Screen grabs and Edius

[[email protected]]

I have a project where I need to do moving screen grabs from a computer (so you are watching the TV and see someone mousing around on a website) and import them into Edius. The client provided me with some but they are a bad quality and hard to read once up on the time line (although they look better on WMP...).

Questions:
Is there a GOOD screen grabbing video making software that works well with edius?
Should I just set up a video cam at the computer screen and import that?
ANY other suggestions?

Help appreciated... :)
TY!
S.

[pjsssss]

Camtasia works well is probably the industry standard. Anton has been using Snag It. Both are from TechSmith

[tingsern]

I second that. I am using Camtasia too - their quality is superb.

[[email protected]]

Yes, I believe that is what they used to send it to me... Now, I can't guess the quality or HOW they recorded it, so perhaps they made a lower quality than what I would want. I had to upload the codec for Edius, but once I did, it worked well. It's just not sized correctly or at a good enough quality.

I see TechSmith has a 30 day trial - great - I'll do that, as I am not really sure if there is another time I'll need this. However, before I do - is there a way to make the quality better when "recording" ? settings? And if so, since I am totally a beginner here, what do you set it at for maximum quality?

Thanks guys! I knew you all would be able to help!
S.

[tingsern]

The codec Camtasia uses is optimised for screen grabbing. It is not 25 frames/sec or even 50 frames/sec. If I am correct, it goes at 15 frames/second. The file it produces is really small - very optimised. I re-code that into Canopus HQ first - then edit it from there. Much better than trying to drop the file directly onto timeline. I am not aware of any parameters the codec can offer you. My Camtasia is quite old now. Haven't been using it for quite a while.

[[email protected]]

good to know - ty
Question - how do you re-encode into HQ without putting on time line?
TY
S.

[pjsssss]

Camtasia just released their new version 7 a few weeks ago. It looks like it is really much better. I have not had a chance to play with it yet but if it performs as nice as it looks it will be a winner.

[antonsvideo]

The codec Camtasia uses is optimised for screen grabbing. It is not 25 frames/sec or even 50 frames/sec. If I am correct, it goes at 15 frames/second. The file it produces is really small - very optimised. I re-code that into Canopus HQ first - then edit it from there. Much better than trying to drop the file directly onto timeline. I am not aware of any parameters the codec can offer you. My Camtasia is quite old now. Haven't been using it for quite a while.

that is strange

I use Snagit9 the cheaper version of camtasia, and I can set uncompressed RGB codec, 25fps and I can preset size of capture window to 1440x1080 or 1920x1080 whatever I wish, I can do

[tingsern]

My version of Camtasia is pretty old. Haven't been upgrading it - don't have any projects for that. So - my information might be dated.

[[email protected]]

OK- I have the log on info from my client to the website which needs the screen shots. I am going to use the trial version of Camtasia - which, from the training vids, looks like it will let you put out different sizes. (and is a full-function version too)

Anton - from the TechSmith site, it looks like SnagIt takes a snapshot but not a video... Am I wrong? However you'd think that if THAT software lets you resize, than Camtasia should too.

I'll let you know how it goes - and a HUGE TY to all the responders here :)
S.

[fatcat]

Microsoft Expression Encoder

Hi!

Check out the Expression Encoder from MS. There´s a free version, whch gives you the possibility to grab video from your computerscreen.

Framerate is variable, so is the bitrate. I captured in full-HD, 25 fps, 15000 kbps this thursday, and it look extremely good.

Only problem is that it captures in a special codec, which you have to transcode to WMV from within Expression Encoder. This takes a bit more time.
The WMV´s though, are encoded with MS´s VC-1 HD codec, which MS also uses for HD film streaming on X-Box360. I couldn´t see any issues with the quality when comparing the original captured file, and the transcoded WMV(with the same bitrate).

Whether the full version gives you extra options as to which codec to use, I do not know, it might be worth checking out..

Regards,

Erik Hoirup

[pjsssss]

OK- I have the log on info from my client to the website which needs the screen shots. I am going to use the trial version of Camtasia - which, from the training vids, looks like it will let you put out different sizes. (and is a full-function version too)

Anton - from the TechSmith site, it looks like SnagIt takes a snapshot but not a video... Am I wrong? However you'd think that if THAT software lets you resize, than Camtasia should too.

I'll let you know how it goes - and a HUGE TY to all the responders here :)
S.

You can output different sizes. I have the latest Camtasia 7. Anton uses Snagit which I did not know recorded video. The new Camtasia is pretty impressive looking though I have not had time to use it yet.

[[email protected]]

I have the trial version of Camtasia running (full version - have all features) and am playing with every setting I can to make this work - and I have come up with a few "good" clips. If I use the Edius codec set at NTSC 740x480 and render out at 30fps, it looks the best - and looks even better when I "zoom in" and record only part of the screen at one time (in Camtasia). I can read the text on the webpage the best but it's still blurry.

However, I still get the "flickering" effect when importing into my editing software no matter which setting I use. If i watch on Camtasia, it looks perfect.

Tried top field and bottom field settings, tried different settings for project... Does ANYONE have any idea how I can fix this?
I'm running out of ideas....

[antonsvideo]

the screen capture software works progressive

the captures will only look good in progressive projects

often you are far better off using a good camera pointed at a screen with focus slightly off to eliminate scan lines

[[email protected]]

sometimes you just need a different perspective - my hubby (computer geek that he is) says, "Why don't you take down the resolution of your monitor?"

UM. doh.

If I do this, capture just the bits I want or even just part of a screen and keep them in the Canopus Codec... MUCH BETTER. (Camtasia)
Very usable!

TY everyone for all the info. I learned a bunch yet again from everyone.

S.