PhantomRec v1.9 bug fixes

PhantomRec v1.9.0

Fixes

• Eliminated text stacking in the status label. When no custom background image was set, old status text was not cleared between updates, causing text to stack and become unreadable. A black fill is now applied during WM_PAINT when no background is present, ensuring every update renders on a clean canvas.

• Reduced CPU overhead during recording. The live timer, capture method name, audio status indicator, and marquee progress bar animation were updating every second during active recording. These unnecessary paint cycles caused GDI contention with the mpeg4 encoder, producing micro-stutters on low-end CPUs. The UI now displays a static status during capture and avoids all periodic repaints.

• Conversion progress updates no longer overlap stale text. Progress percentage during post-conversion now renders cleanly without ghosting from previous updates.

PhantomRec v1.8

PhantomRec v1.8

"Every screen deserves to be recorded."

Built by MaxRBLX1

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A Note on Windows 7

PhantomRec runs on Windows 7 and delivers 60 FPS GDI capture. However, if you experience stutter or frame drops on Windows 7, this is a limitation of the operating system itself — not PhantomRec.

Windows 7 lacks the GPU-accelerated capture APIs (D3D11 Desktop Duplication, DirectDraw) that make Windows 8+ recording truly smooth. GDI capture on Windows 7 is software-based and competes with your desktop for CPU time.

The fix is free: Upgrade to Windows 8.1, 10, or 11 on the same hardware. You don't need a new PC — just a newer OS. Your existing CPU, RAM, and GPU will immediately benefit from hardware-accelerated capture.

Windows Version	Capture Method	Smoothness
Windows 7	GDI (Software)	Good — limited by OS
Windows 8/8.1	DDAGrab (GPU)	Excellent
Windows 10/11	GFX Capture (GPU)	Perfect

PhantomRec works on everything. Your OS determines how smooth it is.

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What's New in v1.8

Branding — RetroRec → PhantomRec

The project has been renamed from RetroRec to PhantomRec to better reflect its modern capabilities and universal appeal. All recordings and settings from previous versions are fully compatible.

GDI Recording — Smooth at 60 FPS

The GDI capture pipeline has been completely redesigned for smooth performance on older Windows versions:

• 60 FPS capture (up from 55 FPS)
• Removed mpdecimate — no more stutter from frame dropping
• Software format conversion (format=bgra,format=yuv420p) matches DDAGrab's pipeline
• ultrafast preset keeps the encoder from blocking capture frames

DDAGrab — 60 FPS with Ultrafast

Windows 8/8.1 users get improved DDAGrab capture:

• 60 FPS forced via ddagrab=0:framerate=60
• ultrafast preset for smoother real-time encoding
• Same hwdownload filter for GPU-to-CPU color conversion

Power Plan — High Performance Auto-Switch

PhantomRec now automatically switches to the High Performance power plan when recording starts, and restores your original power plan when recording stops. This ensures the CPU maintains consistent clock speeds during encoding, preventing frame drops on laptops and balanced power configurations.

Smart Conversion

Post-recording conversion (Stage 2: mpeg4 → x264) now only runs if the recording is longer than 1 second. Quick test recordings skip the conversion step, saving time.

GFX Capture — Unchanged

Windows 10/11 users continue to get GPU zero-copy D3D11 capture at 60 FPS with the veryfast preset — the GPU handles the heavy lifting.

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System Requirements

Component	Minimum
Operating System	Windows 7 SP1 / Server 2008 R2 or later
CPU	Any dual-core x86_64 processor (SSE2)
RAM	4 GB
GPU	Any. Integrated. None. All work.
Storage	Any HDD or SSD

No dedicated GPU or GPU hardware encoding required.

