Cam Slam

Here is a quick tip for ya....

Go to Google and find "CamStudio 2.0" by Rendersoft. This great little program can record anything on your desktop and turn it into an AVI or Flash animation! And it is/was FREE! But wait, not so fast sailor, read on....

Say you want to demo some software for a training CD, this program can capture your desktop, or region of it, and record everything you do. It can even record your audio if you want to narrate! Wanna save a streaming video, no problem. Wanna capture someone's webcam - simple! But the thing is, you can't get it anymore.

Apparently, this amazing piece of freeware has been devoured by Macromedia. Hey I love Macromedia, but I hate to see good freeware get a price tag slapped on it. Somewhere along the way Rendersoft became associated with eHelp, who then rolled CamStudio into another product called "RoboDemo." Then in 2003 Macromedia took ownership of RoboDemo (and eHelp?), so now this cool (and free) app is gone.

It is now still called RoboDemo but now Macromedia is selling it for $499.

Now for that much, I am sure it now does a LOT more. You'd hope so, right?

And for the serious Flash developer, I am sure RoboDemo is worth it.

But for my needs, the CamStudio program does the job.

Now, in your search, be sure to get 2.0, not 2.1 - in 2.1 they removed the ability to export your video to Flash! Got it? Get 2.0. You'll have to look for a "mirror" site, where someone else is hosting the download. It is out there, but YOU gotta do the legwork (fingerwork). Trust me, you want this. It is worth the effort. Then burn it to a CD so you can have it always.

Did I mention you want 2.0? I did? OK.

You know, I might be nuts here, but I swear that CamStudio was a Sourceforge project at one time. I am almost certain of it. Weird....

file this under TechnoGadgets
Posted by on March 30, 2004 @ March 30, 2004 01:01 PM    
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