If you are working with Camtasia Studio, these pages will provide you with all of the information you need to produce high quality presentations, quickly and easily. Use the links below to find out more about Camtasia.

Section I

• Getting Started with Camtasia - what to use it for, how to get it, and system requirements.

Section II

• Capturing Video
• Editing Audio
• Advanced Tools and Features

Section III

• Best Practices
• File Sizes and Practical Information
• Capture Samples

Camtasia Studio gives you the opportunity to review material at your own pace. These presentations help you understand material that can't be clearly illustrated by text and pictures alone. Best of all, viewing the lectures on your own, leaves more time during any online sessions for students to ask questions and participate in group discussions.

Have you ever noticed how helpful it is to have a copy of a class presentation to take notes on? Just imagine how useful it would be to have the presentation complete with your instructors narration slide by slide.

IDDL supports users who want to expand their presentations to produce high quality presentations that can be viewed online or downloaded to a personal or work computer.

Also, Camtasia Studio gives you the opportunity to create, review, and edit your material at your own pace.

Camtasia Studio is a product of TechSmith. Camtasia creates high quality software that will save instuctors time when creating tutorials and presentations for web delivery.

Demonstrations are made easy with the use of this tool that captures professional looking screen recordings of any program on your PC. Those screen recordings or screen captures are a series of screenshots of an activity that simulate a video, Camtasia records full motion video in real time. It allows users to choose between any portion of their screen. Publish your videos in formats such as Narrated PowerPoint Presentations (Adobe Flash, Windows Media, Apple Quick Time, and Real Networks Real Media). Moreover, you can add narration by recording audio to be used in conjunction with screen recordings.

By visiting http://www.techsmith.com you will be prompted to select your copy of Camtasia Studio for your operating system. The retail price is $299.00 from TechSmith; you may also be able to find it offered on other sites.

Make sure that your computer and network connection are ready for the installation.

Authoring Requirements:

• Microsoft Windows XP or Microsoft Vista
• Microsoft DirectX 9.0 or later recommended
• 1 GHz processor minimum ~ 3.0 GHz recommended for PowerPoint and camera recordings
• 500 MB RAM ~ 2.0 GB recommended
• Windows-compatible sound card, microphone and speakers (headphone microphone set)
• 60 MB of hard-disk space for program installation
• Camtasia Studio Add-in for PowerPoint requires PowerPoint 2000, 2002, 2003, or 2007

Need Camtasia Studio for Windows? Download it here.

Playback Requirements:

• Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, XP or later version
• 90 MHz processor
• 16 MB of RAM
• Windows-compatible sound card with speakers/headphones (recommended)
• Media Player (Free - Adobe Flash Player, Apple iTunes, Real Media Player, Windows Media Player )

Before opening Camtasia to begin the video screen capturing process, you should prepare the recording area by opening the application that you plan to use.

	Once Camtasia is open, you can get started right away. When you select Make a recording from the Task List, a new window will open. From this window you will be able to select the exact proportions of the screen or the window that you plan to capture.
Once you have selected Make a Recording, the Camtasia Recorder window will appear that will allow you to choose your settings and designate what you wish to record. You can record the entire screen, a specific window, a region of your screen that you define, or the last area that the recorder used.
	Prior to selecting the area you wish to record, you need to decide whether or not to record narration. If you wish to record a narration alongside your video, check the checkbox next to the word “Microphone;” leave the box unchecked if you do not wish to not record narration. If you are going to record audio, you should also check your computer’s audio settings (especially when running for the first time) by clicking the “Audio options…” to run the Audio Wizard.

Once the Audio Options window opens, click on the “Audio Setup Wizard…” to check the input levels of the microphone. If you are not recording an audio narration, you can skip this section and proceed to the Capture Options below.

Once you have pressed Next >, you will be asked to conduct a test recording to ensure that the microphone is working properly. Speak clearly, as you would in your recording, and ensure that the volume level is set appropriately. Once you are satisfied with the recording levels click Finish on the “Audio Setup Wizard…” and then OK on the Audio Options. You are now ready to capture.

Click the Select area to record to select a region or window/application.

If you wish to define a specific region of your screen to be recorded, you can left click and drag the cursor (holding the left mouse button down while dragging) to the appropriate dimensions. Once you have reached the desired dimension, release the left mouse button and the “Camtasia Recorder Selection Area” dialog box will appear. If you wish to select a specific window or application, place the cursor over the window/application. When a green border appears over the desired window/application, click the left mouse button. Next, the “Camtasia Recorder Selection Area” dialog box will appear.

The final product delivery method should generally determine the screen size you want to record. However, if you wish to use the smart focus (zooming in to highlight particular part of the screen) during the editing phase it is recommended that you capture the full screen or at least a good portion of it.

Additional tweaks to the selection area can still be made before recording at this stage. A good first step if you are recording a specific application/window before making changes to the dimensions is to check the “Lock to application” checkbox. This will keep the recording area locked to the application or window. Moreover, you can select one of the specific “Preset Sizes” from the dropdown menu, and if you make any changes in size, the aspect ratio will also be locked in place.

Now you are ready to record. Press the Record button to begin capturing video from your screen. Once you have started capturing the record window will display the elapsed time.

As you capture, you can use the Pause button (or F9 shortcut) to temporarily halt your recording. At the point of pausing the “Camtasia Recorder” window will be displayed providing you with information about your capture, as shown in the screenshot on the next page. This information will continue to update throughout the length of your capture. This information includes:

• the number of frames captured
• the frame rate
• the length in minutes of your capture
• audio volume
• size of the video capture in pixels
• colors
• video codec

Note: The Camtasia Recorder window also appears when you stop the recording along with a preview of your capture.