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Capture Methods

Windows Version	Method	FPS	Preset
Windows 10 / 11	GFX Capture (D3D11)	60	veryfast
Windows 8 / 8.1	DDAGrab (DirectDraw)	60	ultrafast
Windows 7 / Vista	GDI Capture (Software)	60	ultrafast

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The Ghost Pipeline

1. Stage 1 — Live Capture: Lightweight mpeg4 encode (~5% CPU), 1 thread, VFR, no GPU encoding
2. Stage 2 — Post-Convert: x264 re-encode using all CPU cores when system is idle

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Quick Start

1. Download PhantomRec_v1.8.zip and extract all files to a folder
2. Make sure maxsengine.exe is in the same folder as PhantomRec.exe
3. Double-click PhantomRec.exe
4. Press F10 to start recording
5. Press F10 again to stop
6. Wait for post-processing — your video opens automatically

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Configuration

All settings are stored in PhantomRec.ini. You can edit it while PhantomRec is running — changes take effect within 2 seconds.

[Settings]
Hotkey=F10
PauseHotkey=P
ConvertAfterRecording=yes
ConvertPreset=veryfast

RetroRec-v1.7

RetroRec v1.7 — The Final Release

This is the last version to carry the RetroRec name. Starting with v1.8, the project rebrands to PhantomRec.

What's New

• Exclusive Fullscreen Capture — Games in exclusive fullscreen mode are now captured correctly. RetroRec deploys a taskbar anchor that keeps DWM engaged, so gfxcapture never loses the signal. No more black screens.
• Auto Game Detection — Press F10 and RetroRec automatically finds the game you're playing. No manual window selection needed.
• Safe Window Handling — Fragile game engines (Geometry Dash, older OpenGL titles) are automatically detected and protected from window modification.
• Window Restoration — When recording stops, game windows are restored to their original size, position, and style. Taskbar returns to normal.

RetroRec-v1.6

RetroRec v1.6 is the biggest update yet. Three capture methods. Every Windows version from Vista to 11. One engine. Zero GPU required.

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What's New in v1.6

🎯 Multi-API Capture Fallback

• Windows 10/11 → gfxcapture (D3D11 zero-copy GPU, cursor visible)
• Windows 8/8.1 → ddagrab (DirectDraw GPU, 60 FPS)
• Windows 7/Vista → gdigrab (55 FPS software, tuned for old CPUs)
• Automatic detection — no configuration needed

⚙️ Configurable Post-Convert Presets

• medium (default) — best quality, no startup lag
• veryfast — balanced speed and quality
• ultrafast — maximum speed for older machines
• Change anytime in RetroRec.ini — takes effect in 2 seconds, no restart

🏷️ Max'sEngine™ Branding

• ffmpeg.exe renamed to maxsengine.exe
• Backward compatible — still detects ffmpeg.exe if present
• "Max'sEngine™ Powered by FFmpeg" on every window

🔧 Fixes & Improvements

• GDI first-frame font bug — FIXED (auto-refresh, no MessageBox)
• INI cache flush on first run — no more lag spikes from stale config
• Same-folder engine detection — no system PATH scan, fewer false positives
• ABOVE_NORMAL priority for FFmpeg during capture and conversion
• Medium preset eliminates post-conversion startup stutter
• UI shows active capture method at all times

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The Ghost Philosophy

STAGE 1 — Live Capture (mpeg4, 1 thread, ~5% CPU):
  gfxcapture/ddagrab/gdigrab → mpdecimate (VFR) → mpeg4 q:v 2/5 → .mkv segment

STAGE 2 — Post-Convert (x264, all cores, after you stop):
  concat segments → x264 CRF 23/26 → 60 FPS CFR → final .mkv

Why this matters:

• Your GPU stays 100% dedicated to your game/desktop
• Recording uses ~5% CPU on any hardware
• Heavy compression happens when you're idle
• Instant stop — no encoder queue drain freeze
• Works on every CPU since 2008. No GPU required. No GPU encoding used.

