v0.43.0 - Change settings while recording

Many more settings can now change while a recording is running or paused. Changes apply to the current video from its next captured frame, instead of waiting for the next recording.

Now adjustable while recording or paused:

• Display: switch which screen a desktop recording shows. The new display is checked first; if it can't be captured, recording continues on the current one.
• Show desktop cursor.
• Stop after: add, change or remove the time limit. A time the recording has already passed is refused with a message (use Finish to stop now).
• Split files every: change the part length. The open part is cut on the new length's schedule, so it is saved right away if it is already longer. Splitting itself can still only be turned on or off before recording.
• Stop on low disk space.
• Night camera: turn it on or off and change the blend duration or brightness. A duration that doesn't fit the current capture interval is refused with a message.
• Time compression: any change applies at once and restarts from the normal speed, like Pause/Resume. Turning it off returns to the normal capture interval right away.
• Watermark and status appearance (corner, text size, style).
• Global shortcuts (the frame rate in the same window stays fixed).
• Start delay (it applies to the next recording).

These join Capture every and Source, which could already change while recording.

Still fixed until the recording ends, because changing them would mean a different file: video size and quality, encoding mode and encoder settings, MP4 recovery, playback frame rate, camera device, save folder, which files are saved (two-file mode and Also save separate files), and the status list (.txt) option. Nothing changes while a start is being prepared or the video is finishing.

Every live change is checked before it is used. One that can't apply to the running recording leaves that part of it unchanged instead of stopping it.

Release checks: all 66 native suites have passing results. 65 passed the full run; one timing-sensitive cadence check failed there on a heavily loaded machine (it fails the same way in v0.42.0 under that load) and passed an isolated rerun. New end-to-end cases cover live Night (blended, raw, then blended again in one video), live stop time, live split length, live display choice, live watermark and status appearance, the live low-space check, and live time-compression and person-check policy. A separate real two-display desktop recording through the real encoder and overlays exercised every live change in one session, including switching displays. A clean rebuild from the source ZIP passed eight UI and engine suites. All 15 package transaction checks passed, and the portable/installer payloads and checksums were verified.

Downloads:

• Timelapse-v0.43.0-windows-x64-setup.exe: Windows x64 installer.
• Timelapse-v0.43.0-windows-x64.zip: portable application.
• Timelapse-v0.43.0-source.zip: public source and build instructions.
• Timelapse-person-nanodet-r1.exe: unchanged optional local person detector; the app can download it when requested.
• SHA256SUMS.txt: checksums for the downloads.

v0.42.0 - Simpler settings panel

The settings panel is reorganized so you can find and change things quickly.

• Three pages instead of one long list. Tabs at the top of the panel switch between Capture (source, display and camera, capture interval, video size and quality, save folder, status), Recording (Stop after, file splitting, start delay, low-disk stop, desktop cursor, time compression, night camera) and Output (encoder and encoder settings, MP4 recovery, watermark, playback and shortcuts). The Advanced expander is gone.
• Compact rows. Each setting is one row with its label beside it, and option buttons show their current value next to them (for example Off, 30 fps or Automatic quality). At the normal window size every page fits without scrolling, including a camera collage with Night camera.
• Changes at a glance. A dot on the Recording or Output tab means options there differ from the defaults; it turns red when something needs fixing before you can record. Hover over a tab to list them.
• Keyboard. Ctrl+Tab and Ctrl+Shift+Tab (or Ctrl+Page Down and Ctrl+Page Up) switch pages, and arrow keys move between the tabs. An access key for a setting on another page jumps to it. Start delay is now Alt+A.
• Reset all settings... at the bottom of the Output page restores every default, including the save folder, after you confirm. Your selected display and camera stay selected, and recordings are not touched. It is unavailable while recording.
• Status. The Recent... status history is removed, and saved history from earlier versions is deleted from the settings file. The -status.txt list of status changes beside each video is now optional and off by default: turn on Also save a status list (.txt) with each video in the Status window.

Release checks: all 66 native suites have passing results (65 passed the full run; the preferences suite exceeded its 20-second limit there and passed in an isolated rerun). The rewritten layout tests check every page at four display scales. A clean rebuild from the source ZIP passed seven UI and status suites. All 15 package transaction checks passed, and the portable/installer payloads and checksums were verified.

