It is more than simple and easy to set up and use, even though this utility is still not officially Russified, and all the “homemade” Russifiers, as one, leave much to be desired.

Despite this, dealing with it most likely will not be particularly difficult. So, let's begin.

Setting "General" in Fraps

Main settings menu in Fraps. Here, users are offered settings that determine the behavior of Fraps in the system. You can customize them at your own discretion. This will not affect the recording or quality of video with sound.

Start Fraps minimized- launch Fraps in minimized form;

Fraps window always on top- always show Fraps on top of other open windows;

Run Fraps when Windows starts- launch Fraps along with Windows system;

Minimize to system tray only- always minimize the program window to the system tray (tray).

Setting "FPS" in Fraps

In this menu you can check performance your computer when recording video, expressed in fps (frames per second). The higher the FPS, the smoother and smoother the video will play. Be sure to test your car and remember the result.

Folder to save benchmarks in- specify the directory/folder to save test results ( Change- change, View- open);

Benchmarking hotkey- quick button to start tests;

Benchmark Settings- test settings ( FPS- frame rate display, Frametimes- microdelays, MinMaxAvg- work log);

Stop benchmark after () seconds- stop tests after () seconds;

Overlay Hotkey- shortcut key to show overlay (an indicator icon showing current test results);

Overlay corner- specify the location of the overlay on the screen;

Hide overlay- hide/do not show overlay;

Only update overlay once a second- update overlay indicators every second.

Setting up "Movies" in Fraps

A menu where you can fine-tune the quality of the recorded video and sound, as well as set some additional related functions and parameters.

Folder to save movies in- create a folder where you want to save the recorded video ( Change- change/assign, View- open);

Video Capture Hotkey- assign a hot button to start recording;

Video Capture Settings- video quality settings, where you can specify the number fps, as well as complete ( Full-size) or half size ( Half-size);

When setting these settings, first of all, proceed from the performance of your PC’s hardware. Focus on results testing in setup "FPS". Also, keep in mind that all video files recorded in Fraps (regardless of quality) are too large in size. That's why, optimal parameters size/quality is approximately like this: 30 fps + Full-size (full size). Although, all the same, you will then have to use some kind of video converter to further reduce the size of the video recorded in Fraps.

Split movie every 4 gigabytes- automatically split videos into separate files every 4 gigabytes;

Sound Capture Settings- sound recording settings;

Run Win7 Record- record the main sound, i.e. what you hear from the speakers ( Stereo- stereo sound, Multichannel- multi-channel sound);

Record external input- enable microphone recording;

Only capture while pushing- assign a button to enable microphone recording;

Hide mouse cursor in video- do not display the mouse cursor on the recorded video.

Setting up "Screenshots" in Fraps

Here are all the settings regarding screenshots - screenshots.

Folder to save screenshots in- specify the folder where you want to save screenshots ( Change- change, View- open);

Screen Capture Hotkey- assign an instant key for screenshots;

Image format- select the format in which you want to save screenshots (jpg, bmp, tga, png);

Include frame rate overlay on screenshots- leave an overlay (an icon indicating PC performance indicators) on screenshots;

Repeat screen capture every () seconds- automatically create screenshots every () seconds.

Here, in fact, are all the basic and important settings of Fraps. As you can see, there is really nothing complicated!

Designed to check fps in games. However, with its help you can take high-quality screenshots during gameplay, as well as record videos. In order for the footage to be of high quality, the user must correctly install and configure the program on his PC.

Installing and configuring Fraps on a PC running Windows 7 and higher

Installing a program for checking fps and recording video from the screen is quite simple:

• Download Fraps and run the exe.file. We accept the terms of the license agreement.

• Select a location to unpack the files.

• We are waiting for the installation to complete.

Now, to set up Fraps on your computer and record a video game, you should ask required parameters in all 4 sections of the program:

• General;
• Movies;
• Screenshots.

