Page History
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Tool Name / Link | Cost | Platforms | C ontainers and Codecs | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
xvidcap | 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 |
ffmpeg | 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. |
recordmydesktop | Free | Linux | ogv (must transcode results, can use transmageddon) | Works out of the box on Ubuntu 11.10 |
Free | 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). | |
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). (I think we should eliminate this one from our recommendations - JJM) | |
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. | |
$299 / $179 education pricing | 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. |