Exported file size

Problem: Even when ActivePresenter capture size is set to 1400pxx1050px, Export to HTML5 shows resulting PNG files are 3360p x 2100px making each image 4.8mb in size.

This makes my resulting file far too large to share with others (200MB+ for less than 10 minutes of purely basic “show” in Record Software simulation).

How can I reduce the size of the resulting end user show down to something reasonable (10 minutes should be around 50mb)?

ActivePresenter Version: 7.5.8

OS: Apple Mojave 10.14.5

Notes: Apple 15" Mac Book Pro with 2880px x 1800px retina screen

Hi Roger,

Since you are using Retina the screen, so the doubled resolution in the captured images. You can convert the images to JPEG to reduce the file size by the following steps:

  • Select View > Resources.
  • In the Resources pane, select the Images tab.
  • Right-click images (you can select multiple ones) and select Recompress.
  • Select JPEG format and the quality value (ex 60%).

Regards,

Hi Dao,

many thanks for this tip - it makes a tremendous difference - the PNGs that were 4.6mb are now 0.4mb jpegs and the quality seems to be the same. Everything is much smaller now!

I do however, think it is a bug in the application if you specify a screen size to capture in pixels (eg 1400x1050) and the application captures a size of 3000 x 2000. As this application capture size is used by all following activities in the export tab.

I don’t see how the Retina screen of my Mac Book Pro can have anything to do with the issue.

Kind regards

Roger

Hi Roger,

It is really weird. Can you please share the project so we can check? You can email it to support@atomisystems.com.

Regards,

Hi Dao,

I have been doing a little more investigation and before I send you a project (256mb!) I thought I would send you a green shot of ActivePresenter about to record with a “custom” screen size roughly the same size as full screen.

The screen capture shows ActivePresenter with a capture size of 1671x1040 pixels and just underneath it you can see the “about this Mac” screen showing the display size of the screen (2880 x 1800) If I then export the resulting video in HTM5 format the PNG image file produced shows it is 3342 pixels by 2080 and is 6.1mb in size.

So I’m not sure what your custom size is capturing but it is neither the actual screen size, nor the requested custom screen size and the resulting exported HMTL5 PNG file size is different again!

I am including some screen captures to show these various settings to see if that helps.

Kind regards

Can you please select the Full Screen option to see what is the size of captured images?

Hi Dao,

when I set the record to “full screen” it records images (as shown in the Resources as 3360 x 2100. My screen (as shown in previous screen captures is 2880 x 1800.

I am including a couple of screen grabs for interest.

Kind regards

Roger

Hi Dao,

I have been doing some more tests and whilst it appears that exporting to HTML leaves the size of each PNG at 3360x2100 pixels, when I export the ActivePresenter project to MP4 and look at the resulting video, the image size respects the desired export window size (eg 1600x1000). However the output file is still too large - 10MB for 45 seconds of video.

I wonder if the images were captured at the requested size (eg 1600x1000) instead of the current 3360x2100pixels, then the resulting file size would be potentially much smaller.

I would be interested in your views.

Kind regards

Roger

Hi Roger,

I guess you are running ActivePresenter on a Virtual Machine so the resolution doesn’t match with your physical screen resolution.

If you are using Retina screen, the recorded image size should be 2x the resolution to keep the original quality. Can you please share a simple project so we can check?

Regards,

Hi Dao,

No I am not using a Virtual Machine, I am using a real 15" Mac Book Pro with a Retina Screen at 2880 x 1800 pixels. This is NOT a multiple of the captured screens in PNG which are 3360 x 2100 pixels.
I have captured a short demonstration of the type I want to create for my club but it is 250mb in size so I will include a link to the uploaded file here.

Kind regards

Roger

Hi,

Are you connecting to an Apple TV? I can see an icon on the top bar. Please try disconnecting it to see if the issue happen or not? And, please take a screenshot manually (Cmd + Shift +3) to see what is the resolution of the screenshot?

Regards,

Hi Dao,

there is no Apple TV available. I use that icon when I give presentations to set up the projector.

I have taken the icon off and did a screen grab and noticed that the resolution is the same as your PNGs so I suspect it is something to do with the Retina screen capture utility and it seems to increase the resolution (from 2880 x 1800 to 3360 x2100) so the screen capture utility itself seems to increase the resolution!

I am including a screen grab showing the preview inspector size of the screen.

My conclusions are that by capturing the screens in PNG as you do in ActivePresenter, on a Retina screen Mac Book Pro, Apple increases the size of each capture by some amount (9%?). This won’t matter if I remember to recompress the resources down.

Kind regards

ROger
![36|690x431,75%](upload://14MWdqaXtzkCpAhwyj53xCQch5F.jp

eg)

Reloading both screenshots again as they got corrupted.

They still seem corrupted as the originals are PNGs but what seems to have got loaded are jpegs!

Hi Roger,

Technically, in Retina display, a logical pixel actually is four physical pixels (2x2) or more. So, I think the captured image is the actual physical resolution of your screen. But I still don’t know why your macOS shows the screen resolution is 2880 x 1800 which doesn’t match any even ratio. I will keep an eye on this and let you know if I have further information.

Regards,

Hi Dao,

I have done a little more investigation into my MacBook Pro specs and your recorded density.

The native pixel screen size is 2880x1800 according to Apple here.

One of the Scaled resolutions beneath that is 1680x1050. This is exactly half of what you are recording in each PNG on my screen (3360x2100).

I wonder where ActivePresenter picks up the screen resolution from as it decides what size image to capture?

Kind regards

Roger

Hi Roger,

We rely on some macOS functions such as: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/coregraphics/1456395-cgdisplaybounds?language=objc

Regards,