PrincessBridget
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:20 am

The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Thu Jan 30, 2014 1:48 am

Hello. I've been using Bandicam for a while and noticed the only way to get smooth recordings is to limit my in game FPS (Skyrim) to a stable number. I want to report why many of us are experiencing choppy recordings, because I believe I found the answer. It's actually very simple, but it took deep looking to find it!

***********Bug Report #1***********

Basically, Bandicam doesn't seem to record the frames consistently while the video card (GPU) is overworked. If I limit the FPS on my game, the GPU has more power available, and Bandicam records perfectly smoothly!

Example: (Bandicam set to record at 30fps, default preset)
Game: 46 fps (Unlimited) ~ 100% GPU usage - Choppy recording!
Game: 30 fps (Limited) ~ 70% GPU usage - Smooth recording!

Video demonstration: http://youtu.be/NGvx2I661ts
Bandicam vs Fraps vs OBS @ 100% GPU: http://youtu.be/9firhOJFH8E

More notes:
(Defining "smooth" and "choppy")
- Smooth: recorded video looks exact same as what you saw while recording.
- Choppy: recorded video misses/drops frames and stutters.

- You can use a tool like Process Explorer to check your GPU usage.
- To limit FPS properly, play game as normal and take note of the lowest average FPS your game plays at, and set your FPS limiter to or below that number.
- If the processor (CPU) is overloaded, Bandicam records smoothly still. It's only if the GPU is overloaded.
- Recently I noticed I can pick 60 fps and it will record smoothly, but then the game slows down. Odd...
- When your mouse lags, that's a sign of GPU overload. Limit FPS or decrease game resolution/detail

***********Bug Report #2***********

...Bandicam has a built in FPS limiting feature, but it doesn't function very well in my experience; the speed of the game fluctuates too much at random. By this, I mean sometimes Bandicam limiter will slow the game down to a slow FPS for a quick moment, when it wouldn't be that slow normally! This happens when both recording and not recording with FPS limiter on. Until this is fixed, I like to use Dxtory or Rivatuner Statistics Server to limit the FPS because they don't do that.

----------
My computer specs:
- AMD Phenom II x4 N950 2.1ghz
- ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650, 1gb
- 4 GB RAM
- Windows 7 64 bit
- Bandicam 1.9.3.492
- I mainly play Skyrim
Last edited by PrincessBridget on Thu Feb 06, 2014 9:59 am, edited 3 times in total.

Dfactor
Posts: 215
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 7:14 am

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Thu Jan 30, 2014 9:15 pm

About "Bug 1".
You're recording game running @ 46fps to 30fps? If so there's no miracle that it's choppy. Bandicam will usually skip anything above the limit, meaning you're skipping 14 frames and that's why there's choppy feel to it.
If you want to capture 46fps then you have to change the Bandicam preset to something above, like 50-60fps. That way it'll stay smooth and look the same as when you play.

You also mentioned that it lags when you select 60. Meaning your hardware doesn't have enough juice. It's not Bandicam's fault, your own option right now is to limit the game's framerate to 30.

PrincessBridget
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:20 am

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Thu Jan 30, 2014 11:40 pm

That's not it. I could on the other hand limit it to 46 fps in a high fps area, and it will record 30 fps like I told it to. But when the GPU is overworked at 46 fps, it will record maybe what looks like 12 fps. Does that make any sense? I may need to make a video demonstration then.

PrincessBridget
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:20 am

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Fri Jan 31, 2014 10:17 am

Here is the best demonstration I can come up with. I hope it makes it understandable now. :)
http://youtu.be/NGvx2I661ts

User avatar
Bandicam Company
Site Admin
Posts: 7802
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:19 pm

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Mon Feb 03, 2014 7:12 pm

Hello!

If you set the FPS limit, you could save the system resources.
As a result, some people could get better FPS.