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System Requirements

Component	Minimum
OS	Windows 7 SP1 / Server 2008 R2 or later
CPU	Any dual-core x86_64 (SSE2)
RAM	4 GB
GPU	Any. Integrated. None. All work.
Storage	Any HDD or SSD
Price	$0. Forever.

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Quick Start

1. Download RetroRec_v1.6.0.zip
2. Extract all files to a folder
3. Double-click RetroRec.exe
4. Press F10 to start recording
5. Press F10 again to stop
6. Your video opens automatically

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Powered By

1. Max'sEngine™ — Two-stage ghost pipeline by MaxRBLX1
2. FFmpeg — The universal multimedia backbone (ffmpeg.org)
3. WASAPI — Microsoft audio loopback
4. GDI+ — Windows graphics rendering

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Credits

Built by MaxRBLX1
Engineered with DeepSeek
Max'sEngine™ Powered by FFmpeg

Free. Forever. No watermark. No paywall. No "Pro" tier.

If RetroRec saved your recording, consider buying MaxRBLX1 a coffee.

If not — the tool stays free either way.

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⭐ Star on GitHub

RetroRec-v1.5

RetroRec v1.5 — "The Customization Update"

"Every screen deserves to be recorded."
Built by MaxRBLX1

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What's New in v1.5

RetroRec v1.5 is the Customization Update — the biggest visual overhaul since launch. You can now personalize RetroRec to look exactly how you want. Custom backgrounds, custom fonts, custom colors — all persistent, all free, all yours.

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✨ New Features

🎨 Custom Backgrounds

• Load any image as your RetroRec background: PNG, JPG, JPEG, BMP, GIF
• Animated GIF support with automatic frame timing detection
• GIFs pause when minimized, resume when restored — no wasted CPU
• Reset to default anytime

🔤 Custom Fonts

• Load any TTF or OTF font file
• Adjustable font size: 8pt to 72pt
• Applies to all text: status label, record button, settings window
• Fonts load from file — no installation required

🎨 Custom Text Color

• Full RGB color picker with Windows native dialog
• Choose any color for all RetroRec text
• Preview updates in real-time

⚙️ Settings Window

• Dedicated Customization panel (click the ⚙ button)
• Live preview — see your changes before applying
• Browse buttons for background and font selection
• Apply and Cancel options

🖥️ Per-Monitor DPI Scaling

• Correct rendering on mixed-DPI multi-monitor setups
• No blurry text on 4K displays
• No tiny UI on 1080p screens

🪟 Auto-Background Behavior

• When you focus another app, RetroRec drops to the bottom of the Z-order
• Stays out of your way without needing to minimize
• Restores cleanly when refocused

💾 Persistent Configuration

• All appearance settings saved to RetroRec.ini under [Appearance]
• Survives restarts, reboots, and updates
• INI format — editable by hand if you prefer

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🔧 Fixes & Improvements

GDI First-Frame Font Bug — FIXED

• Custom fonts now render correctly on the very first frame after launch
• No more "click Settings → Apply" workaround
• Silent PostMessage-based refresh handles it automatically
• No new dependencies. No DirectWrite required.

Font Memory Management

• Old font handles properly destroyed before creating new ones
• No GDI resource leaks when changing fonts repeatedly
• Clean separation between main window and settings preview fonts

Transparent Text Rendering

• Text now renders with TRANSPARENT background mode
• Custom backgrounds show through correctly behind all labels
• Proper NULL_BRUSH handling in WM_CTLCOLORSTATIC

Button Font Synchronization

• Record button now receives custom font alongside status label
• WM_CTLCOLORBTN handler applies font to button DC
• Consistent typography across all controls

Settings Window Polish

• Preview windows use SS_BLACKRECT | SS_SUNKEN for clear contrast
• Font preview shows "MaxRBLX1" in selected font
• Background preview shows selected image scaled to fit
• Proper cleanup of preview handles on window destroy

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📁 INI Configuration

All customization settings are stored in RetroRec.ini:

ini

[Appearance]
Background=C:\Users\Max\Pictures\retrorec_bg.gif
Font=C:\Users\Max\Fonts\pixel.ttf
FontSize=14
FontColor=16777215

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1. Background: Full path to image file (PNG, JPG, BMP, GIF)

2. Font: Full path to font file (TTF, OTF)

3. FontSize: Integer from 8 to 72

4. FontColor: Decimal COLORREF value (white = 16777215)

RetroRec-v1.4

RetroRec v1.4.0

A major stability and quality update over v1.3.

