# Need video capture program

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-video-capture-program/571414>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 15, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-video-capture-program/571414 "2011-02-15T04:29:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-video-capture-program/571414/1 "2011-02-15T04:29:43Z")

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Anyone have a video capture program they reccomend? I just need tp capture what’s on-screen. Want the simplest program I can find. I am running Windows Vista, with plenty of power to spare so it shouldn’t chug too badly no matter what.

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**Author:** ![Naxos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/50afbb/32.png) [@Naxos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Naxos)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-video-capture-program/571414/2 "2011-02-15T04:40:17Z")

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It would be useful for this board to have a tech forum.

For free, try [camstudio](http://camstudio.org/)

For decent options and many features try Snatit (for small length vids) or Camtasia, both products of [TechSmith.com](http://www.techsmith.com/)

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**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-video-capture-program/571414/3 "2011-02-15T04:42:03Z")

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Since Hypercam 3 came out, they’ve nicely made [HyperCam 2](http://download.cnet.com/HyperCam/3000-13633_4-10004511.html) available for free.

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**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-video-capture-program/571414/4 "2011-02-15T04:59:11Z")

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I’ll try hypercam. Cam studio wouldn’t record from the game. It was only recording the mouse movements. Presumably it doesn’t work well with 3d.

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-video-capture-program/571414/5 "2011-02-15T05:10:54Z")

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If you need to record games, [FRAPS](http://www.fraps.com/) is the standard tool.

There are supposedly[free alternatives](http://www.anewmorning.com/2009/01/06/5-free-alternatives-to-fraps/) too, but I haven’t tried any of them.