RE: Recording a discovery section

[lorraine -at- lorraineflynn -dot- com]

Hi Chris

Thanks for the tips. Yes, the users will watch a projected computer
monitor as well as get on their soap boxes, so I guess I will need to run
some sort of screen capture software in the background while I tape the
room.

Can I really use a webcam to tape the room? I didn't know they had that
kind of power. I was thinking of getting a camcorder with a built in hard
drive. The shotgun mike sounds like a must either way. If I went the
webcam and shotgun route what kind of software would I use to capture the
sound? Could you recommend a webcam?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Lorraine

> Lorraine:
>
> I've done a couple of these a few different ways and found that sound is
> the most import and the most difficult.  Video can be easily supported
> with pictures or images later, but sound is had to re-do.
>
> If video is import, get a DV camera with an external lapel (lavalier)
> microphone to record one person or a shotgun (directional) microphone to
> record a group.  If video isn't important, use the webcam, but get an
> external lapel mic or a shotgun mic.  I got my lapel mic for $25 and my
> shotgun mic for $50 from Amazon.com and it was well worth the
> investment.  Missing a comment is so frustrating when you try to review
> the material with a group.
>
> As a note, most DV video cameras record sound very well, so well that
> some of them record the hum of the tape and motors in the camera.  I
> haven't experienced this a lot, but it's another reason to get an
> external microphone.
>
> The nice thing about webcams is they are portable; video cameras may
> require plugging into an electric socket if you're going to record for
> longer periods than the battery allows for.
>
> A couple questions, are the users in the discovery session going to be
> reviewing content on-line or on a computer screen?  Or are these
> tangible items?  A DV video camera or webcam will struggle to record
> monitors, you'll want to use a screen capture program like Camtasia.
> (www.techsmith.com)
>
> - Chris
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+chrism=docutechcorp -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+chrism=docutechcorp -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of lorraine -at- lorraineflynn -dot- com
> Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 12:03 PM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Recording a discovery section
>
> Hello
>
> Can anybody recommend a good way to record a user discovery session? Are
> webcams useless and should we spring for a video camera? Will it pick up
> sound ok? I have to run some user sessions for a lessons learned type
> document but am quite inexperienced in this area.
>
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
>
> L.
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