Software for making How to Vids

[DonaldM]

I need to make a couple how to videos for a friend. I need to get one of those screen capture video maker programs and wondered what might be a good one that I can use that would capture everything I am doing on screen with PT as well allow me to add the audio.

Thanks

[sunburst79]

Your on windows correct?

Benonis your man here. I queried him once on what he was using and I think you will need two interfaces.

[guitardom]

I use Camtasia.
Can record video and 1 audio source at a time.
BUT depending on the interface PT will not share the source output to allow you to record the audio output.
So I also use PT on my laptop w an eleven rack to record my dialog and the output from my HDN system.
Export the audio out, bring it into my main daw.
Convert and export the video and pull it into a PT session, line up the audio and export it as a QuickTime file.

My way requires 2 PT licenses, 2 interfaces, and 2 computers.

W an Asio driver based interface you can record audio w the video, but only 1 track. So have to choose the audio of PT or a pass of dialog. If you need more, you would have to revert to the above or record the audio of PT w the vid and attempt to make a dialog pass over the video afterward.

[Benoni]

Well there are several programs available, some free, some very expensive, but I don't know of any that will do everything you are asking unless you take guitardom's advice and setup two rigs.

How much are you wanting to spend?

Something like Camtasia is $300 while something like ScreenCast-O-Matic is free with ads and you are limited to 15min record time unless you go pro for a small fee.

LiteCamHD is pretty nice and its only $30, but there are lots out there.

CamStudio is free and open source and works well.

One I would suggest is Magix MovieEdit Pro PLUS or Premium 2013, its $69 or $129 respectively, but PLUS can be had for $50 on eBay.

With Magix you will be getting more than just a screen recorder, you also get a pretty nice video NLE.

Everything I've mentioned so far has a free 30 day trial, so try out some and see what you like.

I think it matters what you want to do exactly, do you need to edit, or just capture?

No matter what program I use, depending on the project, there is usually alot more going into it that just recording the screen and upping to youtube.

Everything I do will go through a NLE like Media Composer to do the editing.

Sometimes I will just record the screen, then go to Pro Tools and recording the voiceover.

If I am doing something that needs screen recording AND a camera recording of a piece of hardware, I will use the audio from the camera mic and that will be edited in later in MC.

I have some videos showing some BFD drum libraries, in those I record the screen. Then in Pro Tools I am recording my talking and the hits of the drum samples.

After the recording I edit the voice track in PT and bounce it out and export the drum hit track.

Then in an NLE I will put it all together and line everything up and edit the video capture.

If you want to do everything all at once then there is probably a way, but it will need additional equipment that I can't afford.

There is ALOT more that goes into creating tutorials than just hitting record, its a real time consuming thing, unless you have the money to get the software and hardware you would need to capture the output of Pro Tools, your voice and the screen capture all at once.

If you have never done this before, I would start by just trying some of the free 30 day trial software or if you are on Windows try CamStudio, its free.

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by Benoni

Well there are several programs available, some free, some very expensive, but I don't know of any that will do everything you are asking unless you take guitardom's advice and setup two rigs.

How much are you wanting to spend?

Something like Camtasia is $300 while something like ScreenCast-O-Matic is free with ads and you are limited to 15min record time unless you go pro for a small fee.

LiteCamHD is pretty nice and its only $30, but there are lots out there.

CamStudio is free and open source and works well.

One I would suggest is Magix MovieEdit Pro PLUS or Premium 2013, its $69 or $129 respectively, but PLUS can be had for $50 on eBay.

With Magix you will be getting more than just a screen recorder, you also get a pretty nice video NLE.

Everything I've mentioned so far has a free 30 day trial, so try out some and see what you like.

I think it matters what you want to do exactly, do you need to edit, or just capture?

No matter what program I use, depending on the project, there is usually alot more going into it that just recording the screen and upping to youtube.

Everything I do will go through a NLE like Media Composer to do the editing.

Sometimes I will just record the screen, then go to Pro Tools and recording the voiceover.

If I am doing something that needs screen recording AND a camera recording of a piece of hardware, I will use the audio from the camera mic and that will be edited in later in MC.

I have some videos showing some BFD drum libraries, in those I record the screen. Then in Pro Tools I am recording my talking and the hits of the drum samples.

After the recording I edit the voice track in PT and bounce it out and export the drum hit track.

Then in an NLE I will put it all together and line everything up and edit the video capture.

