background is black. To change the background color, you must specify a color argument with

the syntax RGB (r,g,b) where r, g and b are the red, green and blue components of the color, respectively.

Values for r, g and b are in the range 0 to 255. For example:

• RGB(0,0,0) = black

• RGB(255,255,255) = white

• RGB(0,0,255) = blue

• RGB(255,0,255) = teal green

• RGB(128,128,128) = dark gray

How to determine the RGB values for a color

You can use Microsoft Paint to locate RGB numbers by following these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Paint.

2. Double-click on the paint box to open the Edit Color dialog box. Click on the Define Custom Colors

button. The Custom Color palette appears.

3. Click on a color in the color grid. The spectrum appears along with the RGB color code.

4. Find a color and read the RGB values from the boxes below the color spectrum.

5. Enter the RGB code in the command line.

Recording File Recovery Options

If you experience a crash during recording, Recorder has a file recovery feature that helps determine if the

data recorded prior to the crash can be recovered.

The size of the data file found may indicate how much information actually exists in the file.

If Recorder was unable to recover any recording data

If Recorder’s file recovery process finds data not recoverable after a crash, a dialog appears and prompts you

to archive or delete the data.

• Click Archive to create a zipped archive file containing the unrecoverable data. This option is helpful if

you want to send the data to TechSmith for further analysis.

• Click Delete to permanently delete the unrecoverable data.

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If Recorder finds data that might be recoverable

If Recorder’s file recovery process finds data that may be recoverable after a crash, a dialog appears with the

following options:

• If you want Recorder to attempt to recover the recording data immediately, select Recover the data

now.

• If you want Recorder to place the data in the batch processing queue for processing later, select

Recover the data later.

• If you want to permanently delete the data without recovering it, select Delete the data from my

system.

See also:

• How Rich Recording Technology (RRT) Works

• Check for Upgrade Settings Options

• Codecs in Morae

• Morae Recorder COM Server

Codecs in Morae

The word codec stands for compressor/decompressor. A codec compresses videos down to smaller sizes, or

decompresses videos for playback. A codec is the algorithm used to create a video. By default, Windows

comes with many different codecs you can use in Morae. Each codec has its own set of strengths and

weaknesses. Certain codecs are better to use in certain situations, because of the way they compress

content. This section describes the most commonly used codecs and the ideal content they are suited for and

how to select different codecs in Recorder and Manager.

The TechSmith Screen Capture Codec (TSCC) is the default codec used for recording screen video. TSCC

compression is lossless and provides the highest quality and smallest file sizes for low-complexity screen

content, like typical office-style application content.

The Full motion video option is the best choice for recordings created by Recorder and videos produced by

Manager that contain a lot of real-world motion.

For example, use Full motion video if the recording includes a Picture in Picture (PIP) window or if you are

recording a user interacting with a game or a similarly graphic-intensive application. Although lossless

compression can be used with full-motion content, the resulting file sizes will be large. The Full motion video

option results in some loss of video and audio quality, but the recording/video file sizes are manageable.

For more information on codecs, see

• Commonly Used Codecs

• Full Motion Video Default Settings

• Lossless Video Default Settings

• Video Compression Setup Options

See also:

• How Rich Recording Technology (RRT) Works

• Check for Upgrade Settings Options

• Morae Player

• Recording File Recovery Options

• Morae Recorder COM Server

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Commonly Used Codecs

TSCC is optimized for desktop screen video, where video quality is important. There are many codecs

designed to compress real-world, or full motion video. Morae can take advantage of any standard codec.

TechSmith Screen Capture Codec (TSCC)

The TechSmith Screen Capture Codec (TSCC) is the default codec used for recording screen video. TSCC

compression is lossless and provides the highest quality and smallest file sizes for low-complexity screen

content, like typical office-style application content.

The TSCC does not compress video that includes a Picture in Picture (PIP) window or if you are recording a

user interacting with a game or a similarly graphic-intensive application well. In some cases, such as video

from a camera, the file sizes of the recordings may be close to that of an uncompressed video. We do not

recommend using TSCC to compress the webcam video in Morae.

