Is this the best FREE screen video recorder ever?

[Copernic Reporter]

ScreenVirtuoso PRO 4.6.1.3195

ScreenVirtuoso PRO edition allows you to record desktop activity and save the clip as AVI file, which can also be converted to MPEG 1/2 VCD/SVCD/DVD, FLV/SWF, WMV, MPEG-4 compatible formats. The program also records Web/Media Player videos properly, which can often result in black screens during regular screen captures. You can choose to record audio and optionally annotate a scene with various notes or speech bubbles. The program is easy to use, you can pause/resume recording, control its work via keyboard hotkeys, adjust the frame rate to achieve higher or lower quality videos, adjust audio settings, and much more. Latest software versions also includes Mr. Captor, a powerful screen capture utility to capture screen area, windows, menu, cursors, colors, EXE/DLL images. Save, edit, print and more.

ScreenVirtuoso is FREE for non-commercial use (no watermarks, nag screens and other restrictions) but you need to purchase a license to use it for any commercial purposes. ScreenVirtuoso is available in two editions: Standard and PRO, both FREE for non-commercial use. However, the Standard edition has limited functionality comparing to the Pro version. Click here for detailed product feature comparison.

ScreenVirtuoso PRO key features:

- Records a desktop activity and saves it as an AVI file including sound.

- Multiple codec choices available (supports DirectShow video compressors such as XviD, DivX, and more).

- Special "FM Screen Capture Codec" lossless video codec to create demonstrations/tutorials.

- Panning mode allows an area to follow the mouse pointer.

- Pause / Resume modes.

- Allows you to capture streaming videos: Media Player and Internet movies without a "black screen" effect.

- AVI conversion (re-compression).

- Pro Edition converts AVI files to MPEG 1/2, VCD, SVCD, DVD, and QuickTime MPEG-4 compatible formats.

- Pro Edition converts AVI files to Macromedia Flash movies. You can publish them on the Web.

- Pro Edition converts AVI to WMV.

- Screen Area Selection, you can easily select any rectangular screen area, window or full desktop.

- Video Setup, output file name, video compressor, frame rate value, overlays disabling, and more.

- Audio Setup, audio quality, volume, audio device/input, compressor and more.

- Multiple Audio Codecs, supports popular audio compressors such as MP3, Windows Media Audio, and more.

- Screen Area Moving, allows to move a screen area during the recording.

- Performance Test, special Test button allows you to evaluate the recording performance in real FPS.

- Allows you to annotate videos during the recording. You can also create your own notes and notes libraries.

- Start/Stop Time, allows you to start/stop the recording on timer event.

- Multiple monitor support, both Standard and Professional editions support multiple monitors.

- Scale videos on the fly, both Professional and Standard editions allow you to reduce videos on the fly.

- Watch & Decide mode allows to stop the recording automatically if there are no changes on the screen.

- Command Line Interface allows you to control ScreenVirtuoso from the command line.

- Mr. Captor: Powerful screen capture software to capture still images: regions, windows, menu, cursors...

- Screenshots: This feature allows you to capture screenshots in the running/stopped/paused mode.

- SWF Producer (Screencast) allows you to prepare your video for the Web, change the frame.

..and much, much, more...

Download: ScreenVirtuoso PRO 4.6.1.3195

Download: ScreenVirtuoso Standard 4.6.1.3195

Link: Homepage

via: CodecPack.co

[DrunkenBeard]

Was looking for a free screen recorder, definitely going to give this a try.

[Yorak]

This actually looks good. Thanks for the heads up!

[Skyfrog]

I wonder if this can record full screen games. I'll certainly give it a try, thanks for the heads up.

[SimplySchizo]

I wonder if this can record full screen games. I'll certainly give it a try, thanks for the heads up.

What's wrong with Fraps? :huh:

[Lee G. Veteran]

What's wrong with Fraps? :huh:

Fraps isn't free. ;)

Thanks for the heads up, Copernic. I'll check out this program.

[Jack 0Neill]

What's wrong with Fraps? :huh:

Fraps doesn't have proper AVI recording either, thus you get 4GB chunks.

[Yorak]

Fraps doesn't have proper AVI recording either, thus you get 4GB chunks.

You have to encode it...lol.

[+Xinok Subscriber²]

Great find! I tested it out and I got about 40 fps general screen recording and about 15-20fps recording gameplay. So it's not an alternative to Fraps, but it's better than any other free screen recorder I know of.

For a free alternative to Fraps, try Gregion.

[ViperAFK]

Interesting, If only I hadn't already purchased fraps lol

[Fraud OS 11]

Thanks Copernic you always help me discover great apps on Neowin.

[Xoligy]

I use Hypercam at moment, with Handbreak for converting the massive files i always have problems finding a decent encoder so this works for me. Ive also used CamStudio which is free.

Back on topic looks ok. Id give it ago at some point...

[Ace]

Why don't screen capturing programs use MKV instead of AVI? Surely that would make more sense?

[ViperAFK]

Why don't screen capturing programs use MKV instead of AVI? Surely that would make more sense?

mkv and avi are both just containers... They have little to do with the actual codec.

[grik]

Thanks for this, iv been looking for a new and good one, and free of course.

[wrack]

Looks nice, I shall check it out. I am using Camtasia Studio at the moment and happy with it but one of my client may like this since it is free and their IT is tight to release budget for her.

[mancode20]

Does this program, or any one out there have different profiles? Say for example you want to record using a set screen size on one chat program like AIM, then another on Skype, or Yahoo. Also, to have multiple screen sizes for each profile. So you could make a profile called Yahoo, then have two set screen sizes. One for a small window recording, and another for full screen recording. I know you can do things manually, but I'd like profiles for easy switching between the various screen sizes.

I'm currently using Camtasia, but I'm having a very annoying issue that I think is caused by Windows 7. I'm not sure what it's called, but I changed the Win7 setting that allows you to like zoom in and make fonts bigger. I set it to like 125 instead of the usual 100 or whatever it is. The problem is when trying to record full screen in Yahoo, that green rectangle doesn't always show up. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. It must be a bug because of that option I changed. I'm really hoping they fix this!! Anyone ever experience this? I know I can hit F9 to start recording, but then I need to manually drag the green rectangle to cover the entire screen. I want it to save my last used setting and always show the green rectangle. It could also have something to do with my screen size being 1920x1200. I think it happens on Skype as well. I'm hoping I can find a good recording program that won't have this issue.

[Ace]

mkv and avi are both just containers... They have little to do with the actual codec.

That's my point! The AVI container has quite a lot of limitations which are solved by using MKV instead. Also, it would be pretty stupid to put H.264 video in an AVI.

[+John Teacake MVC]

This looks excellent thanks!

[Pupik]

Should also add http://obsproject.com/ to the list. It's great streaming program, which you can also record with too (can output to file).

[ashpowell]

Was going to say screenr.. but this actually looks pretty decent