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  1. Record
  2. MovieRecorder Express

MovieRecorder Express

Entry-level multichannel edit-while-ingest

Open and flexible live ingest solution

  • Edit-while-ingest (growing files)
  • Gang and Schedule recordings
  • Automatically detect incoming video format
  • 
Integrated Remote Control 

  • Automatic file naming and folder creation
  • NDI® sources

Ten years after the release of the first version of MovieRecorder, we are bringing another major (r)evolution to ingest solutions with MovieRecorder 4 and MovieRecorder Express 4.

MovieRecorder Express is an entry-level version of MovieRecorder. It uses the same reliable recording engine and beautiful user interface as MovieRecorder 4, with many of the same outstanding features, such as edit-while-ingest, NDI® sources, scheduling, remote control, etc.  But it limits some of the available features to make it even more affordable for those whose needs do not require the full package of MovieRecorder 4. See below for the complete list of features.

Main features 
Record Multiple Channels on one Mac.

With MovieRecorder Express you can record multiple channels of HD video on a single Mac— the only limit is the capacity of the CPU and the amount of available storage. When new Macs are released, , the capability to record more channels may increase. If you need more than what one Mac can do, you can have multiple computers but control all ingest from a single workstation. And doing a multi-camera ingest is very easy with the gang record feature.

NDI® Sources.

At NAB 2017, we announced the ability to output to NDI® with all our playout software, and it proved to be very successful, with a lot of customers embracing the new technology. It is only natural that we now support recording those sources in MovieRecorder. NDI® is an open, low-latency, video-over-IP protocol developed by NewTek™. It uses a simple gigabit ethernet cable to transmit video and audio over a local area network between multiple video systems. Now, thanks to NDI®, you can transfer HD and 4K video over a simple Ethernet cable. There is no need for additional routers or even SDI cables anymore,  further demonstrating the ease-of-use and reliability of our products. NDI® opens the world to a different way of doing video production and to an ecosystem of devices supporting the protocol.

NDI® is a registered trademark of NewTek, Inc.

Fully Configurable user interface.

Thanks to MovieRecorder Express 4's new user interface you can customize the display with multiple viewers’ sizes and positions. Select the number of Viewers you want to display at once, and then choose the layout that best suits your needs. MovieRecorder comes with a whole set of preconfigured layouts, but you can also customize them  yourself.

HEVC Support.

With the advent of 4K, an even more efficient codec than H.264 was needed. This is why HEVC/H265 has been created. Files can be compressed to 40% of the size of an H.264 compression without losing quality. But that encoding efficiency required a lot of horsepower, and even the highest end Mac Pro was not able to encode to HEVC in real time. And for MovieRecorder, as we encode live, we need real time! 

With macOS 10.13, Apple has added the ability to use the HEVC hardware acceleration available on some computers (those running the 6th Generation Intel Core and over), allowing us to fully take advantage of the coded.

Scheduled Recording.

The ability to schedule recordings is a must for any recording device and will greatly improve your productivity. With MovieRecorder Express, scheduled recording is as easy as programming your DVR, because it is integrated into the program. You can schedule recordings to automatically start at a specified time, by date or day(s) of the week.

Edit while ingesting.

Users very often need their media to be “edit-ready” even while the event that is being recorded continues. This allows editors to start working on growing files during the show, so that they can be done editing sooner, and sometimes even before the show ends. This can for example be used for shows where you want to have a short summary ready at the end of the show. Files created by MovieRecorder Express can grow in Apple’s Final Cut Pro or Adobe's Premiere Pro. 

Flexible timecode sources

MovieRecorder Express supports multiple timecode sources for your best convenience.

  • Mac Clock: That's the simplest timecode source, available with all Mac. ;-)
  • Audio LTC: Use an audio input on your Mac and we'll decode the TC
  • Embedded TC: Use SDI embedded TC (even if only one of your source has TC, you can share it with the others, so you only need one TC embedder)
  • Video device timecode input: Some video devices have a TC input connector
  • Timecode Systems products allow to retrieve timecode using WiFi, Network or Bluetooth. Read more about Timecode Systems...

 

Price per channel
695
  • There is no upgrade path from MovieRecorder 3 to MovieRecorder Express 4. If you want to upgrade to MovieRecorder 4, check this page.
Available options
  • Dongle - Instead of a serial number, receive a dongle that does not require activation. Ideal when you want to move your license around from Mac to Mac. One dongle can be used to hold up to 10 licenses.
  • GPICommander - Control the recordings using GPI

Downloads

Download MovieRecorder Express

  MovieRecorder Express 4
Version 4.3.9 - 31 August 2020

 

Useful Resources

  • Release Notes
  • System requirements: macOS or driver requirements may change between versions, so make sure to check.
  • Help Center: Includes a lot of useful information, sometimes not available in the user manual
  • User Manual
  • YouTube Channel

 

Installation instructions

Once downloaded, unzip the file, and drag and drop the Application "MovieRecorder Express" in your Applications Folder.