Microsoft Video 1

Microsoft Video 1 is a standard video codec that comes with Windows and provides mid-range compression,

with a relatively small amount of quality loss.

Microsoft Video 1 is lossy and does not compress videos as well as some of the newer video codecs, such as

Microsoft Mpeg 4 V2 or, in some situations, TSCC. Using the image below, displayed in a video for 10

seconds, the TSCC compressed video was almost half the size of the video compressed with Microsoft Video

1 because TSCC is designed specifically for this type of content – mostly large, solid blocks of color. When

creating a 10 second video with the tree image used earlier, the TSCC compressed video was nearly 60%

larger than the Microsoft Video 1 compressed video.

Microsoft Mpeg 4 V2

The Microsoft Mpeg 4 V2 codec is very effective at compressing most types of video, but sometimes with

notable quality loss. This codec, however, often produces the smallest file sizes when working with real world

video, such as the tree image, or when recording applications with many gradients or dithered images.

Microsoft Mpeg 4 V2 is also ideal for any application that contains a lot of movement on the screen. However,

this codec’s results in lower quality. While this can be controlled through the quality settings, the loss may

sometimes be much more pronounced than a codec like Microsoft Video 1.

While Mpeg 4 V2 may have more quality loss than other codecs, it compresses well. When using Mpeg 4 V2

to compress a 10 second video of the tree image, the file size was 37% of the size of the TSCC compressed

video and 45% of the size of the Microsoft Video 1 compressed video. Mpeg 4 V2 is the ideal codec for real

world images, gradients and dithered images.

Unfortunately, Microsoft Mpeg 4 V2 is not always distributed within Windows. Most systems should have this

codec available for use but not all may. If Microsoft Mpeg 4 V2 is not listed as a codec on your system, it may

not be installed. Currently, Microsoft is not distributing a standard Video for Windows version of this codec, so

you cannot install the codec from Microsoft’s Web site. However, there are viable third party options that are

very similar to Microsoft Mpeg 4 V2, such as the DivX codec.

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DivX

DivX is an advanced codec created and distributed by www.divxmovies.com. DivX provides excellent

compression with great quality, comparable and often better than Mpeg 4 V2. For general information on this

codec, please visit: http://www.divxmovies.com/codec/

DivX is an excellent alternative to those who do not have Microsoft Mpeg 4 V2.

DivX is not supported for the Web cam recording in Morae. DivX can only be used for the screen

recording.

See also:

• Full Motion Video Default Settings

• Lossless Video Default Settings

• Video Compression Setup Options

Full Motion Video Default Settings

Recorder: Machine Settings button

Manager: Present tab > File > Produce Highlight Video.

The Full motion video option is the best choice for recordings created by Recorder and videos produced by

Manager that contain a lot of real-world motion.

For example, use Full motion video if the recording includes a Picture and Picture (PIP) window or if you are

recording a user interacting with a game or a similarly graphic-intensive application. Although lossless

compression can be used with full-motion content, the resulting file sizes will be large. The Full motion video

option results in some loss of video and audio quality, but the recording/video file sizes are manageable.

If you produce a video using the Full motion video option, the resulting file is in WMV format and plays back in

Windows Media Player.

Recorder default codec settings for Full Motion video

CODEC TYPE RECORDING FILE COMPRESSION

Audio codec Windows Media Audio

Camera video codec Windows Media Video

Screen video codec Microsoft Video 1

Manager default codec settings for Full Motion video

CODEC TYPE VIDEO FILE COMPRESSION

Audio codec Windows Media Audio

Video codec Windows Media Video

See also:

• Commonly Used Codecs

• Lossless Video Default Settings

• Video Compression Setup Options

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Lossless Video Default Settings

Recorder: Machine Settings button

Manager: Present tab > File > Produce Highlight Video.

The Lossless video option is the best choice for recordings and videos that contain primarily typical office-

style application content. The Lossless video option uses the TSCC codec to compress screen video. TSCC

compression is lossless and provides the highest quality and smallest file sizes for low-complexity screen

content.

