# filming your monitor

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filming-your-monitor/288003>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 2, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filming-your-monitor/288003 "2005-02-02T17:01:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filming-your-monitor/288003/1 "2005-02-02T17:01:55Z")

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Hi. I’ve seen some instructional videos online about using software and photo editing that were just made with a voice over a screen captured video of the software being used. The video just showed the mouse and the whole computer screen. Looked perfect. Is this easy to do? What kind of software allows you to make such a “capture”?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filming-your-monitor/288003/2 "2005-02-02T17:06:04Z")

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[Captivate](http://www.macromedia.com/software/captivate/)

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**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filming-your-monitor/288003/3 "2005-02-02T18:00:49Z")

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I’ve got a version of Arcsoft PhotoImpression at home that does this too.  
I think it’s on version 3. The newer version (4) that I also have does NOT have this option.

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**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filming-your-monitor/288003/4 "2005-02-02T20:46:05Z")

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Camtasia is another screen capture utility that will do the job. Be sure to read the section about output file types as the default setting will use a proprietary codec.

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**Author:** ![CantUseMyRealName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@CantUseMyRealName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CantUseMyRealName)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/filming-your-monitor/288003/5 "2005-02-03T17:42:25Z")

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i use a program called snagit. imho, it’s the best. you can provide your own voiceover to the screen capture.

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>
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