If you want to do everything all at once then there is probably a way, but it will need additional equipment that I can't afford.

There is ALOT more that goes into creating tutorials than just hitting record, its a real time consuming thing, unless you have the money to get the software and hardware you would need to capture the output of Pro Tools, your voice and the screen capture all at once.

If you have never done this before, I would start by just trying some of the free 30 day trial software or if you are on Windows try CamStudio, its free.

Camtasia you can edit the video, add zooms,fades, and such, layer-edit multiple audio tracks inside of it or even record multiple audio passes over the video as well as all the conversion to about any formats. But yes, hey are quite a bit of work and take a surprisingly long time. If there were a screen capture aoftware that could record multiple tracks of audio at once, it could really simplify the process.

[Benoni]

Originally Posted by guitardom

Camtasia you can edit the video, add zooms,fades, and such, layer-edit multiple audio tracks inside of it or even record multiple audio passes over the video as well as all the conversion to about any formats. But yes, hey are quite a bit of work and take a surprisingly long time. If there were a screen capture aoftware that could record multiple tracks of audio at once, it could really simplify the process.

Yeah I've used Camtaisa before, but I still do the final edit in a standard NLE, I just like the interface in MC and others better for editing, effects, titles, crops, multiple video tracks ect... but yeah, you can do all that stuff directly in Camtasia, it comes with everything you need for a professional screen cast.

Do you have version 8? I tried the free trial and they really changed things from the versions I have used before. I've been liking the screen recorder in Magix, it works well and it costs alot less, CamStudio works well too and its free.

[FLi]

Camtasia rules them all. Nothing really comes close. A very good piece of software.

[DonaldM]

Originally Posted by guitardom

I use Camtasia.
Can record video and 1 audio source at a time.
BUT depending on the interface PT will not share the source output to allow you to record the audio output.
So I also use PT on my laptop w an eleven rack to record my dialog and the output from my HDN system.
Export the audio out, bring it into my main daw.
Convert and export the video and pull it into a PT session, line up the audio and export it as a QuickTime file.

My way requires 2 PT licenses, 2 interfaces, and 2 computers.

W an Asio driver based interface you can record audio w the video, but only 1 track. So have to choose the audio of PT or a pass of dialog. If you need more, you would have to revert to the above or record the audio of PT w the vid and attempt to make a dialog pass over the video afterward.

Actually, in my set-up I don't think I'd have to. The reason is because I have all my audio routed through my Mackie mixer, which also has a separate output (if I wish) to the mic-in on the PC. So, I can actually have the PT session AND my mic running together through the Mackie and then back into the mic-line input on the PC. I know that works when I've Skyped...I was able to play a session AND talk through my mic at the same time because all that audio was input from the Mackie...not the audio interface.

Appreciate all the input, though! Camtasia was the name I remember now from a while back. I tried this all once before a long while ago but had some issues with the software -- don't recall what it was -- and deleted it and never got back to it. So, thought I'd try again, but get some advice up front!

[DonaldM]

Originally Posted by Benoni

If you have never done this before, I would start by just trying some of the free 30 day trial software or if you are on Windows try CamStudio, its free.

I might go that route. And thank you for your entire post...very helpful! I did know I can do audio editing for video in PT, but I'm not sure how much video editing I will need to do. Like you said, probably some at least, so I'll have to experiment. At least for these first couple, its just for a friend, so how "pro" does it need to be? But I think with my set up, as I mentioned in my last post, I should be able to record the screen and the audio at the same time, including anything playing in PT since I've routed everything back out through my main mixer. If I get hooked on doing this kind of think, maybe I'll upgrade to something like Camtasia.

Thanks again!

[Benoni]

Originally Posted by DonaldM

I might go that route. And thank you for your entire post...very helpful! I did know I can do audio editing for video in PT, but I'm not sure how much video editing I will need to do. Like you said, probably some at least, so I'll have to experiment. At least for these first couple, its just for a friend, so how "pro" does it need to be? But I think with my set up, as I mentioned in my last post, I should be able to record the screen and the audio at the same time, including anything playing in PT since I've routed everything back out through my main mixer. If I get hooked on doing this kind of think, maybe I'll upgrade to something like Camtasia.

Thanks again!

I didn't know you have an outboard mixer. If you are able to out all audio and back in to the input source you choose for Camtasia then that should work in theory. I would try the demo before you spend the $300 though. good luck.