Comments on: Mobile Usability Testing Tip: Recording from Two Webcams

By: More mobile usability testing sleds… | 90 Percent Of Everything

Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:11:09 +0000

By: PhDblog.co.uk » Meeting #9

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:25:20 +0000

[…] because this type of testing is still in its infancy.Â I did however find a guerila approach by Harry Brignall (of Dark Patterns fame) which I think may […]

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By: KH

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 18:10:23 +0000

Hey Harry, wanted to give you a follow up to the sled you inspired us to build. Check it out.

http://twitpic.com/3673d5

Best,
KH

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By: Leanne Waldal

Sat, 09 Oct 2010 01:09:44 +0000

Fabulous! I love new ideas for how to record iphones, android devices, ipads, etc.

I think Morae is too expensive for what it does.

Here’s what I did with a banana holder (less glam than the acrylic molded over a toaster!) and existing equipment and software I had on hand to do recording on a Mac (looks like AmCap is Windows only and Camtasia is much more expensive than Silverback for recording picture in picture video)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwaldal/4900501706/

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By: Harry Brignull

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:32:47 +0000

Felix, in the past I’ve used a really, really long VGA cable and mirrored the display on the test computer for the viewing room. For the audio, I’ve used a separate microphone in the testing room connected to an amp and speakers in the viewing room. Low tech, but it works if the rooms are adjascent. You need a push-hole between the two rooms or at least a gap under the doors to run the cables through!

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By: Felix Desroches

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:28:12 +0000

Great solution, definitely looks nicer than ones I’ve used in the past. Everything from IKEA desk lamps to car dashboard phone holders have done the trick for me.

The biggest problem isn’t recording 2 streams, it’s broadcasting them to remote teams at the same time – with 2 camera feeds, Quicktime Recorder, and either Ustream or GoToMeeting running, my poor (brand new!) MacBook Pro slows to a crawl.

We’ve taken to using 2 computers to reduce lag, but it’s still not ideal.

Thoughts?

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By: Duhmcah

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:12:01 +0000

I have always used Morae for two webcams because to me setting up and getting results have always been pain free. The biggest problem I have found as Nick has said is how people hold the device, changing between landscape and portrait orientation is something I would love to see a solution for. I have set up over the shoulder filming but asking a participants to hold the device in a certain area is something I feel is unnatural. Filming the mobile device and how the participant picks it up, holds it and moves it is what I would like to observe and present to my clients

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By: Nick

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:56:34 +0000

Hiya Harry. Thanks for the mention, but you might have overcooked it calling me an expert.

With handheld and touch screen devices you do need both cameras to realistically convey the expedience and interaction, so a mixer, Morae or the software you mention is required, but you don’t want your camera setup to change the way people hold or interact with the device, especially with switching between landscape and portrait.

I’ve recently made filming setups for capturing tablet use during UX research projects with iPad apps etc. and went through a fair bit of trial and error.. including these twoâ€¦

1. Head mounted cameras free the device of ‘strap-ons’ but the moderator becomes the star of the show when participants eyeball you instead of the device as they tell their story.

2. Mounting the user-facing camera on the handheld device sounds like an option, but you end up with seasickness-inducing footage.

I ended up making a custom iPad filming rig which seemed to do the trick nicely.

As an alternative you can try mounting a webcam on a boom between the participant and the device and asking the participant to ‘hold it roughly in this area please’ to keep it in shot.

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By: Andrew

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:16:18 +0000

Great post, Harry.

We actually posted about this over on the HumanCentric blog:
http://blog.humancentric.com/record-two-camera-feeds-using-only-free-software/

We were able to do two cameras for free and make the final recording look somewhat nice.

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