working with an .avi screen capture file - very bad quality

[meegwell]

Hi all,

I am starting a new project that will be a simple instructional video based on some screen capture .avi files. I am just doing some editing and adding voice over.

When I load a source file (taken with CamStudio screen capture) it looks like total crud in the preview window and the final rendered product (tried HQ Web .wmv, Broadband .wmv).

The screen captures are of a process in a web browser and for example, I cant even read the web address in the address box of IE in the video. Very badly distorted.

The videos looke totally fine when played on there own in a media player.

Is this a settings issue?

[Ken Veal]

Have not used Cam Studio but do the captured files match the properties
of your project,if there is an option look for field order, frames per second,PAL etc, ........................Ken

[Ron P.]

When you're doing your screen captures, are you using full screen, or a reduced size? I'm suspecting a reduced size, since the outcome is bad. If your monitor screen's full resolution is say 1280 x 800 and you have reduced the window size to say 320 x 240 for capturing, your video will only be that of the window size. So now when you produce a video of any resolution larger than that, it will be degraded, just like zooming way in on a photo.

You might try using full screen when doing your screen capture, that way you have a higher-resolution video to edit in VS. CamStudio (freebie) does not do that great of job, when you're going to insert the video it produces into a video editor like VS, and then render to another format. I've used CamStudio on several occasions, but have better results when I allow it to produce a SWF file, and just use it for my presentation.

Then to add to Ken Veal's great advice, check to make sure your Field Order matches. In this case, since your using video produced on a computer of screen captures, you should be using non-interlaced or Frame Based. Interlaced video (UFF or LFF) are only for the older CRT television sets.

[meegwell]

thanks Kenneth - in camstudio settings the default, which i used, is "capture frames every 5 milliseconds - in the properties of the .avi file (just right clicking it from explorer) is says 200 frames/second. 16 bit, compression MS-CRAM data rate 603kbps. I thought I saw setting in VStudio for pixels (720x480, etc) , Ill look for frame rates.

It makes sense to me that its this type of setting. Ill poke around if anyone has any other experience/input Id appreciate it.

[Ron P.]

bump... I was typing/correcting when you posted, so mine snuck in above your post...

[meegwell]

When you're doing your screen captures, are you using full screen, or a reduced size? I'm suspecting a reduced size, since the outcome is bad. If your monitor screen's full resolution is say 1280 x 800 and you have reduced the window size to say 320 x 240 for capturing, your video will only be that of the window size. So now when you produce a video of any resolution larger than that, it will be degraded, just like zooming way in on a photo.

You might try using full screen when doing your screen capture, that way you have a higher-resolution video to edit in VS. CamStudio (freebie) does not do that great of job, when you're going to insert the video it produces into a video editor like VS, and then render to another format. I've used CamStudio on several occasions, but have better results when I allow it to produce a SWF file, and just use it for my presentation.

Then to add to Ken Veal's great advice, check to make sure your Field Order matches. In this case, since your using video produced on a computer of screen captures, you should be using non-interlaced or Frame Based. Interlaced video (UFF or LFF) are only for the older CRT television sets.

The videos are close to full screen, 1100 x 700. They look just fine playing on their own. Horrible when I open them in a project (prior to rendering, as well as after).

I need to time the voice over, that is why I cant just use CamStudio alone...

How might this issue be resolved if I used a "paid" screen capture program(and still used VS for editing) vs. Free ?

[meegwell]

OK I just got finished adjusting project settings:

Made the file format .AVI

I could not make the FPS 200 so I did a test capture at 20 fps and made the appropriate adjustment in VS.

Changed the size to match the capture exactly 1144 x 704

Changed color to match capture, 16 bit.

The result is the same. The screen capture video, which looks perfectly clear playing in Win Media Player, is distorted to the point of unreadable in VS...prior to rendering (in preview/editor screen) and post rendering.

Can anyone recommend a way to create and edit screen capture videos?

[DVDDoug]

NOTE - I've never used a screen capture program either, so I'm guessing....

How might this issue be resolved if I used a "paid" screen capture program...

But, you said "They look just fine on their own", so I don't think the problem is with the capture.

I thought I saw setting in VStudio for pixels (720x480, etc) , I'll look for frame rates.

If so, you've reduced the resolution from 1100x700. I don't know if this explains "everything", but it's not helping...

I don't use WMV that much, so I don't know what your options are, but you should get better results if you can match the resolution. (I don't know if you'll be able to match the frame rates.) You might need to change the resolution on the computer, and you might try increasing the text size on the computer.

[meegwell]

NOTE - I've never used a screen capture program either, so I'm guessing....

How might this issue be resolved if I used a "paid" screen capture program...

But, you said "They look just fine on their own", so I don't think the problem is with the capture.

I thought I saw setting in VStudio for pixels (720x480, etc) , I'll look for frame rates.

If so, you've reduced the resolution from 1100x700. I don't know if this explains "everything", but it's not helping...

I don't use WMV that much, so I don't know what your options are, but you should get better results if you can match the resolution. (I don't know if you'll be able to match the frame rates.) You might need to change the resolution on the computer, and you might try increasing the text size on the computer.

Doug I think you're exactly right. Im experimenting with source (camstudio) recordings at 640 x 480 and 720 x 480 with much better results.

From the "share" menu, I'll need to choose the best option for a web video (youtube) - I've only ever created DVD movies w/ VS so the choices confuse me - The web share choice seems to want to include some upload features but IM not interested in that - just need the file. In any case, I saw my output options limited and wmv a popular one.

Any input on making the source 640x480 VS. 720x480?

[meegwell]

My issue is resolved so this post is for the archives and to help anyone searching for a similar resolution. Thanks for those that contributed.

The bottom line is, given the tools I am using for a screen capture how-to (CamStudio for capture and VS 11 to add voice over and edit) - camstudio fps of 60 and size of 640x480 worked the best. Then in VS I changed the project properties to .avi, frame based, standard size 640 x 480. The rendered product looked fine.


meegwell