Camtasia or Camstudio?

134 replies
Huge question, I know, but maybe you can cut it down into short relevant parts.

What's the difference between Camtasia and Camstudio?

I haven't tried either yet, but I see that Camtasia is a bit costly. Camstudio, on the other hand, was a free download I got from somewhere... one of those giveaways, maybe.

I'm thinking of doing some videos to sell/promote products so the program doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just something that enables me to do screen capture, add text and audio, insert images and allow viewers to click to view at their own speed, ie: it doesn't start automatically until the viewer clicks the run button.

The finished product would appear on a web page, just like the ones you see with Camtasia. It would have to be of sufficient size for people to view the contents. I've seen some videos that are quite teeny (about 2 inches square). Don't know what program created those.

Are there any glitches or shortcomings with Camstudio that you know about? Perhaps too big a file size, only works on certain platforms, etc. Or perhaps it's too complicated to use? Useful features missing?

Yes, I know. I could go ahead and start using it and see for myself, but I'm not ready yet and was hoping to get some feedback before I waste time with it.

Your feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Sylvia
#camstudio #camtasia
  • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
    Sylvia, it has been a very long time since I used CamStudio, but I do have
    Camtasia and I don't recall Camstudio having all the features that Camtasia
    has.

    Let me put it this way. Camtasia is in my top 5 of purchases I've made as
    an IMer since I've begun doing this, so that should say something about
    the quality of the software.
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    • Profile picture of the author sylviad
      Thanks, Steven.

      From what I've seen, Camtasia certainly is the elite in this category. Unfortunately, it is pricey so I was thinking Camstudio would be sufficient for my needs at this time. I'm just wondering if there's something about it that I should know about before I proceed. I haven't even installed it and looked at it yet. You never know. Someone might know that it screws up your computer!

      Sylvia
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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

        Thanks, Steven.

        From what I've seen, Camtasia certainly is the elite in this category. Unfortunately, it is pricey so I was thinking Camstudio would be sufficient for my needs at this time. I'm just wondering if there's something about it that I should know about before I proceed. I haven't even installed it and looked at it yet. You never know. Someone might know that it screws up your computer!

        Sylvia
        I do remember when installing it that I had no trouble with it. I wasn't all
        that impressed with it either, which is why after a few "tests" I stopped
        using it. I only even bought Camtasia because of so many recommendations
        and I can honestly say that I am not sorry.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dwight Anthony
        CamStudio is really limited and techsmith knows it, I would try the 30 day free trial of camtasia and 'feel it out'. Very easy to use once you get the initial hang of it.



        Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

        Thanks, Steven.

        From what I've seen, Camtasia certainly is the elite in this category. Unfortunately, it is pricey so I was thinking Camstudio would be sufficient for my needs at this time. I'm just wondering if there's something about it that I should know about before I proceed. I haven't even installed it and looked at it yet. You never know. Someone might know that it screws up your computer!

        Sylvia
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  • Profile picture of the author lakshaybehl
    My message is consistent with Steven's... Camtasia

    You get what you pay for... And with Camtasia, you can also quickly create an MP3 recording of the video to submit to podcasting sites for more traffic... or list building freebie.

    People are making millions with this software.
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    • Profile picture of the author lakshaybehl
      Also editing functionalities that come with Camtasia are just too valuable... you can eve add background music tracks... Take some nice royalty free music clips and get ready to create some killer videos to post onYoutube and get some dangerously high levels of traffic.

      ok... a little exaggeration is acceptable isn't it??
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      • Profile picture of the author BerkleyStreet
        Could those of you that use Camtasia tell me what the limitations of the the following are?

        "Camtasia 3 Full Featured Education Version"

        Is this version better than the Camstudio?

        Thanks,
        Bob
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        • Profile picture of the author Jason Fladlien
          Jing project is great for videos that are 5 minutes or less.

          -Jason
          Signature

          Co-creator of WP Twin. Perhaps the most expensive yet most reliable wordress cloning tool on the market. We've definitely been used more successfully than all other options :)

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  • Profile picture of the author Gene Pimentel
    Hi Sylvia,

    You may want to take a look at another free tool that has been receiving rave reviews: http://www.jingproject.com

    I have not tried it myself, but it seems everyone who has tried it has only good to say about it.
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    • Profile picture of the author morpheyous
      Hi,

      I use Jing to make short instructionals for my VA's because it is free, but it is not real good for producing youtube vids

      Pete
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      Yours in Success
      Peter
      Call and Play for Skype
      http://www.callnplay.us

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  • Profile picture of the author sparrow
    My recommendation is to take advantage of the free download from Camtasia after that then try Camstudio

    I own Camtasia now, but started off with Camstudio

    They both worked to get a simple video done and some of my videos from Camstudio are still brining people to an optin page daily

    After you have used both of them only you can determine if making the investment is worth it

    the previous year Camtasia was offering version 3 for free but since then it has been halted

    Give the free trial a try then make the decision

    Ed
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    • Profile picture of the author ravijayagopal
      Sylvia,

      If all you need is "screen capture", then CamStudio is more than enough.

      But if you want some of the advanced features, like advanced timeline editing, adding callouts, inserting multiple voice tracks, re-dubbing sections, creating menu-based videos, etc, then you've just got to get Camtasia.

      Camtasia absolutely rocks!

      See some of the recent videos I've made (as recent as last night) here:
      DigitalAccessPass.com Videos

      Hope this helps.

      - Ravi Jayagopal
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      • Profile picture of the author sylviad
        lakshaybehl...

        Hm. Hadn't thought of the MP3 capability. Thanks for the idea. Most certainly a valuable one.

        Jason...

        Good point. A 5 minute video wouldn't quite cover what I have in mind.

        Ed...

        Thanks Ed. I've never done a video before (not without an old-fashioned Camcorder or TV Camera), so this is pretty new to me. I'm kind of wavering between just doing a Powerpoint presentation for the web (which I've never done either) or getting started with Camstudio. I'd rather "save" my free trial at Camtasia until I get some exerience doing this to see if it's something I'll continue doing.

        Ravi...

        Those features are certainly desirable. Does Camstudio not give you editing capabilities? I assume re-dubbing enables you to go back and fix mistakes in your video. Does Camstudio not have that either?

        Don't get me wrong, Camtasia is my dream product. Was sold the moment I read the sales page and features. It's just not in my budget at the moment, so I want to start off as affordably as possible, like... free!

        Sylvia
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  • Profile picture of the author Fender85
    Yeah, Jing is sweet for 5 minute vids. The drawback to it is that it's "live" - ie, no video record and then adding in a voiceover later.

    The one thing I didn't like about Cam Studio is that it didn't let me "set up" before it started recording. You'd hit the button and BAM there it goes, no delay or anything, so the Cam Studio display is still in the way and everything!

    Here's what I do, though - Buy Sony Vegas (you can get it on CD for like $70 - if you want purely digital, it's like $55) and then use Cam Studio. You can just edit what you create in Cam Studio, and then add in music, voiceovers, transitions/effects, all kinds of stuff. And that's still HUNDREDS of dollars cheaper than Camtasia.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    Cam Studio is every bit as good as Camtasia for screen capture.

    For editing you already have Windows Movie Maker on your computer
    if you have a PC. I have Camtasia Studio 3 and, frankly, I don't see a
    huge difference between that and Movie Maker.

    Here's a better alternative... use Cam Studio for screen capture
    and get Sony Vegas for the editing... it's much better than either
    Camtasia or Movie maker and costs a WHOLE LOT LESS than Camtasia.

    You can download a full functioning free 30 day trial of Sony Vegas.

    Tsnyder
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    If you knew what I know you'd be doing what I do...
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    • Profile picture of the author Dixiebelle
      Sylvia: When TechSmith upgraded to version 5, they were giving away a free full version of #3. I got it but didn't keep the key to open a new copy.

      I'm not sure if you can still get a key, but you can try emailing them and asking for one.

      Here is the original download link. Good luck.

      Techsmith offers free Camtasia Studio download - Download Squad

      Dixie
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      • Profile picture of the author sylviad
        Originally Posted by Dixiebelle View Post

        Sylvia: When TechSmith upgraded to version 5, they were giving away a free full version of #3. I got it but didn't keep the key to open a new copy.

