Best screen video capture software ?

JesperMP

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Hi, I have begun using screen video capture software to diagnose problems where have many windows open at the same time, with things happening in real-time in all the windows.
By recording what happens, and playing it back step-by-step, I can follow what otherwise would be impossible to follow.

I am using CamStudio which is GPL, and works OK, but is also slightly quirky.

Are there others that use screen video capture programs ?
Care to exchange the good and bad experiences ?
 
One problem that I am encountering, is that if I use the standard codec (Microsoft Video 1) the files generated becomes ginormous. 2+ GB for 1 minute.
There is another codec called Cinepak codec by Radius which generates much smaller files, but it looks pretty awful. Any suggestions for which codec to use that generates reasonably small files and dont look horrible ?
 
VLC is my default player. Didnt know it does recording. Who would've thought.
But alas, the helpfile warns that the files gets huge. Several GB per minute.

GiT, I prefer freeware or GPL, since I can then install the tool as a utility on all our projects.

Now I have found Hypercam version 2, which is freeware and works quite well too (version 3 is not freeware).
You have to deselect unwanted 'options' to your system upon installation. If you dont your default search provider will be changed and other such nonsense.
The files are much smaller (~150MB per minute) and looks pretty good too.

Unless something else that is better shows up I will stick to Hypercam.

Another thing, if I zip the recorded file, it becomes approx 5 MB per minute. I wouldnt have though it, but it is true. Maybe because video of a computer desktop contains large areas that does not change at all. I thought that the codec would already detect that and compress it to the max.
 
I have a registered version of Camtasia from Techsmith. It's a great piece of software, but not free.
 
Snagit will do both video and screen capture I believe.

http://www.techsmith.com/tutorial-snagit-current.html

Well yes but not like Camtasia Studio. In Snagit Video is limited to 1920 x 1080 and a single monitor. There is no editing, no zoom and Highlight,etc in Snagit but just for straight video capture with no edits it works fine.

@JesperMP if either of the TechSmith options are possible for you try the 30 day trial and just see how it does. Sangit of course would be the cheaper of the 2.
 
A feedback.
Hypercam works perfectly for me.

But here is another tip: Use 7-zip to compress the recorded movie, instead of ZIP or WinZip. The compression factor is like 700 (!) instead of approx 10-20 for ZIP/WinZip.
I thought there was a mistake somewhere but it actually is true.
A 2-minute video capture becomes approx. 210 kB after comprssing with 7-zip. Without compression it is 170 MB. So I can easily send the file per mail or FTP.
So all in all I get 210 kB instead of 2GB or 170 MB. Worth thinking about.
 
I'm using Wink portable. The advantage is that it can be set to only record when something is happening, e.g. take a snapshot at every mouse click or key stroke. That way the file sizes are not that big. But I must add my goal is different: I'm only using it to make training video's.

Kind regards,
 
I will give another vote for techsmith products - either SnagIt or Camtasia. They are not free, but are inexpensive.
 
I use Screenflow $100. It is Mac based though. Most think it is the best out there. Many have seen my videos made with Screenflow. I use only a small fraction of what it can do. I am relatively video or camera illiterate but I can do the basics and even picture in picture.

A Mac will do screen capture without Screenflow but then it must be edited with iMovie.
 

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