Re: Screen captures as movies?

[Greg Hanek <ghanek -at- INDIANA -dot- EDU>]

At 10:41 AM +0000 2/13/98, Geoff Hart is alleged to have typed:

> A colleague has just asked for advice on capturing the screen display
> of someone using one of the software packages we've developed for use
> in a promotional video (VHS). We haven't had much luck using a
> standard video camera to photograph the screen (too much flicker,
> even though it's a noninterlaced monitor); purchasing a genlock card
> so we can output the screen display directly to videotape while
> viewing the software on a second monitor isn't an option.

You need to use a rather high quality video camera that has a high
speed shutter. You may be able to rent one for a day.

The flicker has nothing to do with interlaced vs. non-interlaced. It
has everything to do with the mis-matched vertical sync rates of the
camera (~60hz) and the monitor (~60-75hz typically).

> So here's the question: Are there any inexpensive software packages
> that run under Win95 and let you record AVI or .MOV files that could
> be incorporated on a VHS tape? We don't need broadcast-quality video,
> but we do want something reasonably high quality. Please respond
> directly to me and I'll summarize to the list.

CameraMan for Mac, PPC, Win95 and NT. Canadian company ;-)

Can output Quicktime and AVI movies of screen action. Very slick and
easy. Records screen actions, system sounds, and voice over if you have
a mic.

Full demo available at:
<http://www.mwg.com/tools/cameraman_page_general.htm>

Can be purchased online for about US$70.

--

Greg Hanek    ghanek -at- indiana -dot- edu
.disclaimer     .pithy_quote