FAQ About Variable Frame Rate (VFR) and Constant Frame Rate (CFR)
The following is a brief and clear FAQ about the frame rate modes in oCam.
Q. What exactly is Variable Frame Rate?
Variable Frame Rate (VFR) and Constant Frame Rate (CFR) are distinguished by the number of frames in the recorded video file. If the number of frames per second remains the same throughout a certain period of recorded video, it is considered Constant Frame Rate. On the other hand, if the frame count changes even for just one second during recording, it is classified as Variable Frame Rate. For example, if a screen is recorded for 5 seconds and every second is recorded at exactly 30 frames, it is Constant Frame Rate. However, if the video is recorded at 25 frames per second during the 3 to 4 second section of those 5 seconds, while the rest is recorded at 30 frames per second, it is Variable Frame Rate. However, the frame count in the final part of the video (for example, the last 0.5 seconds of a 4.5-second recording) is excluded when determining whether it is Constant or Variable Frame Rate. In other words, if a video was recorded for 4.5 seconds, stayed consistently at 30 frames per second for the first 4 seconds, and only the final 0.5 seconds had fewer than 30 frames, it is still regarded as Constant Frame Rate.
Q. If I record a game at 60 FPS in oCam with Variable Frame Rate mode enabled, and my system is powerful enough that there is no lag at all, will it be recorded as Constant Frame Rate?
If your system performance is good enough that no lag occurs during recording, then even if Variable Frame Rate mode is enabled, the result may still be recorded as Constant Frame Rate. This is because oCam is operating in an environment where it can accurately record all 60 frames per second. In other words, even in Variable Frame Rate mode, if the frame count remains consistent, the result will be the same as Constant Frame Rate. Therefore, if your system can stably maintain 60 FPS, the recorded video will be saved at a fixed 60 frames per second.
Q. I recorded a game in oCam at 60 FPS for 5 seconds, but exactly 30 frames per second were recorded (150 frames total). Is this Variable Frame Rate?
In this case, the recorded video is regarded as 30 FPS Constant Frame Rate. Even if oCam was set to 60 FPS, if only 30 frames per second were actually recorded consistently, the frame count is still constant, so it is classified as Constant Frame Rate. Variable Frame Rate applies only when the frame count changes during recording. Simply failing to reach the configured 60 FPS does not make it Variable Frame Rate. Therefore, in this case, a video file recorded consistently at 30 FPS is created.
Q. I recorded at 60 FPS in Variable Frame Rate mode, and the game was output at 60 FPS, so why does the recorded file show 59.xx FPS?
Even if the game is output at 60 FPS, the actual screen output may not occur at exact intervals of 16.66666666666667 ms (1000 ms รท 60). In most cases, the frame intervals are not perfectly uniform because of tiny differences measured in milliseconds. As a result, the recorded video may be displayed as 59.xx FPS. In addition, oCam calculates and displays FPS in 200-millisecond intervals, so even if it appears as 60 FPS on screen, it may actually be recorded as 59.xx FPS. To resolve this issue, change the setting in oCam to Constant Frame Rate mode before recording. Since Constant Frame Rate attempts to maintain the specified FPS, it can minimize these small differences.
Q. If my computer performance is low when recording in Constant Frame Rate mode, will it be recorded as Variable Frame Rate instead?
No. If you set it to Constant Frame Rate mode, it will still be recorded as Constant Frame Rate even if your computer performance is low. However, if system performance is insufficient, for example, when attempting to record at 120 FPS in Constant Frame Rate mode, the video file will still be created at 120 FPS, but the video quality may drop or severe lag may occur. This happens when the system is forced to maintain the specified frame rate and stuttering appears as a result. Therefore, on lower-performance computers, it is recommended to choose an appropriate frame rate or consider settings that reduce system load.
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oCam Quick Overview of Key Features
oCam (oCam) Key Features Overview
You can see the following screen when you run the program.
Select one of the top tabs to choose the recording type first: Screen Recording, Game Recording, or Sound Recording, and then start.
This is a brief explanation of the buttons for each function.
Record - Pressing this button starts recording immediately. The recorded video can be viewed by pressing the Open button.
Capture - Captures the screen.
Open - Opens the folder containing recorded videos, recorded audio, and captured images in Windows Explorer.
Codec - Sets the codec to use when pressing the record button in oCam.
By default, you can use oCam's built-in codec, hardware codecs such as NVIDIA NVENC, and VFW (external codec).
You can also select GIF recording.
Sound - For screen recording and sound-only recording, you can set whether to record only system sound, record both system sound and microphone, or not record sound.
Game Recording - To record a game, click the Game Recording button. When the Game Recording button is activated, activate the game window and then press the recording hotkey to start recording.
In addition, you can configure many detailed program features in Menu -> Options.
Recording Area - There is a large rectangle, several small square boxes, and a drag-shaped icon in the center.
The large rectangle is the recording or capture area.
The small squares can be dragged to adjust the size of the recording or capture area.
The drag icon in the center can move the recording or capture area.
You can also move it more precisely by using the arrow keys together with Ctrl and Shift.