If you choose "[Highest]" recording priority, you could get a similar result.
Image

PrincessBridget
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:20 am

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Tue Feb 04, 2014 1:38 pm

Hi again Bandisoft. :)

I tried your suggestion, but changing priority did nothing because that is CPU related, which is not the problem I am describing. If you can, will you (and anyone willing to try) please try reproducing it by making the GPU (video card) usage max 100% on a game, and record at 30fps? You can use a tool like Process Explorer to check your GPU usage.

Here are some tips to help raise GPU usage to reproduce:
- use a game that does not limit frame rate, or a heavy graphic game
- try using an extreme high or low screen resolution
- use window mode in your game to watch GPU usage in Process Explorer at the same time

GameTipsAndMore Blog
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 12:39 am
Location: Canada
Contact: Website

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Tue Feb 04, 2014 5:24 pm

If I may pop in, it seems very logical that if you take a taxed system (GPU working at 100%) AND THEN add something for it to do on top of that, it would become laggy/choppy. Makes perfect sense. I think the main question is: did this occur for you before, in a prior version of Bandicam? If this all of a sudden started happening, then that's something that could be an issue.

In general, always try to have smooth gameplay before you try to record with software recording programs, as this is just putting more demand on the system. Twice the framerate you wish to record at is the optimal amount, but many people can record at 60fps while normally running at 90fps before recording (which obviously isn't 'double'), depending on the power of the system. If you wish to record at 30fps, it is best to be able to run the game smoothly at 60fps first, but it is possible to do it if you cannot normally run it that high. [<----This often causes the issue of "the program lowers my framerate while recording, to the recording framerate" problem that many people have]

Many people have the issue of a game changing framerate while recording and being choppy, whether they are using Bandicam, Dxtory or Fraps. It is always a combination of the hardware capability of the system and the software/program they are using. Also, some games seem to run and record a lot smoother than others (the game code and how it is optimized (cpu/gpu/etc) affect this a lot). I prefer Dxtory for some games (sorry Bandi lol) and I prefer to use Bandicam for others. There are still a few games where Fraps has absolutely no effect on framerate and I would use that, as well, for those.

Have you tried lowering your in-game settings and lowering your resolution (say 720p), having skyrocketed the framerate and doing the recording test again? Does Dxtory have this problem for you? Did it just start to occur recently? If it just started in the last version of Bandicam, then it may be something that should be looked at...

PrincessBridget
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:20 am

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Thu Feb 06, 2014 1:21 am

Hi GameTipsAndMore :)

Yes it does sound very correct. But if I am remembering right, Bandicam is the only recorder I've had this problem with, and it's been there at least since bought it in late 2011. I always had great luck with Dxtory myself, and I don't remember it (or any other recorder I've found worth using) having this problem. I will compare Bandicam with other recorders at 100% gpu to make sure! Possible Bandicam/Dxtory/Fraps 100% gpu comparison video coming up soon if I am still right...

GameTipsAndMore Blog
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 12:39 am
Location: Canada
Contact: Website

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:56 am

Hi GameTipsAndMore :)

Yes it does sound very correct. But if I am remembering right, Bandicam is the only recorder I've had this problem with, and it's been there at least since bought it in late 2011. I always had great luck with Dxtory myself, and I don't remember it (or any other recorder I've found worth using) having this problem. I will compare Bandicam with other recorders at 100% gpu to make sure! Possible Bandicam/Dxtory/Fraps 100% gpu comparison video coming up soon if I am still right...
Hi Princess :D

I'm sorry, I did not mean that you were wrong, I was just throwing out ideas on what might be the issue (or not) and I was curious as to other possible causes and information - which it sounds like you are going off to collect haha. I love testing and comparisons! Throw us a link whenever you are finished your video :mrgreen: Have fun

Lemonater47
Posts: 94
Joined: Wed Jul 10, 2013 3:40 pm

Re: The cause of dropped frames (2 bugs)

Thu Feb 06, 2014 6:34 am

Really it seems like you need to upgrade your computer. Its 4 years old by the looks of your specs.

Return to “Bandicam - General Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 94 guests