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First, select the topic of your screencast. Good topics for screencasts are ones that show people steps for completing a task online. The viewer will be watching a recording of your computer screen, following your mouse movements, and listening to your explanation of what you are doing. To the extent that your recording is clear, interesting to watch, and instructive, your screencast will be a success. Here are some guidelines for planning your screencast:
- Pick a topic from the KnowledgeBase table of contents for DSpace or Fedora. Make sure you give your screencast the same name as the KnowledgeBase topic you've chosen.
- An effective screencast lasts in the neighborhood of five minutes. It might be necessary to go longer if you are describing a process that needs to be presented in one piece. On the other hand, you may want to divide your topic into two or more screencasts, if appropriate (e.g., "Getting Started with DSpace Access Controls, Part One" and "...Part Two").
- Do you need to write out a script for your screencast? Perhaps, but not necessarily. A simple outline might do, or just some reminders on a page. Informal, extemporaneous screencasts are not at all uncommon on the Internet. You may find it easier not to juggle a written script while you're navigating through the flow of screens. In any case, you will probably want to rehearse your presentation a couple of times before recording it.
- Make sure your computer software is configured for the screencast. In addition to the screencast software (more on that next), you will need to have an application environment set up for whatever you are going to demonstrate (e.g., Internet connection, if required; applications installed; test data pre-configured, etc.)
- Your best bet for quality audio is to use a headset with microphone. We have found that the Logitech USB headsets work very well, but most any USB headset should do nicely.
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There are a number of software products that are suitable for creating screencasts. Some of them are open source or otherwise freely available for download, others are licensed for a fee. Techsmith's Camtasia Studio is a very full-featured commercial product for Windows or Mac. We have had good results with Screencast-O-Matic, which features a free online product for all platforms and is fairly simply to learn and use. Quicktime, as available on the Mac, will record screencasts, though you will need a video editor like iMovie if you would like to do post-production edits. There are a few Linux-only products that may be used. as well. Consult our chart charts of Video Tools below for more information.
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Tool | Cost | Platform | Containers and Codecs | Notes |
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Free (Pro is $12/year) | Windows, Mac, Linux | MP4, AVI, FLV (also save directly to YouTubeHD or Screencast-o-matic.com acct) | Runs from browser (Java applet), but records any screen/desktop activities. Has an easy setting for recording in "Full HD" resolution (1280x720). Can auto-letterbox smaller resolution recordings when saving. Very easy to use. Can highlight mouse cursor & all mouse clicks. 15-minute recording limit (Pro is unlimited). Videos are branded with a small logo in lower left corner (Pro version is free of branding). | |
$299 / $179 education pricing (30-day free trial available) | Windows or Mac | MP4, M4V, AVI, FLV, Silverlight, MOV, RM | The most fully featured screencasting software out there, and very easy to use. But, it comes at a higher price. | |
Free | Windows or Mac | MP4 |
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Additional available options include:
Tool | Cost | Platforms | Containers and Codecs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Free | Linux | Anything except apple pro | Pure command line tool. For Ubuntu, must build from source (directions), and then command lines like these. FFmpeg is also suitable for format conversion and audio overlay. | |
Free | Linux | ogv (must transcode results, can use transmageddon) | Works out of the box on Ubuntu 11.10 | |
Free | Linux | mpeg(4), avi, mov, others, with sorenson, divx, mpeg, others. | Default versions do not work with pulseaudio, and thus recent Ubuntu installations (Ubuntu 11.4 and 11.10). Workaround is to install from source, and launch with padsp. Provides a GUI, easy to use | |
Free | Windows | AVI or FLV | Lots of options/configurations available (most often compared to Camtasia in terms of options). Not always as easy to use or user friendly as other free screencasting tools (see Screencast-O-Matic or Jing), but it definitely comes with options & tools comparable to Camtasia. | |
Free | Windows or Mac | FLV (Pro version also offers MP4) | Easy to use, but has minimal options. Seem to only be able to record either full-screen or a specific window (no options to record a selected area or part of screen). 5-minute recording limit. Videos are branded (Pro version is free of branding). |
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When finished, post your screencast at xxxxx.xxxxx.org and send an email notifying someone@duraspace.org.
We are looking forward to receiving your work!
Video Tools The following tools may all be used to perform Screen and Audio capture for Screencasts:
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Tool Name / Link
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Cost
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Platforms
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C ontainers and Codecs
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Notes
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xvidcap
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Free
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Linux
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mpeg(4), avi, mov, others, with sorenson, divx, mpeg, others.
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Default versions do not work with pulseaudio, and thus recent Ubuntu installations (Ubuntu 11.4 and 11.10). Workaround is to install from source, and launch with padsp. Provides a GUI, easy to use
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ffmpeg
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Free
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Linux
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Anything except apple pro
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Pure command line tool. For Ubuntu, must build from source (directions), and then command lines like these. FFmpeg is also suitable for format conversion and audio overlay.
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recordmydesktop
gtk-recordmydesktop
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Free
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Linux
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ogv (must transcode results, can use transmageddon)
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Works out of the box on Ubuntu 11.10
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Free
(Pro is $12/year)
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Windows, Mac, Linux
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MP4, AVI, FLV (also save directly to YouTubeHD or Screencast-o-matic.com acct)
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Runs from browser (Java applet), but records any screen/desktop activities. Has an easy setting for recording in "Full HD" resolution (1280x720). Can auto-letterbox smaller resolution recordings when saving. Very easy to use. Can highlight mouse cursor & all mouse clicks. 15-minute recording limit (Pro is unlimited). Videos are branded with a small logo in lower left corner (Pro version is free of branding).
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Free
(Pro is $14.95/year)
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Windows or Mac
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FLV (Pro version also offers MP4)
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Easy to use, but has minimal options. Seem to only be able to record either full-screen or a specific window (no options to record a selected area or part of screen). 5-minute recording limit. Videos are branded (Pro version is free of branding). (I think we should eliminate this one from our recommendations - JJM)
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Free
(Open Source!)
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Windows
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AVI or FLV
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Lots of options/configurations available (most often compared to Camtasia in terms of options). Not always as easy to use or user friendly as other free screencasting tools (see Screencast-O-Matic or Jing), but it definitely comes with options & tools comparable to Camtasia.
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$299 / $179 education pricing
(30-day free trial available)
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Windows or Mac
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MP4, M4V, AVI, FLV, Silverlight, MOV, RM
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Overview
Content Tools