CamStudio merges both screen capture and video editing features into one convenient piece of software
CamStudio merges both screen capture and video editing features into one convenient piece of software
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What is CamStudio
Screen recording software can be used to show game play, teach computer repair lessons, demonstrate software applications and more. These recordings can then be uploaded to social media sites such as YouTube or added to your own site as a Flash video file. Camstudio is an open source screen recording software that can help you accomplish all of these tasks without costing you the kind of money most studio software can.
Although Camstudio is a useful tool, it is lacking a few key features that its competitors have. However, the easy-to-use interface, gentle learning curve and user support forum that provides answers to some of new users' burning questions make it a good deal, especially for a free app. What kind of abilities does this free screen capture software allow?
Pros
It's Free
Free software tools are almost always worth trying, and this one is more robust than many. While some alternatives are fairly cheap in price, other applications can cost in the hundreds of dollars to download. This free program can't compete with the professional setups, but it's a viable alternative to inexpensive tools and costs even less.
Several Recording Regions Available
Camstudio has the ability to record one of several different ways. You can select specific regions of your screen to record, set the software to a fixed region, record specific windows that are open or record all screens for multi-monitor support. Because you can record directly from an open web browser, it's a particularly versatile tool.
Custom Cursor Highlighter
During a recording in Camstudio, you can change your mouse pointer to a highlighted format with shapes and colors to make it easier for your target audience to follow along with the cursor. You can set left and right mouse clicks to display a different color so your audience to differentiate between the two, a handy tool for recording presentations.
Various Audio Options
This application allows users to record audio from the microphone or directly from the speakers. This capability lets you switch from capturing pure gameplay recordings to adding your own voice when making tutorials, dubbing business videos or adding voice-overs to in-game events.
Cons
Application Compatibility
Camstudio has the ability to record game play, but it doesn't support a lot of full-screen capabilities. If you run a game in windowed mode, this application does a decent job of capturing graphics. However, there are some games that don't seem to work well during a recording as they provide a black, empty screen with no sound.
Poor Graphic Resolutions
When you record a 3D graphic game, the action is recorded at a much lower resolution than the actual game play. While increasing the frame rate helps in quality, it makes a much larger file should you choose to upload it to social media outlets.
Buggy at Times
As the versions of Camstudio become more stable, the software is less buggy. Currently, though, the system has been known to crash when used in the 64-bit environment of Windows. It's not very often that the software locks up when it's saving data, but it can be frustrating to spend a great deal of time recording only to have to do it all over again.
Since the software is free to use, you don't lose anything other than time should you wish to try Camstudio. Many users on YouTube have trusted the software for several years and continue to use it for tutorials and demonstrations. Try the software for yourself to determine if it's right for your needs.