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I need a program that I can make a video recording using my webcam and an external microphone for a music audition. This has to happen while I'm using the same machine/setup to Skype with the interviewer. Any suggestions? I'd preferably like something that's free, but I can buy something that's relatively low cost if it's a decent program.

Requirements for webcam recording software:
Accepts external mic input: Obviously better sound than the webcam mic.
Accepts a second aux input: I need to play along with music, so I'll have a direct audio feed of the music audio allowing me to adjust levels of the music and my external mic independently.

Wants for webcam recording software:
It would be nice to have control over video resolution and framerates. I need to upload the recording to an ftp site and the video is (obviously) not overly important, so the smaller the video footprint the better. I know I could use handbrake to compress the video, but it'd be easier if I can just make adjustments for the initial recording.

Sounds like fun! What's the ideal outcome of the interview? What kind of music do you do?

I don't think Skype shares the access to the webcam...

Yeah, I couldn't get Skype to send to both Skype and YAWCam last week when I tried.

But if you don't move your Skype instance, maybe you could use a different program to record video from a certain area of your display?

Or perhaps a camcorder or webcam connected to a different computer if you don't need to record identical footage?

First problem first: A program that can record from the webcam and external mic. Just looking for any recommendations here. I can google up a bunch but don't have experience with any.

If Skype doesn't share access to the webcam, from the link above: I might give that "Free Screencast" software a try. Thinking maybe I can put Skype full-screen and use that program to give me an image, then I just need to figure out how to get my external Mic to both programs....unless Skype doesn't share the mic either...

I believe virtualbox can pull in video from accessories.

If that doesn't work I'd try Open Broadcaster Software to grab the skype window (this is what people use to stream video games, it allows both local recording and broadcasting to twitch et all).

BobbinThreadbare wrote:

I believe virtualbox can pull in video from accessories.

A VM running in VirtualBox or VMware Player should be able to talk directly to anything that interfaces to the system via a USB 2.0 port.

I actually meant virtualdub. D'oh!

BobbinThreadbare wrote:

I actually meant virtualdub. D'oh!

Regardless of what you meant, using a VM still could be a potential solution. Though probably more complicated than necessary.

VLC can open up a webcam stream, though I'm not sure how well it will share that hardware resource with another application.

So for strictly the webcam video recording function: YAWCam seems to have been the only suggestion so far. Is that the go-to?

I have a second webcam, so the Skype sharing isn't an issue.

(Updated info in OP.)

I'm using Xsplit for what I'm doing for streaming the BBQ this year, it should be able to do what you are talking about easily.

just brew it! wrote:

BobbinThreadbare wrote:

I believe virtualbox can pull in video from accessories.

A VM running in VirtualBox or VMware Player should be able to talk directly to anything that interfaces to the system via a USB 2.0 port.

Never had luck using USB video capture devices with Virtualbox. Their USB support is just too damn flaky. VMWare hasn't had a problem however with it.