Video Capture from PC

[oldnewb]

I am currently creating some video tutorials and I'd like to use real footage of what I'm doing on-screen. I've tried various strategies including using the S-Video out on my PC's video card. The result was too grainy. The video card also has RGB and HDMI outputs but I don't have anything to record the output with. I do have a good high definition camcorder and I've tried filming the screen of my LCD monitor, it's better than nothing but it doesn't look very professional. I've seen other tutorials, and gaming video, on the web and I'm wondering what they use? Someone suggested the ?KWorld PlusTV TVBox 1920ex? but the reviews are rather ambiguous. Please help.

 

[WildW]

There used to be a utility called Lotus Screencam, back in the Windows 95 kind of era, that would record your screen for regular Windows applications, along with a soundtrack from your microphone. Used to be used for tutorials for stuff in magazines. That particular program is probably long since obsolete, but a quick Google reveals there's similar looking stuff out there.

 

[vj8usa]

What about FRAPS? If you're using Vista, it can record your desktop instead of just games/3d apps. From their news section, about the newest version (2.9.8):

Since the Vista Desktop Window Manager (DWM) runs through DirectX we have also added a new option to monitor the desktop under Vista. You can now take screenshots and record video from the desktop just like any other game or 3D application.

Keep in mind that if you're recording at a high framerate and resolution, you'll need some seriously fast write speeds on your drives/RAID to keep up with the generated data.

edit: I just tried it out on my laptop, and it works nicely (even with my crappy integrated graphics). Check the "Monitor Desktop Window Manager" option in the FPS tab, and you'll be able to record the desktop with whatever hotkey you specify.
Oh yeah, and select "Disabled" under "Overlay Corner" in the FPS tab if you don't want the FPS counter to show up.