        I'm not sure if you can still get a key, but you can try emailing them and asking for one.

        Here is the original download link. Good luck.

        Techsmith offers free Camtasia Studio download - Download Squad

        Dixie
        Close one, Dixie! I actually found this Camtasia 3 in one of my download folders. Unfortunately, that link to get a key has been withdrawn and only a trial version of Cam5 is available.

        However... Fender85 & TSnyder have an idea I'll check out with Sony Vegas and Windows Movie Maker (which I've never used or looked at). Next option... Powerpoint! since I don't have a webcam anyway.

        Sylvia
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    • Profile picture of the author Ben Roy
      Originally Posted by Tsnyder View Post

      Cam Studio is every bit as good as Camtasia for screen capture.

      For editing you already have Windows Movie Maker on your computer
      if you have a PC. I have Camtasia Studio 3 and, frankly, I don't see a
      huge difference between that and Movie Maker.

      Here's a better alternative... use Cam Studio for screen capture
      and get Sony Vegas for the editing... it's much better than either
      Camtasia or Movie maker and costs a WHOLE LOT LESS than Camtasia.

      You can download a full functioning free 30 day trial of Sony Vegas.

      Tsnyder
      This is my thought exactly. Full disclosure: I haven't produce a lot of screen-recording based videos, but I can't imagine buying Camtasia just because it has video editing capabilities. They are far from the market leader in that department. If you want fancy editing, buy an editing tool. If you want basic editing, use something free like Windows Movie Maker. In either case, you can probably use a free capture utility to get the source video to work with.
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    • Profile picture of the author nmh
      Originally Posted by Tsnyder View Post

      Cam Studio is every bit as good as Camtasia for screen capture.

      For editing you already have Windows Movie Maker on your computer
      if you have a PC. I have Camtasia Studio 3 and, frankly, I don't see a
      huge difference between that and Movie Maker.

      Here's a better alternative... use Cam Studio for screen capture
      and get Sony Vegas for the editing... it's much better than either
      Camtasia or Movie maker and costs a WHOLE LOT LESS than Camtasia.

      You can download a full functioning free 30 day trial of Sony Vegas.

      Tsnyder

      My husband has Vegas Platinum Pro for videos we have for our kids sports stuff. Will that work? It seems to be 2 levels higher than the regular $54 Vegas. Neither I have used but I would be willing to try it if it works! This information is great! Movie Maker seems easy to use and I will have to try CamStudio. Will Jing also work w/ Movie Maker and Vegas?:confused:
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    • Profile picture of the author howsyamama
      Originally Posted by Tsnyder View Post

      Cam Studio is every bit as good as Camtasia for screen capture.

      For editing you already have Windows Movie Maker on your computer
      if you have a PC. I have Camtasia Studio 3 and, frankly, I don't see a
      huge difference between that and Movie Maker.

      Here's a better alternative... use Cam Studio for screen capture
      and get Sony Vegas for the editing... it's much better than either
      Camtasia or Movie maker and costs a WHOLE LOT LESS than Camtasia.

      You can download a full functioning free 30 day trial of Sony Vegas.

      Tsnyder
      Tsnyder, this is a long time ago. But in case anyone is still searching - EXACTLY what I do. I read about the limitations of CamStudio and wonder, why don't they just edit in editing software? I also use Vegas.

      Re: audio, you can also strip the audio from the video editor, and even load into a free audio editor (like Audacity - very easy and effective) to make audio files.

      Simple and much less expensive.
      Adam
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      • Profile picture of the author MrRSmith
        Originally Posted by howsyamama View Post

        Tsnyder, this is a long time ago. But in case anyone is still searching - EXACTLY what I do. I read about the limitations of CamStudio and wonder, why don't they just edit in editing software? I also use Vegas.

        Re: audio, you can also strip the audio from the video editor, and even load into a free audio editor (like Audacity - very easy and effective) to make audio files.

        Simple and much less expensive.
        Adam
        I haven't used Vegas, but Camtasia/Camstudio/Windows Movie Maker are some great choices. Sometimes, I think it really just boils down to individual needs, ROI and cost. I've seen some nice work come from studio and movie maker. But again, just depends on someone's needs. Thanks for the tips and input everyone.
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  • Profile picture of the author Suthan M
    Let me go against the normal replies posted in here.

    Sylvia,

    if you are just planning to do a one time use of video creation, i will rather say keep your money, and use the free ones instead. Camstudio, or heck Windows Movie maker could do the trick. Another option is to use the trial copy, and remove it after your done in 30 days.

    If you still insist on doing a reliable and pro looking video creation, then outsource it off. Nowadays, things like this can be outsourced dirt cheap if you know the right place to look.
    There was once a Warrior who did this as a WSO but nowadays i will just give it off at freelancing sites.

    There is many ways to "slaughter the chicken", so i hope i gave you some ideas on how you can do it.

    Hope it helps
    Signature

    Whats the latest movie you watched? Anything good?

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  • Profile picture of the author cypherslock
    Sylviad, you can create an mp3 of your video. You need to get the A0A Audio extractor which extracts audio from many different movie formats and imports to mp3 etc. Very high quality and freeware...DVD to AVI, iPod Video Converter, DVD Creator, DVD Ripper. Now you can use camstudio and still get the benefits of an alternate format...
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  • Profile picture of the author Vince Courtney
    Hi Sylviad

    There is an excellent tutorial for cam studio on .

    Take a look at that as it shows you exactly how to download, optimize and use the program for best results.

    Hope that helps.
    Vince
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  • Profile picture of the author gxd5
    I use Cam Studio. If you decide to try it, make sure to use the settings Vince showed you. You will get horrible results if you don't change those.

    The default settings in Cam Studio are BAD. You CANNOT use it out of the box. But if you tweak the settings, you get very good results.
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  • Profile picture of the author Norma Holt
    Vince, is the no sound due to the program not being able to rvord voice or to something else.

    I have never use movie maker on my computer. Anyone got instructions on how to do it?

    Great thread, thanks Sylvia

    Norma
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
    CamStudio - Free Screen Recording Software (free) will work just fine for you.

    Don't be fooled into thinking you need camtasia. You don't unless you need some of its advanced features.

    If all you are doing is creating screen capture videos all you need is camstudio, a good flv encoding software, and a player to embed your flv video in your site.

    Camstudio is free, Flix 8 standard (flv encoder) is $39 from On2.com and uses the best flv codec in the industry, and you can use either JW player or Flowplayer as a free player.

    I own Camtasia.... but I prefer to use camstudio for my own screen capture because I know how to use it to get the best results :-)
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    • Profile picture of the author sylviad
      Wow... Where did THIS come from?

      For some reason I haven't been getting notification that this thread has new comments. I'll definitely re-bookmark it.

      It had to have been buried pretty deep by now, but thanks, whoever dug it back out. I'd forgotten about it. And now I see all these fantastic responses.

      Thanks everyone for your great input.

      Time to open up my CamStudio and see what it's all about. Thanks for the video, Vince... and all the tips about what I need to get a video built. I didn't realize I'd need other programs to get it on my site... or on YouTube.

      Sylvia
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  • Profile picture of the author sparky.ebiz
    Another great solution is CamStudio Pro. This is CamStudio on steroids. I picked up my copy online for $20. It comes packaged with a ton of features that make it compete with Camtasia. (Actually the Camtasia owners would know better about this part - but I think CamStudio Pro actually has new "web friendly" features that go beyond what Camtasia 6 can do) It's pretty clever how the author did this - mostly adding on 3rd party free or open source software to the menu so it's transparent to the operator. Also, has tons of free video tutorials on their website. I plan on using this for my next 2 youtube videos!
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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
      Originally Posted by sparky.ebiz View Post

      Another great solution is CamStudio Pro. This is CamStudio on steroids.
      No its not.

      Its the exact same screen capture features as camstudio.

      Please understand that I think Dave did a great job resolving the two major flaws in the software as well as making it more appealing to use... but since then the opensource project at Camstudio.org has released those same two improvements in the free open source version.

      This version: http://camstudio.org/blog/camstudio-...-1-released%3E Fixed the embed issues and added a redirect feature.