Downloads:

• Timelapse-v0.42.0-windows-x64-setup.exe: Windows x64 installer.
• Timelapse-v0.42.0-windows-x64.zip: portable application.
• Timelapse-v0.42.0-source.zip: public source and build instructions.
• Timelapse-person-nanodet-r1.exe: unchanged optional local person detector; the app can download it when requested.
• SHA256SUMS.txt: checksums for the downloads.

v0.41.2 - Lower AV1 CPU use

AV1 recordings now use less CPU to prepare each frame. Timelapse converts directly into the planar input required by SVT-AV1 and processes more pixels per SIMD operation, removing an extra conversion pass and about 1 MiB of scratch memory per 1080p encoder.

AV1 compression settings remain the same. Six baseline/optimized comparisons matched every compressed video sample, timestamp and file size; independently decoded frames also matched exactly. Local synthetic 1080p benchmarks averaged 33.8% less frame preparation CPU and 1.8-4.6% less total encoding CPU. Savings vary by content and computer.

The source ZIP includes AV1_EFFICIENCY.md with the measurement method and validation details. The prior Status text entry fix is included.

Release checks: all 66 native suites have passing results (64 passed the initial run; desktop access and a preferences timeout passed unchanged in isolated reruns). A clean rebuild from the source ZIP passed seven encoder/recording suites. All 15 package transaction checks passed, and the portable/installer payloads and checksums were verified.

Downloads:

• Timelapse-v0.41.2-windows-x64-setup.exe: Windows x64 installer.
• Timelapse-v0.41.2-windows-x64.zip: portable application.
• Timelapse-v0.41.2-source.zip: public source and build instructions.
• Timelapse-person-nanodet-r1.exe: unchanged optional local person detector; the app can download it when requested.
• SHA256SUMS.txt: checksums for the downloads.

v0.41.1 - Status text entry fix

Fixed the Status text field so you can type, select and paste text normally. The field now uses a standard native Windows edit control. Use Recent... beside it to reuse a recent status.

This bugfix keeps the encoding settings from v0.41.0, including bundled SVT-AV1 v4.2.0 and default preset 6.

Download the Windows x64 setup program for a per-user installation, or extract the portable ZIP and run Timelapse.exe. The separately downloaded person worker remains optional and unchanged. SHA256SUMS.txt covers all four downloadable artifacts.

v0.41.0 - SVT-AV1 and advanced encoding settings

AV1 recording now uses the built-in SVT-AV1 v4.2.0 software encoder. Preset 6 is the default.

• Choose Extra small file in Video quality when size matters most. Balanced remains the default quality.
• Open Advanced → Encoder settings… to choose SVT-AV1 preset 0–11, AV1 Custom CRF 1–70, or a target bitrate of 1–100,000 kbps for any encoder. Automatic follows Video quality; a numeric override takes priority. Settings are remembered and locked during recording.
• AV1 uses the processor and needs an AV1-capable player. Higher resolutions, slower presets and extra output files require more encoding time and memory. AV1 target bitrate requires at least 64 × 64 pixels and is a target rather than a strict file-size limit. MP4 recovery mode still requires H.264.
• The source ZIP includes the pinned SVT-AV1/NASM build recipe and all encoder/dependency notices. The installed and portable README carry the notices too.

Download the Windows x64 setup program for a per-user installation, or extract the portable ZIP and run Timelapse.exe. The separately downloaded person worker remains optional and unchanged. SHA256SUMS.txt covers all four downloadable artifacts.

v0.40.0 - Live status in the video and a sleeker watermark

Show what you're doing in the video, and get a cleaner watermark.

• Status in the video: Set a short status ("Shower", "Work on Essay", "First task done!!") from the new STATUS section, the tray menu or an optional global shortcut, before or during a recording. It appears in a video corner like a game event feed. A new status strikes the old one through, slides it under the new line and fades it out, so changes aren't jarring. Each status can be text only, a stopwatch that counts up, or a timer that counts down and then shows how far over it ran in amber. Timers can repeat with breaks for time blocks such as 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest. Timelapse notifies you when a timer ends and when each block changes. Animation is timed in saved video frames, so it looks the same at every capture interval, while stopwatches and timers count real time. Choose the corner, text size and a Shadow only or Edge fade style, with a live zoomed preview. Recent statuses are remembered.
• Chapter list: Each saved video, or each part of a split recording, gets a -status.txt file listing when each status appeared in video time (for example 0:12 Shower (stopwatch)). You can paste it into a video description as chapters.
• Sleeker watermark: The watermark no longer sits in a black box. It's Segoe UI text with a thin dark outline and soft shadow that stays readable over light and dark content. Lines align toward the nearer side, and text is drawn at twice the size and smoothed down for cleaner edges. The status line uses the same drawing.
• Playback & shortcuts adds a third global shortcut, Set status.

