Capturing DirectRT session as a video

[I][edited from support email][/I]

Dear Empirisoft

I'm running an experiment using DirectRT v2008, which involves looking at series of pictures. I would like to combine this experiment with eye-tracking to supplement the reaction time data. The way the system is set up currently, the computer running DirectRT is connected to a monitor through a vga-to-video adapter. The adapter then sends a signal either through composite or s-video to the eye-tracking computer's video capture card. The eye-tracking computer will then use that video input as a reference for the eye-tracker. So far so good.

My problem is that I get a very good signal from the DirectRT computer as long as DirectRT isn't running (windows is displayed). The moment I start up the experiment in DirectRT, the signal is lost (the video capture will simply show vertical lines in different color). This happens regardless of whether I'm using s-video or composite (the video capture card does not accept RGB or other inputs). Do you know why this is? I was thinking it might have to do with DirectRT changing the output signal somehow, maybe changing the resolution? However, changing the video decoder, NTSC/PAL input or other settings do not bring back the signal. As soon as I exit the experiment, the signal returns showing windows in all its glory. I did try to search your forums for an answer, but couldn't find anything. Have you come across this before?

I hope you can help me out. Please don't hesitate to write if you need further information.

No I have not come across this before, but it does make sense. DirectRT is not like other Windows programs and doesn’t pass through a video out in quite the same way the normal display does. Think of it like a "layer" of video that is being displayed independently of the regular display. It's the same issue that prevents one from getting a screen capture of a DirectRT session by pressing the PrintScreen keyboard button.

A couple suggestions. One--look via Google for some solution (hardware or software) that allows you to pass out a "full screen directx" application or "overlay video" for video capture. The second suggestion I'd have is to try our DirectRT beta for Windows Vista. It runs on XP also but has a handy benefit of being able to run in "Windowed" mode which might allow it to pass through your system as if it were regular video.

Those are a couple of my initial thoughts anyways. I'd be curious to hear the results of your efforts to solve this.