Click here for printable version of this User Guide

Overview
Setting up Freecorder 4
How to Save a Web Video
How to Record Web Audio
How to Play Your Recordings
How to Convert Video and Audio Files
Search Enhancements
Watching Online TV Stations
Listening to Radio
The Replay Media Guide
Browser Interface Customization
More Information

Other Links

Download Page
Freecorder 4 Information Page
Support

Overview

Freecorder 4 is a great way to capture and convert many kinds of audio and video from the internet. It also includes some optional search enhancements, a radio player, a TV player, and the Replay Media Guide. Freecorder 4 is 100% free.

Freecorder 4 works within your Internet Explorer or Firefox browser. The buttons on the toolbar let you do these cool things:

• Save Web Video
• Record Web Audio
• Convert Video and Audio files
• Play downloaded media, including FLV Files
• Watch Online TV Stations
• Listen to Radio
• Explore the Applian Media Guide

Important Legal note: The audio and video you record for your personal use may be copyrighted. Under the current laws of most countries, you are allowed to save these recordings and watch them yourself, but any redistribution or rebroadcast of these programs to others constitutes illegal use. Please respect the rights of the content owners when recording.

Setting up Freecorder 4

Before using Freecorder 4, we recommend you check out the program settings.

Click the Settings button . The Settings screen appears:

Storage Directory

This is where your saved video and audio files are placed.

Video Capture Settings

Temporary Storage Size: This allows you to set a limit on how much disk space you want for saving streaming video or audio files. In many cases, a separate (temporary) copy of the streaming media file needs to be saved to your PC. If this size limit is exceeded, older files are automatically deleted.

Monitor Internet Explorer's temporary directory: If you are getting two of every video file when recording from Internet Explorer, uncheck this option. If you change the User Account Control option on your PC, then you may need to change this option as well. This is configured to the proper setting the first time you use Freecorder 4.

Audio Capture Settings

MP3 Audio Bit rate: This specifies the quality and size of recorded audio files. The larger the number, the better the quality, and the larger the file. Most Web audio is not streamed at a quality higher than 128 Kbps, so increasing this setting won't make lousy audio files sound any better.

Freecorder 4 has two different audio recording technologies. If you get multiple copies of an audio file when recording, you can enable or disable them using these settings:

Record using Windows Vista Audio Technology: Specific to Windows Vista, this method is most reliable for Vista users. This has no effect on XP machines.

Record using Applian Audio Driver Technology: This method will work on 99% of machines. If the other method isn't always working, or if you are using Window XP or 2000, make sure this method is selected.

How to Save a Web Video

Freecorder 4 watches your "video cache" and privately keeps track of every video you've watched. If you've just viewed something you'd like to save on your PC, here's how to save it:

1. Click Video History . You'll be presented with the following screen:
   
   



2. Click the file to save, then press the Save button . The Save dialog appears:
   
   
   
   
3. You can rename your file here. Click Save to save it to disk in your Storage Directory.

Hint: To save a video, it needs to be fully downloaded to your PC. Normally if you've watched it already, then it's ready to save.

Other things you can do from this screen after selecting a media file:

Play the selected file.

Remove the selected file from the list.

Delete all entries from the list.

Cool Trick: Video History works with many audio files too.

Product Tip
	To capture more kinds of streaming video, try Replay Media Catcher.

How to Record Web Audio

The Record Audio feature acts just like a tape recorder. Anything you are listening to can be captured in real time - as you listen.

Here's how to record audio using Freecorder 4:

1. Click the Record Audio button . The Audio Recording window appears:
   
   
   
   
2. Play your audio. You'll see the wavy lines in the audio recording window move. This indicates that Freecorder 4 is able to "hear" the audio you want saved.
3. When you're finished, hover over the recording window and click the Stop Recording button.
   
   
   
   
4. The Recorded Audio window appears showing your recording:
   
   
   
   
5. In many cases, you'll get two copies of a recording, depending upon how you've configured the Audio Capture Settings. (See Settings for details on configuring this in the best way.)
6. Check the recording you'd like to save, and click Close. The MP3 file is saved to your Storage Directory.

Hint: Right-click on any recording to see more options:

Product Tip
	If you're recording songs, try Replay Music. This advanced audio recorder will automatically split songs into individual tracks, and identify and tag your MP3 files with artist, album, title and genre information.

How to Play Your Recordings

To play your saved media files, Freecorder 4 makes it easy to open your storage directory and see your audio and video files.

1. Click the Play button .
2. The folder with your media files opens (looking something like this):
   
   
   
   
3. Double click on any file to play it.

How to Convert Video and Audio Files

Freecorder 4 not only saves files, but includes a simple convert function to let you "transcode" your video and audio files to other formats. Here's how it works:

1. Click the Convert button . The Convert window appears:
   
   
   
   
2. A list of your recorded files appears. Click the check box next to each file you want to convert.
3. Pick the target format from the Select New Format list.
4. If you'd like the converted file to be automatically added to iTunes, select the Add to iTunes Library option.
5. You can change the folder where your converted files are saved by changing the Select Directory option.
6. Click Begin to start the conversion process. You'll see your conversion status:
   
   
   
   
7. When your conversions are finished, you'll see a window like this.
   
   
   

Product Tip
	For faster, more advanced conversions, including DVD burning, try Replay Converter.

Search Enhancements

Freecorder 4 has some neat tricks to make web searches via Google easier as well. Give these tricks a try:

• Highlight any text in your browser. That text appears in the search box. Click Go to do a Google search.
• Enter text into the search box and click Go.
• Use the down arrow next to the Go button to do Video Search, News Search, Site Search, Image Search and more:
  
  
  
  

Watching Online TV Stations

Freecorder 4 has a built-in TV Player, so you can watch popular web television channels from all over the world.

1. Click the button.
2. Choose a country and channel from the menu.
   
   
   
   

Listening to Radio

Freecorder 4 also has a handy radio player. To use it:

1. Click the down arrow on the radio player.
2. Pick a station from the menu.
   
   
   
   

The Replay Media Guide

Discover thousands of radio stations, podcasts and TV channels with the Replay Media Guide. This is a part of the Replay AV product, which you can use to explore a lot of great online media.

Browser Interface Customization

You can decide how Freecorder 4 appears in your browser, including:

• Add or remove buttons.
• Use icons or full text buttons.
• Add other useful components.

To customize Freecorder 4, click the down arrow next to the logo. A menu appears:

You can turn the Freecorder 4 interface into just icons using the Shrink Toolbar option:

To add or remove features from the Freecorder 4 interface:

1. Click Toolbar Options.
2. Use Personal Components to add extra features:
   
   
   
   
3. Use Predefined Components to add or remove buttons from Freecorder 4:
   
   
   
   
4. Experiment with the other options too.

More Information

For more information about everything you can do with Freecorder 4, click here.