      Those were the two main improvements made by Dave in Camstudio Pro but they now exist in Camstudio.org the free version. He did do other improvements but they are mostly design improvements so there is no real advantage in his Pro version over the new 2.5 free one at Camstudio.org.

      Also those features only matter if you use camstudio to encode your videos and embed them which you should NEVER do for many reasons but here are the primary reasons:

      1. It uses inferior opensource codecs for compression and encoding sacrificing image quality and file size.

      2. It lacks many play controls that are essential to optimized publishing and response boosting performance.

      This has little to do with camstudio pro but more to do with the fact that it is based on an opensource software and that the industry leading codecs and encoding are prohibitively expensive for most projects like camstudio.

      This is one area where camtasia has an edge because they can afford to negotiate and pay the licenses for industry leading codecs such as vp6 and h.264 to include them in their encoding options...

      However, encoding and embedding with camtasia introduces major flaws as well in both optimization and response boosting deployment...

      Which is why even if I do use camtasia to screen capture I always save as avi and encode with professional industry leading encoding solutions and always embed with professional video player solutions that offer me more control over things like bit rate, frame rate, vbr vs cbr, codecs, playback performance etc.
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      • Profile picture of the author Keith Gilbert
        Originally Posted by Josh Anderson View Post

        No its not.

        Its the exact same screen capture features as camstudio.

        Please understand that I think Dave did a great job resolving the two major flaws in the software as well as making it more appealing to use... but since then the opensource project at Camstudio.org has released those same two improvements in the free open source version.
        Hey, give credit where credit is due!

        That was me that released CamStudioIM that resolved the 2 major flaws of CamStudio.

        Dave Guindon and the CamStudio project itself then took the source code (under GPL, of course) and released their own versions.

        Just wanted to set that straight
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe Giannetti
    Camtasia all the way.....Forget Cam Stidio piece of crap
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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
      Originally Posted by Joe Giannetti View Post

      Camtasia all the way.....Forget Cam Stidio piece of crap

      Joe, you get the least helpful post of the day award.

      And since I can I am going to throw it back in your face.

      I wasn't going to post this because I normally sell this training but I want to make a point...

      So for anyone who is paying attention I am about to provide a video that should pretty well blow your mind and settle the debate about just how great camstudio can be:


      In yo face buddy

      I am probably going to remove that video from the pubic eye again soon because I sell this info normally so if anyone is not sleeping at the wheel and wants to know just how powerful camstudio can be watch the video and you will learn one of my biggest camstudio secrets.

      Combine that video tutorial with the links and notes I posted in my other resources and a few of the other quality comments in this thread and you will likely never need Camtasia.
      Signature
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      • Profile picture of the author nmh
        Originally Posted by Josh Anderson View Post

        Joe, you get the least helpful post of the day award.

        And since I can I am going to throw it back in your face.

        I wasn't going to post this because I normally sell this training but I want to make a point...

        So for anyone who is paying attention I am about to provide a video that should pretty well blow your mind and settle the debate about just how great camstudio can be:


        In yo face buddy

        I am probably going to remove that video from the pubic eye again soon because I sell this info normally so if anyone is not sleeping at the wheel and wants to know just how powerful camstudio can be watch the video and you will learn one of my biggest camstudio secrets.

        Combine that video tutorial with the links and notes I posted in my other resources and a few of the other quality comments in this thread and you will likely never need Camtasia.

        Josh YOU ROCK w/ the video!!! CamStudio, here I come!!!!
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      • Profile picture of the author plester
        Hey Josh,

        Thanks for that free camstudio video!

        Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author AbbyJane
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
      Originally Posted by AbbyJane View Post

      If you are looking for quality hen you will have to pay some money for it.
      Are you talking about the quality of a video?

      Watch my video (big link in post above) and have your mind changed

      Obviously camtasia is a quality application that offers some great quality features that camstudio does not...

      But when it comes to the feature of screen capture of video and the quality of the actual captured video they are identical.

      ----

      Here is a winning formula that will cost less and provide you many more features and abilities than camtasia:

      Camstudio.org - Free
      FlowPlayer or Longtailvideo Player - Free
      Flix 8 Standard - $39
      Sony Vegas Movie Studio - $55

      Total cost = $99


      You will have more and better features than Camtasia which costs $300.

      Or you could just spend $300 on camtasia and have less features and less options ;-)
      Signature
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      • Profile picture of the author sylviad
        Josh, you're scaring me!

        I wasn't aware there would be so much to know about creating a video.

        Thanks so much for that excellent video. It taught me a lot... and yes, I took notes.

        I'm looking forward to installing Camstudio and practicing on my first video. All I need now is an idea.

        So here's what I'm understanding...

        CamStudio is simply a screen capture / audio capture program?

        I still need something like Sony Vegas Movie Studio to actually put together the video?


        Sylvia
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        • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
          Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

          So here's what I'm understanding...

          CamStudio is simply a screen capture / audio capture program?

          I still need something like Sony Vegas Movie Studio to actually put together the video?


          Sylvia

          Correct so my last list of recommended resources is your best solution for everything... however, I have a sneaky technique which allows me to create killer screen captures without editing on the fly...

          That is to use the hot keys feature in Camstudio to pause while recording and get my thoughts strait when needed ;-)

          This saves time and effort and allows me to whip out capture content with no editing when I want to...

          Or you can use Sony Vegas which is a far better editor than most people need and surpasses Camtasia in every way.

          Josh, AWESOME information, thank you! Can you explain the need for "FlowPlayer or LongTailVideo", and "Flix 8 Standard"?

          Gene
          Sure...

          Camtasia includes encoding and embedding features such as its built in players. However, camtasia's encoder offers very limited encoding options and I cannot stand its players. They are quite limited...

          Of course you have to recognize I am saying this from the perspective of one who develops and sells players and encoding training as part of my everyday business.

          So if you want better encoding and player control you would go with the recommendations.

          By getting all the items in the list I suggest above for $99 you far surpass any benefits of Camtasia and it will save you $200.
          Signature
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      • Profile picture of the author Gene Pimentel
        Josh, AWESOME information, thank you! Can you explain the need for "FlowPlayer or LongTailVideo", and "Flix 8 Standard"?

        Gene

        Originally Posted by Josh Anderson View Post

        Are you talking about the quality of a video?

        Watch my video (big link in post above) and have your mind changed

        Obviously camtasia is a quality application that offers some great quality features that camstudio does not...

        But when it comes to the feature of screen capture of video and the quality of the actual captured video they are identical.

        ----

        Here is a winning formula that will cost less and provide you many more features and abilities than camtasia:

        Camstudio.org - Free
        FlowPlayer or Longtailvideo Player - Free
        Flix 8 Standard - $39
        Sony Vegas Movie Studio - $55

        Total cost = $99


        You will have more and better features than Camtasia which costs $300.

        Or you could just spend $300 on camtasia and have less features and less options ;-)
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      • Profile picture of the author Jeff Baxter
        Originally Posted by Josh Anderson View Post

        Are you talking about the quality of a video?

        Watch my video (big link in post above) and have your mind changed

        Obviously camtasia is a quality application that offers some great quality features that camstudio does not...

        But when it comes to the feature of screen capture of video and the quality of the actual captured video they are identical.

        ----

        Here is a winning formula that will cost less and provide you many more features and abilities than camtasia:

        Camstudio.org - Free
        FlowPlayer or Longtailvideo Player - Free
        Flix 8 Standard - $39
        Sony Vegas Movie Studio - $55

        Total cost = $99


        You will have more and better features than Camtasia which costs $300.

        Or you could just spend $300 on camtasia and have less features and less options ;-)


        Dude you just saved me about 200 bucks! I always knew there was a combination that could come out cheaper! Great instructions too

        Jeff
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  • Profile picture of the author nick1123
    If your goal with these videos is to make money then I would highly recommend using Camtasia. It's what I use to make videos and it's a fantastic tool that I wish I would've purchased a long time.

    You try to create videos with no intention of making money then the free solution might be best.
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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
      Originally Posted by nick1123 View Post

      If your goal with these videos is to make money then I would highly recommend using Camtasia. It's what I use to make videos and it's a fantastic tool that I wish I would've purchased a long time.

      You try to create videos with no intention of making money then the free solution might be best.
      Hey Nick,

      I bet I make more money producing training videos using camstudio than most people using camtasia ;-)

      The correlation has no validity whatsoever.

