Kaltura Capture Desktop Recorder

This software can be used for making recordings at your desktop, and it’s free for staff and students at the University. You can record your voice, webcam video, screen and/or a PowerPoint presentation. When you’ve made a recording, you can make simple edits and upload the resulting video to the web. Also, recordings can be linked to Learn when needed.

How to download the Desktop Recorder

Go to Media Hopper.

Click the GUEST button in the top right to Login.

Under the ADD NEW button, choose Launch Desktop Recorder.

If you’ve already installed the Desktop Recorder, it should open.

If you haven’t installed the Desktop Recorder, you’ll be taken to a page where you can download it.

Further help with downloading and installing the software

Full instructions on how to download the Desktop Recorder

See these instructions as a video

How to make a recording

When you open the Desktop Recorder, you’ll see a window like this:

The Desktop Recorder tool allows you to simultaneously record either two displays or webcams, a webcam and a display, or either of these by themselves, in addition to a voice-over.

You can choose which video input to record using the drop-down menus under the icons on tool. Click on the ‘down’ arrow to see a preview of each input and select what should be recorded from the drop-down menu, such as a display or a webcam.

If you would not like to record multiple inputs, click on the icon to turn it from blue to grey, indicating that it will not be recorded.

Make sure your microphone is selected and set to record. Click on the drop-down icon under the microphone icon and select your microphone from the drop-down menu. The microphone icon should be blue. 

You can now launch your presentation in PowerPoint, making the slides full screen on the monitor you have set to be recorded. 

You can navigate through your presentation using mouse clicks or the arrow keys as you talk. 

You can click the Pencil icon to show the drawing tools during your presentation/screen recording to annotate and highlight information. Press the Delete button to clear your annotations. 

Click Pause to temporarily suspend your recording, or Stop to finish recording, then click Yes, Stop it to confirm. 

Your recorded presentation can be previewed before being saved and uploaded. 

Use this screen to enter relevant information about your video. Remember to add tags as this is a useful way for others to search for and reuse your content (depending on your privacy settings).

When you are ready to upload your presentation to Media Hopper Create, click Save & Upload. It will be added to your My Media area on the Media Hopper Create web portal. 

Once your presentation has been uploaded, you can make edits to it, such as Trimming and Chopping by clicking the Edit icon next to the entry and clicking Launch Editor 

Further instructions

Hints for recording lectures

These quick tips will help you record a lecture that is well received by your students.

• Try to break the lecture into 10 – 15 minute sections 
• If you are able, end each 15-min chunk with a task for the students, e.g. to jot down their thoughts on a particular question, or to re-read a salient bit of text. This helps them to keep engaged.
• If you are recording yourself, don’t position yourself in front of a window as this will result in back-lighting. Try to have a natural light or soft source of light on your face.
• Position yourself so that your camera is at about the same level as your eyes.
• Try not to sit on a swivel chair, if possible. It’s very easy to sway from side to side without thinking, which looks a bit strange on a recording (if your face is being recorded).
• Use a decent USB or headset microphone,this will typically produce better sound quality than the microphone built into your PC or laptop.