In the “General” tab, the user will have access to several parameters that are responsible for the behavior of the Fraps program in the system. Let's translate their contents:

• Start Fraps minimized – launch Fraps minimized;
• Fraps window always on top – display Fraps on top of other windows;
• Run Fraps when Windows starts – start Fraps with Windows;
• Minimize to system tray only – always minimize the software window to the system tray;
• Monitor Aero desktop is a feature for Windows 10.

In this section you can select any convenient setting.

In the “FPS” tab the settings will be as follows:

1. We indicate where to save test results.
2. To quickly launch test results, select the button for this. The default is F11. You can set your own button.
3. Benchmark Settings – test settings are divided into 3 points: fps or frame rate, frametimes or microdelays, and also a work log.
4. The time range after which the test should be stopped.
5. Icon for displaying current results or Overlay Hotkey.
6. Indicator location.
7. Show/hide the indicator icon.
8. Update indicator indicators or only update overlay once a second.

Of all these settings, you can set everything at your discretion, except for 3 points. Here you should check all 3 boxes. It is also worth setting the time after which the test results will be updated.

The Movies tab is important for users who downloaded Fraps not only to enable fps display, but also plan to record video of gameplay. Fraps settings in this section will be as follows:

• Folder to save movies in. Specify the folder in which the captured videos will be saved.
• Video Capture Hotkey. A function that allows you to assign a button to start recording.
• Video Capture Settings – these are the video quality settings. Here you need to set the number of fps, as well as Full-size or Half-size of the video.

IMPORTANT! Before making settings in this section, run the test in the game. You need to focus on the power of your hardware. If you are unsure of the results, the optimal settings may be 30 fps at full size.

• Split movie every 4 gigabytes. This function is very important. If you are going to record a 2-hour stream in high quality, then it is worth indicating through what segment (in this case we mean 4 GB volume) the file should be divided into parts.
• Sound Capture Settings – sound recording settings.
• The Run Win7 Record item is responsible for the sound from the speakers. You can select "Stereo" and "Multichannel".
• Record external input – turn on the microphone.
• “Hide mouse cursor” is labeled “Hide mouse cursor in video”.
• Only capture while pushing – specify a key to enable recording from the microphone.

The “Screenshot” section has a few settings:

• Specify the folder where you want to save the screenshots.
• Specify the key for taking a screenshot.
• Select the screenshot format.
• We indicate whether to save fps data in the image.
• Automatic creation of screenshots after a specified time.

This completes the settings.

How to record gameplay using Fraps?

• We launch the game and at the place where you need to start recording, click on hotkey start recording. By default the program is set to F9.

• When finished, also press the F button.
• Go to the folder where the video was saved and watch the videos.

• We convert the video to another format, if necessary.

How to use and configure Fraps, watch the video:

Many novice players are wondering: how to make not only high-quality, but also full screenshot in the game - such that all interface elements, pop-up windows, etc. are displayed? As a rule, the response is a small list of programs, which is almost always headed by a program called Fraps. Despite the fact that almost everyone has heard about Fraps, not much has been written about it. And perhaps it remains a mystery for you - where can I get this program and how to use it? Now I will tell you about all this.

But why Fraps? – you may ask. – After all, there are a great many such programs! Yes, there are more than enough programs with similar functionality, but it’s not for nothing that Fraps enjoys national recognition, because it has a number of advantages - simple installation, light weight, easy-to-learn interface and a very high-quality output result. And the most important advantage, especially for users " The Sims 3 "- screenshots taken in full-screen mode are obtained with the original brightness, and are not darkened, as is the case with most other similar programs.
Download trial version Fraps is available from the program website. To take screenshots free version quite enough. Double-click the downloaded file and the Installation Wizard will launch.

Click the button in the window I agree, in the next window, if you are not satisfied with the “default” path, enter the full installation path of the program in the field or select it using the button Browse, then press the button Next.

Next, click Install – the installation will begin, upon completion the button will be activated Close with which we close the Wizard window. The program is installed! We look for the program icon on the desktop and launch it by double-clicking.
The main window with the basic settings of the program will open. Let's go through its tabs and settings items in them.