If you produce a video using the Lossless video option, you will create an AVI file that plays back in the Morae

Player and other media players if the TSCC codec is available on the computer used to play the video.

Recorder default codec settings for Lossless video

CODEC TYPE RECORDING FILE COMPRESSION

Audio codec Windows Media Audio

Camera video codec Windows Media Video

Screen video codec TSCC

Manager default codec settings for Lossless video

CODEC TYPE VIDEO FILE COMPRESSION

Audio codec GSM 6.10

Video codec TSCC

See also:

• Commonly Used Codecs

• Full Motion Video Default Settings

• Video Compression Setup Options

Video Compression Setup Options

Recorder: Machine Settings > Screen Video tab > Custom compression > Video Compression Setup

button

In the Video Compression Setup dialog box, you can change your screen video codec selection and adjust

compression quality and key frame rate. The contents of this dialog box may differ and certain options may be

disabled, depending on the screen video codec chosen. Additional configuration options for the codec may be

available by clicking the Configure button in the Video Compression Setup dialog box.

Each codec has unique configuration options. For more information about a particular codec’s options,

consult the documentation from the company providing that codec. The following table describes the Video

Compression Setup dialog box.

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OPTION DESCRIPTION

Compressor Select the codec from the dropdown list.

Compression quality Configures the codec to compress at a lower image quality

and create a smaller file size, or compress at a higher image

quality, resulting in a larger file size.

Adjust the compression quality using the slider bar. For higher

quality, move the bar to the right. For lower quality, move the

bar to the left.

Key frame every (n)

frames

Specify how often a key frame is recorded. We recommend

that you accept the default value for the codec you have

chosen.

The codec places key frames at regular intervals, either

spacing them by number of seconds or number of

frames. Each codec has an optimized key frame

setting.

Data rate (KB/Sec) Determine the number of bytes of data the codec transmits or

receives in one second. A higher data rate results in better

quality and larger file sizes.

If this option is available for the codec, place a checkmark in

the adjacent box and specify the data rate in Kb/Sec.

Configure Set configuration options for the selected compressor.

Video Compression Setup Configure Button

The Configure button in the Video Compression Setup dialog box allows you to customize the compression

settings for the screen video codec.

This table describes the TSCC codec. Each codec has its own unique configuration options. For

information on each of those options, consult the manufacturer’s documentation.

The following table describes the options in the Configure TSCC dialog box.

OPTION DESCRIPTION AND USE

Compression Control Use the slider bar to choose faster compression (resulting in

a larger file size) or better compression (resulting in a smaller

file size). In all cases, the TSCC video codec is 100%

lossless. Typically, you want faster compression during

recording and a smaller file size when producing/editing.

Default Resets the Compression Control slider to its default

configuration.

See also:

• Commonly Used Codecs

• Full Motion Video Default Settings

• Lossless Video Default Settings

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Morae Recorder COM Server

Morae Recorder supports an out-of-process COM server that gives you access to many of its powerful

recording features. This functionality can be accessed though any programming environment that supports

COM. These include Visual Basic, Visual C/C++, Visual Studio.Net, Delphi and C++ Builder.

The COM Server is built into Morae Recorder. To start using it:

1. Install Recorder. This automatically makes the COM server available to other applications.

2. Next, read the Recorder COM Server documentation. This documentation is located in the Recorder

COM server folder on the Recorder installation CD. The Recorder COM Server documentation can

also be downloaded as a PDF from the TechSmith Web site.

3. Finally, examine and try out the sample programs (also included in the Recorder COM server folder)

on the Recorder installation CD.

Following these steps should quickly give you the information you need to begin developing with the

Recorder COM Server.