      Whether you choose camstudio or camtasia it will have zero impact on the amount of money you can make.
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  • Profile picture of the author dndoseller
    I just completed a video course using cam studio for my day job to train the employees how to use a new site.

    It works great using Windows Movie Maker for the editing - the two combined are a professional free solution.
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  • Profile picture of the author nmh
    I think you can use MouseZoom that is a Firefox add on as well to zoom in. I haven't tried it but that is free also.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    Well I just slammed my cursor down on a thanks button. Josh you are the first person ever to get 2 of them from me. I appreciate the enthusiasm and experience and the detail. So many posts around here are opinions one way or another without a lot offered to back it up but some of us are really interested in the why? part of it. Thanks again.
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    • Profile picture of the author sylviad
      Does anyone save web pages to their computer when they contain
      great information like this thread?

      I'm just wondering if there's anything wrong with that, because I
      do it all the time. It's a great way to save a resource like this. Many
      people say they just bookmark the page... but I've learned the hard
      way that the page can disappear and the excellent content with it.

      At the very least, I will copy the most important comments into
      Word and save that for future reference.

      Thank you everyone who contributed to this thread. It has proven
      very enlightening.

      Sylvia
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      • Profile picture of the author Gene Pimentel
        Sylvia, I do it all the time. I usually just do a:
        FILE-->PRINT-->Print To PDF

        ...which saves the whole page/thread as a PDF for future reference. In fact I did it with this thread yesterday



        Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

        Does anyone save web pages to their computer when they contain
        great information like this thread?

        I'm just wondering if there's anything wrong with that, because I
        do it all the time. It's a great way to save a resource like this. Many
        people say they just bookmark the page... but I've learned the hard
        way that the page can disappear and the excellent content with it.

        At the very least, I will copy the most important comments into
        Word and save that for future reference.

        Thank you everyone who contributed to this thread. It has proven
        very enlightening.

        Sylvia
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        • Profile picture of the author sylviad
          Ah. Good idea. Never thought of saving as a PDF.
          Might try that next time.

          Thanks.

          Yes, this is a good thread, isn't it?
          So glad I started it.

          Sylvia
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      • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
        Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

        Does anyone save web pages to their computer when they contain
        great information like this thread?

        I'm just wondering if there's anything wrong with that, because I
        do it all the time. It's a great way to save a resource like this. Many
        people say they just bookmark the page... but I've learned the hard
        way that the page can disappear and the excellent content with it.

        At the very least, I will copy the most important comments into
        Word and save that for future reference.

        Thank you everyone who contributed to this thread. It has proven
        very enlightening.

        Sylvia
        I do it all the time using Adobe Acrobat. Acrobat has a one click button that turns a webpage into a pdf and I use it to archive good great threads for later reference.

        I also use the subscribe without email notification option to log threads I am interested in for later reference.
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        • Profile picture of the author Darrel Hawes
          Originally Posted by Josh Anderson View Post

          I also use the subscribe without email notification option to log threads I am interested in for later reference.
          I do that same thing, as well as subscribing WITH email notifications for specific threads. I have them sorted into a separate folder in my email program.

          That way, even if the thread goes away, I'll have all the postings that occurred after I subscribed. I can delete the ones I don't need.
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      • Profile picture of the author mario_a
        Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

        Does anyone save web pages to their computer when they contain
        great information like this thread?
        There's a great Firefox plugin that I use for this called Scrapbook.
        https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/427

        Regards,
        Mario
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      • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
        Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

        Does anyone save web pages to their computer when
        they contain great information like this thread?
        I go to thread tools at the top of the thread, select the printable version, then to file and then to save page as. Gives you a lightweight file. Glad you started this thread also. This was a massive amount of information. Not often a topic gets covered this well.

        Also, thanks to Vince Courtney for the utube video. Seems like it covers some really good basic details.
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  • Profile picture of the author CJontheweb
    Why Camtasia over Youtube if you don't mind me asking?
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    • Profile picture of the author sylviad
      :confused: What are you going to PUT on YouTube?
      Just a video from your webcam? Or a proper presentation,
      like a training course with visual aids? Can you build a training
      video on the fly, without any editing? It's tough, even for the
      pros, to get it right first time in one take.

      That's why.

      Sylvia
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  • Profile picture of the author LastWarrior
    I have both and with small short segments, Camstudio worked fine. One thing I didn't like is the quality wasn't as good as Camtasia and the file sizes were too large, but that could be due to my lack of experience using it.

    I tried the 30-day free trial of Camtasia and LOVED it. It is awesome. However, somehow it errored on me and I only got to use it or had the ability to use for only about 13 days because it defaulted to 0 days left after using less than 2 weeks.

    Get the free download, save the $300 in the next month, then when you go to purchase, you'll have the money and know how to use it!

    LastWarrior
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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
      Originally Posted by LastWarrior View Post

      I have both and with small short segments, Camstudio worked fine. One thing I didn't like is the quality wasn't as good as Camtasia and the file sizes were too large, but that could be due to my lack of experience using it.

      I tried the 30-day free trial of Camtasia and LOVED it. It is awesome. However, somehow it errored on me and I only got to use it or had the ability to use for only about 13 days because it defaulted to 0 days left after using less than 2 weeks.

      Get the free download, save the $300 in the next month, then when you go to purchase, you'll have the money and know how to use it!

      LastWarrior
      File size is due to the codec you use to capture your video. For example the Camtasia Techsmith codec is great for high level of compression.

      In my own video I cover codecs so does the youtube video posted.

      Some codecs offer you more compression than others... also there are many other things that effect file size such as the frame rate, the audio capture settings etc. The codec I use many times is called MSU lossless Screen Capture codec which offers great compression. In the Youtube video posted to this thread the Divx codec also is suggested which too offers great compression.

      Also if you have an encoder you can encode and compress the video after capture.
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  • Profile picture of the author Neil S
    To Josh or other CamStudio users:

    When I am doing a screen recording of myself using a software program, the video tends to "blip" as in it can't seem to handle the recording seamlessly. The audio and video slightly cut out. Recording myself just clicking around is fine, but when I do something that requires additional system resources it never records perfectly.

    I was thinking of purchasing Camtasia for this reason. But would this be a foolish purchase? Is the problem not CamStudio but my own computer?
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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
      Originally Posted by Neil S View Post

      To Josh or other CamStudio users:

      When I am doing a screen recording of myself using a software program, the video tends to "blip" as in it can't seem to handle the recording seamlessly. The audio and video slightly cut out. Recording myself just clicking around is fine, but when I do something that requires additional system resources it never records perfectly.

      I was thinking of purchasing Camtasia for this reason. But would this be a foolish purchase? Is the problem not CamStudio but my own computer?
      It would not be "foolish" to purchase Camtasia... but Camstudio is not the problem.

      Watch the two videos posted to this thread about how to properly use Camstudio. Follow those suggestions. See if that resolves the issue.

      Other than that it sounds like a playback issue so it could have to do with your video card as well.
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    • Profile picture of the author sylviad
      Originally Posted by Josh Anderson View Post

      ...
      Also those features only matter if you use camstudio to encode your videos and embed them which you should NEVER do for many reasons but here are the primary reasons:

      1. It uses inferior opensource codecs for compression and encoding sacrificing image quality and file size.

      2. It lacks many play controls that are essential to optimized publishing and response boosting performance...
      Originally Posted by Josh Anderson View Post

      ...
      Camtasia includes encoding and embedding features such as its built in players. However, camtasia's encoder offers very limited encoding options and I cannot stand its players. They are quite limited...
      Hi Josh,

      Your info is invaluable, but I do have a question.

      Above, you state that you should NEVER embed your videos into a web page but then later it sounds like you're saying it's okay. Are you suggesting that you shouldn't embed with Camstudio's features specifically or embedding in general? And why did you say that?

      (Actually, I'm not sure what embed means, since aren't videos embedded into YouTube's site? And what's the point of having a video NOT embedded into your web page? How would it be viewable if it's not embedded?)

      The reason I ask is that I was just about to download one of the two programs you recommend: FlowPlayer or Longtailvideo Player which seem to be for embedding into a webpage. Or am I just confused?

      Could you clarify, please, Josh? Thanks.

