Create Screencasts: 6 Online Tools for Professionals
The Power of Screencasting: A Guide to Free Online Tools
Have you ever considered the benefits of creating a screencast, or perhaps questioned its utility? Screen recordings, frequently referred to as screencasts, offer versatile applications. They can be invaluable for instructing less technologically inclined family members or colleagues, and are particularly effective in demonstrating issues to customer support when screenshots alone prove insufficient.
Several options exist for screencasting, ranging from professional software like Camtasia, priced at $299, to Camstudio. However, if you require simpler solutions that minimize strain on your computer’s resources and budget, consider these user-friendly, web-based alternatives. All of these tools allow for downloading the recordings, enabling post-production editing in your preferred video editor, or effortless restarts.
How to Create a ScreenCast with ScreenCastle in Just One Click
ScreenCastle is specifically designed to streamline the screen recording process. Its interface is remarkably straightforward, allowing you to begin recording directly from the homepage. There’s no intrusive requirement to register an account.
To initiate recording, simply click the prominent orange Power button, which will load a recorder applet displaying a thumbnail of your previously visited webpage. If you intend to record a different page, navigate to that tab and click Refresh on the applet to update the thumbnail preview.
You can adjust the recorder’s size by either entering the desired dimensions directly into the applet or by dragging its resizers. Furthermore, you can choose to include microphone input. Once configured, activate the recorder and let your creativity flow!
Upon completion, you can preview your screencast or publish it to ScreenCastle’s platform. Publishing generates a direct link to the FLV file (accessible by pasting the link into your browser or download manager), embed codes, and thumbnail images. Currently, there are no limitations on recording duration, size, or the number of recordings. However, videos that remain unviewed for a year may be subject to deletion.
Screencast-o-matic: A Surprisingly Powerful Screen Recorder
Screencast-o-Matic belies its simple website design with a remarkably robust screencasting application. Despite its power, it remains exceptionally user-friendly, and doesn’t necessitate account creation for publishing videos. Clicking Create displays a resizable rectangle with comprehensive recording options.
Adjust the rectangle’s size by dragging its resizers or selecting from pre-defined video dimensions (such as 3:4 or HD). Select your desired microphone (or disable audio if narration isn’t required) and initiate recording by pressing ALT + P (on Mac, use Option + P) or the red record button. Remember that P serves as a convenient shortcut to pause the recording.
The recorder can be repositioned during recording (a feature not available in all services), and you can pause to review your progress. If unsatisfied, the Restart button allows you to begin anew, or you can record over unwanted sections by pausing at the beginning and resuming recording. Recordings are limited to 15 minutes.
In Export Movie mode, you can choose to include the mouse cursor, mouse clicks, notes, and audio. Videos can be downloaded in MP4, AVI, or FLV formats, and uploaded directly to YouTube. The service retains unpublished screencasts even if you close your browser. A Screen-O-Matic watermark is applied to free recordings unless you upgrade to a Pro account ($5).
Screenjelly: Full Desktop Recording with a Bookmarklet
If you need to record your entire desktop activity for up to 3 minutes, Screenjelly is an excellent choice. It simplifies recording with a single red button. Upon completion, you can view the recording and choose to discard it or publish it via Twitter (using OAuth for secure authentication), Facebook Connect, or a Screenjelly account. Sharing via email and other social media platforms is also supported. Notably, Screenjelly does not offer direct video downloads.
A unique feature is its bookmarklet, which adds a mini-recorder to any website you’re currently visiting. You can even embed this mini-recorder on your own website. Published videos are best viewed in full-screen due to the full-desktop recording, but utilities like ZoomIt can enhance visibility without requiring full-screen mode.
ScreenToaster: Advanced Editing and Playback Options
ScreenToaster has evolved into a sophisticated tool for effortless screencasting. It uniquely offers Playback Speed control (half, double, and up to 10x speed), a feature typically found in paid applications like ScreenFlow ($99). It also allows recording from your webcam, adding subtitles, and recording audio separately.
While there’s no strict duration limit, ScreenToaster recommends a maximum file size of 20MB for optimal performance. After recording, you can download the screencast in MOV and SWF formats (the latter being experimental). The Beta version allows downloading in MP4 format even after publishing.
Tweet Your HD Screencasts with Screenr
Screenr boasts a polished interface that encourages immediate screencasting. The recorder includes resizers and preset dimensions for optimized playback resolution. Recordings are limited to 5 minutes. After completion, you can post the screencast to Twitter or play it directly on the Screenr website.
A shortened URL is provided for easy sharing, and options exist to download the video in MP4 or upload it to YouTube in high definition. The site is optimized for mobile viewing, allowing playback on iPhones. A Screenr bookmarklet, accessible from any published screencast, simplifies the recording process.
ShowMeWhatsWrong: Troubleshooting Made Easy
Developed by the creators of Screencast-o-Matic, ShowMeWhatsWrong is tailored for assisting others with computer issues remotely. The troubleshooter provides their name and email address, receiving a unique URL to share with the person experiencing the problem.
When the user visits the URL, they can record the issue, and the screencast is sent to the troubleshooter’s email. Videos expire after 7 days but can be downloaded in MP4 format.
Have you experimented with any of these tools? What are your preferred methods for creating screencasts? Do you use them for educational purposes, game recording, or other applications? Are there any other web-based screencasting tools you would recommend?
Photo credits: garryknight
