THSE Recorder turns your videos into documentary records: each video gets a record (project, session, date, time, place, description, notes) and is exported with a HUD that stamps that information on the picture. Everything happens on your computer: your videos and records are never uploaded.
What you need
- A computer with Google Chrome (recommended) or Microsoft Edge.
- Videos from a phone or camera (MP4 or MOV). iPhone videos in HEVC play in Chrome; in Edge they need Microsoft's HEVC Video Extensions. On the iPhone, Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible records H.264, which every browser reads.
HOME
The first screen shows your plan. Sign in with your account to use your plan, or continue with Free. Press ENTER (or the Enter key) to open the app. SETTINGS (⚙) → HOME opens it again.
The screen
| 01 RECORD | The record: project, session, file type, date and time, location, description, annotations. |
| 02 SOURCE | The footage, what was read from it, and the export settings. |
| 03 LIBRARY | Saved records, the library folder and backups. |
| 04 PROJECTS | Projects, file types and RECENTLY DELETED. |
The viewer on the right shows the footage with the live HUD. The top bar follows the work: RECORD → SOURCE → OUTPUT.
On a phone or tablet held upright the viewer stays at the top (it shrinks while you scroll; tap it to bring it back) and phones get a field bar: NEW · CAMERA (then REC / STOP) · NOW · SAVE · GENERATE. Records stay in the browser there (no library folder): back up with EXPORT LIBRARY JSON.
Your first record in five steps
- Project: in 01 RECORD, choose or type a PROJECT CODE (a new one is registered when you save).
- When and where: set the recording date and time (or USE CURRENT DATE & TIME, or the file's date), the location and a description.
- Footage: LOAD FOOTAGE (Alt+L) or drop the video on the viewer — or RECORD WITH CAMERA (Alt+C): the computer's webcam, or your phone used as a webcam (Windows Phone Link). The take gets the record's date and time and its original is kept in the library folder's
captures. Everything stays on your computer.
- Output: in 02 SOURCE choose the format (16:9, 9:16…), resolution, framing, Look and audio.
- GENERATE VIDEO (Ctrl+Enter). The record is saved first; a summary appears when something deserves a check. When it is ready, DOWNLOAD VIDEO — or, with a library folder, it is already saved there.
Good to know
- Videos over 400 MB are written straight to disk: a Save As window asks where (no memory limit).
- Export time depends on the number of frames: a 60 fps video takes about twice as long as a 30 fps one. Turn on Fast export when 60 is not needed (60 → 30, 50 → 25 fps). The first export after opening the browser is slower.
- During an export the computer stays awake and you can switch tabs; closing the tab asks first.
- If something fails, the message says what to do and RETRY tries again.
Record ID
Each saved record gets an ID: CODE-YYYYMMDD-NNN — the project code, the recording date and NNN, the record's order for that project on that date (001, 002…). The session is a separate number you choose (suggested from your library): it appears in the HUD, the documents and the video file name.
Projects and file types (04 PROJECTS)
- Add, rename (✎) or delete projects and file types. A code or tag can change only while no record uses it.
- A new name applies to new records; saved records keep theirs (their PDF notes the rename).
- File types: Field Report, Lab Note, Interview, Archive, and your own (depending on the plan).
Library (03 LIBRARY)
Search by ID, project, location or description; filter, sort and group. Each card: LOAD (open the record; its video plays in the viewer), ▶ PLAY (watch its video), PDF record sheet, TXT, JSON, TEMPLATE (a new record from this one) and DELETE.
Deleting and restoring
DELETE moves a record to RECENTLY DELETED (04 PROJECTS); UNDO or Ctrl+Z brings it back. From there: RESTORE, DELETE FOREVER or EMPTY TRASH. Deleted records stay the days your plan includes, then are removed.