      Also, people reading this should realize that the longtailvideo cannot be used to create commercial products - it says so in the agreement where you can download it, whereas FlowPlayer can be used commercially.


      Sylvia
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      • Profile picture of the author Scott Lundergan
        Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

        Hi Josh,

        Your info is invaluable, but I do have a question.

        Above, you state that you should NEVER embed your videos into a web page but then later it sounds like you're saying it's okay. Are you suggesting that you shouldn't embed with Camstudio's features specifically or embedding in general? And why did you say that?

        (The reason I ask is that I was just about to download one of the two programs you recommend: FlowPlayer or Longtailvideo Player which seem to be for embedding into a webpage. Or am I just confused?

        Could you clarify, please, Josh? Thanks.


        Sylvia
        Greetings,

        He was referring to why people may or may not want to embed with certain players depending on their functionalities. This includes certain settings, etc.

        Longtail can be great. I use Longtail's to embed certain videos with the multiple paid licenses myself and clients have with them.
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        • Profile picture of the author sylviad
          Originally Posted by Scott Lundergan View Post

          Greetings,

          He was referring to why people may or may not want to embed with certain players depending on their functionalities. This includes certain settings, etc.

          Longtail can be great. I use Longtail's to embed certain videos with the multiple paid licenses myself and clients have with them.
          I see Josh agrees with you on this reply, but I'm afraid it doesn't help me much. Functionalities? What does that mean and how does it affect embedding?

          And why the warning about Never Embedding to a web page? What are the risks, concerns? Josh?

          Also...

          I'm not sure what I might need to ask at this point, except to say that I don't understand how you join/connect Camstudio with Sony Vegas and those other recommended programs to get them to work together. It's like having Photoshop and a digital camera and no way to connect them.

          I'm kind of at the same level as TelegramSam on this stuff.

          Sylvia
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          • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
            Functionality refers to various control that one player might offer but another might not such as buffer control, auto load, auto play, hyperlinked video, triggers etc., supported video formats (flahplayer 10 compatible players can play mov, mp4 and flv).

            I never warned not to embed... just against embedding with crummy players like the default camtasia players. Just choose your players wisely because some introduce problems that can reduce response rates. You may want to go back and read the earlier posts again to get some clarification.

            However, there is one advanced concept that I teach in my Trigger Players package and that is how to avoid loading issues by using light box modal popups to place videos on a page. This can help when you are using a player that does not have auto load control or when you are putting a lot of videos on one page and you want to keep them from loading all at once without worrying about auto load issues.

            Don't worry so much about embedding... just focus on getting the bit rate, codec, buffer settings, and auto load issues right for best on page optimization.

            For the most part though if all you are doing is putting one video on one page the main factors you want to focus on are encoding with the right bit rate and best codecs and using a player that gives you buffer time control.

            Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

            I see Josh agrees with you on this reply, but I'm afraid it doesn't help me much. Functionalities? What does that mean and how does it affect embedding?

            And why the warning about Never Embedding to a web page? What are the risks, concerns? Josh?

            Also...

            I'm not sure what I might need to ask at this point, except to say that I don't understand how you join/connect Camstudio with Sony Vegas and those other recommended programs to get them to work together. It's like having Photoshop and a digital camera and no way to connect them.

            I'm kind of at the same level as TelegramSam on this stuff.

            Sylvia
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    • Profile picture of the author sdcast
      i'm interested in camstudio, too.

      i finally found a camstudio support forum

      CamStudio Support Forum - All Discussions



      sdcast
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  • Profile picture of the author jthomas011
    Josh, I would like your assistance to help make sure that i get the right combination of screen capture and editing software that are compatible with existing equipment that will allow me to make produce videos using your transparent player. Keep in mind that my skill level is novice- but i want to make high quality videos initially.

    So, here is the equipment I have-hp 64 bit processor running vista, and panasonic sdr-h18 hd camera.

    Problem- Sony vegas 9 does not function with 64 bit according to the other video forums.

    I found camtasia studio 5 for $60. at site durahamtownship.c/o/m


    Questions
    1 - Will camtasia studio 5 function as an editor for the output video? Would you do it this way for $60 bucks?

    2- Does your transparent player come with video tutorials? or are they an additional charge?

    Thanks for the help i found you player several days ago and have spent time trying to figure the right combination. John Thomas
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    • Profile picture of the author Nino C
      Camtasia No doubt... i never used camstudio before, but i use camtasia all the time... never had any problems with it and the quality is perfect..

      and most important: Camtasia is extremely userfriendly not hard to learn at all.. just plug and record.

      So Dumbs up for Camtasia
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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
      Originally Posted by jthomas011 View Post


      Problem- Sony vegas 9 does not function with 64 bit according to the other video forums.
      Your best approach will be to download and install it your self and find out. Sony offers free 30 day trials from their site.

      That's the smart way

      Vegas Pro supports 64 bit:

      http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro

      Not sure about the movie studio versions.
      I found camtasia studio 5 for $60. at site durahamtownship.c/o/m
      If it is not a physical stock version of the software that has been sitting around and now is on clearance then it is probably pirated. If its pirated... well you don't want to support that.

      2- Does your transparent player come with video tutorials? or are they an additional charge?
      It comes with two video tutorials on the basics of how to use it, it comes with other video tutorials on how to encode your video for optimized performance and streaming.

      It also comes with documentation and access to a support desk when you get stuck.
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  • Profile picture of the author prosperpreneur
    In my opinion Camstudio is your best option to get started, as you see some challenges to ithe first few videos you need,

    After you get comfortable and see some profits coming in, you can buy the Camtesia and move forward. if you follow these steps you will be light aeard

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks,
    -Gaj
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  • Profile picture of the author Shane Hale
    I use Camtasia It is great!
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    • Profile picture of the author Wade Watson
      I recently went through the same decision process. After checking the free options, I decided I could manage with CamStudio for now. The only thing I dislike about it is that it renders the final video in whatever resolution you capture, so if you do a long capture at full screen, the file will be huge. Also, the default frame rate is like 200/sec. which is monsterous.

      The fix is to go into Options>Video Options and set "Capture Frames Every" to 33 ms and "Set Key Frames Every" to 30 frames. Once I've done a recording, I import it into Windows Movie Maker for editing and save it as an AVI. I then import that file into Free Video Converter, which will size down the frame for YouTube (or whatever).

      --Wade
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Riddle
    Camtasia VS Camstudio

    This reminds me of an article in sales and marketing management when starbucks spent 10's of thousands of dollars on a blind taste test.

    The research company attended the meeting with all the execs at starbuck.

    Co-founder and CEO Howard Schultz asked the researcher if there was a clear winner in the blind independent taste tests.

    The Researcher said: Well yes there is....

    Howard Probed: Great what were the numbers?

    Researcher: One was selected the best tasting 68% of all surveyed.

    Howard : That's fantastic, we need to get this information to the press as soon as possible!

    Researcher: Well Mr Schultz, this is were we have a problem.

    Howard: Yes 68% preferred sounds too good to be true.

    Researcher: Well that's not the problem, Starbucks was favored in less than 8% of the interviews.

    Howard: I thought you said there was a clear winner with 68%?

    Researcher: I did, the favored brand was Folgers.

    Researcher: Dunkin doughnuts coffee was 2nd with 18%

    Howard: Well what do they know anyway. We're the best and I'm not going to let your faulty research get in the way of a great product and brand.

    Camtasia is the clear winner in branding.

    If an expert like Josh Anderson says camstudio records the screen with equal or better quality I am going to believe him

    Mark Riddle
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  • Profile picture of the author imran.qureshi
    Why not first use Camstudio... and if solves your purpose no need to buy Camtasia. But, if it doesn't go for the Camtasia
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  • Profile picture of the author Bud Fox
    I have Camtasia, and it is great.

    It also takes a bit of time, energy, and tweaking to get it right. Getting sound right (I can hear the fan of my laptop when I use it) and editing takes time to learn.

    IS THAT THE BUSINESS YOU WANT TO BE IN?

    These days, I record the screencasts (if I do them at all), and farm the rest out (sound, editing) to a third party.

