Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: madsci1016 on July 05, 2010, 09:42:46 AM

Title: Video Screen capture software
Post by: madsci1016 on July 05, 2010, 09:42:46 AM
Hey Guys,

I'm gearing up to make my Webbotlib + Axon video tutorial. I'm looking for video screen capture software to caoture my action on my computer. Anyone have software to recommend? Free is preferable.

I have been using CamStudio but i'm tired of it's bugs and the fact I have to use youtube to convert it's 400fps video to something more normal i can feed into my video editor.
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: SmAsH on July 05, 2010, 10:11:56 AM
Fraps?
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: Soeren on July 05, 2010, 10:15:56 AM
Hi,

Camtasia is good (but expensive).

You may be able to find something useable here (http://www.snapfiles.com/Freeware/gmm/fwscreen.html)
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: madsci1016 on July 05, 2010, 10:56:06 AM
Fraps isn't free.

Looks like a program on the list Soeren linked is the winner. (Thanks)

BB FlashBack Express is free, works well, and has some neat tricks I have only seen in the expensive programs.
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: Admin on July 05, 2010, 11:12:46 AM
I also use CamStudio.

Quote
I have to use youtube to convert it's 400fps video to something more normal i can feed into my video editor.
There is an option in the menus to reduce that to whatever you want. I find about ~100 works real well.

The default CamStudio options suxors.


edit: didn't properly read the question . . .
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: madsci1016 on July 05, 2010, 11:52:13 AM
There is an option in the menus to reduce that to whatever you want. I find about ~100 works real well.

Tried that, although i was trying a more natural 20-30 fps, but it seems CamStudio was flat-out ignoring me as, the output video was still 400fps.

BB FlashBack Express so far is lightyears better then CamStudio. better capture and features. I like how it highlights the mouse.
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: Admin on July 05, 2010, 11:59:49 AM
There is an option in the menus to reduce that to whatever you want. I find about ~100 works real well.

Tried that, although i was trying a more natural 20-30 fps, but it seems CamStudio was flat-out ignoring me as, the output video was still 400fps.

BB FlashBack Express so far is lightyears better then CamStudio. better capture and features. I like how it highlights the mouse.
I always recompile my video in video editing software to add in other stuff, so never found it to be a problem. CamStudio also has a mouse highlighter.

That said, I'm downloading your suggestion and I'll give it a try. You'll see my decision in the next video I put out :P

Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: TrickyNekro on July 05, 2010, 01:25:29 PM
Pirate Bay is hosted in a "cold war" nuclear bunker....

Unless it's for commercial use why not to "test drive" some products???
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: madsci1016 on July 05, 2010, 03:09:40 PM
@admin

That's what I do as well, but the video would bring Adobe to it's knees eveytime I would try to import it. Not to mention CamStudio would also Blue screen my computer if I recorded more then ~15mins of video. I have only just tired using FlashBack now, so far so good, but we'll see.

@Tricky

Even if we put the moral issue aside, I still have to be a good boy since I am a Government employee any legal trouble I have at home could threaten my Secret Security Clearance and therefore get me fired. Even too much credit card debt puts me in trouble.
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: TrickyNekro on July 05, 2010, 04:44:07 PM
@Tricky

Even if we put the moral issue aside, I still have to be a good boy since I am a Government employee any legal trouble I have at home could threaten my Secret Security Clearance and therefore get me fired. Even too much credit card debt puts me in trouble.

Although there is always a way.... It's a much respected answer....

Yes, in that case, don't even think about it... :-)
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: Selenaut-14 on July 05, 2010, 10:21:02 PM
Out on a limb, but can bb record just your monitor or can it take other outputs like microphones and webcams?
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: madsci1016 on July 05, 2010, 10:26:50 PM
Out on a limb, but can bb record just your monitor or can it take other outputs like microphones and webcams?

yes to both, but I haven't tried it.
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: Selenaut-14 on July 05, 2010, 10:29:49 PM
SWEET... So if I can find a Bluetooth connection for my camera on my SUCR (refering to my robot idea), I can use it to record live feeds... In theory.
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: Admin on July 06, 2010, 07:15:34 AM
I gave FlashBack a try.

Gave me tons of errors, and finally crashes at the end. I couldn't get it to record anything.

I use XP.

Quote
@admin

That's what I do as well, but the video would bring Adobe to it's knees eveytime I would try to import it. Not to mention CamStudio would also Blue screen my computer if I recorded more then ~15mins of video. I have only just tired using FlashBack now, so far so good, but we'll see.
Why Adobe? I used to use Windows Movie Maker, and now I use Sony Vegas. No probs here.

As for the bluescreening after 15 min, I suspect thats from using up all your RAM . . . if you reduce that to ~100 frames/sec and/or reduce frame size that prob might go away . . .

I did this at 640x480 using CamStudio:
How to Create Part in Eagle CAD (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZcgduOr9gk#)
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: madsci1016 on July 06, 2010, 02:20:29 PM
I use XP.

I use Win 7, no errors or crash. That seems backwards.


Quote
Why Adobe? I used to use Windows Movie Maker, and now I use Sony Vegas. No probs here.

I have Adobe Premiere Pro from my days as an college employee. Yay university discounts. Usually is a very expensive software package, with the features that come with such a high price. It's not that it's a Adobe problem, just a 400fps problem, and CamStudio won't change.

Quote
As for the bluescreening after 15 min, I suspect thats from using up all your RAM . . . if you reduce that to ~100 frames/sec and/or reduce frame size that prob might go away . . .

I'd love to try, but like I said before, I could never get it to change frame-rate no matter what number i tried. Output video was always 400 fps.
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: madsci1016 on July 18, 2010, 05:49:12 PM
Well, I'm finishing up my video tutorial.

BB FlashBack Express has worked like a dream. All screen capture is saved in there own format that you can post render into anything you want. This really helped me out as I still had issues with some formats in Premiere, and thankfully I didn't have to re-record everything. Never any crashes, and recorded from my headset audio just fine. If you messed up a take, two clicks to start recording again with same settings.

I gave Son Vegas a whirl and didn't like it. It also had that same problems with some formats, and doesn't nearly have all the controls Premiere does. I guess since my film school buddies trained me on the professional stuff, everything else feels lacking. I might see if I can get my girlfriend to buy CS4 for me with her student status.

I think all my problems were because i was dealing with compressed HD 720P video. Usually, you always want to edit with raw uncompressed, but for HD that's a little extreme. I just had to find a compressor that Premiere could handle.
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: ballbreaker on July 19, 2010, 04:29:31 AM
atube its free and you can do many things with that
Title: Re: Video Screen capture software
Post by: voyager2 on August 28, 2010, 04:43:34 AM
If your still looking for something suitable I suggest you have a look at www.softpedia.com (http://www.softpedia.com)
And I understand your pain switching from Adobe.
I've go Photoshop 6, will not do anything without it.

Tip: never, ever, ever, have Firefox, Photoshop and Movie Maker open with 1.25GB ram