PC screen video/audio capture/editing???

[The Dying Informant]

I have searched this site, but since it is mostly for recording ONTO media or capturing with capture cards, etc, I can't find the info I need. But I sure hope someone can get me pointed in the right direction.

For now, I don't have a video capture card. What I want to do, for free (if possible), is record video from my PC FOR watching on my PC. Record full screen video from games is what I want to do. But in some cases not JUST video. Sound too. Total recording from my games. In high quality.

But if I could turn audio recording off would be good sometimes. Or if I could record audio from my game separately too. And then, when I have captured total video and sound, or recorded them separately, how can I easily edit them and put the video and sound together? Then what format should the finished video be saved as so that the high quality is still there, but the size isn't enormous?

Would this video and audio recording software be able to be used with hotkeys? So that if I press once to record, and I can stop it when I want. Or I can stop it and start it up again, and it would save the clips separately? Then I put them together later or something.

I just don't know where to even begin. I only want to record from my games on my PC, video and audio, at the same time and separately, in high quality, and be able to edit them and put them together easily. Can anyone help me to do this? I would be so greatful!

I hope I am not the typical annoying noob, but I need a pointer in the right direction. If I have missed useful links on this site, I sincerely apologize.

[ghosty6]

Here you go camstudio will record what ever you want from your screen and saves it to an AVI file

[The Dying Informant]

Thank you. That sounds perfect.

But also what is a good easy video editor I could use, to add separate video clips together, and to add sound files to it? They recommended virtualdub, but it mostly looks like its just for avis, and it doesn't deal with audio at all I don't think.

I have Windows Movie Maker already on my PC (included with Win XP I guess). Do you think that will be sufficient?

[ghosty6]

Your welcome....

Moviemaker will do the trick for you.
But if you want something a little more use Ulead Videostudio 7.

[The Dying Informant]

Thanks! I can't wait to fool around with these and make the coolest game parodies! 8)

Are AVI files the largest size? What format do you recommend I condence to, and would these video editors convert AVIs for me?

Now if only I knew how to access .dat audio files....

[Tommyknocker]

Are AVI files the largest size? What format do you recommend I condence to, and would these video editors convert AVIs for me?

They can be quite large, or also comparable to MPEG 1 and 2 depending on the codec you use.

The format you choose depends on what you intend to do with it. To share with guys and gals at work, use MPEG-1. Every machine should run it. To post on the Web, .wmv is the way to go. Movie Maker is only good for .wmv conversion, but it is free. Video Studio is more powerful, has a trialware version, but the commercial version can cost $80.00+. Read up a little here in the beginner guides for more insight.

[MasterPade411]

ok This is what I wanted to do but how might I edit the video. Say I want to only film the bottom half of my screen or some weird shaped zone/box how would I do this?

[MasterPade411]

I got Camstudio and it seems great, until I open a movie file and the screen is blank on the new avi where the video would be. Any ideas?