Hi Leslie -

I use Camtasia Studio as my go to screen capture software. Before I invested some $$$ into it, I tried lots of different freebies.

The AVI files CamStudio produces are perfectly fine in PD. It's worth taking the time to get your codec & quality settings right. The default settings aren't the best quality.

There's a CamStudio forum where you'd get the best advice on settings - http://camstudio.org/forum/

Cheers - Tony
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Don't know your precise needs, but for screen capture (stills and video) consider testing this freeware...
http://ohsoft.net/product_ocam.php

OCam has performed well here and offers various codecs. It can capture PD's interface, should that be needed, but it will not record the preview window.

Many screen capture programs use a system of capture to a proprietary product extension before rendering to an *.avi extension which uses a proprietary codec. The problem with the former and latter are:
1. Large files to unreadable capture (only viewable in the program).
2. Proprietary files have to be rendered to the *.avi format.
3. The *.avi uses a unique codec that limits its use to your computer and is not transferable to another user who doesn't have the same codec on their computer. If you store the *.avi's you may at some future date find you cant read the data as you have lost or the new OS doesn't recognize either the codec or the capture program.
4. The *.avi carrier usually produces huge files over a very short period with high bitrate - eats up storage space.

Look for a screen capture program that offers you alternative formats to capture in. If you are thinking of capturing gaming video then ask on a gaming forum what others use (I bet it isn't CamStudio).

If the software you capture with is installed on your computer then PDR will most likely be able to view and edit the files. Just make sure you chose the right extension for PDR.

Just an opinion.

Dafydd

As Tony said Camtasia is good program. I use it and works well with PD. Match your Camtasia video clip properties to that of your camera, bit rates, fps; if not exact atleast closest. It works beautifully without jitters and jagged lines PC specs :
OS Windows 10.0 Pro
MB - AS rock Z77 extreme 11
Intel 3770K @ 4.0 Ghz OC
Gskill 32 GB RAM 1800 Mhz
6 TB HDD, SSD bootable
nVidia ASUS GTX 660 Ti
BenQ 22" LCD monitor 1920x1080

Quote: As Tony said Camtasia is good program. I use it and works well with PD. Match your Camtasia video clip properties to that of your camera, bit rates, fps; if not exact atleast closest. It works beautifully without jitters and jagged lines

Well, with all due respect, I am not looking to *buy* two programs. It will either be PD or Camtasia. PD costs much less, and I thought that if it worked with the FREE Cam Studio (or another free screen capture software), that is the way I would go. I may try out the other free program that was mentioned up thread too.

And I'm not doing gaming, I'm going to be using it to record training videos for class.

You may want to look at the free "Jing" or the pay for 'SnagIt" both developed by TechSmith who developed Camtasia Studio. There are limitations but you should be able to work around those,

If you are truly looking for software to make lesson plans, then Camtasia Studio is hard to beat (except for the price). .
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BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.

Hi Leslie62 ,
Please use a search engine and look up "free video screen capture software". PowerDirector is a Video Editing Program and does not screen capture still images* or video, (one or the other). I have used a number of video screen capture programs over the years and there are many free versions available. For a slightly better and easier working interface with more options, a bought software can be found - shouldn't cost a lot.
I have mentioned a couple of free ones in the Guide, Part F: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/29701.page

Dafydd

*active scenes on a monitor displaying another program.

Just for the record -

CamStudio (free):
- captures in AVI format, which import into PD
- captures PD's active preview window

Jing (free)
- captures in SWF format, which doesn't import into PD
- captures PD's active preview screen

SnagIt isn't free

So - in answer to Leslie's original question - YES.

Cheers - Tony

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OOps, I thought CamStudio was short for Camtasia Studio .
.
BoilerPlate: To posters who ask for help -- it is nice to thank the volunteers who try to answer your questions !
Anything I post unless stated with a reference is my personal opinion.

Easy enough mistake to make, Steve.

http://chris.pirillo.com/camtasia-studio-is-not-camstudio/

CamStudio is open source - http://camstudio.org/ - capture only

Camtasia Studio (and Jing & SnagIt) are made by TechSmith - captures, edits & produces

... and there's about a $300 price difference

Cheers - Tony
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Quote: You may want to look at the free "Jing" or the pay for 'SnagIt" both developed by TechSmith who developed Camtasia Studio. There are limitations but you should be able to work around those,

If you are truly looking for software to make lesson plans, then Camtasia Studio is hard to beat (except for the price).

Thanks Steve, in the end I decided to go with Camtasia. I watched some of their tutorials and felt it would do everything I needed, even if it does cost more than some other options. Found a painless way to verify that I'm a student (which was really the issue. Had to click through several pages to be able to do this. Bad skool, BAD!), now just waiting for the software company to process so I can do a download.