How to Record Game Audio with GameCam and FRAPS in Windows 7

So due to the impending release of the newly rebooted XCOM: Enemy Unknown, I was finally forced to get off my lazy bum and do what I should have done ages ago: make the shift to Windows 7.

So why the procrastination? Everything was working fine and dandy with Windows XP so I never really saw the need to shift to Windows 7. It is because of the above reason that I was only mildly surprised when GameCam refused to record my voice.

I found the solution though. I didn't even google for the fix. The screenshot-riddled guide after the jump. (FRAPS users can also benefit from this guide as, like GameCam, it still uses Stereo Mix.)




(Note for GameCam users: Before trying this guide out, make sure your speaker configuration is set to 2.1 as I've noticed the software has trouble recording multichannel audio.)


To summarize, you have to:


1. Make sure Stereo Mix is enabled in the OS.
2. Make sure the Stereo Mix recording is set low enough so as not to make your recording sounding scratchy/distorted.
3. Make sure your mic's recording level is set low enough so as not to make your recording sounding scratchy/distorted.
3. Make sure GameCam is set to record from Stereo Mix.

But I can't find the Stereo Mix tab! Or worse: I know where to find the Stereo Mix tab but it's missing from the Sound -> Recording section! Don't fret. Here's how you locate the tab/make the tab visible:



Making the Stereo Mix Tab Visible/Enabling Stereo Mix:


Right click on the speaker icon. Click on "Recording Devices".

This interface will pop up:

 To make the Stereo Mix tab visible, right click on any of the tabs and check "Show Disabled Devices."

Now that we've made the tab visible, enable Stereo Mix by right clicking on it and clicking "Enable."

Adjusting the Stereo Mix and Microphone Recording Levels:


To ensure that the recording volume of Stereo Mix is just the right level, right click once again on the tab and click "Properties."

The Stereo Mix Properties interface should pop up. I've set mine to 8.

Setting up the microphone's recording level follows a similar procedure. Right click on the microphone tab and select "Properties."

From here, you can adjust the microphone recording level and Microphone Boost setting to your liking:

Finally, make sure the other tabs are disabled (I've read some users solved their video game recording problems once they disabled CD Audio.):

Setting GameCam and FRAPS' Capture Device to "Stereo Mix":


Finally, make sure that you've set the Capture Device setting to "Stereo Mix" in GameCam's Audio tab:

The FRAPS equivalent of the audio tab:

I hope that helps!