Validation: warning-free Release build. All 65 regression suites passed, including three new suites. 58 passed in a full parallel run; the other 7 were UI suites that hit their time limits under the parallel load and passed when rerun one at a time. The three new suites cover the status model and real renderer (corners, styles, sizes, colours, previews, zero allocations once warmed, cost up to 4K), an engine run with synthetic sources and real MP4 writers (live changes, frozen appearance, every output file, failure handling, previews and per-part chapter files), and the UI (dialog flows, validation, tray, shortcut, notices and preferences). The rewritten watermark tests keep the GDI fault injection, bounds and allocation checks. A fresh build from the source ZIP passed the 12 most affected suites. Package inventories, executable and installer versions, and all asset SHA-256 digests were verified. The installed app's runtime and a physical camera were not re-tested on this PC.

Downloads: use the Windows x64 setup program or the portable ZIP. The source ZIP and SHA256SUMS.txt are included. The optional person detector is a separate, unchanged download.

v0.39.0 - Several videos at once, live source changes and person-only capture

Record more than one timelapse at once, change what you record during a session, and save frames only while someone is on camera.

• Several videos at once: with Desktop + camera, Side by side or Custom collage, choose Also save separate files → Desktop / Camera. You get the combined video plus full-frame -desktop.mp4 and -camera.mp4 timelapses from the same captures. Each source is captured once per frame, every file has exactly the same frames, and pause, file splits, Stop after, time compression, Night blending and the watermark apply to all of them.
• Change the source while recording: Source stays available while recording or paused. Start with only the desktop and add the camera overlay later, or cut between desktop and camera within one video. The tray icon's new Source submenu does the same while the window is hidden. If a camera added mid-recording cannot start, recording continues without it and explains why, rather than stopping.
• Person-only recording: Time compression adds No person detected: pause capture (camera). Frames are saved at your normal interval while the optional local detector sees someone. Capture pauses after a keep-recording buffer you choose (1 second or more) and resumes as soon as someone returns. Missing, failed or stale checks keep recording normally.
• Show files selects all three files of a set. Low-space protection reserves 64 MiB per file. The tray and status messages describe the whole file set.
• Stability: a timing-sensitive regression check that also failed intermittently on v0.38.0 now measures cadence robustly.

Validation: warning-free Release build; all 62 regression suites passed in one full run, including new synthetic real-encoder checks for three decoded files with live collage edits, split sets, write/open faults, live source changes with a failing camera, and person-only pause/resume. A fresh build from the source ZIP passed the 10 most affected suites. Package inventories, executable and installer versions, and all asset SHA-256 digests were verified. Physical camera capture and installer runtime were not re-tested on this PC (its camera did not start within the activation limit).

Downloads: use the Windows x64 setup program or portable ZIP. The source ZIP and SHA256SUMS.txt are included; the optional person detector remains a separate download and is unchanged.

v0.38.0 - Change capture speed while recording

Capture speed can now change during a recording without pausing or starting another video. Switch Capture every from 5 seconds to 60 seconds before leaving, then back to 5 seconds when you return.

• Presets and Custom intervals work while recording or paused. Shortening a long interval wakes the recorder promptly; missed captures do not produce a catch-up burst.
• Desktop and camera files stay synchronized. Existing frames, output size and playback FPS stay fixed.
• Time compression keeps its multiplier, ramp phase and observation history while following the new base interval.
• A Night blend already underway finishes fully. Later windows use the new interval; changes below 1 second or below a fixed blend duration are rejected without stopping recording.
• Updated help and documentation explain live timing changes. Capture every stays locked during countdown, preparation and final saving.

Validation: all 61 Release regression suites passed across the full run and targeted reruns after updating three existing fixed-interval expectations, including synthetic live cadence, edits during encoding, pause/resume, paired output decoding, Night windows, watermark targets and compression history. A fresh build from the source ZIP passed seven selected suites across its run and targeted reruns; a new timing assertion was adjusted to tolerate capture jitter while still detecting a lost interval change. Package inventories, executable and installer versions, and all asset SHA-256 digests were verified. The optional person detector is unchanged. Physical camera compatibility and installation over the currently running app were not re-tested.

