What Screencast Codec?

[BlaenkDenum]

Hey guys I'm using a program called BBFlashBack to record my desktop for a screencast. I then provide these on my site. This program lets me output to flash, AVI, and some other formats. I am able to encode in Xvid to Matroska with OGG Vorbis, however no matter what video codec I choose the colors always end up washed out. Because of this I've been forced to export to Flash/SWF in which my colors are better preserved. This is great so that my visitors can watch online but many would rather download a video file.

I'm just wondering what codec you guys suggest or what settings so that my colors wont get washed out. It allows me to encode with Cinepak, Helix 1420, Intel Indeo, Microsoft Video 1, Divx 6.8, Helix YV12 YUV, Xvid mpeg-4, and full frames (uncompressed). The last one is obviously not going to happen. Maybe x264?

I don't know, I'm new to all of this. I would really appreciate your help.

By the way, by washed out I mean ... discolored, it's hard to explain. The colors aren't as dark/vibrant, if that makes any sense. I'm not looking for HD quality here or anything but the colors should be relatively kept as they are.

[BlaenkDenum]

Whatever...I'm using x.264 now. It's still pretty much the same quality but at least it takes up significantly less space.

[jagabo]

however no matter what video codec I choose the colors always end up washed out.

This sounds like your video overlay settings aren't set correctly. Open the same video in two different players at the same time (only one can use overlay at a time). Does one look better than the other? If so, use the graphics card's setup applet to adjust the video (not desktop) colors.

[BlaenkDenum]

Nah, I opened in WMP and VLC and they look about the same (I had been and always use VLC primarily). Though I think you're onto something. BB FLashBack allows me to record in various modes, GDI, DirectX, and a proprietary Capture Driver. I always use the latter and everything always works. But then again, I don't think it's a problem with the recording method because like I already mentioned, when I export to Flash (SWF) everything seems perfectly fine, the colors are normal. But when I export to AVI, regardless of the codec (I just noticed that even with no codec, but raw AVI the same thing happens), the colors get washed out. It could very well be the way this program's fault. It could be that there is a problem or 'misunderstanding' when reading the proprietary capture driver stream to convert to AVI to a specific codec.

Nah, I just recorded using the DirectX method and then encoded with h.264 again and it's the same thing. Oh well I guess I'll just have to deal with it.

What do you think is the best 'lossless-ish' codec, by that I mean...well, which one do you think would be the best for screen recording, preferably so that text could still be read because most lossy codecs blur the text. It's still legible but in a tripped out way, like there's a glare or something, like one is seeing double. I'm using x.264 right now but if you know of anything better please let me know. What does Flash do that allows it to stay that way? And the file size isn't even that much larger.