Make sure also to download and install the drivers for your video device:

  • AJA,
  • Blackmagic-Design
  • Deltacast (For the M|Family).

DEMO Limitations

In DEMO mode, MovieRecorder Express will burn a blue frame in the recorded file at some intervals. That's the only limitation and difference. After your test, you will keep on using the same application, just with the demo mode unlocked
 

How to unlock the DEMO version ?

Purchase a license through one of our resellers or the Softron online store, then just activate your serial number in the License window or plug your dongle in the computer.
 

Upgrade/Update instructions

Just download the latest version and replace your previsous version. It is always recommended to run extensive tests with your specific workflow and setup before putting a new version in production. You can use a free demo version for that on a separate computer. Previous legacy versions are available from the general downloads page.

You do not need to deactivate and reactivate your serial number when updating your Softron software. Read the following article to know when to deactivate.

This software uses code of FFmpeg, licensed under the LGPLv2.1 and its source can be downloaded here.

 

Resources

Resouces

Manuals & Quickstart
Resources 
PDF icon MovieRecorder Express User Manual
hide

Product Features

Features

Main Features
Video & Audio
Playlist & Schedule
Media Management
Other Features
Codecs

Features and Technical Specifications

Technical Specifications

Features
Features 

SOURCES

Supports: MovieRecorder Express 4 MovieRecorder 4
Devices from AJA and Blackmagic-Design Yes Yes
M|family Yes but these bundled are provided with MovieRecorder, not with MovieRecorder Express Yes
NDI® sources Yes Yes
Direct Link Sources (from one of Softron's playout application) Yes Yes
Remotely Control other MovieRecorders Yes Yes
Record Multiple channels at once (Depend on the format, codec and the computer. Up to 12 channels on one Mac) Yes Yes
Max Resolution (Depend on the video device used) Up to 4K Up to 4K
Pixel Formats (Depend on the video device used) 8bit, 10bit or ARGB 8bit, 10bit or ARGB
External Audio Sources (instead of using the audio from the video device, use another audio available for the macOS) No Yes - on "Local Sources", not yet on NDI sources
Audio Mapping (done in the AV Presets) Yes Yes
Timecode Sources Video device timecode (LTC, RP188,...) or application timecode (Mac Clock, Audio LTC, Timecode Systems)


DESTINATIONS

Supports: MovieRecorder Express MovieRecorder
Record to multiple Destinations with different codecs using easy presets No Yes
MXF Support No Yes
Advanced codecs support NO (check list of supported wrappers and codecs in the next pane) Yes(check list of supported wrappers and codecs in the next pane)
Add effects (crop, resize, rotate) and overlays (text, timecode, image) on the recorded video No Yes
Closed Captioning Record (CEA-708 to a QuickTime CC track) No Yes only with 8bit sources
Looped recording (record permanently in the same file and go back to the beginning when it reaches the end of the file. Ideal for TimeShifting playout for example) Yes Yes
Custom naming (to automatically name your files with tokens) Yes Yes
Metadata (embedded in the QuickTime file or as a sidecar file) No Yes
Frame-accurate automatic split the recordings into chunks (support for 24/7 recording with no frames lost) Yes Yes
Frame-accurate manual split the recordings (create a new file manually instead of manually) Yes Yes
Support edit-while-ingest YES with MXF, Classic or Segmented destinations (compatibility depend on the editing software)


OTHER FEATURES

Supports: MovieRecorder Express MovieRecorder
Fully configurable user interface Yes Yes
Save and restore configurations (save the layout, source names, scheduled recordings,etc... and restore them at a later time) No Yes
Remotely Controllable using a REST API Yes Yes
Remote Source Slave mode No Yes
Control with GPI triggers (Requires GPICommander) Yes Yes
Send GPI triggers (Requires GPICommander) Yes Yes
Control from Elgato's Stream Deck Yes Yes
Fully configurable user interface Yes Yes
Scheduled Recording (repeated weekly, or specific date) Yes Yes
Trigger AppleScripts when start/stop record or on error No Yes
VTR Control and batch capture (using RS422 port on a device or our SerialCommander) No Yes Only record from tape, no record to tape available


SHORTLIST of features ONLY available in MovieRecorder

Supports: MovieRecorder Express MovieRecorder
Multiple Destinations No Yes
Supported Codecs ProRes, H.264, Uncompressed Sames as Express + AVC-Intra, DV/DVCPRO, DVCPRO HD, DNxHD, FFV1, IMX, XDCAM
MXF No Yes
Closed Captioning No Yes
Metadata No Yes
External audio sources (including Dante, or MADI) No Yes
Add effects (crop, resize, rotate) and overlays (text, timecode, image) on the recorded video No Yes
Save and restore configurations No Yes
Trigger AppleScripts when start/stop record or on error No Yes
VTR Control and batch capture No Yes
Remote Source Slave mode No Yes


