Inside Camtasia Studio 5: Part 2

In this tutorial we're going to have a closer look at the streamlined recorder, covering locking to the application, the new project settings, SmartFocus, the new zoom and pan features and more.

Streamlined Recorder

As mentioned in the previous article the new recorder dialog is the jumpoff point for all recording operations.

Note: In order to be able to edit the controls for devices such as the microphone or camera, these devices have to be plugged in first. Clicking on either the Audio or Camera options link brings up the options dialog box. It's here that you have access to several settings, including: Capture, Video, Audio, Camera, Hotkeys and Program. Under the Audio tab, you can go with the defaults, set your devices manually or run the Audio Setup Wizard.

Similar options are available with the Camera tab, with the exception of the wizard. As mentioned in the previous series, TechSmith sells a lapel style of microphone, a small, omni-directional device (for $49.95). It includes a windscreen and a universal holding clip which is removable. This is the one they’ve tested and recommend. Another option is the Samson Audio C01U - USB Studio Condenser Microphone ($99.95). This microphone plugs into any USB port and is recommended for high quality audio and podcasters. My personal choice is a Plantronics headset with a built-in microphone. While my headset is a couple of years old, I get excellent results with it

One of the great new features is the Lock to application option. This little dialog box allows you to choose from several preset screen sizes, adjust them manually and when the Lock to application checkbox is enabled, you can dynamically resize the recording area by dragging any one of the control points (illustrated in the screen shot above as eight white boxes) and the area that you want to record will stay inside these control points.

During the recording, you'll notice that the recording area is framed by four corners that alternately flash green and black (they're black in the screen shot above). These indicate the area being recorded. Below that are controls to pause, stop, delete or hide the recording. To the lower right is a progress bar showing you the elapsed time of your recording.

Some Audio/Video Recording Tips

Here are few tips to make sure your recordings go smoothly.

Create a storyboard of your project before you begin to record. Doing so will keep you on track.
Make sure to do your audio recordings in a room that doesn't have background noises. These can make it into your recordings and create distractions.
If your computer fans, hard drives, etc. are noisy, you'll need to muffle the sound with pillows, or perhaps build an enclosure.
When speaking into the microphone, make sure to enunciate your words.
Take your time with your presentations. If you move too quickly you run the risk of losing your audience.
When recording video, don't wear red. It tends to create a crawling appearance on video. Likewise, don't wear clothing with tight patterns, such as a hound's tooth weave. This can create moire' patterns (rainbow patches of color) that are visually disturbing.

Created: June 5, 2003
Revised: November 8, 2007

URL: https://webreference.com/video/column6/1

Inside Camtasia Studio 5: Part 2