See also:

• How Rich Recording Technology (RRT) Works

• Check for Upgrade Settings Options

• Morae Player

• Recording File Recovery Options

• Codecs in Morae

Record Silently

With Morae Recorder, you can start and stop a recording without showing the interface on the participant’s

desktop. This is called “silent recording” and there are three ways to record silently:

• Record Silently by Automating Repeated Recordings

• Record Silently from the Command Line

• Record Silently with the Recorder COM Server

Record Silently by Automating Repeated Recordings

You can automate the recording process to restart Recorder without human intervention. With this option,

Recorder’s interface never appears, allowing you to record silently. For more information, see Defer

Processing of Recordings.

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Record Silently from the Command Line

You can use a command line option to “silently” launch the Recorder application, load a study configuration

and begin recording. When you use the command line option, the interface for Recorder never appears.

The order of command line arguments is:

“[path to Recorder.exe]” “[path to the configuration file]” -start

For example:

“C:\Program Files\TechSmith\Morae\MoraeRecorder.exe”

“C:\Morae\myconfig.mrcfg” -start

- The path to both the MoraeRecorder.exe and the configuration file must be in quotes.

- Arguments must be separated by a space.

- The “-start” argument must NOT be placed in quotes.

- You can create a shortcut for this command line option.

To create a shortcut to the command line

1. Locate the MoraeRecorder.exe.

2. Right-click on the MoraeRecorder.exe and choose Create Shortcut.

3. Right-click on the shortcut you created and choose Properties.

4. On the Shortcut page of the Properties dialog, the Target field displays the command line issued to

the application for this shortcut. Add the arguments to this command line, including a configuration file

name. If you do not specify a file name, Recorder uses its default settings.

5. Add the “–start” argument at the end of the command line.

6. Click OK. When you double-click this custom shortcut, Recorder silently launches.

Record Silently with the Recorder COM Server

Recorder supports an out-of-process COM server that provides access to many of its powerful recording

features. You can use the COM server options to set up custom recording configuration and use the server to

launch and stop Recorder silently. For more information, see Morae Recorder COM Server.

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Morae File Types

The following table describes files types used with Morae.

FILE EXTENSION DESCRIPTION

RDG Save a recording created in Morae Recorder to create a file with an .rdg extension.

Create one recording per participant.

The recording (.rdg) file includes video (camera and screen), logged markers and

tasks, selected event streams (camera, microphone, keystrokes, screen text and

mouse clicks) and study configuration information.

If you do not move all of the rollover files (.r02, .r03, etc.) to a common folder

with the .rdg file, Manager cannot import the recording. For more information,

see File Rollover for Long Recording.

MRCFG In Morae, you create a study configuration (.mrcfg) that contains your study

information, including task definitions, marker definitions and satisfaction surveys.

The study configuration file also contains recording information, including how you

want to start and stop Recorder, what events you want to capture, who will log tasks

in Observer and how you want to process the recordings.

MPR In Manager, use a project file (.mpr) to organize your recordings and studies and

analyze data across recordings and studies.

MPCA Export and import project components (recordings and Title clips) to share your

analysis with another user. You can bring all of your analysis from recordings in one

project into another project using a Morae project component archive.

MGSRCH Once you have created and run a couple of searches, you may find that you use one

or more of them repeatedly. To make the analysis process more efficient, you can

save your most commonly used search profiles in a Morae Manager Search Profile

(.mgsrch) file.

CSV Save the following data in Manager as a .csv file to open in other applications such

as Microsoft Excel:

• Search results from the Analyze tab.

• Graph data from the Graph tab.

TXT Save the Log from Observer after a session is finished in a .txt format. Import the .txt

of the file into Microsoft Excel or other applications for review or to print the Log.

The file is tab-delimited so if you open the file in Excel, it will open with the

data in columns that match the Log.

WMV Record content displayed in Observer and save the video as a .wmv file to

immediately playback and share the recording session.

Produce a highlight video in Manager as either .avi or .wmv format.

AVI Produce a highlight video in Manager as either .avi or .wmv format.

BMP Save a graph or screenshot from Recorder as a bitmap image (.gif) to use in other

applications such as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint.

EMF Save a graph as an bitmap image (.emf) to use in other applications such as

Microsoft Word or PowerPoint.