New in MovieRecorder 4 (compared to MovieRecorder 3)

Supports: MovieRecorder Express MovieRecorder
Fully configurable user interface Yes Yes
External audio sources (including Dante, or MADI) No Yes
NDI® Sources Yes Yes
Add effects (crop, resize, rotate) and overlays (text, timecode, image) on the recorded video No Yes
Save and restore configurations No Yes
Remote Source Slave mode No Yes
Manually split recordings No Yes

 

System Requirements
System requirements 
Compatible macOS

Version 4.2: macOS 10.12.6 to macOS 10.14.6*
Version 4.3: macOS 10.12.6 or later*
Version 4.4 and later: macOS 10.13.5 or later*

Required MovieRecorder Version by some macOS Version

macOS 10.15: Version 4.3 or later (For QuickTime Classic compatibility)

Recommended macOS macOS 10.14.6 or later*
Supported Mac computers Intel Processors: Version 4.0 and later*
Apple Silicon Processors: Version 4.4 and later*

WARNING: With Apple Silicon processors, some third party libraries may not be able to run natively, so will have lower performances. Other libraries may not run at all. Check the following article to know more

Recommended RAM 4 GB for the first channel. Then add 2GB per additional channel.
Supported Graphics Cards

A graphics card that supports Metal is recommended.

Supported Sources AJA, Blackmagic-Design, M|Family, NDI®
Hardware acceleration to encode in H.264 Intel Processors: With all Mac computers with i5 or i7 processors, running macOS 10.9.5 or later for one channel. macOS 10.13 or later is required for multichannel support
Apple Silicon Processors: All models support hardware acceleration, but they are more optimised for HEVC, so we recommend using HEVC whenever possible
Hardware acceleration to encode in H.265 / HEVC Intel Processors: With all Mac computers with 6th generation of intel processors (2016 and later). Running macOS 10.13 or later, only for one channel, multichannel possible with macOS 10.15 or later
Apple Silicon Processors: All models support hardware acceleration, and are optimised for HEVC
 
Compatible Storage Most storage that can sustain the required constant write speed (depending on the number of streams, the codec and format). For network attached storage (NAS), make sure to enable Macro blocks, and disable cache flushing. If you need to run tests, make sure to do long term tests.
Requires Monitor Connected (Open GL Active) Yes. Even if MovieRecorder should behave fine in most cases, it is recommended to keep a monitor connected at all times for best performances. Or you should make the macOS think that there is a monitor connected. Beware of some KVM switches that can cause interrupts in the signal.
Number of license required One complete license required per channel (source).

* We know that some of our users can not upgrade their macOS very often. This is why Softron tries to maintain compatibility with older versions of macOS as much as possible, but it is not always possible to achieve. Because Operating Systems are usually significantly improved over previous versions, Softron must use many of the more capable built-in functionalities inherent in Apple's latest OS releases. Failing to do so would mean that Softron software would essentially be blocked from using the new Frameworks provided in the OS. For this reason, Softron's free support is provided only on the current and previous macOS versions. Also, most of our tests will be done on these macOS versions, and only basic tests will be done on the previous OS. We will always try to help, but in some cases, the best solution is to upgrade your macOS to a more recent version.

Softron does not warrant that these recommended configurations will always meet specific user requirements. They are intended as guidelines and are based on extensive testing that Softron has done, they can be changed without notice. Hardware, drivers, software and operating systems change regularly and we advise users and prospective users to evaluate their requirements in their specific environment/workflow using Softron demo licenses that are available for downloading from Softron's web site.

Supported Inputs
Supported Inputs 
IMPORTANT NOTE: When using AJA cards, there are specific setups, things to do and not to do that you should know before using them. Please read the article in our knowledge base that gives recommendations on using AJA devices with our ingest applications. You may also want to check if we did not issue a Warning for some cards or drivers.

 

Compatibility chart - AJA drivers

MovieRecorder Version First Supported Drivers Last Supported Drivers
MovieRecorder Express 4.0 and later 12.4.2 latest
MovieRecorder Express 4.2 and later 15.0 latest

WARNING: Apple Silicon computers require AJA drivers 16.0 or later.

 

 

 

Compatibility chart - Blackmagic-Design drivers

Application Version First Supported Drivers Last Supported Drivers
MovieRecorder Express 4.0 and later 10.9.5 latest drivers
MovieRecorder Express 4.2 and later 11.0 latest drivers

WARNINGS:

  • macOS 11 (Big Sur) requires Blackmagic-Design drivers 11.7 or later.
  • Apple Silicon computers require Blackmagic-Design drivers 12 or later.

