How to Record an AVI With a Webcam
Camcorders and portable video cameras are great for creating movie clips while on the go. However, converting the video created on portable cameras to a format usable in Windows sometimes requires some expensive or hard-to-use software. Although designed primarily for use with video chat applications, webcams are also well-suited to creating AVI recordings from your PC, which are compatible with virtually all media player programs. Most video chat clients lack recording features; nevertheless, using free webcam capture programs available on the Web, you can create an AVI movie with your webcam in minutes.
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Instructions
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Download a video-capture program that allows you to record video from your webcam and save it as an AVI movie clip file. Programs such as Debut, YawCam and VideoMonitor are free and simple-to-use utilities that support saving webcam recording as AVI files. Save the setup utility to your computer.
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Click "Start," then "Computer." In Windows Explorer, open the folder where you saved the webcam recording utility setup file. Double-click the file and follow the prompts to complete installation of the webcam program. Restart your computer if prompted.
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Connect the cable from your webcam to a USB port on the computer. Wait a few seconds while Windows configures the webcam on your PC. In most cases, Windows does not require extra software to configure the webcam. However, if Windows prompts you for a driver or installation disc, insert the CD into the optical drive and follow the prompts.
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Launch the webcam utility on your computer. Click the "Options," "Preferences" or "Tools" menu option. Click "Camera Settings," "Device Settings" or "Webcam Settings." Select the device name of your detected webcam, and then click "OK" or "Save."
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Click the "Preview" or "View Webcam" link in the program window. Position the webcam so your face -- or the target of the video -- is visible in the preview window.
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Click the "Record" or "Record Video" button. Record audio and video of yourself or your target using the webcam. After you finish, click the "Stop" or "End Recording" button.
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Click "File," then "Save" if a "Save As" pop-up window does not appear automatically. Browse to the folder where you want to save the webcam recording. Enter a name for the video file in the "Save Video As" or "Save As" box. Select "AVI," "Microsoft AVI" or "Windows AVI" in the "File Type" or "Save as File Type" drop-down list.
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Click the "OK" or "Save" button. The utility saves the webcam recording as a Windows AVI file in the folder you selected.
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