Pack and Show

EXE

Use Pack and Show to package the Morae Player along with your AVI video in a

single self-extracting zipped .exe file for clients or team members to view. You do not

have to worry about codec installation or know which media player is installed on a

client’s system.

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Morae File Sizes

The following topics provide information about Morae file sizes and moving Recorder files.

Morae Recorder File Size

As a general rule, you can expect to use 10 to 15 MB per minute in a recording (.rdg) file. However, various

factors determine file size and the actual content being recorded is the biggest factor.

By default, Recorder utilizes a lossless compression codec named TSCC (TechSmith Screen Capture Codec),

which greatly compresses any content with solid blocks of color, for example, a standard Windows application

such as Word. However, TSCC does not do a good job of compressing real world images, dithered images,

gradients or other images that lack solid blocks of color.

File Rollover for Long Recordings

The maximum size for a recording (.rdg) file is approximately 600 MB (the size allowed on a CD-ROM). If a

recording is long, or less compressed (depending on your codec selections), it may exceed the 600 MB file

size. If this happens, Recorder creates “rollover” files so the recording can continue to be stored in 600 MB

parcels. The first rollover file has the extension “.r02” and subsequent files are numbered in sequence.

When you have finished recording, you need to move the .rdg file and all of its companion rollover files

together in a folder that Manager can access. When you import the .rdg file into a project, Manager

automatically collects all of the associated rollover files.

If you do not move all of the rollover files to a common folder with the .rdg file, Manager cannot import

the recording.

Moving Recorder Files

During recording, always record to the hard drive of the Recorder machine. Recording over a network is not

recommended because if the network gets busy, the recording can’t stream the data fast enough, resulting in

file corruption or failure.

Morae recording files may not fit on smaller removable storage disks (such as floppy or zip disks). If you

record frequently, recording files may begin to consume hard drive space.

After the recording is completed, you have several options for saving and moving the recording files from the

Recorder machine to a location accessible for Manager. If Manager and Recorder are not installed on the

same computer, we recommend using one of the following methods for recording file storage and transfer:

STORAGE

LOCATION DESCRIPTION MOVING FILES TO MANAGER

Shared

network

directory

Save the recording files in a folder both

Recorder and Manager can access.

Using Manager, browse to the shared

location and import the recordings.

Hard drive

and then burn

to CD/DVD

During recording, save the files

temporarily to the Recorder source

computer’s hard drive.

Burn the files to a CD or DVD and then

move them to the Manager computer.

Thumb drive

or portable

external drive

Record directly onto a thumb drive or

portable external drive to the Recorder

computer. Most of these drives offer

generous storage space at a

reasonable price.

Disconnect the drive and reconnect it to

the Manager computer. Import the

recording files directly into Manager from

the portable drive.

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Morae Highlight Video File Size

The file size of highlight videos can vary greatly depending on the video format selected for production. AVI

highlight videos are generally much larger than WMV files, with higher-quality.

Morae WMV files are often around 3 to 4MB per minute. If you need to distribute your highlight videos over

the web, via email or through other limited space or low bandwidth mediums, we recommend using WMV.

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Managing Recording Files

After a recording is complete, Recorder creates one recording (.rdg) file. The .rdg file for the current recording

is stored in the Folder location defined in the study configuration.

If you did not specify a folder in the study configuration, recording files are saved in a default output folder on

the Recorder computer. To view or change the default output folder location, choose Record > Machine

Settings > Preferences tab.

Depending on the storage medium or your network configuration, you may have to take additional steps to

ensure that Manager can access the recording files when you are ready to import them. For more information,

see Moving Recorder Files.

Recording File Processing and Verification

After you complete a recording, there is a delay while the recording file is written out. Once the file is written

out, there is another delay while it is automatically verified by Recorder. During verification, Recorder

examines the file to verify it has been written without any errors. If an error is detected, Recorder notifies you

and gives you the option to either repeat the writing out process or to delete the recording.

If you do not want to wait for file processing and verification to occur between recordings, use the batch

processing feature. For more information, see Batch Process Recordings.

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