28 replies
So I created a video last night. it was as 640 x 480 and ended up being 17min long with no audio. Final file size was 190mb.

Is that normal? Any tweaks / changes that can help optimize camtasia videos?

thx
#camtasia
  • Profile picture of the author sridhar
    When you produce as swf/flv/wmv, the file size will come down. Try that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kenttay
    what format did you convert it into? use avi
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  • Profile picture of the author TheToolWiz
    Banned
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  • Profile picture of the author David_Thompson
    Originally Posted by absbica View Post

    So I created a video last night. it was as 640 x 480 and ended up being 17min long with no audio. Final file size was 190mb.

    Is that normal? Any tweaks / changes that can help optimize camtasia videos?

    thx
    The file size is in direct correlation to your settings
    you need to optimize camtasia output settings.

    Plus it depends on what format you are exporting
    the video in, swf or mp4, audio 22044 or 56kbs,
    keyframe rate 5...you can tweak this to any option
    you want just test...

    --David
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    Thanks everyone.

    I was exporting the project as a SWF (which outputs the .html file, the xml file, and a js file for easy web viewing.

    The swf for a 44 min video at 53% flash quality was 133mb. This includes audio as well.

    I am sure I could bring it down going with an FLV and loading it into a flash player...so I may try that for future videos.
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    I got this video down to 103mb for 33 minutes, but this is at 70% I believe:

    Created with Camtasia Studio 5
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    • Profile picture of the author Michele Miller
      I'm learning how to use Camtasia, so I thought I'd watch your example one in this thread. LMAO, excellent video by the way, but that "playlist" of yours?!! You had me laughing. I'm not sure if that was intentional or not, but it came across as funny. If you've ever seen Ricky Gervais the comedian/actor, it was like one of the embarrassing things that would happen to him. Thanks for the great start to my morning.


      Originally Posted by absbica View Post

      I got this video down to 103mb for 33 minutes, but this is at 70% I believe:

      Created with Camtasia Studio 5
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      • Profile picture of the author absbica
        Originally Posted by Michele Miller View Post

        I'm learning how to use Camtasia, so I thought I'd watch your example one in this thread. LMAO, excellent video by the way, but that "playlist" of yours?!! You had me laughing. I'm not sure if that was intentional or not, but it came across as funny. If you've ever seen Ricky Gervais the comedian/actor, it was like one of the embarrassing things that would happen to him. Thanks for the great start to my morning.
        I "hoped" the "uh..oh my god...that isn't mind" during the Britney Spears piece gave it away as a joke

        I was hoping to loosen up the video during the intro and then get down to business.

        Are those songs on my computer? yes. Do I listen to them? I did YEARS ago.

        actually, I do like the first song, which is called Lacrimosa and has been in several movies...most notably for me the Spider Man 2 trailer.
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    • Profile picture of the author David_Thompson
      Bro what settings and format are you using man?

      I have a 50 minute video that is less than 50mb
      you need to play around with your setting bro
      that file size is way too big...

      --David

      Originally Posted by absbica View Post

      I got this video down to 103mb for 33 minutes, but this is at 70% I believe:

      Created with Camtasia Studio 5
      Signature
      JV partnership wanted, Lets grow your list for free. Nothing to do with giveaways. PM Now
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      • Profile picture of the author absbica
        Originally Posted by David_Thompson View Post

        Bro what settings and format are you using man?

        I have a 50 minute video that is less than 50mb
        you need to play around with your setting bro
        that file size is way too big...

        --David

        at 640 x 480?

        I am using Camtasia 5. I choose the WEB version, then I choose the SWF option, I open the flash settings and put the quality down to 60. Then I produce it.

        If possible, take a screenshot of your settings. I will try and do the same.
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    Just a heads up... I am trying some new settings so here is what I am doing.

    - saving it as a .mov
    - using the H.264 codec
    - setting the audio to be 22,050 or whatever with 96kbps and mono

    Then, I will covert the .mov into a .m4v which the latest version of flash supports.

    I will let you know whether this rocks or busts.

    thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    Yea, just to clarify.

    The next time I "record" a camtasia project, I will set the Video Project settings to actually render it out as an avi versus the default camtasia project file extension.

    Then, I can "produce/render" the video in any software like Sonic Foundry Vegas 5.
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    I did not know that. I will check that out. I figured once you recorded it one way...you would have to re-record.
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  • Profile picture of the author McKay
    Screen size for the web is traditionally 320x240. That will help bring down the file size.

    Also it depends on what you're using the video for whether or not you should break it into parts instead of the full 17min.

    Attention spans are roughly 30sec - 90sec for "tv commercial" style videos.

    If it's a training video I'd still go with 5-7 minute increments if possible.

    Think about it this way... is the content in your video worth taking 17 minutes away from someone's life? Or could you get it across in 3-5 minutes?

