Rolf shows how to get those in the second episode (I think) of MtG, the one about setting up Gimp. You go to File –> Dialogs –> Tools. Here you can choose which tools are to visible in the toolbox.

-buffer-size N

where N is number of frames. Maybe that is the key to getting a good audio capture? This option is not available in gtk-recordmydesktop that I can see.

Ogg Theora (the video codec I believe recordmydesktop uses) obviously requires multiples of 16, and 600/16=37.5, so that doesn’t work. 592 and 608 on the other hand, are multiples of 16, so those work.

I have one further tip for getting the right size. Use the commandline version of recordmydesktop and a “special” wall paper for your desktop.

commandline:

recordmydesktop -x 100 -y 100 -width 800 -height 608 --no-sound -fps 15 -o video.ogg

Everything that is in the rectangle is recorded.

1) Since recordmydesktop does not record sound reliably, turn off sound recording (in gtk-recordmydesktop this is a checkbox that should be unchecked).

2) Use gnome-sound-recorder (in Ubuntu this is in the Sound & Video apps under “Sound Recorder”) to record sound simultaneously while doing the video capture with recordmydesktop.

3) In order to make sound synchronization easier for Rolf, use the “stopwatch” application and after starting video click Start in the stopwatch and read aloud the first few seconds as displayed on the stopwatch. Move the stopwatch out of the way, and then at the end of the video move the stopwatch back into view and read aloud the (still running) seconds again to put down audio sync markers at the end of the video (need a CLAP! board).

4) Rolf has requested that video be 800×600, and the closest that I can seem to get with recordmydesktop is either 800×608 or 800×592. A test window can be put up and a desktop ruler (like kruler for example) can be used to size the window, then in recordmydesktop use the Select Window button to pick the window. A quick test video and check inside Totem Movie Player to verify size (clumsy — is there a better way?).

5) Send the video and audio files separately to Rolf and he composites them together in his video editor.

Anyway, just working with what I have… better ideas welcome.

I think the challenge idea is a good one because it encourages people to try new features and methods that they would not otherwise use. So the process is educational regardless of whether one solves the problem.

Would it be possible to add the bittorrent links to the Miro/RSS feed, or perhaps make an additional feed with the bittorrent links? (Otherwise, the feed readers don’t recognize the fact that there are torrent files.)

Thanks for making such a great show,
Nick

@jgack: I hope that some people are challenged by the challenge. It’s quie tricky – with some of them have no clue where to start.

I love the way you pronounced my name the German way. I don’t pronounce it that way here (USA) but yours is so authentic, so don’t change a thing. I haven’t even watched the whole video yet — been fixing the plumbing today. Big mess as always.

Bill

P.S. I managed to compile and run the new Kdenlive kde4 version (which will eventually be 0.7 I think), but it locks up when I place an audio track.

I predict responses will include advice from professionals in that field, as well as innovations from knowledgeable and creative gimp experts who just may show the document professionals some new tricks.

Regards,
..jim