    Camtasia is akin to transcribing - I don't do it well. I don't like doing it. I don't do it anymore.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Carl Kelly
    I'm with Josh here. I'm a Camstudio + Sony Vegas guy. The former is perfectly capable for screencapture and the latter is my tool of choice for ALL video production.

    Just make sure you tweak your Camstudio settings as instructed in the video.
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  • Profile picture of the author TelegramSam
    Can you make videos with camtasia about things that aren't computer type tutorials.

    In other words, a lot of the camtasia videos I see, involve someone teaching someone how to use some software or where to click their mouse etc.

    Is there a way to do more interesting things with camtasia. Do you have to learn how to make thinks in powerpoint and such like etc...

    Pardon my ignorance, just that I have never used the software or done videos etc...
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  • Profile picture of the author Gary Rambo
    Sylvia,

    I'm just starting with videos myself, but here's what I can tell so far.

    I think the main reason not to embed (at least with Flowplayer and maybe others) is because you can see exactly where the video is uploaded to on your site using the page source in your browser. Once people know that, then it may be possible for them to download the videos or if they also load Flowplayer on their site, then they can have your video show on their site and use your bandwidth.

    I bought Josh's triggerplayers this morning and in my mind it's well worth the money because it eliminates the problems mentioned above.

    Gary
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    • Profile picture of the author sylviad
      Thanks Josh,

      I guess this phrase sounded like a warning:

      Also those features only matter if you use camstudio to encode your videos and embed them which you should NEVER do for many reasons but here are the primary reasons...

      In reading, it sounded like that "never" was all inclusive above using camstudio, so that part confused me.

      But...you are absolutely correct! The second part of that quote does explain "primary reasons".

      Sorry. I'm trying to do too many things at once here and that portion slipped right through my noggin'.

      Thanks for the additional explanation.

      Sylvia
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      • Profile picture of the author sylviad
        I need to clarify something I said in an earlier post regarding FlowPlayer...

        Also, people reading this should realize that the longtailvideo cannot be used to create commercial products - it says so in the agreement where you can download it, whereas FlowPlayer can be used commercially.
        That was for the FREE version... so if you bought a license, you can use it for commercial needs.

        Sorry for the misdirection.

        Sylvia
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  • Profile picture of the author Roncham
    Thank you Josh!

    Great information you gave out here.
    I think CamStudio may be the only screen capture recorder that might run on this old RAM deprived laptop of mine.

    Off to play with it now... crossing fingers
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  • Profile picture of the author Stu Eaves
    One of my first ever products was marketed with a video I made using CamStudio (the early version without all the features it has now). That video alone sold over $30,000 worth of that product for me, so I can tell you that CamStudio IS FINE!

    I think it's more about the content of the video your producing. Use whatever you can afford and get to grips with.
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
    Also those features only matter if you use camstudio to encode your videos and embed them which you should NEVER do for many reasons but here are the primary reasons...
    Ah...

    That meant never use Camstudio to encode the video to flash and never use Camstudio players to embed the video.

    Instead always save it as an avi and encode it with professional encoding software and embed it with a professional quality video player like my own players or one of the many we have discussed here.
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  • Profile picture of the author DomiS
    If you want to record simple videos without all fancy effects download Camstudio. It's easy to use and it's great for learning. Later, when you become familiar with all what involved in on-screen video recording you can try Camtasia and see if it would help you to improve your productivity.
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  • Profile picture of the author Popstar
    Josh,

    If you're still reading this thread, I've tried your Camstudio settings to record a screen capture. But here's the problem...

    If I only record for a few minutes, the .avi file saves and replays well.

    But if I record for close to an hour, I get an error message when I stop recording and save the file. The message says "unable to open video file" and then ".avi was not found." And the file is gone.

    Any ideas as to what's wrong? I have a Vista 64-bit Ultimate PC with 8 GB RAM and about 640 GB free space remaining on the hard drive. So space shouldn't be a problem... unless it has something to do with virtual memory or something like that.

    Also, I'm using the Microsoft Video 1 compressor. I searched for the MSU Screen Capture Lossless Codec v1.2, but could only find a download from a .ru site and wasn't sure that was safe.

    Thanks in advance,
    Debbie
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    • Profile picture of the author Instructor
      Originally Posted by Popstar View Post

      Josh,

      If you're still reading this thread, I've tried your Camstudio settings to record a screen capture. But here's the problem...

      If I only record for a few minutes, the .avi file saves and replays well.

      But if I record for close to an hour, I get an error message when I stop recording and save the file. The message says "unable to open video file" and then ".avi was not found." And the file is gone.

      Any ideas as to what's wrong? I have a Vista 64-bit Ultimate PC with 8 GB RAM and about 640 GB free space remaining on the hard drive. So space shouldn't be a problem... unless it has something to do with virtual memory or something like that.

      Also, I'm using the Microsoft Video 1 compressor. I searched for the MSU Screen Capture Lossless Codec v1.2, but could only find a download from a .ru site and wasn't sure that was safe.

      Thanks in advance,
      Debbie
      Did you ever figure this out?
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      • Profile picture of the author Popstar
        Originally Posted by Instructor View Post

        Did you ever figure this out?
        Yes, I did.

        I tried lots of things, but the only one that worked for me was to download and install the free DivX 6.8.5 Codec (4 Logical CPUs) from

        http://www.divx.com/en/products/software/windows/divx

        I believe DivX 7 is available now, but I haven't updated mine yet.

        After installing the codec on my PC, I went to the Options menu in Camstudio, clicked Video Options, and selected the Divx 6.8.5 Codec as the compressor. I set the rest of the options under Video as Josh suggested in the tutorial he posted earlier on this thread.

        The one tricky thing about this codec is the size of the recording. At first, I was having problems because I was using a recording region that was too big for the free codec. So here are the options I eventually settled on.

        Under Video Options with the DivX 6.8.5 codec chosen, click Configure and then the Main tab.

        Under the Main tab, you'll see Certification Profile. When I choose Home Theater Profile, I set the region as 640 (width) x 480 (height). In Camstudio, you do this under the Region menu. Click Fixed Region and type in 640 width and 480 height. I also check Drag Corners to Pan.

        But if you want a bigger region, then go back to the Main tab I mentioned above. Under Certification Profile, choose 720HD Profile. I also changed the bitrate to 1000 kbps, although I don't remember why. (You can probably leave the bitrate at the 3000 kbps default.) Obviously, you press OK to change the setting.

        Then go back to Fixed Region and change to 800 width and 600 height. I believe I was able to record at 1000x750, too, although I liked 800x600 better. The description under Certification Profile says it can support resolutions up to 1280x720.

        I'm not an expert by any means. So play with it and see what works for you. This is what worked for me with the video playback.

        I had one other problem and that was with the Audio settings. Under the Options menu, I checked "Record audio from microphone."

        Then under Audio Options-Audio Options for Microphone, I chose "What U Hear" as the Audio Capture Device. I had to update the drivers for my Creative SB X-Fi soundcard to get that option. Otherwise, the sound wouldn't record for me. (The "Record audio from speakers" option didn't work for me.)

        Debbie
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  • Profile picture of the author Rolliesworld
    OK, I need some help with the setup:

    I followed the advice in the above mentioned Youtube video for the best compressor to be used and so I downloaded DivX Codec, as it did not appear in the list of available compressors in my version of CamStudio. After installation it appeared as "DivX 6.8.5 Codec (2 Logical CPUs)" in the list of available compressors, but when I start recording in AVI mode, an error message pops up saying "Error recording AVI file using current compressor. Use default compressor?" (that would be Microsoft Video 1). When I switch to SWF mode before recording, this error message does not come up.

    So should I be recording in SWF? It seems to record in AVI in the background first (is that true?) as it then converts the recording to SWF - which takes forever, like a few minutes for a one-minute trial recording (full screen). I used the same settings as suggested in that YouTube video.

    I am wanting to record online video tuitions (that I have subscribed to) for offline viewing, therefore I need CamStudio to also record the audio but this seems to pose another problem I don't know how to get this to work.

    Any advice appreciated!
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  • Profile picture of the author zoomapoint
    Camtasia has become very robust in its capturing capibilty, the only real issue with the software is making sure you capture the video at the same size as you want it published, either wise, you will lose resolution.
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  • Profile picture of the author Catalin Ionescu
    I recall a while ago there was an issue on Windows with AVI files bigger than 2Gb. Perhaps this is something you may wish to look into and if possible split the AVI into smaller files...

