Screencasting

Screencasting

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Term2.png SCREENCASTING
A screencast is a digital video recording that captures actions taking place on a computer desktop. A screencast captures what happens on a monitor over a period of time. This is used for illustrating software features . Screencasting is a technique of creating video tutorials and software imitation by capturing a sequence of screenshots of any running software application. Screencasting tools work like a video camera which can records of the actions on a user’s computer. The recorded video can be exported in a range of popular video formats like EXE, SWF, Flash, WMV, AVI, Quick Time, MPEG-4. These formats are widely used in any video sharing site and may easily import into any video editing tools.


There are two types of screencasting applications:

  • Desktop application: It is essential to download and run the screencasting software in your local computer.
  • Web-based application: You do not need to download the software in your computer you can run the application directly from the web.


Many screencasting tools are completely free to use and don’t have any registration procedure. Some tools can be used for a trail period and some tools must need to purchase to get started. After creating a video you will have option to download video in your desktop and to upload the video in video-sharing site like YouTube, Revver, Vimeo etc. A few of them let you to embed your recorded screencast on your blog without uploading to YouTube first.

Using screencasting tools is very straight forward. You can record the entire screen or only a selected area. You cBold textan use the shortcut key in order to start, stop and push your recoding. Below, You will find a set of features which will help you identifying free screencasting tool that better suit your needs.

Features of Screencasting tool

In order to select the screencasting tool that meets your needs and expectations, there are a series of features that should be considered:

  1. Operating System: Required Operating Systems to run the selected tool.
  2. Region capture: Recording option of full screen or selected area screen.
  3. Audio: Adding system voice or microphone recording and voice annotation support during your recording.
  4. Shortcut key: Key to start, push and stop your recording.
  5. Output format: The format of the video after screencasting.
  6. Length: Duration of recording.
  7. Editing: Recreating, combining video,adding voice or text annotation on your recorded video.
  8. Video uploading and sharing: Easiest way to upload and share the recorded video.


Toolkit.png Steps to create a screencast

You can commence to create a screencast and deliver it to the user by using the subsequent five significant steps.

  1. Preparing content: Choose your topic and get the idea about it which you plan to screencast. Get ready with all content before starting record your screen
  2. Recording: Select a screencasting tool to record your screen output and push the red button to start recording. After recording your screen you can store the recorded file in local computer.
  3. Editing: Edit your video according to your paradigm. Select an video editing tool which let you to add audio and text annotation. Generally, video editing tool gives you some basic functions like- adding title, audio and text annotation, combining videos.
  4. Produce: Produce your video that best fit your intended output video format and which will be easily streaming from web or delivery on disk.
  5. Distributing the video: Select a video sharing site which permits to upload and publish your recorded video for the users.


Find below a list of useful tools to record, edit and publish your screencast.

Free screencasting tools

In this table there is a selection of free screencasting tools and a description of their features.
Tools Licence Type of Application Special Features Uploading and Sharing Options
ScreenToaster Free Web-based Output Format: MOV,SWF

Editing: No

Audio: Yes

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows, Mac, Linux

  • Video file Can be embedded on blog and other site
  • Video file Can be stored on site and shared via email
Screen-o-Matic Free Web-based Output Format: MOV,WMV

Editing: No (Free version)

Audio: Yes

Length: 15 minutes

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows, Mac, Linux

  • Video file can be stored on Screen-o-Matic website.
  • Video file can be uploaded on YouTube directly
  • Video file can be embedded on blog
FreeScreencast Free Desktop (Run by local computer) Output Format: FLV

Editing: No

Audio: Yes

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows

  • Video file can be stored on freescreencast.com.
  • Video file can be shared via email
  • Video file can be embedded on website
  • Video file can be downloaded file in FLV format
ScreenCastle Free Web-based Output Format: Unknown

Editing: No

Audio: No

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows

  • Video file can be stored on site.
  • Video file can be shared via email
  • Video file can be embedded on website
Screenr Free Web-based Output Format: MP4

Editing: No

Audio: Yes

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows, Mac, Linux

  • Video file can be stored on Screenr site
  • Can easily be shared via email links
  • Video file can be embedded on websites.
  • Video file can be downloaded file as MP4 format
Avi Screen Free Desktop Output Format: AVI

Editing: No

Audio: No

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows

  • Video file can be stored in local computer
  • Video file can be uploaded to YouTube or any other video sharing site
Copernicus Free Desktop Output Format: Unknown

Editing: No

Audio: Yes

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Mac

  • Video file can be stored in local computer
  • Video file can be uploaded to YouTube or any other video sharing site
Jing Free Desktop Output Format: SWF

Editing: Yes

Audio: Yes

Length: 3 minutes

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows, Mac

  • Video file can be stored in local computer
  • Video can be directly uploaded to YouTube or any other video sharing site
uTIPu (TipCam) Free (Standard version) Desktop Output Format: AVI, FLV

Editing: No

Audio: Yes

Length: Limited

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows

  • Video can be uploaded directly to uTIPu.com, uTIPu communities and YouTube.
uTIPu (TipCam) Free (Standard version) Desktop Output Format: AVI, FLV

Editing: No

Audio: Yes

Length: Limited

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows

  • Video can be uploaded directly to uTIPu.com, uTIPu communities and YouTube.


Proprietary software

In this table there is a selection of paid screencasting tools and a description of their features.

Tools Licence Type of Application Special Features Uploading and Sharing Options
Camtasia studio Proprietary commercial Desktop (Application runs on local computer) Output Format: AVI, WMV, FLV, MPEG4, MP4

Editing: No

Audio: Yes

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows

  • Video file can be stored in local computer
  • Video Can be directly uploaded to YouTube and screencast.com
  • Video can be hosting and collaboration via Acrobat.com
Adobe Captivate Proprietary commercial Desktop Output Format: MOV, AVI, WMV, FLV, MPEG4

Editing: Yes

Audio: Yes

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows

  • Video file can be stored in local computer
  • Video Can be directly uploaded to YouTube
  • Easily integrate with eLearning application and Leading SCORM
  • Video can be edited with rich animation effect
  • Multivideo support and synchronization
Demo Builder Proprietary commercial Desktop Output Format: SWF, EXE, HQX

Editing: Yes

Audio: Yes

Length: No limit

Region capture: Yes

Shortcut key: Yes

OS: Windows, Linux, MAC

  • Video can be stored in local computer
  • Video can be uploaded in video sharing site
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