How do you Videotape a computer screen??

[mike1]

I would like to make a computer software training CD-ROM. Can anyone give me advise on how to video tape the computer screen and recommend what type of camera and software I would need?
Thanks!!

[Sillyname]

If you have a Rainbow Runner of some type, use its "Output to TV" function under "Matrox Properties". Connect that to a VTR of some sort and record your steps. Then recapture it and edit it with all your narration and whatnot.

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Deep is not the root word of depression.

[JTurner]

Actually, I find an output / recapture gives rather poor quality.

The best thing I've found is a monitor with an exact refresh rate as my video camera (so no lines!!!) I then film the actual screen, and capture the result. Trust me, this works MUCH better. Just lower the brightness of the monitor a little. And if you have an LCD screen, even better, since there's no refresh rate.

As well, you might want to check out http://www.hyperionics.com/www/hypercam.htm.

This is a program that captures a screen directly to an AVI file with the compressor of your choice. I haven't tried it yet, but it should work well at least at lower resolutions.

-JT

[Brian Ellis]

I've tried all three methods. If you are outputting a screen directly to tape, then Sillyname's way is the best.

If, as you imply, you want an AVI file to put on a CD-ROM, then the software approach is best, although I have not used that particular Hyperionics one. I used one from the Lotus stable (forget its name).

Filming a screen is not, at all, a good solution, in my experience, even with a rigid synch. It looks exactly what it is, a fuzzy, colour-distorted image of something filmed through a thick lump of slightly curved glass.

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Brian (the terrible)

[JTurner]

Completely true, Brian.

Although I've had very good success filming a monitor of mine, I know just how hard it is to find a monitor with the right sync, and even then it takes some fiddling to get the brightness right to make the colours turn out OK (turn the brightness down). In most of my shots, I was looking to make it obvious that I was showing a computer screen, so I didn't mind that some grainy pixels were visible.

But the software approach is definately the best. Unfortunately, with my P233, the software approach doesn't let me capture at a high enough resolution.

--JT