Downloads: use the Windows x64 setup program or portable ZIP. The source ZIP and SHA256SUMS.txt are included; the optional person detector remains a separate download.

v0.37.0 - Smaller timelapses with built-in AV1

Timelapse now offers AV1 (smallest files) alongside the existing H.264 and HEVC options. Choose it when you want to keep more detail in less disk space and can spare extra processor time.

What changed

• Smaller files for desktop and camera timelapses. In controlled 1080p tests, Balanced AV1 files were about 10–13 times smaller for desktop/text scenes and about 2 times smaller for camera-like noise than Compatible H.264, with higher measured image detail. These are synthetic comparisons, not guarantees for every recording.
• Sharper text and three quality choices. The encoder recognizes desktop text and uses AV1's screen-content tools. Smaller file, Balanced and More detail let you choose how much detail to retain.
• Built into the app. No separate encoder download or special graphics card is needed. AV1 runs on the CPU, using up to four threads. Your existing encoding preference stays selected unless you change it.
• Works with the recording features you already use. AV1 supports custom video sizes, playback rates, pause/resume, file splitting and separate desktop/camera videos. Tests cover saved preferences, two simultaneous outputs, file collisions and decoding after an injected write failure.
• Documented, reproducible measurements. The README includes file-size, detail, CPU and memory comparisons, build instructions and the bundled encoder's license notices.

Choosing an encoding mode

AV1 trades processing time for compression. On the test laptop it used roughly 4–15 times the encoding CPU time of Efficient H.264 and about 135 MiB of additional memory per 1080p output. Very short capture intervals or large outputs may skip capture slots while encoding catches up. A scene that changes completely between every frame can produce a larger file than bitrate-targeted H.264 because AV1 preserves more detail.

Use Compatible H.264 for broad playback compatibility, Efficient H.264 for a lighter software option, or a supported hardware mode to reduce CPU work. AV1 playback requires an AV1-capable player or decoder; Windows playback may need the AV1 Video Extension. MP4 recovery mode remains H.264-only.

AV1 recording and decoding were verified on Windows 11. Windows 10 AV1 MP4 writing and physical-camera compatibility were not newly verified for this release. If Windows cannot create an AV1 MP4, the app reports the error at recording startup.

Downloads

• Windows x64 setup: normal installation and upgrades.
• Windows x64 ZIP: portable app; extract it and run Timelapse.exe.
• Source ZIP: source, build scripts and tests.
• Person detector: the optional worker is unchanged and is still downloaded only when requested inside the app.

AV1 is included in the main executable, increasing the portable download from about 0.4 MB to about 4.2 MB. The app and installer remain unsigned.

Validation

The AV1 implementation passed the previously completed full 61-suite regression run. For this release, the versioned build and a fresh build from the source ZIP completed without warnings; all four fresh-source checks passed, covering AV1 encoding, saved settings and encoder selection. The packaged source, portable executable, installer version and all download checksums were verified. Install/upgrade testing was blocked by an active Timelapse session; that session was left running.

Full changes: v0.36.0...v0.37.0

v0.36.0 - Configurable uncertain person checks

Changes

• Completed ambiguous or low-detail person checks now count as no person
  detected by default in no-person time compression. Acceleration still requires
  the full configured waiting period and follows the gradual transition.
• Add the saved Treat uncertain checks as no person option under
  Advanced → Time compression. Uncheck it to keep normal cadence during
  uncertainty. Existing preferences without the option use the enabled default.
• Show No person detected (uncertain) when uncertainty permits acceleration,
  retaining the detector's diagnostic. A detected person restores normal cadence;
  missing, stale, invalid or failed checks also restore it and reset absence history.
• The setting is fixed for each recording. The existing optional person detector
  remains compatible and does not need to be reinstalled.
• Correct two camera-test request-admission waits, preserving the assertions that
  invalid replies leave the caller's data untouched.

Includes the Windows x64 installer, portable ZIP, complete source ZIP, optional
person-detection worker and SHA-256 checksums.

Validation

The warning-free Release build has passing evidence for all 60 selected synthetic
suites: 59 passed in the full run, and the repaired camera suite passed ten
consecutive isolated runs. Only that test fixture changed afterward; the app and
the other suites' source inputs remained unchanged.

A fresh build from the source ZIP passed all 12 selected suites, covering saved
preferences, the native option, both uncertainty policies, full waiting periods,
actual saved-frame cadence, failed-check recovery and the repaired camera fixture.
Source and portable contents, installer version, the unchanged detector worker,
and all release SHA-256 checksums were verified. No physical camera check was
performed.