Toolbox

Features

• Easy to use screen recorder
• Export formats: Flash, WMV or AVI movie, PowerPoint, Windows executable .exe
• Recordings can be edited (post processed), static text boxes, interactive click zones and audio can be added later.
• Supported operating systems (for the recorder): Win only

Comments

BB flash back does not have the features of comparable products like Camtasia. However is it easier to use and more affordable.

Features

• Record screen activity to create video (.avi) or Flash (.swf) format demo files
• Avi movie player also included for distribution with avi files
• User can define the frame rate of video capture
• Audio can be recorded or added from an audio file
• Text annotations can be added during recording
• Supported operating systems: Windows only (to create demos)

Comments

Records video of screen activity only - user activated screen shots are not possible.

Problems were experienced with stability and speed.

Available in French, German, Italian, English and several other language versions.

Video files can not be edited with CamStudio, but with a third party video editor.

Features

• Several tools for recording and editing videos of screen activity
• Creates video (.avi) files of screen activity and can convert them to Flash (.swf) files
• Sound and sound editing
• Text notes and callouts can be added
• Camtasia Player can be distributed with videos for lossless playback
• Relatively easy to learn, short time to production
• User's guide and tutorials available on website
• Supported operating systems: Windows

Comments

Camtasia Studio 1.0 offers more features than its predecessor Camtasia 3.0, including export in Flash format, among others. Camtasia Studio is only available for Windows, 2000 or XP is recommended. Smooth recordings of mouse movement and animations are possible, recording videos that are playing on screen is not always reliable.

Features

• Produces Flash format films from screen activity
• Based on screen shots that are timed automatically or manually
• Possible to add text notes, audio, user input text fields, track user scores, plus other interactive elements
• Available in several language versions (French, German, Italian)
• Import and export of various file types
• Relatively easy to learn, users able to produce demos quickly
• Elearning Edition: SCORM support, quizzing, branching

Comments

Editing is flexible, but can be time-consuming. RoboDemo is available only for Windows operating systems. June 2003 RoboDemo announced the RoboDemo FLA Module, which allows you to import a RoboDemo file into Flash MX for direct editing with Flash.

Features

• targets professional developers
• editors for text, graphics and audio
• scripting language Lingo
• predefined multimedia and scripting library
• production can be saved a Java applet

Comments

Pros:

• very complete functions
• all Director productions can be distributed over the web and viewed using the Shockwave plugin without limitations
• available for Win and Mac platforms
• market leader

Cons:

• requires programming skills

Features

• Creates Quicktime movies from screen activity
• Available in English, French, German and Italian
• Easy to use, no set up time necessary
• Supported operating systems: Macintosh only

Comments

Simple tool, good price

Features

• Creates a demo file from user-defined screen captures
• Text input fields, hot spots, mouse overs, feedback text and other effects
• Sound can be recorded or added from sound files
• Demos are created and edited relatively quickly
• Images can be imported for use in demo
• Supported operating systems: Windows only (for creating demos)

Comments

Easy to use and quick to learn.

Prices above don't reflect discounts for educational institutions.

Standard edition creates only Flash swf format, professional edition creates swf, avi, exe, or java applets.

User can choose to produce demo that has German, French, Italian, English or Dutch interface (loading message, etc.). The authoring environment is available in several separate language versions.

Features

• Creates demos from screen shots and produces a Flash format movie
• Mouse movement is tracked automatically, timing can be adjusted
• Creating and editing a demo movie is relatively quick and simple to learn
• Demos can be easily edited, text notes or balloons added, as well as text fields for user input and mouse "hot spots"
• Sound files can also be integrated into a demonstration.
• Multilingual interface integrated into one product
  (not necessary to purchase separate products to have more than one language version)

Comments

Videos playing on screen can not be reproduced

Education version of ViewletBuilder3 Pro lacks some features. In particular, the mouse click screen capture option is not available.

• See URL for comparison with Pro version
• Currently supported operating systems: Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP
• Supported operating systems in the future: Mac OSX, Linux, Solaris 8/9

Comments

The education version offers a good tool at a very reasonable price, but the lacking option to use mouse clicks for screen capture (as in the Pro version) could be a significant drawback.