The library folder
CHOOSE LIBRARY FOLDER (03 LIBRARY) creates THSE Recorder Library + your name where you choose: an SD card, your disk, a USB drive or a folder of your own OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox. Inside, one folder per project (CODE · Name) with Videos (HUD), Records and, when the camera is used, Captures; settings, file types and the trash go to _THSE system. From then on:
- Every record, project, file type, deleted record and setting is saved there as you work (one small file each), and every generated video goes to its project's
Videos (HUD) folder — no Save As window. A record moved to another project takes its files with it.
- One record = one current video. Generating again replaces it (the old one goes to the trash for a few days). To keep both versions, make a new record with TEMPLATE.
- Browsers ask again for permission on each visit: press RECONNECT. Meanwhile the library shows this browser's copy and saves to the folder when it returns.
- On another computer, or if the browser data is cleared: CHOOSE LIBRARY FOLDER and pick the same folder — everything comes back.
- If the same record was changed in two places, the app asks which to keep (KEEP BOTH keeps the other as a copy). Nothing is lost.
Backups
- BACKUP TO… copies the whole library folder, videos included, to a USB drive or another disk. The next times it copies only what changed. To restore, choose that copy as the library folder.
- EXPORT LIBRARY JSON (Alt+J) is a light one-file copy of the records, without videos. IMPORT LIBRARY JSON merges a copy into the library and never removes anything.
- A reminder appears after the days chosen in SETTINGS without a backup.
Export options (02 SOURCE)
| Format | AUTO (MP4; WebM if MP4 is not available), MP4 or WebM. |
| Aspect | Original, 16:9, 9:16, 4:5, 1:1, 4:3, 2.39:1. The line under Resolution shows the exact size exported. |
| Resolution | Full Size / Match Source, 1080p or 720p. |
| Fit | Crop to fill, black bars, or blurred background. |
| Look | None, Cinematic, Blue, Grain, Retro. The HUD is never color-treated. |
| Frame rate | Match Source (exact, e.g. 23.976 or 29.97) or a fixed rate. |
| Fast export | 30 fps at most, keeping every second frame: about twice as fast with 50–60 fps footage. The hint shows the result for the loaded footage. |
| Audio | On or off. Camera sound the players cannot read (PCM) is converted automatically. |
What your plan does not include is greyed out, with the reason on hover.
Keyboard shortcuts (press ? for all)
| Ctrl+S | Save record | Ctrl+Enter | Generate video |
| Ctrl+Z | Undo the last delete | Ctrl+B | Search the library |
| Alt+N | New record | Alt+L | Load footage |
| Alt+P | Library PDF catalog | Alt+J | Library JSON backup |
| 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 | Switch tabs | Esc | Close / normal view |
On a Mac, ⌘ replaces Ctrl and ⌥ replaces Alt.
Questions
- The video loads but the viewer stays black ("CANNOT DECODE").
- The browser cannot read that video format (often iPhone HEVC in Edge, or editing formats such as ProRes). Open THSE Recorder in Chrome, install HEVC Video Extensions, or export the video as H.264 MP4 first.
- Exporting is slow.
- The time depends on your computer's video encoder and on the number of frames. Turn on Fast export for 60 fps footage when you do not need 60; close other heavy tabs.
- Where are my videos?
- With a library folder: in its
videos folder (▶ PLAY on the card). Without one: where you downloaded them, or where you chose in Save As.
- I cleared the browser or changed computer.
- With a library folder, choose it again: everything comes back. Without one, IMPORT LIBRARY JSON from your last backup.
- My subscription ended. Do I lose my work?
- No. What you made stays visible, playable and exportable, and you can back it up. It cannot be edited or generated again until you renew; new work uses the Free plan.
- Who stands behind the date, time and place in the HUD?
- You, the author of the record: the details are declared by you and stamped as you enter them (the PDF says so in its footer). Keep them truthful; a record is not an official certification.
- Is anything uploaded?
- No. Footage, records and videos stay on your computer or your own folders. Only your account and plan are checked online.
© 2026 Nostricorp. All rights reserved. THSE Recorder is a product of Nostricorp.