This is a quick guide to the available screencasting packages. If I’ve missed something, get in contact. Most of these tools are discussed in The Screencasting Handbook.
Web-based tools (so nothing to install!):
- ScreenToaster (free, has hosting)
- Screenr (free, has hosting, Java based, Twitter focused)
- Screencast-o-matic (free, has hosting, Java based)
- ScreenCastle (free, has hosting)
Windows:
- Camtasia (commercial, contains an editor, integrates with screencast.com for hosting)
- Jing (free and premium, has hosting via screencast.com)
- BBFlashBack (commercial, contains an editor)
- BBFlashBack Express (free, no editor)
- HyperCam (commercial, low cost, will contain an editor)
- DemoCreator (commercial)
- Wink (free)
- CamStudio (free)
- FRAPS (commercial, low cost, can record games & video players)
- Pixetell (commercial, has web hosting)
Mac:
- ScreenFlow (commercial, has an editor)
- Camtasia (commercial, has an editor)
- Jing (free and premium, has hosting via screencast.com)
- iShowU (commercial)
- SnapzPro (commercial)
Linux:
- RecordMyDesktop (free)
- Istanbul (free)
- DemoRecorder (commercial)
- Xvidcap (free)
- ffmpeg (free but command line only so only for the brave)
Tools that help you record and edit screencasts:
Windows:
- Sizer – presets to fix your window’s size and position
- MouseZoom – tells you your mouse’s exact location, great for multi-scene alignment
- GSpot – codec explainer to diagnose weird video codecs
- MediaInfo – tells you about codecs (like GSpot)
- Adobe Premiere – excellent video editor
- Sony Vegas – another very good video editor
- AVidemux – video editor
- ffmpeg – great for transcoding
- WinFF – ffmpeg visual wrapper for transcoding
- mencoder – part of MPlayer, great for transcoding
- Handbrake – transcoder
- AVidemux – video editor
Mac:
- Adobe Premiere – excellent video editor
- AVidemux – video editor
- ffmpeg – great for transcoding
- mencoder – part of MPlayer, great for transcoding
- Handbrake – transcoder
- MediaInfo – tells you about codecs (like GSpot on Windows)
- VideoSpec – tells you about codecs
Linux:
- Kdenlive – video editor
- AVidemux – video editor
- LiVES – video editor
- PiTiVi – video editor
- Kino – video editor
- Cinelerra – video editor
- ffmpeg – great for transcoding
- WinFF – ffmpeg visual wrapper for transcoding
- mencoder – part of MPlayer, great for transcoding
- Handbrake – transcoder
- MediaInfo – tells you about codecs (like GSpot on Windows)
- Subtitle Editor – subtitle editor that shows the waveform for easy alignment
There are also screenshots of Linux video editors.
Video hosting options:
- YouTube – regular and HD available, 10 mins only
- Screencast.com – screencast focused hosting
- Vimeo – non-commercial only, high quality
- ShowMeDo – screencast focused for open-source tutorial, not commercial-use friendly
- Wat.tv – French only, commercial use ok
