CAMSTASIA

Activity #5-Posted June 10, 2009

Topic #2: Animated Screen Captures

Lessons Learned

I found out I do not like Camtasia. When recording actions on my computer, it was slow to react and it would not record my voice. I trouble shooted by replacing my mic and that still did not work.

The following is the actions I recorded for my lesson on "Creating a Simple Web Page". The layout I was not excited about and would have tried other ways but the time converting was to long to try others. You can notice that it just shows the PowerPoint Screen on the html version.

Next, I decided to try to record a PowerPoint.  I have used PowerPoint to DVD and thought I would like to compare how Camtasia works in a similar scenario.  The following is a recording of my "Creating a Simple Web Page" using Camtasia.  The same thing happened, the voice would not record. I tried trouble shooting again, but could not solve the problem. I also felt that when Camtasia converted it to a movie it took a very long time. I tried to import it into Flash so that it would play but it would not import mpeg4 videos.  I will need to work out the details at another time on how to display them on a web page.

Then I wanted to present the lesson I created in PowerPoint with sound, so I tried to use the PowerPoint to video on my computer.  Camtasia interfered with this process and the program would not work. I cannot wait to remove Camtasia from my computer. In order for my program to work like I wanted it to I went to school and completed this project with the PowerPoint to video software program.  The following "Creating a Simple Web Page" is the recording I created with PowerPoint to DVD. My website would not play the avi file when I inserted it, so I imported it into Flash to create a Flash movie to play.

In conclusion, I found Camtasia to be trouble.  It took to long to convert, recording was slow and it cost $299.00. In comparison to PowerPoint to Video, it was easier to use, faster to convert to an avi file and cost me around $40.00.  A great buy compared to Camtasia. As an educator I want a software program that easy to use and does what it is suppose to do quickly.