I came across an announcement of a free Mac screencasting software package called Screenium. It is currently available for free in its Preview Version (and looks like it will cost $20 later). I don’t have a Mac, so I cannot easily test it. I’ll have to say my one complaint about most Mac screencasting software is that it only gives QuickTime as an output option, and not Flash. Unless you know your audience primarily uses Macs, I prefer to use Flash output for the greatest accessibility.
My complaint with Screenium (untried), is that their Web site does not even include an example screencast that could be produced by their product. Show me a demo! (And it would be nice if they said what output options are available as well.)
For Screenium, other Mac screencasting software, and some interesting commentary on screencasting in general, see the post at tuaw, especially in the comments. And if anyone creates a Screenium screencast, let me know so I can link to an example.
Until January 7, Techsmith is offering a free version of Camtasia Studio 3.1.3 (the latest version is up to version 5.0). The download site says it is an “exclusive offering for PC Plus Magazine readers from the United Kingdom” but another site that links to the deal says that they “have confirmation from Techsmith stating we have now extended the offer to everyone.” This older version apparently will not with Vista, and it also will not have all the improvements found in versions 4 and 5, but my memory of using it was that it was still relatively easy to use and could produce good screencasts. If you had been planning on buying the latest version of Camtasia Studio, install this free download and you should be eligible for the upgrade price.
In addition, if you have been looking for a more robust screen snapshot program, Techsmith is also offering an older version of SnagIt 7.2.5 (current is 8.2) for free. For both of these offers, you first need to download the software and then register for the free key. Remember, these offers expire January 7, 2008!
I’m pleased to see that Genie Tyburski is now adding screencast to her wonderfully informative Virtual Chase site on legal information. She is using Camtasia Studio 5 and discusses the software and hardware being used. I expect more will be forthcoming, but for now, here is a list of what she has available.
Sketchcast.com offers an interesting permutation on screencasting. Instead of screen actions, sketchcasting can record audio while sketching, with very simple tools. I can not yet see any application for this technology with the kind of teaching that I do (and my significant lack of sketching ability), but it is an intriguing Web-based approach. To summarize some of its features:
Web based software
Do not need to download anything
Free accounts
Sketch a line using a mouse (no control over width of line)
Can choose colors
Has an eraser
Can add text (only one font)
Can add audio commentary
Hosted as sketchcast.com
Can be embedded or linked (see menu)
Now if it could just be combined with the ability to paste some screenshots, I could see it as another option for creating quick, free screencasts. Most of the sketchcasts were not too inspiring, but the demo embedded below gives some ideas and a rationale for the product.
So I tried the free Jing Project software from Techsmith and posted an example a few weeks ago. Jing is free to download, available for Mac and Windows computers, and (if you register to share your Jing screencasts) comes with a free account on Screencast.com. I was impressed to see that the free account did not expire in 60 days (as it would if you just went to Screencast.com and registered for a free account) but did not expire until 2015). The free account comes with 200MB of storage and 1GB of bandwidth, which seemed generous enough.
Alas, it is not so. Despite a recent change intended to help reduce bandwidth consumption, I am now over. After 339 views of my 3MB screencast (for 2 minutes and 39 seconds, which seems about right for that length of a screencast), I hit the 1GB limit. So what happens when you hit that limit? I received several email messages ahead of time warning of the approaching cap with offers to upgrade my bandwidth, for a fee ($21.95 for 100GB, which would be more than enough but too pricey for my needs). If you choose not to pay, the screencast is just no longer available until the next month’s cycle starts. See the big blank spot in the post (assuming you look before Oct. 29) for how it displays when it has been embedded.
I do not blame Techsmith for needing to fund the service, but this should be a caution for anyone hoping to use Jing as a completely free screencast option. If your screencast is large and/or even moderately well viewed, you are likely to need pay the price for the appropriate level of hosting. Do remember that Jing is in beta and Techsmith may well change the terms or provide other alternatives. At this point, if you want to use Jing, another option is to plan on hosting the screencast on your own Web site.
Techsmith has launched a new version of Camtasia Studio. Officially released on Tuesday, I have not had a chance to try it out yet, but is is already building some buzz. At least I’ve been reading about it. If you’d like to see what’s new, try any of the following:
I’ll be curious to see how well the embedding option works, and if it will be easier to add screencasts to my blog posts if I host the screencasts myself. Stay tuned.
Earlier this year, Techsmith (makers of Camtasia Studio) released the free (although beta) Jing Project. This screencasting software works on Macs as well as Windows and comes with hosting at Screencast.com. Jing has few of the fancy features (or even much editing capability) when compared to Camtasia, Captivate, or even the free Wink. But it is relatively easy to use, free, and it works on a Mac.
One complaint I’ve had with Jing is that once I install it, by default it stays loaded all the time. You see a small half yellow circle at the top of the screen and an icon in the system tray. You can change those settings, but assuming that anyone trying the software always wants to have Jing loaded seems a bit presumptuous. And it is annoying that you have to guess what the icons mean (no text is displayed). It is fun how it moves and grows as you mouse over it, but text would make it easier!
I’d be meaning to spend more time with Jing, so I’ve finally created a quick screencast comparing the same search at various search engines. While I miss the editing controls in Camtasia and the variety of publishing options, Jing does have one strength missing from Camtasia, Captivate, and Wink. With the hosting at screencast.com, it makes it easy to embed a screencast in a blog post. Just share the screencast from Jing (which uploads it to screencast.com) and then log in to your account at screencast.com and click “share” (again with the word-less icon) to get the URL, link code, embed code, and an option to send email invitations to view it. Continue Reading »
I wish I noticed this earlier today, but for another couple of hours, you can get DemoCreator free at Giveaway of the Day (GOTD). Scroll down to the “Download Democreator now” link and be sure to install it and activate it before the deadline to get it for free. It apparently retails for $129.95, although it is on special now for $99 on the DemoCreator site (in case you don’t read this until after the special is over). Do note the terms and conditions of “Strictly non-commercial usage” on the free GOTD version. Also note all the quick reviews available on GOTD under the comments section.
I have not tried this software before. I’m downloading it, installing, and activating it as I type this, so I hope to have some type of review of it up in the future. If you happen to read this in time (deadline is June 14 at midnight PST), download the file, unzip it, run setup, then run activate. To check if you got it registered in time, click the small “order” icon (shopping cart) in the upper right and make sure it says that “DemoCreator has been registered.”
So after posting about Demofuse yesterday, I thought I’d post a screencast of what it is like to use. My Quick View of Demofuse (3.3 MB, 3:50) does not show all the features and is only based on my rather limited experience with Demofuse. Oh, and if anyone is interested in trying Demofuse, you need an invitation code. They gave me one to share — invitation code 731125. Enjoy!
Well this is not exactly screencasting, but Demofuse is a fascinating technology anyway. You can use it to create a special link that gives a tour of a Web page. I’ve only played around with it a bit, but it seems to be limited to a one page tour at a time, and you have to have edit access to the page so you can add a two lines of Javascript to the bottom. The process is fairly simple — I should do a screencast of it. But for now, take a look at a quick Demofuse tour on the home page of LibCasting (or click the button below which is the code they offer. The link to the tour of the page just adds a single variable to the end of the URL which quickly disappears once the tour starts. But the tour does not show when readers go straight to the page. In other words, a link to http://www.notess.com/screencasting/
will not start the tour but one to http://www.notess.com/screencasting/?dftid=1427413
will.
LibCast