Changes from v1.3

New Features

• Pause/Resume — cleanly stops and resumes recording with automatic segment stitching
• Persistent warm FFmpeg — captures a throwaway frame on startup so first recording starts instantly
• Conversion progress bar — real-time percentage while post-processing

Fixes

• Removed wall clock timestamps — fixes 2-3 second lag spikes at start and random freezes mid-recording
• Added bt709 color metadata — fixes grey/washed-out colors on all systems
• FFmpeg priority lowered from ABOVE_NORMAL to NORMAL — zero desktop impact, no micro-stutter while recording
• RetroRec priority lowered from BELOW_NORMAL to IDLE — UI never competes with your apps
• FFmpeg window now hidden with SW_HIDE — no console flash when recording starts
• Stop button blocked while paused — no accidental double-stop race condition
• Audio thread queue reduced from 4096 to 512 — lower latency, tighter sync

Tuning

• Live encode quality: q:v 5 → q:v 3 (FFmpeg default, cleaner source for post-convert)
• Post-convert: added -tune zerolatency for faster processing
• CRF unified to 22 across all CPU tiers (was 20-30 depending on cores)
• Thread count locked to 1 for live encode across all CPU tiers (was variable)
• Segment-based recording for pause/resume with automatic concat on stop

System Requirements

• Windows 10 1803+ or Windows 11
• Dual-core x86_64 CPU, 4 GB RAM
• Any GPU that displays Windows
• ffmpeg.exe in same folder

Built by MaxRBLX1. Powered by FFmpeg.

RetroRec-v1.3

What's New in v1.3

🎥 Capture Engine: WGC (Windows Graphics Capture)

• Switched from ddagrab (Desktop Duplication API) to gfxcapture (Windows Graphics Capture)
• Native GPU texture access via D3D11 with hwdownload
• Better integration with modern Windows 10/11 compositor
• Zero-copy frame grabbing from the desktop swapchain

📦 Live Encoder: MPEG-4 Part 2

• Replaced MJPEG with MPEG-4 Part 2 (mpeg4) at quality value 5
• Temporal compression — only stores what changed between frames
• 76% smaller temp files during recording (47 MB vs 199 MB per 30 seconds)
• Same CPU usage as MJPEG — still runs on 1 thread
• Dramatically reduced disk I/O — no more stuttering on slow drives

🎯 Frame Mode: VFR (Variable Frame Rate)

• Records at native monitor refresh rate — no forced 60 FPS
• Works correctly on 60Hz, 75Hz, 120Hz, and 144Hz displays
• mpdecimate filter removes exact duplicate frames automatically
• Only encodes frames when the screen actually changes

⚡ Priority Boost

• FFmpeg now spawns with ABOVE_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS
• Eliminates lag spikes during heavy GPU workloads
• RetroRec UI stays at BELOW_NORMAL — never interferes with recording

⏸️ Pause Framework

• Pause hotkey infrastructure added (default: P or Ctrl+P)
• Pause function stubbed — full implementation coming in v1.4
• INI reload detects pause hotkey changes live

🔧 Live INI Reload

• Edit RetroRec.ini while RetroRec is running
• Changes detected every 2 seconds
• Hotkeys re-registered automatically
• No restart required

🧹 Orphaned Temp Cleanup

• On startup, deletes any leftover _temp.mkv files from crashed sessions
• Prevents disk space waste from interrupted recordings