 

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Deltacast cards are OEM cards that we use for some of our M|Family products. They are usually not available for end users. We only validate using the deltacast cards that we provide. Other models may work, but not all have been tested.

 

Compatibility chart - Deltacast drivers

MovieRecorder Express Version First Supported Drivers Last Supported Drivers
MovieRecorder Express 4.0 or later 5.21 latest

WARNINGS:

  • macOS 10.15 (Catalina) requires drivers version 6.13 or later
  • Apple Silicon computers require Deltacast drivers 6.16 or later.
  • You should only download the Deltacast drivers from our website. Indeed we validate them with our applications before putting them online.

 

 

 

NDI Library version chart

Application Version NDI library
MovieRecorder 4.0 3.0
MovieRecorder 4.1 3.7
MovieRecorder 4.2 3.8
MovieRecorder 4.3 4.1
MovieRecorder 4.3.8 4.5.3

WARNING: Apple Silicon computers require NDI library 4.6 or later.

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Always check the System requirements for multiple inputs. If most recent computers can now handle multiple SD inputs without problems, for HD, you will need a higher end computer, and for 4K, you may only be able to perform one video output.
Softron does not warrant that these recommended configurations will always meet specific user requirements. They are intended as guidelines and are based on extensive testing that Softron has done, they can be changed without notice. Hardware, drivers, software and operating systems change regularly and we advise users and prospective users to evaluate their requirements in their specific environment/workflow using FREE Softron demo applications that are available for download from Softron's web site.

 

Codecs & Formats
Codecs & Formats 

Supported Video Codecs

  MovieRecorder Express MovieRecorder Type of destinations
Apple ProRes 422 Family Yes Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic)
Apple ProRes 4444 Yes Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic)
Apple ProRes 4444 XQ No -
Apple ProRes RAW No QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic)
AVC-Intra 
(50 & 100)
No Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic), MXF OP1a*
Avid DNxHD No Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic), MXF Op1a**
Blackmagic RAW No -
DV/DVCPRO No Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic), MXF OP1a*
DVCPro HD No Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic), MXF OP1a*
H.264 Yes (but no Resize with 10bit sources) QuickTime (None, Segmented)
H.265 (HEVC) Yes Only with MovieRecorder 4, macOS 10.13 or later, and a computer with the 6th generation intel processor or later QuickTime (None, Segmented)
HDV No Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented), MXF OP1a*
MPEG IMX (30/40/50) No Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic), MXF OP1a*
Uncompressed Yes Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented, Classic)
XAVC No Coming soon. MXF OP1a*
XDCAM No Yes QuickTime (None, Segmented), MXF OP1a*

* MXF destinations are only available with MovieRecorder, not with MovieRecorder Express

** MovieRecorder 4.0.8 and earlier used MXF OpAtom for the DNxHD codec. Starting with MovieRecorder 4.1, MXF OP1a is used.

 

Supported File Wrappers

  MovieRecorder Express MovieRecorder
MXF OP-Atom No No
MXF OP1a No Yes  With DV, DVCPRO, IMX, AVC-Intra, DVCPRO HD, XAVC, XDCAM, HDV. And for MovieRecorder 4.1 and later: DNxHD.
.mp4 .m4v Yes Yes Only with H.264.
QuickTime (.mov) - None or Segmented Yes Yes All codecs, except XAVC.
QuickTime (.mov) - Classic Yes Yes With Apple ProRes, DV, DVCPRO, IMX, AVC-Intra, DVCPRO HD.
Transport Stream No No

Read more about the different kind of destinations in an article of our Knowledge Base.

 

Supported Audio Codecs

  MovieRecorder Express MovieRecorder
AAC Yes Yes
Apple Lossless Yes Yes
Linear PCM Yes Yes

 

Note: Product specifications are not contractual and subject to change without notice. We always recommend running tests with the free demo version available on our website to make real sure that MovieRecorder will be able to encode to the codec and format you need.

 HEADQUARTERS
Softron Media Services, a division of
Softron Microcomputing S.A./N.V.
Avenue Molière, 470
1050 Brussels
Belgium

IBS (US Subsidiary)
2151 Village Walk Drive #4304
NV 89012
USA

  At GMT-8
USA - Nevada

Sales and Pre-Sales:
Phone: +1 (702) 330-3023

Technical Support:
Phone: +1 (702) 330-3232
 

 

  At GMT+1
Europe - Belgium

Phone: +32 2 588 1394

 

 

Softron has team members in all time zones of the world. They can answer your questions in English, French, Spanish and Dutch.

Most questions however are answered already in our knowledge base. Don't forget to consult it first. It might be a huge time saver.