General tab – basic settings

1. Start Fraps minimized – The program will be launched minimized (on the taskbar).
2. Fraps window always on top – The program window will always be in the foreground.
3. Run Fraps when Windows starts – The program will start with operating system.
4. Monitor Aero desktop (DWM) – Only for Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. When you activate the function, if you have an Aero desktop enabled, you will be able to record what happens on it.
5. Minimize to system tray only – When launched, the program will immediately minimize to the system tray without showing the main window. To open the main window, you will need to double-click on the program icon next to the clock. Works only when step 1 is enabled.

FPS tab – testing settings and FPS counter indicator (frames per second)

On this tab we may only be interested in the FPS indication.

1. Overlay Hotkey – Click on the Enable button and press any key (or key combination) – now, when you press this key in the game, the FPS counter will move cyclically across the four corners of the screen and disappear on the fifth press. note: It is undesirable for Fraps hotkeys to coincide with hotkeys for the game, other programs, or the operating system.
2. Overlay Corner – choose in which corner to show the frames per second counter. If the counter is not needed, select Hide overlay.
3. Only update overlay once a second – counter data will be updated once per second, rather than in real time (slightly reduces CPU load)

Movies tab – video capture settings

In the free version of the program, the duration of video recording is limited to 30 seconds, and a watermark of the program’s authors will also be superimposed on the video.

1. Folder to save movies in Change – select the folder in which our video will be saved. Button View
2. Video Capture Hotkey – place the cursor in the input field and press the key (or combination) that we want to assign to start the video recording process in the game. Clicking a button Disable – cancels the assignment. When you press this hotkey in the game, the video capture process will start and the FPS counter (if activated) will change its color from yellow to red. Pressing the key again will stop video recording.
3. Video Capture Setting – select how many frames per second the video will be recorded – fixed 60-50-30, or enter your value in a separate field. Full-size – the video size will be equal to the size of the game window. Half-size – the video size will be reduced by half.
4. Loop buffer length - Allows you to enable "pre-recording" on XX second (that is, if you press the hotkey assigned in step 2 in the game, then final video will be recorded not from the moment of pressing, but XX seconds earlier). Convenient if you are afraid of missing an interesting moment, but it requires quite a lot of resources - leave it unchanged.
5. Split movie every 4 Gigabytes – the video will be cut into pieces of 4 gigabytes (convenient, for example, for recording on a DVD)
   Sound Capture Settings - audio capture settings (example for Windows 7):
6. Record Win7 sound – all sounds played on the computer will be recorded. Stereo – the sound will be mixed into two channels (left + right), Multichannel – the number of recorded audio channels will correspond to the settings of the operating system audio playback devices.
7. Record external input – additionally record sound from external audio input computer designated as the default input (microphone or line input) in the system.
8. Only capture while pushing – “external” sound will be recorded only if the key assigned in the input field is pressed (to assign a key, click on the field and press the desired button).
9. Hide mouse cursor in video – the mouse cursor will not be visible on the recorded video.
10. Lock framerate while recording – FPS in the game will not rise above the assigned FPS for video.
11. Force lossless RGB capture (may be slower) – record video in uncompressed form, in the RGB (Red-Green-Blue) color system. Produces video of the highest possible quality. Requires large processor resources and a very capacious and high-speed HDD. Not recommended.

Screenshots tab

Now we get to the most interesting part - the settings for capturing images in the game.

1. Folder to save screenshots in – Click on the input field or button Change – select the folder in which our screenshots will be saved. Button View – will open the save folder.
2. Screen Capture Hotkey – place the cursor in the input field and press the key (or combination) that we want to assign to take a screenshot in the game. Clicking a button Disable – cancels the assignment. When you press a key in the game, the FPS counter (if activated) will blink at us with a white background.
3. Image Format – format of captured images. Available in the free version only BMP – the image will be of the largest size (in order to upload it to image hosting, it will need to be converted to another format in any graphic editor), but at the same time of maximum quality.
   Screen Capture Settings:
4. Include frame rate overlay on screenshots – will show the FPS counter on your captured pictures.
5. Repeat screen capture every XX seconds – when you press the capture key, a photo will be created automatically every XX seconds. To stop the process, press the key again.