🎨 UI Polish

• Status display now correctly shows "MPEG-4" instead of "MJPEG"
• Settings button opens INI in Notepad
• Recording sessions counter

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Changes from v1.2

Feature	v1.2	v1.3
Capture API	DDAGrab (DDA)	WGC (gfxcapture)
Live Codec	MJPEG qv 8	MPEG-4 Part 2 qv 5
File Size (30s)	~199 MB	~47 MB (-76%)
FPS (1 thread)	~41 FPS	~57-60 FPS (+40%)
Frame Mode	VFR	VFR (native refresh rate)
FFmpeg Priority	NORMAL	ABOVE_NORMAL
INI Reload	Manual restart	Live reload (2s timer)
Temp Cleanup	No	Yes (on startup)
Settings Button	No	Yes
Pause Support	No	Stubbed (v1.4)
Post-Convert	x264 ultrafast CFR 60	x264 ultrafast CFR 60 (unchanged)
Audio	WASAPI loopback	WASAPI loopback (unchanged)
CPU Matrix	Auto-tune CRF/bufsize	Auto-tune CRF/bufsize (unchanged)
Threads	1-4 (CPU-based)	1 (always — MPEG-4 is single-threaded)

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System Requirements (Unchanged)

Component	Minimum
OS	Windows 10 1803+ / Windows 11
CPU	Any dual-core x86_64
GPU	Any display adapter
RAM	4 GB
Storage	Any HDD or SSD

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Known Issues

• Pause does nothing — the hotkey is registered but the function is a stub. Full pause/resume via NtSuspendProcess planned for v1.4.

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RetroRec-v1.2

🎬 RetroRec v1.2 — The Ghost Screen Recorder

"Every screen deserves to be recorded." — MaxRBLX1

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🚀 The Release

After hundreds of commits, countless optimizations, and rigorous testing on everything from dual‑core laptops to high‑end desktops, RetroRec v1.2 is finally here.

This version transforms RetroRec into the ultimate universal screen recorder — a lightweight, invisible engine that captures your desktop at a perfect 60 fps with zero visible frame loss and zero CPU‑hogging audio encoding. It’s free, portable, and works on virtually any Windows 10/11 PC without a dedicated GPU.

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✨ What Makes v1.2 Special

🎯 The Holy Grail Pipeline

• Capture: DDAGrab (Desktop Duplication) + 

RetroRec-v1.1

🎬 RetroRec v1.1.0 — Universal CPU Matrix Update

The Universal Ghost Screen Recorder
"Every screen deserves to be recorded."
Founded by MaxRBLX1

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📢 What's New in v1.1.0

This update brings intelligent auto‑configuration for every CPU, MJPEG recording with x264 post‑conversion, custom hotkeys, and a complete rewrite for true ghost‑mode performance.

✨ New Features

• 🧠 Universal CPU Matrix — Auto‑detects your CPU and picks the best settings for zero‑drop recording:
  • 2 cores → CRF 30, 3000k, 1 thread
  • 4 cores → CRF 28, 4000k, 1 thread
  • 8 cores → CRF 25, 6000k, 4 threads
  • 12+ cores → CRF 20, 12000k, 8 threads
• 🖥️ Auto‑Resolution Detection — Records any fullscreen app at its current resolution (no manual setup)
• 📹 MJPEG Recording + x264 Post‑Convert — Ultra‑light MJPEG during recording (5‑10% CPU), automatic x264 conversion after stopping (70% smaller file)
• ⏳ Progress Bar During Conversion — Real‑time percentage while MJPEG converts to x264
• ⌨️ Custom Hotkeys (F1–F12 only) — Set any F‑key via RetroRec.ini; no re‑compilation needed
• 👻 True Ghost Mode — FFmpeg runs at NORMAL priority during recording; RetroRec GUI runs at BELOW_NORMAL; your game always gets CPU first
• ⚡ VFR Recording — Variable Frame Rate idles on static screens (~1% CPU) and ramps to full 60fps on motion

