One way or another, everyone at least once in his life was faced with the need to record video from the screen of his computer. The easiest way to solve this problem is to shoot everything on a camcorder or smartphone. The quality will be rather mediocre and it does not matter in which mode the video was recorded - HD, FullHD or 4K. Another way to capture video, which will allow you to get a much better result, is to use a special program. But which one, we will tell below.
Introduction
Today, there is a huge amount of software designed to record video from a computer screen. In total, all programs of this type can be divided into 2 groups - paid and free.
As a rule, free video capture programs are quite easy to learn, and you can use them immediately after installation. Most of such software records video in high quality, so you can not worry about the final result.
As for paid programs, most of them are quite expensive, but there is not much difference in recording quality compared to free ones. There are, of course, certain restrictions, for example, on the duration of recording a single clip or only one format for video output, but this is not so critical, especially for a person who knows how to handle a video editor.
Below, we have prepared a small selection of the best programs for capturing video from a computer screen. Let's look at them.
Fraps
So, the first video capture program in today's rating is the legendary Fraps. This program appeared a very long time ago and despite high competition, continues to be popular among many users. With the help of "Fraps" record game videos, training videos and much more.
There are 2 versions of the program - free and paid. Free, as you might guess, has some limitations in work, namely: video recording no more than 30 seconds and the ability to take screenshots only in BMP format. Also, add a watermark to the recorded video. There are no such restrictions in the paid version, but it costs neither more nor less, but 2000 rubles. ($ 37).
Opportunities and disadvantages
Now, regarding the functionality. "Fraps" allows you to record video in a resolution of up to 2,560 x 1,600 with FPS 120 frames per second. The settings are quite simple - you can choose at what frequency to record video, in which mode (window or full-screen), whether you want to divide the recorded files into 4 GB parts or not, whether you want to record sound from which device, or the video will be completely silent other things. In general, problems in using the program should not arise even for a beginner.
Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting the presence of restrictions in the free version, the high cost of the license and the large size of the recorded videos. Typically, videos lasting 2-3 minutes weigh about 4 GB and in order to reduce weight, they need to be converted in another program.
Icecream screen recorder
Icecream Screen Recorder is a program that appeared much later than Fraps, but in functionality it is not inferior to it at all. Icecream has a very simple and intuitive interface in Russian. Using the program is very simple and does not cause difficulties. Unfortunately, as with Fraps, Icecream has two types of licenses.
The paid version costs about 1600 rubles. ($ 30), and there are no restrictions. As for the free version, in it the user can record video for a maximum of 5 minutes, in WEBM format and with only one VP8 codec. Of course, you can use it, but you have to come to terms with the lack of H264 and MPEG4 codecs.
Features of the program and its cons
A bit about the features of the program. Icecream allows you to capture video with sound in three quality modes: low, medium and high. The program sets up the settings automatically, but you can also adjust them manually, although this does not make much sense in the free version. You can also add your logo to the video, make various notes in real time using the drawing tools, record video from a webcam, and much more. In the paid version, a video editor and converter are also available to the user.
The main disadvantages of the program are as follows: the high cost of the license, restrictions on the free version for the duration of the video, codecs and output formats.
Bandicam
The next program to capture video from a computer is Bandicam. Despite the simple interface, Bandikam has a very powerful functionality. Yes, there are no built-in converters or video editors, but there are other interesting and useful functions, which will be discussed below. The program has 2 types of licenses, which are easy to guess.
In the free version there are only 2 restrictions - the recording length of one video is 10 minutes and the presence of a watermark (Bandicam logo) on the video. Otherwise, there are no differences with a paid license.
Bandicam Features and Disadvantages
Now you can talk about the main features of the program. Bandicam allows you to record video in several modes: desktop recording , game mode and recording from an external device (camera, webcam, smartphone, etc.). In addition, it is worth noting a variety of settings, especially in the video section. Here you can not only select one of the ready-made presets, but also configure the capture parameters as you wish: change the codec, configure the codec settings, adjust the frame rate, bit rate, etc.
In addition to the video settings, you can play around with the sound settings in order to get the best quality. You can add your logo to the video, upload recorded videos to your YouTube channel, take screenshots directly during recording, draw notes using special tools, etc. Also, one of the most important advantages of the program is hardware acceleration during capture, which reduces PC resource consumption.
The disadvantages of Bandicam include the following: the high cost of the license (2100 rubles or 39 dollars) and the presence of a watermark in the free version.
oCam
Another program for capturing video from the screen is oCam. The most important difference from the previous ones is that it is completely free. Of course, you can buy a license key, which only disables advertising and gives you the right to receive updates, this is absolutely not necessary. On the functional, the purchase of a license is not displayed in any way.
As for the user interface, it is quite simple and does not cause difficulties in navigation. Only 4 tabs, one of which is responsible for settings, the second for recording from the screen, the third for game mode and the fourth for sound recording.
Opportunities and cons
oCam allows you to capture the screen on the so-called frame. You can choose any size of the frame, there are also separate templates for convenience. It is worth noting the presence of many codecs for convenient output of the file to the desired format, as well as setting up codecs, if necessary. In addition, each codec has its own presets, which only simplifies the choice. In addition to recording video from the screen, you can take screenshots and record audio separately.
The disadvantages of the program include a little annoying advertising and a partial translation of the interface into Russian. The rest is no complaints.
Finally
If you choose the best program for capturing video from those presented today, then perhaps Bandicam should be given first place, since it is the most functional and has great capabilities in terms of video recording. However, it is worth remembering that the Bandicam program is still paid and not everyone can find the money for the full version. In this case, oCam will serve as an excellent substitute, which, although it does not have so many functions, is free, and it does its job perfectly.