    It's like the difference between a 5 page PDF with a rock solid profit plan and the same profit plan spread out across 100 pages just to say you have a 100 page PDF.

    Hope this helps!

    McKay
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  • Profile picture of the author Frank Bruno
    For YouTube I just render using WMV works fine...

    (Depending on the video length)

    Frank
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    The video in question has to do with literally taking a website from infancy to production, hence a PSD to HTML.

    I don't want to make 2 hours worth of video into a bunch of 5-7 min segments. If someone wants to look over my shoulder as I build a site, they need to set enough time aside to truly sit down and watch.
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    Ok, so the settings I tried earlier didn't help much.

    The .mov that exported was 99mb for a 31 minute clip.

    Is someone who has the optimization down to a "T" willing to post a screenshot(s) of your settings.

    thx
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    Just an FYI...my raw .avi per TheToolWiz's suggestion of extracting the avi is 236mb.
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    Oh, I guess I should have mentioned.

    My recording selection was 1280 x 1024 not 640x480. So that may change how you all feel about the file size.

    thoughts?
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    Ok, now I honestly have no clue if 1280x1024 is what was used lol

    The camtasia preview screens says 640x480...though when I was given the option to choose my screen of what I wanted recorded (where it highlights the various parts of the screen), I literally chosen the largest which represented my resolution of 1280x1024.

    anyways, I am trying some newer settings going the FLV route so I will report back with how it worked.
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    Hi all, another update

    So I chose to custom the export settings and I am using an FLV instead of a SWF.

    Total file size: 90 mb (which is a good improvement from 105mb)

    Here are the settings:

    In the Flash templates page, I chose Template "ONE VIDEO". The dimensions on the right are 640x499

    Under FLASH OPTIONS, I have

    FLV
    Frame rate: 5
    Max bitrate: 200
    key frame rate 5seconds
    Bitrate control - variable 2 pass
    Video Quality..probably close to 45%...but can't tell since there are no numbers

    Audio:
    MP3
    Audio Attribute: 22,050 kHz, Mono, 48kBits/sec

    This has produced the following video:
    Created by Camtasia Studio 5
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    so any recommendations you can suggest are appreciated
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  • Profile picture of the author absbica
    good news folks.

    I upgraded to Camtasia 6 and my file size issues "magically" disappeared

    Long story short...camtasia 6 supports the mp4 format better which uses a better video codec.

    So I now have a 22min video at 22mb large and in good quality:

    Part 1 PSD to HTML - Part 1
    Part 2 PSD to HTML - Part 2
    Part 3 PSD to HTML - Part 3
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
    It is not the file extention that effects video size.

    Its:

    1. Bit rate of audio and video
    2. Codec/compression used
    3. Frame rate
    4. dimensions of the video

    All of those elements can be optimized.

    Start with an avi, encode it to flv using vp6 codec (best low cost encoder would be fix 8 standard from On2.com for $39), encode at no more than 220kbps video and 32kbps audio (set audio to mono not stereo)...

    If you do that you will have a small file size.
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    • Profile picture of the author absbica
      Originally Posted by Josh Anderson View Post

      It is not the file extention that effects video size.

      Its:

      1. Bit rate of audio and video
      2. Codec/compression used
      3. Frame rate
      4. dimensions of the video

      All of those elements can be optimized.

      Start with an avi, encode it to flv using vp6 codec (best low cost encoder would be fix 8 standard from On2.com for $39), encode at no more than 220kbps video and 32kbps audio (set audio to mono not stereo)...

      If you do that you will have a small file size.
      DUH @ the file extension comment

      The latest Camtasia however supports mp4 video, which happens to use the H.264 video codec (I think) which in turn creates a MUCH lower file size then the vp6 codec.

      I was using the onVP6 codec with Camtasia 5 and my file size for a 22 minute video was nearly 60 mb..and that was with low bitrate settings, low HZ audio on mono, etc...

      but Camtasia 6 lets the h.264 codec get used which lowers the file size and maintains good video quality. I still lowered mine to 36% video quality versus 50%...but 22mb for a 22min video is much better then 60mb for a 22 min video.
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  • Profile picture of the author twannahiga
    I think that's the default settings you have there so you would need to optimize your default camtasia output settings. The format of exporting has a lot to do with it so export your video in a mp4 or swf format to get a decent resolution and quality. Just my 2 cents of info!
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
    The latest Camtasia however supports mp4 video, which happens to use the H.264 video codec (I think) which in turn creates a MUCH lower file size then the vp6 codec.
    Not really. They actually create very similar file sizes at the same bit rate. The only advantage to mp4 is that you can get better image quality at lower bit rates. This means you can go lower bit rate which gives you smaller file size but retain better image quality.
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