🔧 Improvements

• Complete rewrite — removed experimental game capture engine (coming in v1.2)
• MJPEG encoder replaces x264 for recording (3x lower CPU usage)
• FFmpeg recording priority: NORMAL (keeps speed=1.00x)
• RetroRec GUI priority: BELOW_NORMAL (only updates timer once per second)
• Post‑conversion priority: BELOW_NORMAL (game is already closed)
• Screen resolution detected at the moment you press F12, not at application start
• Hotkey displayed on button and status text
• dup_frames=0 for true VFR behavior (GPU sleeps on static screens)
• Clean shutdown: CTRL_BREAK_EVENT gracefully finalizes MKV headers
• Fixed std::vector crash on long recordings — conversion now uses fixed buffer

🐛 Bug Fixes

• Fixed frame drops on quad‑core CPUs by isolating FFmpeg to 1 thread
• Fixed resolution detection (now always captures the current display size)
• Fixed hard‑coded F12 hotkey (now configurable via RetroRec.ini)
• Fixed crash when converting long recordings (std::length_error)
• Fixed MJPEG pixel format error (format=yuv420p in filter chain)
• Fixed dup_frames conflict with VFR (now dup_frames=0)
• Removed unused x264 params from MJPEG command (cleaner, faster)

⚠️ Known Issues

• Windows 10/11 only
• Save location is fixed to Videos\RetroRec\
• No audio capture yet (planned for v1.2)
• No game‑specific capture engine (planned for v1.2)
• Hotkeys limited to F1–F12 only

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💻 System Requirements

Component	Minimum
OS	Windows 10 or 11
CPU	Any x86‑64 (dual‑core)
GPU	Any (integrated or dedicated)
RAM	2 GB

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🔧 Installation

No installation needed! RetroRec is portable:

1. Download RetroRec_v1.1.rar
2. Place the folder anywhere in your computer
3. (Optional) Create RetroRec.ini to set a custom hotkey but it is created for you
4. Run RetroRec.exe
5. Press your hotkey (default F12) to start/stop recording
6. Find recordings in Videos\RetroRec\

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📝 Custom Hotkey (F1–F12)

Create a file named RetroRec.ini next to RetroRec.exe: but .ini file is already created one for you In case if you delete it you can create one again rename the "Settings.ini" to "RetroRec.ini"

[Settings]
Hotkey=F9
ConvertPreset=fast

RetroRec-v1.0

🎬 RetroRec v1.0 — Initial Release

The Universal Ghost Screen Recorder
"Every screen deserves to be recorded."

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📢 What's New in v1.0.0

This is the first public release of RetroRec — a lightweight, open-source screen recorder that captures smooth 60 FPS video on virtually ANY Windows PC.

✨ Features

• Ghost Recording — Records at near-zero CPU usage (1-5%)
• 60 FPS Capture — Smooth video every time
• DDAGrab GPU Capture — Works on ANY GPU (Intel HD, NVIDIA, AMD)
• VFR Encoding — Smart variable frame rate saves space
• MKV Output — Crash-safe container
• Auto-Calibration — Detects your CPU and adjusts automatically
• F12 Hotkey — Start/stop recording instantly
• No Install Required — Just download and run

🐛 Bug Fixes

This is the initial release — no bugs fixed yet!

⚠️ Known Issues

• No audio capture (planned for v1.1)
• Windows 10/11 only
• Save location is fixed to Videos\RetroRec\

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💻 System Requirements

Component	Minimum
OS	Windows 10 or 11
CPU	Any x86-64 (dual-core)
GPU	Any (integrated or dedicated)
RAM	2 GB
FFmpeg	(already included)

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🔧 Installation

No installation needed! RetroRec is portable:

1. Open RetroRec-v1.0.rar
2. Extract the "RetroRec-v1.0" folder anywhere in your pc
3. Open RetroRec.exe
4. Done

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