In conclusion, let's look at the menu that can be called up by right-clicking on the program icon in the tray.

Thus, Fraps is compatible with most modern games, because... they work exactly in the above graphic modes. But the main purpose of this program is to take screenshots and videos from games. Having flexible settings for shooting video, Fraps becomes an indispensable assistant for the modern video player. As of today, the latest version of the utility is 2.9.8 , which has many extensions and corrections of shortcomings made in previous versions.

What everyone needs to know

1. Fraps is a utility that works ONLY in windows of already running applications.
2. Desktop photography is not possible.
3. Download latest version You can do it on almost any website that is dedicated to software. Take advantage Google search engine on request fraps. The official website provides a trial version of the program for download, which has a number of restrictions, in particular, shooting videos of no more than 30 seconds.
4. Video capture is carried out in real time. On many computers, capture may not be possible due to weak computer configuration.
5. The material is saved in the format .avi, so don't be surprised if there's 1.5 GB per minute of raw material free space on your hard drive.
6. The options for saving screenshots and videos are fully customizable. You can create material of quite average quality, but of long duration.
7. Fraps is quite cumbersome, so it is recommended to disable everything third party applications, which are not so important to you at the time of work. They can load the processor too much and use up the virtual memory needed for shooting.

A little about the interface

So, before us is the main window with registration details, version and build instructions for Fraps. Here, on the first tab General(The main thing), you can set the initial parameters for launching the program. “Start Fraps minimized”(Run Fraps minimized to tray), “Fraps window always on top”(If you are working outside of the game application, the Fraps window will be on top of all other windows) “Run Fraps when Windows starts”(run the program along with loading Windows). Tab FPS is responsible for setting up the overlay (frame counter that appears in the window of the running application), tab Movies(Movies) helps you configure movie shooting options, and the Screenshots(Screenshots) contains options for taking screenshots.

Frame counter

Tab FPS. If you are running a game that uses Direct3D or OpenGL without preset Fraps", then you can see yellow numbers appearing in the corner of the screen. This is FPS. On average, it is 25 frames per second, which corresponds to the PAL standard. On the FPS tab, you can set the conditional location of the counter or hide it altogether, assign hot buttons for instantly changing the overlay or hiding it, as well as setting a number of others, not too important settings. “Only update overlay once a second”– when this setting is enabled, the counter will be updated only once per second, which can significantly reduce the load on streaming recording video. You can also set a timer, after which shooting will end automatically - “Stop benchmark automatically after [number]”. For some, it will be necessary to save statistics, the parameters of which can be set on the same tab.

How to make a video

Tab Movies. And once again I want to remind you that Fraps can film what is happening on the screen ONLY when running application running in Direct3D or OpenGL mode. Initially, you should indicate the location on your computer where the video will be saved. It is worth considering the read and write speed of your hard drives and choose the fastest one, since the video is saved in a continuous stream in real time. Next, you need to set up a hotkey, when pressed it will start capturing video (by the way, it also serves as the STOP key).

Let's move on to advanced settings.

In theory initial settings can ensure the functionality of the application, but the hardware on users’ computers is different, so it’s worth clarifying a few not entirely obvious points. Options Half-size And Full-size allow you to choose in what size to save your video footage. Naturally, when choosing Full-size, the video will be clear, without noise and pixelation, whereas with Half-size The quality of the raw material will look too flawed, but the performance will increase dramatically. Next to these options, you can select the number of FPS that will be used during recording. IN standard list these numbers are 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames/sec. Below you can set an arbitrary number, usually it is 29.97 (NTSC standard). The higher the fps number, the better quality recording and higher smoothness of the video image (it is not recommended to set it to less than 25 FPS).

