Converting a WebEx recording (.wrf) to Windows Media (.wmv) or Flash (.swf)

[jansysmans]

Hello Community,

I've gotten several questions on how you can convert a WebEx recording into a .wmv or .swf format.  It's fairly easy once you know.  I've documented all the steps in the attached document.

Thanks

Jan Sysmans

TME, Enterprise Marketing

Cisco WebEx

Message was edited on June 5, 2013: Kelli Glass, Cisco Collaboration Community moderator, added community categories and tags for greater ease in filtering posts (no change to content).

[drewhorine]

Thanks. That was a very simple and easy-to-follow explanation.

[pratap.kumar]

Hi,

i have WRF files saved on my desktop now i want them to play directly or convert to other format and play.

first i tried to play them using webex player 2.8 but getting an error "update player and try again"

then i searchd for latest version but  icouldnt fin any latest version than 2.8

2. I downloaded webex recording editor 2.8 and tried to convert WRF to WMV

  then i got an error "windows media player 9 or higher version needed to convert"

but am having windows player 12 installed

when i tried to play file by using webex recording editor 2.8   am geting audio but not video

Some where i've seen that on windows7   webex recording editor   3.0    works

but where can i download 3.0 version editor.

kindly provide me link  to download webex recording editor   3.0          else 

plz tell me how can i convert to other format so that i can play with any player 

and i need it very urgent as i've lot of wrf files to refer.

kindly provide me a solution.

THANKS a lot

[gps03]

Hi Pratap.kumar,

I seem to recall in the not so distant past that I actually had to downgrade my WMP to get the recording editor to work properly. I abandoned WebEx's proprietary tools some time ago so the details are a little fuzzy.

It may be as simple as downloading the WM Encoder 9 to get all the codecs etc, that the WebEx tools might be looking for.

You can grab WME9 here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5691ba02-e496-465a-bba9-b2f1182cdf24&displaylang=en

Hope this helps.

-Greg

twitter: gps03

[pratap.kumar]

Hi Greg,

Thanks for reply..

I tried windows media encoder that u mentioned its not working it is showing a message that WRF files are not supported.

Could you suggest me any other encoder or player

also am attaching errors got when using webex player and editor

please help me out...............................

..

[gps03]

Apologies, I was not clear.

I think the problem you have is that the WebEx editor is ancient software, and like an old video game trying to install an outdated version of directx, is seeking the latest version of its support systems (Window Media Player and included codecs) ***at the time of publication*** and when it finds today's latest (WM12) it doesn't recognize it as a valid resource -- it cannot see beyond 9 because that was the end-all-be-all of windows media when the editor was published.

I think you ware going to have to down-grade your windows media to version 9. I seem to recall having to do this a few years back to get a video converted to wmv.

My recommendation of WME9 was to try to get the WebEx recorder to see it had the appropriate resources available. Nothing but the proprietary WebEx editor/player will playback that webex recording. Hence why many of us have been begging and pleading with WebEx for years to dump the propreitary nonsense and give us standards-based tools & formats.

[philgukgrainger]

I had such high hopes having read the notes on the ACELP codec, but having installed the Vista 64-bit version (I'm Win 7 64-bit) the Webex Editor STILL doesn't give me ANY choices in the audio codec dropdown - just the basic (nasty low quality) one

Are there any other suggestions on how to get better quality audio when converting a wrf file to wmv?

Thanks

Phil G

[ginafromtampa]

I was not able to capture the audio from my Webex recordings (arf) with Captivate 5, even though I followed the instructions in Captivate's startup message and ran Captivate as the Administrator and set the audio input device as Stereo Mix.  I tried this with Jing 2.4 and couldn't get the audio either, even though I set it to Stereo Mix.

I was able to capture the audio and video with Camtasia Studio 7 without a problem.  Instructions on posted on my blog:  Recording Webex Presentations and Editing Them in Camtasia Studio 7

[nestorsalvatore]

I've had pretty good experiences using TechSmiths Snagit capturing in video mode and simultaneously capturing audio as well. The only issue that I found was large files being generated. As a backup I've also used Audacity (Open Source) and had good luck with this as well.  I DISCUSSED this point with WebEx a number of years ago. I was promised by the product manager for the recording and playback tools that they would be moving out of the propriety format and into open standards but I believe that the smallest size of the WebEx proprietary formats are what's keepiing in their formats (disk storage requirements, etc..) As an aside, I did all editing in Sony Vegas which using templates made the whole editing process much quicker. Awesome tool. But I'm disappointed that WebEx never kept their word on leaving proprietary formats.

Salvatore Nestor

InTheCloudTek LLC

salvatore.nestor@inthecloudtek.com

484.222.0303

[kelvin_ng]

Hi,

I am trying to convert one of the WRF recording (with voice).  However, after successfully converted but the wvi format has no voice ?  Would anyone help ?

[Susan McEvilly]

Hi Kelvin,

I'm not sure how you got to .wvi format, however, using the WebEx editor to export your .wrf file to .wmv will convert both the audio and video for you into a standarf, .wmv file.

To do this, download the editor from your Meeting Center / Downloads / Recording and Playback page, then pull your .wrf file into the editor, and choose 'export to'.

Hope this helps...

Susan McEvilly

Meet Me In The Cloud, LLC

[kelvin_ng]

Dear Susan,

Thank you and I had managed to solve the problem.  Case closed.

Regards,

Kelvin Ng

Management Information System

**note from the Moderator: I removed your contact information for privacy concerns.**

Message was edited by: Kelli Glass

[fhorn@cisco.com]

the following trick posted on this blog

http://tangoxray.blogspot.com/2012/08/convert-webex-recordings-on-mac.html

creates perfect results!

You get a video-file, which can be used in many different ways and it is comaptible with iPad etc.

Give it a try!

Frank

[russhhospitals7743]

Edit Webex recording DOWNLONG 

[Dev12345]

It's shocking that this platform cannot have easily available formats for sharing the recordings.  We should not have to find the solution to convert.

[Mark.Jones(VirtualTrainer)]

If memory serves one of the available options that you have when inside Cisco Webex MeetingCenter for example, is that of changing the Save location from your Webex Cloud / Portal to your Local Machine.   When you save it to your local machine the default format is that of an MP4.   Have you tried this yet?

Process in a Personal Meeting Room for example, should be the same in other Webex products is:

1. Launch your WebEx Personal Room or MeetingCenter Event.
2. Goto the Meeting heading
3. Goto Record Settings 
4. Click the option in the submenu of Record Settings called "Record on My Computer"
5. When you activate the record function your recording will autosave as an MP4 to a predefined location on your hard drive, with a filename which includes the date and time (See the attached for an example).
6. Click Save
7. Share your content and speak throughout your meeting having started your recording.
8. When you are done, stop your recording, and end the meeting and wait for the file to finish rendering the content
9. Locate the file on your C drive.  
   \\User\Username\Documents\Cisco WebEx Live Meeting Recordings
10. Double click your file to Play is back. 

No conversions necessary and it captures both audio and visual at the same time.  Hope this helps.