    Sincerely,
    Catalin Ionescu
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  • Profile picture of the author CashBomb
    Camtasia Studio and Dragon Naturally Speaking are the two most important tools I have! Camtasia gives you a ton of editing, transition, overdubbing, and formatting tools that will enable you to create pro quality videos for everything from blog posts & youtube to full on DVD's.

    It is one of the only reasons I have not gone 100% linux!
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    • Profile picture of the author Hyaku_Man
      I spent hours trying to install Camstudio and get it working on Vista and eventually gave up and got Camtasia, and it worked perfectly right off the bat.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sancho Sanches
    I say Camtasia. It allows me to do more of what I need/like to do. But until you're making money you shouldn't spend money on it. Find the lower cost or free ways.

    But if Camtasia is something you don't need then there's no point. Just use something like Camstudio.
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  • Profile picture of the author AceHazel
    I personally like Camstasia though haven't tried Camstudio. Jing is good for 5-minute video.
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  • Profile picture of the author Adeel_Chowdhry
    CAMTASIA if you want a quality production.

    Adeel
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    • Profile picture of the author Lance K
      Originally Posted by jthomas011 View Post

      Problem- Sony vegas 9 does not function with 64 bit according to the other video forums.

      I found camtasia studio 5 for $60. at site durahamtownship.c/o/m
      I'm running Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 8.0 on a 64 bit Vista machine. Not sure why Vegas 9 wouldn't be compatible. Have you contacted Sony's customer support?
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  • Profile picture of the author freudianslip27
    Camstudio is definitely okay for people starting out, but as others have echoed here, Camtasia is the professional choice.

    If you are looking seriously into this, then go with that. There is a 30 day trial too. But if you are just dabbing in video, camstudio is nice and you can't beat that price....free!

    Matt
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  • Profile picture of the author KatyaSenina
    I downloaded Camstudio but my voice turned out very soft, couldn't barely understand myself and the quality wasn't great. It could have been my crappy mic or...the software? I don't know.

    Does anyone know a proper way of using it? It wasn't a great success for me.
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    • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
      Originally Posted by KatyaSenina View Post

      I downloaded Camstudio but my voice turned out very soft, couldn't barely understand myself and the quality wasn't great. It could have been my crappy mic or...the software? I don't know.

      Does anyone know a proper way of using it? It wasn't a great success for me.
      That has nothing to do with the software.

      Its your mic and input volume levels.
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  • Profile picture of the author rashamba
    I had a tough time uploading a camstudio video to youtube. It was completely frustrating and I had to buy Camtasia.
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    • Profile picture of the author Gary Rambo
      Originally Posted by rashamba View Post

      I had a tough time uploading a camstudio video to youtube. It was completely frustrating and I had to buy Camtasia.
      Import your camstudio video into windows movie maker and then publish it and it will save it as a wmv file. The files are a lot smaller this way and they upload fast to youtube..
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    If you're just starting out, I think camstudio will work just fine. You're not a power user who needs all the sophisticated bells and whistles that camtasia has, at least not just yet. Jing project is even easier (I think), though the free version is limited to recording 5 minutes or less of screen capture.
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  • Profile picture of the author bwh1
    I just had to bring back this thread and Thank Josh for his outstanding camstudio mini-course.

    I almost bought Camtasia while I didn't need his features.

    My problem is my Mic, sound quality is bad but that's not related to Camstudio as I understood.

    Some maybe about the new Youtube Size. I understood that the best size to record a vid is now 640x320 in stead of 480x320. I guess in Windows Movie Maker you have to put the settings to 16:9.

    My vids got all squeezed till now, let's see if this will do the trick.

    G.
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    • Profile picture of the author Scramarama
      Just curious how windows movie maker fits into the mix?
      Can WMM make a screencast movie? Can you use WMM for the editing feature?

      Tip on saving pages - cut and paste into Google notebook for related topics.

      Thanks,

      SAM
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Peters
    On a related note regardinng Camstudio settings...

    How do you possibly get good quality recording of a POWERPOINT presentation with a fixed region setting of only 640x480?

    Thanks,
    Matt
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  • Profile picture of the author miked
    Camstudio and Lame ACM for Audio codec

    I am running Vista 64, and can't get the Lame ACM .inf file to run and configure on my computer. Apparently, Lame is a 32 bit program. I Google'd the problem and found I have to jump through some complicated hoops to get 32 bit Lame working on 64 bit Vista.

    Don't know if anyone else has the problem. After I find what works, I'll come back and post the link here.

    Mike D.
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    • Profile picture of the author miked
      Hi:

      I said I would report on what I found, and I still can't get LAME codec to install on CamStudio.

      Any 64 bit Vista wizards out there have any ideas?

      -Mike D.
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  • Profile picture of the author dbadwal
    Camtaseia is the best. I have used so many other video recorders but camtesia is quite handy to use and edit. I didn't even learn how to use it. Just started using. Its so easy.

    Dharmender Badwal
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  • Profile picture of the author Rocketbidz
    i also say Camtasia all the way it works like a charm!
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    • Profile picture of the author AllanWard
      This is a great thread and I'm glad I found it.

      I've been using CamStudio for a while, but haven't had the time to compare it to Camtasia...until now. Josh's points are very sound - the quality of CamStudio is the same as Camtasia.

      Based on what I've learned today, I'll record my video in CamStudio, pausing it as I need to and zooming in and out with my mouse. I'll record it at the highest quality possible, then import it into Adobe Premiere. In Premiere I'll add titles, video of me, backing music etc and then export from that program to my final file which I can send to YouTube etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author cypherslock
    Based on Josh's suggestionsL got me flix standard, sony vegas movie studio 9 platinum (now there's a mouthful!). Also grabbed Mircorosts, LifeCam HD (highly recommended, amazing little webcam. Fast, solid HD video. Grabbed Blue Microphone's Yeti as well as a philips 24" 1080p monitor. Figure if I'm to do this, I'm going large. But still sticking with camstudio and audacity.
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  • Profile picture of the author Paleochora
    I have an old version (XP) of Window Movie Maker and I don't think it will support screen capture videos.

    I use Camtasia. I first got Camtasia 5 and was a tad disappointed but 6 really is quite excellent!

    Having said that, I did have to revert to WMM the other day as the sound on my digital camera was recorded at a sample rate unsupported by Camtasia and when I processed it it was all out of synch!

    Two tips I have found with recording Powerpoint in Camtasia...First, I do not use the embedded Camtasia powerpoint plug in as I found the quality was not as good as making a normal screen recording of the slide show and, secondly, always choose the HD production option as, when using the 'Youtube' option, the quality is very ropey.
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    • Profile picture of the author DomiS
      Originally Posted by Paleochora View Post

      I have an old version (XP) of Window Movie Maker and I don't think it will support screen capture videos.

      I use Camtasia. I first got Camtasia 5 and was a tad disappointed but 6 really is quite excellent!

      Having said that, I did have to revert to WMM the other day as the sound on my digital camera was recorded at a sample rate unsupported by Camtasia and when I processed it it was all out of synch!

      Two tips I have found with recording Powerpoint in Camtasia...First, I do not use the embedded Camtasia powerpoint plug in as I found the quality was not as good as making a normal screen recording of the slide show and, secondly, always choose the HD production option as, when using the 'Youtube' option, the quality is very ropey.
      You write about version 6. Has anyone had an experience with Power Point plugin recording in version 7.1? Maybe it has been improved.
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      • Profile picture of the author SteveB
        If you want to capture any kind of video get RealPlayer(free) - it will capture the video and use Windows Movie Maker(free)- you can do anything with either one of these programs completely free - if you want to use Powerpoint or any program such as paint to make the slides you can. There needs to be a complete course on video editing - anyone have any bright ideas...?
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  • Profile picture of the author lexscripta
    I am having just a wee bit of a video/audio lag problem with CamStudio. And I cannot use the DivX codec. Gives me errors. I must say that the settings Josh gave improved it immensely.