One of the important options is audio recording ( Record Sound). If you figure it out once correct installation the necessary options, there should be no problems in the future. For example, let's set up sound recording when the sound driver is installed Realtek(thanks to MetroidZ):

1. In Windows, go to “Sounds and Audio Devices”. “Audio” tab => In the “Audio recording” section, select “Volume”.
2. Raise the slider to the very top of the scale, then go to “Options” => “Properties”.
3. Check the boxes next to "Stereo Mix" (or Stereo Mixer). Next, return to Fraps.
4. Of the two options ( Detect best sound input or Use Windows input) select the second one. This way, the sound source will be determined from Windows.

There are also two small settings, the names of which speak for themselves - recording without a cursor ( No cursor) and without synchronization ( No sync).

On a note: if you record sound from a game and your favorite song is playing at the same time, all this will be included in the sound part of the future video material. Be careful!

Screenshots

Often we need to take a couple of cool shots or a memorable shot from a game. Now I will help you understand the tab a little Screenshots. As on the previous tab, we are first asked to select a location to save all the pictures. On the right you can set in what format to save screenshots. A little explanation: .bmp– the highest quality format, but it is quite bulky; .jpg– screenshots in this format are not as good as in .bmp, but they weigh little. Choose what suits you best, as a last resort, bmp can always be converted to jpg. On the left side of the tab you can set a hot button, which when clicked will take a screenshot. Below there are two more very convenient options - “Include frame rate overlay on screenshots”(should I include a frame counter on screenshots?) and “Repeat screen capture every [number] seconds”(Should I take a screenshot every n seconds?).

For all questions, write to, after reading this manual. Now all you have to do is edit (articles on Movie Maker, Virtual Dub and a couple of other editing programs will be ready soon) your video.

How to use Fraps?

Fraps is computer program, which is designed to record video from the monitor screen. It can take screenshots, record real-time video files, image videos, and work with all kinds of games. The program is multifunctional and easy to configure. Let's talk about how to use the Fraps program.

Setting startup options

• First of all, download the Fraps program from the official website: fraps.com.
• Once downloaded, install and launch Fraps on your computer.
• In the “General” tab, select the required operating mode. Fraps will run minimized if you enable the “Start FRAPS minimized” feature. If you want the program to automatically load with the Windows operating system, set the “Run Fraps when Windows starts” option. Thanks to the "Monitor Aero desktop (DWM)" function, Fraps will work on your desktop Windows desktop(take screenshots, record videos). Learn more about how to capture video from your monitor screen using Fraps programs, you can from our article -. If you want the program window to always be on top of all other windows, select the “FRAPS windows always on top” function. To minimize Fraps to the system tray, set the “Minimize to system tray only” option.

How to use Fraps

• In the “FPS” tab, you can assign various hotkeys to launch the Fraps program, as well as fine-tune all the data that is necessary to display on screenshots.
• In the “Screen Capture Hotkey” section, set the desired hot buttons. The settings will be automatically saved.
• The “Only update overlay once a second” option means updating the frame counter once per second. Selecting this function will significantly reduce the load on video recording.
• To set a timer to automatically end video recording, select the “Stop benchmark automatically after [date]” option.
• In the “Movies” tab, you can set the path to the folders where the video will be saved, and also select the necessary video modes. First of all, specify the location on your PC where you want to save the video, and set up hot keys for quickly recording a video.
• Before you start filming, carefully check whether you have enough free space on your system disk. This is necessary to record video without interruption. For example, if the recording lasts three or four minutes, then at least two gigabytes of RAM will be required.
• The Screenshots tab is the very last one. Here you can specify the location where the screenshots will be stored, and also select the required file format. For example: PNG, BMP, TGA and JPG.

Sound settings

The most important option when shooting a video is recording sound. It is necessary to configure all settings immediately to avoid problems in the future. Let's look at how to configure the sound if installed sound driver Realtek:

• go to the “Start” menu -> “Control Panel” -> “Sounds and Audio Devices” - “Audio” -> “Sound Recording” -> “Volume”;
• raise the slider to the top scale;
• V context menu select the command “Options” -> “Properties”;
• check the box next to "Stereo Mix" and go to the Fraps program;
• To have the sound source determined from Windows, select the “Use Windows input” option.

Now you know how to use Fraps. The program is best used when you need to create a video presentation, prepare a video lesson, or record the game process.