Screen Video Record of Current Activity Android

Question

Is it possible to record screen video of current running activity from same activity ?
I know how to take screenshot of current activity but don't have any idea about taking screen video record. How would I start with it ? I don't know how to start it.

Answer 1

Since Lollipop we can use the Media Projection API ! (API 21+)

Here is the following code that I use for recording, Note that we first need to get the user permissions for that ;)

private static final int CAST_PERMISSION_CODE = 22;
private DisplayMetrics mDisplayMetrics;
private MediaProjection mMediaProjection;
private VirtualDisplay mVirtualDisplay;
private MediaRecorder mMediaRecorder;

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

    mMediaRecorder = new MediaRecorder();

    mProjectionManager = (MediaProjectionManager) getSystemService
            (Context.MEDIA_PROJECTION_SERVICE);

    getWindowManager().getDefaultDisplay().getMetrics(mDisplayMetrics);

    prepareRecording();
}

private void startRecording() {
    // If mMediaProjection is null that means we didn't get a context, lets ask the user
    if (mMediaProjection == null) {
        // This asks for user permissions to capture the screen
        startActivityForResult(mProjectionManager.createScreenCaptureIntent(), CAST_PERMISSION_CODE);
        return;
    }
    mVirtualDisplay = createVirtualDisplay();
    mMediaRecorder.start();
}

private void stopRecording() {
    if (mMediaRecorder != null) {
        mMediaRecorder.stop();
        mMediaRecorder.reset();
    }
    if (mVirtualDisplay != null) {
        mVirtualDisplay.release();
    }
    if (mMediaProjection != null) {
        mMediaProjection.stop();
    }
    prepareRecording();
}

public String getCurSysDate() {
    return new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd_HH-mm-ss").format(new Date());
}

private void prepareRecording() {
    try {
        mMediaRecorder.prepare();
    } catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
        return;
    }

    final String directory = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() + File.separator + "Recordings";
    if (!Environment.MEDIA_MOUNTED.equals(Environment.getExternalStorageState())) {
        Toast.makeText(this, "Failed to get External Storage", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        return;
    }
    final File folder = new File(directory);
    boolean success = true;
    if (!folder.exists()) {
        success = folder.mkdir();
    }
    String filePath;
    if (success) {
        String videoName = ("capture_" + getCurSysDate() + ".mp4");
        filePath = directory + File.separator + videoName;
    } else {
        Toast.makeText(this, "Failed to create Recordings directory", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        return;
    }

    int width = mDisplayMetrics.widthPixels;
    int height = mDisplayMetrics.heightPixels;

    mMediaRecorder.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.MIC);
    mMediaRecorder.setVideoSource(MediaRecorder.VideoSource.SURFACE);
    mMediaRecorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.MPEG_4);
    mMediaRecorder.setVideoEncoder(MediaRecorder.VideoEncoder.H264);
    mMediaRecorder.setAudioEncoder(MediaRecorder.AudioEncoder.AMR_NB);
    mMediaRecorder.setVideoEncodingBitRate(512 * 1000);
    mMediaRecorder.setVideoFrameRate(30);
    mMediaRecorder.setVideoSize(width, height);
    mMediaRecorder.setOutputFile(filePath);
}

@Override
public void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    if (requestCode != CAST_PERMISSION_CODE) {
        // Where did we get this request from ? -_-
        Log.w(TAG, "Unknown request code: " + requestCode);
        return;
    }
    if (resultCode != RESULT_OK) {
        Toast.makeText(this, "Screen Cast Permission Denied :(", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        return;
    }
    mMediaProjection = mProjectionManager.getMediaProjection(resultCode, data);
    // TODO Register a callback that will listen onStop and release & prepare the recorder for next recording
    // mMediaProjection.registerCallback(callback, null);
    mVirtualDisplay = getVirtualDisplay();
    mMediaRecorder.start();
}

private VirtualDisplay getVirtualDisplay() {
    screenDensity = mDisplayMetrics.densityDpi;
    int width = mDisplayMetrics.widthPixels;
    int height = mDisplayMetrics.heightPixels;

    return mMediaProjection.createVirtualDisplay(this.getClass().getSimpleName(),
            width, height, screenDensity,
            DisplayManager.VIRTUAL_DISPLAY_FLAG_AUTO_MIRROR,
            mMediaRecorder.getSurface(), null /*Callbacks*/, null /*Handler*/);
}

This is no the final code but a GOOD base for start :)