    Josh - did you say it could be my video card? I am using an older system with a 9800 pro. I know, I know - but the old Barton 2500 works so good...
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  • Profile picture of the author defaultuser
    For what you want to do, I would recommend Camtasia. If it is a simple video you can download a 30 day trial for free and use all of the features. Camtasia allows you to do things like pan and zoom, edit audio and video separately etc.

    You don't have to be an editing savant but you should make it look like you put effort into it. Customers appreciate it, and it builds confidence.
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  • Profile picture of the author defaultuser
    There are also a lot of editing issues I see, or rather rendering issues. Most of the time a flicker has to do with either your frame rate being off, or the fact that your computer isn't fast enough to process the information. Screen capture programs of any quality are resource hogs.

    I produced a video program teaching people how to use Joomla. I quickly realized how much you can run out of hard drive space, RAM and end up needing a whole new rig just to render your 91 videos on such a crazy project.

    But I digress. Check your frame rate and close a few programs.
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  • Profile picture of the author stephan231
    I also recommend Camtasia, I think it is the fastest and easiest software for video creation so far, others don't come any closer to it in my opinion!
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    • Profile picture of the author rhinocl
      Some additional thoughts.
      There is a good free editor for avi files called virtualDub (I think the first video may have mentioned it but I don't think his thread does.)
      with add-ons it will also handle mpg files

      To the person with the large files. I would suggest making smaller files and combining them with a frameserver (read up on it at virtualdub.org and avisynth.org to serve the combined file to your flv encoder. Just make sure it will take an avisyth file. (avisynth can be overwelming but writing a script with a few trims is not.)
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    Originally Posted by sylviad View Post

    Huge question, I know, but maybe you can cut it down into short relevant parts.

    What's the difference between Camtasia and Camstudio?

    I haven't tried either yet, but I see that Camtasia is a bit costly. Camstudio, on the other hand, was a free download I got from somewhere... one of those giveaways, maybe.

    I'm thinking of doing some videos to sell/promote products so the program doesn't have to be anything fancy. Just something that enables me to do screen capture, add text and audio, insert images and allow viewers to click to view at their own speed, ie: it doesn't start automatically until the viewer clicks the run button.

    The finished product would appear on a web page, just like the ones you see with Camtasia. It would have to be of sufficient size for people to view the contents. I've seen some videos that are quite teeny (about 2 inches square). Don't know what program created those.

    Are there any glitches or shortcomings with Camstudio that you know about? Perhaps too big a file size, only works on certain platforms, etc. Or perhaps it's too complicated to use? Useful features missing?

    Yes, I know. I could go ahead and start using it and see for myself, but I'm not ready yet and was hoping to get some feedback before I waste time with it.

    Your feedback would be appreciated.

    Thanks.

    Sylvia
    Sylvia, for the requirements that you have listed above, I think Camstudio will do just fine. As long as you're not doing any fancy editing or implementing Hollywood-style special effects, Camstudio will be sufficient. If all you need is basic screen capture of what's on your screen (this can be full-screen or only a certain user-defined segment of your desktop), then Camstudio is all you need. When you get more advanced and start craving the special features that only Camtasia has, then you can upgrade, but I truly do not see a pressing need for you to get it right now!
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    • Profile picture of the author Kurt
      Originally Posted by paulie888 View Post

      Sylvia, for the requirements that you have listed above, I think Camstudio will do just fine. As long as you're not doing any fancy editing or implementing Hollywood-style special effects, Camstudio will be sufficient. If all you need is basic screen capture of what's on your screen (this can be full-screen or only a certain user-defined segment of your desktop), then Camstudio is all you need. When you get more advanced and start craving the special features that only Camtasia has, then you can upgrade, but I truly do not see a pressing need for you to get it right now!
      I agree with Paulie...Save the $300 and use Camstudio. Then use the $300 for promoting your videos. After they make the money back, then consider Camtasia.
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      • Profile picture of the author giakling
        Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

        I agree with Paulie...Save the $300 and use Camstudio. Then use the $300 for promoting your videos. After they make the money back, then consider Camtasia.
        I own both and although I like camtasia much much more than camstudio, I agree this is a sensible recommendation for those who can't afford when first starting out. But, seriously consider to get camtasia because of its functionality and plenty of online tutorials.
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  • Profile picture of the author lvsniper
    Camtasia anytime, money well spent
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  • Profile picture of the author DomiS
    After using for a very long time Camstudio, Aplus screen recorder and PCHand Screen Recorder I decided to buy Camtasia 7.1. It's great - works like charm. The only thing I would like to see is the synchronization with Open Office Impress. There is only Power Point synchro.
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  • Profile picture of the author voiid
    I own BlueBerry FlashBack and even if I really love Techsmiths SnagIT I must say, FlashBack is far cooler than Camtasia! The editing of a recorded movie is better.
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  • Profile picture of the author xxxJamesxxx
    I've being using Camtasia from the beginning and I've never looked back since

    ...Well recommended

    James
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  • Profile picture of the author maxspeed65
    We just downloaded the 30 day trial version of Camtasia and love the results but we got stuck on something we can't find any help for. When my partner/assistant wanted to email me the finished video to look over and approve we cannot open the file. It always appears as a camj file that cannot be played by anything we have or can find.
    Can the the finished videos be opened in anyway before publishing them? I mean by anyone other than the camtasia dashboard.
    (We love the results and features but it still falls short of Animoto from what we have seen.)
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    • Profile picture of the author rhinocl
      Originally Posted by maxspeed65 View Post

      We just downloaded the 30 day trial version of Camtasia and love the results but we got stuck on something we can't find any help for. When my partner/assistant wanted to email me the finished video to look over and approve we cannot open the file. It always appears as a camj file that cannot be played by anything we have or can find.
      Can the the finished videos be opened in anyway before publishing them? I mean by anyone other than the camtasia dashboard.
      (We love the results and features but it still falls short of Animoto from what we have seen.)
      Why don't you just publish them privately on YouTube? -only those authorized and who have the link can see them.
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  • Profile picture of the author jcruz
    I can't comment on camstudio because i never used it, but i do own camtasia and i find the product to be amazing. I haven't really fully utilized all of its features yet. I guess if you were trying to do a simple screen capture and couldn't come up with the money anything free would do.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Sherret
    I am having trouble with CamStudio but have not tried the Pro version. I will probably do that before spending the $300 for Camstasia.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Crawford
    I had no idea how in depth doing a screen cast was going to be until I tried to do it myself. Who knew how many different options there were? It was very overwhelming for me.

    I was having a hard time getting the codec to show up in the drop down list of camstudio and I tried all sorts of things but couldn't get it to work and without that codec I was pretty much out of luck.

    I ended up going with bb flashback express. It is free and very easy to use and has a bunch of great features. Pretty much the same as camstudio. I found it a lot easier to use.

    Also for anyone interested, in my search for help with camstudio I came across some great tutorial videos on youtube here: &#x202a;How to Use Camstudio Tutorials (18 vids in Playlist)&#x202c;&rlm; - YouTube

    He talks about zoomit, sizer and virtualdub and a BUNCH of other things.

    There is more than one way to do a great screen cast so I guess just learn as much as you can and figure out what works for you.
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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      I use camtasia.

      I must say that i do think its waaaay over priced. But indeed a great product.

      Also i find that without watching endless hours of boring tutorials its hard to use certain aspects of it.

      All in all i give camtasia a 3 out of 5.

      Cam studio audio never worked for me so i deleted it.
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    • Profile picture of the author howsyamama
      Originally Posted by theorbital View Post

      I ended up going with bb flashback express. It is free and very easy to use and has a bunch of great features. Pretty much the same as camstudio. I found it a lot easier to use.
      I own CamStudio Pro, but decided to try BB Flashback Express (Free screen recorder - BB FlashBack Express - not an affiliate link). Just completed a video and it came out great! Very easy to use - easier, I think, than CamStudio. Yes, I had some minor editing to do, which I did in Sony Vegas - but any adequate video editing software would be fine.

      IF I decided to upgrade, I will probably go with BB Flashback Std ($89) or Pro ($200 - also have 30-day free trial) - and put the $100 savings over Camtasia in my bank account. While Camtasia is obviously the "stnadard," I found BB Flashback to be great! And the Pro version has editing capabilities, as well.

      Adam
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  • Profile picture of the author ZOOM
    Interesting viewing, I am just deciding which way to go myself
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