Video screen capture

[cottage]

Can someone give me a recommendation?

I want to capture a short video on screen (actually a short zoom from Google Earth). I've tried a number of video capture programs but they all create jerky video. I'd like an exact copy of the Google Earth zoom i.e. smooth.

I've tried the following programs:
Easy Screen Video Capture
Zeallsoft Super Video Capture
Wisdom-soft AutoScreenRecorder 3 Free
Freez Screen Video Capture
CamStudio
Microsoft Expression Encoder 3 Screen Capture (that's the best but still not smooth)

I'm using a fairly powerful computer (dual core 2.5Ghz) with no other programs running (other than Google Earth) so computer speed shouldn't be a problem.

Can anyone recommend a good free program? (I don't do this enough to warrant spending a lot of money)

[Bodyslide]

Have you looked at FRAPS?

[redwudz]

I second trying FRAPS. It has worked great for me. Makes huge files, even at half resolution, but just add them to VirtualDub and you can convert them to Xvid or something similar easily enough and come out with a reasonable size/quality.

Screen capture programs that cap in more compressed formats use a lot of CPU power and that may cause jerkiness, so less compression=less CPU power=smoother capture.

[jagabo]

VirtualDub has a screen capture module. Use a fast lossless codec while capturing (HuffYUV) then compress with a high compression codec later.

[cottage]

Thank-you redwudz & Bodyslide,

I tried FRAPS and I get about the same quality as I did with Microsoft Expression Encoder 3 Screen Capture. However, FRAPS is a lot easier. I still get a little jerkiness but it's not too bad. I suspect that some (maybe all) of the jerkiness may be caused by the screen capture program slowing Google Earth. I recorded a "tour" in Google Earth that I wanted to record. It plays very smoothly when not capturing the video. However, the playback is sometimes jerky when capturing. This is confusing since the captured video is always a little more jerky than the original video.

Thank-you jagabo too,
I have Virtual Dub but can't see any way to capture on-screen video played from the Internet. I could only see instructions for capturing input from the input ports on a tuner card or video card.

[jagabo]

VirtualDub: File -> Capture Avi. Then Device -> Screen Capture.