This guide takes you through your first time using Zencastr as a host, from creating your account to finishing your first recording. This guide covers recording on your Android device using a Chrome browser.
Quick tips for successful recording
A few quick checks before you create your room can help your first recording go smoothly.
Use Chrome in a regular window, not incognito or private mode.
Have an internet connection of at least 5 Mbps (10 Mbps or higher is ideal).
We recommend that all participants wear headphones. Without them, your microphone can pick up other participants’ voices from your speakers.
Create a Zencastr account
Your first step is creating a Zencastr account.
Go to Zencastr.com
Tap Sign up.
Enter your name, email address, username, and password.
Tap Sign Up.
Zencastr will send a verification email to the email address you entered.
Tap the Confirm Email button in the email.
Create your first show
The link in the verification email takes you to the Create a show screen, where you set up your first show. Your show is where your recordings and episodes live.
On the Create a show screen:
Select a topic(s) associated with your show.
Select a language you’ll be using for your show.
Tap Create.
Once your show is created, you’ll land on your Zencastr page.
Create a recording room
Once you’ve created your show, you can create your recording room. This is where you and your guests come together to record. Choose a name you’ll recognize, such as your show, episode, or guest name, since you’ll use it to find the room later.
In a Chrome browser, log into your Zencastr account.
Tap the + icon in the upper right corner.
If this is your first time using Zencastr on your mobile device, tap Allow for camera and microphone access.
Enter a Name (your show, episode, or guest, you'll search by it later).
Tap the Settings icon.
Select the language you'll be recording in.
Note: Zencastr supports transcriptions for the following languages: English, French, Hindi, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch; Flemish.
Select a recording type.
Video & audio: Everyone is on camera, and each person’s audio and video are recorded separately, up to 4K.
Audio only: No cameras, and each person’s audio is recorded separately.
Show video, record audio: Everyone is on camera during the call, but only audio is recorded.
Tap X to close the pop-up.
Tap the ^ button next to the Microphone icon to choose your microphone and speaker settings.
Tap the ^ button next to the Camera icon to choose your camera.
Tap Create Chat.
You’ll land in your new recording room.
Review recording room settings
Next, review your settings. Once recording starts, only your speaker settings can be changed.
Tap the three-dot menu.
Tap Settings.
Tap General and review or change the following:
Name: This is the name of your recording.
Call application: Use built-in call application. Only change it to external call application only if you’re using a third-party VoIP service, such as Zoom.
Tap the Back button.
Tap Audio & video and review or change the following:
Camera: Review your camera selection.
Microphone: Review your microphone selection.
Echo Cancellation: Leave off when everyone is using headphones. Turn on if someone needs to use speakers.
Monitor: Turn on to hear your own voice while recording, or leave off if you don’t need live monitoring.
Tap the Back button.
Tap Recording and review or change the following:
Recording mode: Review your recording mode. You can’t change recording modes after you’ve started recording.
Maximum Resolution: Set the maximum video resolution, up to 4K.
Tap the Back button.
Tap Done to close the pop-up.
Invite guests
Next, invite your guests.You can record up to six participants, including the host. Guests don’t need a Zencastr account. They join with a link, and a green room lets them check their camera and microphone before they enter the recording room.
Note: If you’re recording on your own, you can skip this step.
Inviting guests via the Share icon
Tap the Share icon in the upper right corner.
Choose how to share the link.
Copy: Copy the link, then paste it wherever you want to share it.
Send it through an app: Tap an app on your phone, such as your messaging or email app, to send the link.
Send to your device (if available on your device): Send the link to another one of your devices.
QR code (if available on your device): Generate a QR code that your guest can scan with their phone’s camera.
Inviting guests via the Participants icon
Tap the Participants icon in the upper right corner.
Tap + Invite.
Tap Copy link to share the link yourself.
You can also invite guests via email.
Enter each guest’s Name and Email.
Tap + Add another to add more guests.
Tap Send Invite.
When you’re done, tap the X icon.
Recording controls
Once you’re in the recording room, a few controls let you manage yourself, your guests, and the conversation. It helps to know what each one does before you start recording.
Camera and microphone
Manage your camera and microphone.
Tap the Microphone icon to mute or unmute your microphone.
Tap the Camera icon to turn your camera on or off.
Hand raise
Raising your hand lets you get other participants’ attention without interrupting the conversation.
Tap the three-dot menu.
Tap Raise hand.
The hand icon will appear on your frame.
When a guest raises their hand, you’ll see it in their frame.
Messages
Messages let you communicate with everyone in the recording room without interrupting the conversation.
Tap the Messages icon.
Type your message.
Optional: tap the + icon if you want to upload media.
Send it to the participants in the room.
Note: Messages aren’t included in the recording.
To close the Messages panel, tap the short gray bar at the top of the panel.
Managing guests
You can manage individual guests and check each guest’s recording status.
Tap on the guest’s frame.
Tap the Microphone icon to mute the guest or tap the Camera icon to turn off the guest’s camera.
Note: Once you turn off a guest’s microphone or camera, only the guest can turn it back on.
Tap the three-dot menu, then tap Remove from room, if you need to remove the guest from your recording room.
To see your guest’s health check, tap the Participants icon.
Tap the three-dot menu next to the guest’s name.
Tap Healthchecks.
Start recording
When you and your guests are ready, you can start recording.
When everyone is ready to record, tap Record. A 3-second countdown begins, and the screen turns black once recording starts.
At the top of the room the recording timer shows how long you’ve been recording.
To pause the recording, tap Pause.
When you’re ready to continue, tap Resume.
When you’re finished recording, tap Stop.
Finish recording and file uploads
After you stop recording, stay in the recording room until all participant tracks have finished uploading.
Important: Closing the tab or leaving the room before uploads are complete can interrupt the upload process. |
After you tap Stop, stay in the recording room.
You’ll see a pop-up saying the recording tracks are being uploaded.
Wait for the green message confirming the tracks are uploaded.
Once all the tracks have finished uploading, the screen will turn white.
Let your guests know they can leave the recording room.
You can now close the Zencastr tab, or exit Chrome.