Pausing is often useful when you need to prepare, but don't need to record the process of setting up. You do not have to pause the capture at any time, because you can edit your video later to remove any recorded segments you do not wish to keep. If you wish to discard a recording entirely, choose Delete.

Once you are finished recording, click on the Stop button (shortcut – F10). A preview window will open automatically, providing you with a full preview of your recording. If you are satisfied with your recording, click Save. Once you have saved your capture, you will have the option to edit your recording, produce it in a sharable format, or create another recording.

If you choose to edit the recording, the audio and video will automatically open in Camtasia's Project Window allowing you to view, edit, and/or organize your presentation. But first, you will be asked about your Project Settings. Although you might have chosen specific dimensions, you can decide among some presets based upon how you would like to deliver (share) your captured recording.

Narrations and audio can be added when ever you choose! You can narrate while you do your recording, or choose to do it once you have finished your presentation. Additionally, you have the ability to make any edits at anytime during your presentation. This is what the editing area (in the lower left corner of the project window) looks like:

You can edit the audio by selecting the area you want to edit and choosing among the timeline toolbar selections that relate to audio (cut, split, fade in, fade out, volume up, volume down, replace with silence and audio enhancements). Move your cursor towards the bottom corner of each icon to find out the name of the icon.

	To add narration, select Voice narration… from the “Add” items in Task List menu located on the left side of the project window.
Once you have chosen the “Voice narration…” the Voice Narration recording area will replace the Task List on the left side of the project window. When you are ready to record your audio you can simply click the Start Recording button and begin. When you are finished recording your audio, click the Finished button.

In the Timeline view, you can get to work on adding or editing your narrations. If you want to narrate your entire video, try to wait to do your narrations last after you have added and edited all of your clips. Doing so will allow your audio file to be added into the Timeline in synch with your video clips.

Note: A necessary tool to have is a working microphone that is attached to your PC. You may also consider using the Zoom In button on the Timeline for a closer scrutiny of your clips and frames.

A hotkey is a key or combination of keys that you push to run a command or operate a program. Use this tab to define the hotkey options used in the making of your recordings. You can change the default hotkeys to whatever you would like. There are three standard Recorder hotkeys additionally there are five advanced hotkeys which are accessed by choosing the “Advanced” button. The two most common keys that you will use are the F9 and F10 keys which are for starting/pausing the recorder and stopping the recorder, respectively

A software tutorial or presentation is much more than just plain screen recording; it is a composition in which you are investing a lot of effort, time, and creativity. Camtasia Studio uses a Storyboard to assemble videos that you may have made using Camtasia Recorder or from some other source as well as other forms of media such as still images. Collectively, the items placed on the Storyboard are called clips. .

The Storyboard eases your workload and makes the final video more than just than the sum of its smaller parts. The following are some helpful hints and tips for making the most of the Storyboard.

• The Storyboard view is primarily used by those who might want to use unedited clips when creating a produced video. When creating a video using unedited clips, you simply drag the desired clips from the Clip Bin to the Storyboard in the desired order.
• Add Transitions if desired, and then Produce your video.
• It is important to note that you cannot edit your clips while in Storyboard view. You must be in Timeline view in order to edit your clips in any way.
• On the Storyboard, you can join still images and video clips in any number and order you want to.
• The Storyboard lets you combine various multimedia elements such as video clips, still images, and transition effects.
• You can save the contents of the Storyboard as a Camtasia Studio project file so you can come back and work with the Storyboard at a later time.
• When working with clips on the Storyboard, you can undo/redo the positioning until you are completely satisfied with the video.
• To rearrange the elements while they are on the Storyboard, select a clip and drag and drop it to the new position.
• If you want to show an item more than once, you can repeatedly drag it from the Clip Bin onto the Storyboard.

Note: Only the clips that are on the Storyboard or Timeline will be included in the production of the video. If you have viewed a clip that is in the Clip Bin in the Preview Area, that file will not be included in the video production unless you drag it to either the Storyboard or Timeline.

A callout is a graphic that you can add to the timeline so that when the video is produced, the callout displays within the video. Callouts are used to "call out" an important object or process being shown on the screen. Combined with text they can give additional tutorial or instructional information. The following is a walk through on how to create a callout.

In the timeline view click and drag the play head (green triangle) where you want the hot spot to begin.

Under the task list, select Callouts…

Click the Add Callout link.

You can customize the location of your callout by moving the arrow around, changing the type of image displayed from a drop-down menu, resize the image by clicking and dragging, change the rotation of image, or even select your own image. Moreover, you can add text to the callout.

Another option under the callout menu is flash hotspots. A hotspot allows you to create an action such as a pause, a jump to another location in the timeline, or a link to a website that will open once clicked.

Under the “Flash Hot Spot Properties…” there are a few options. Here you can choose the video to stop at the end of the callout. For the video to continue there are the few actions that can be selected. Click to continue will be the most common one to use, which causes the video to pause and the viewer will need to click within the callout's boundaries for the video to continue. Click OK when finished.

If you want to make changes to the type of hotspot, you can change the shape and the visibility or transparency.

This option is ideal for clicking items within a specific region within the video. When making changes, you will notice that all of changes are being made visually in the preview box. The green rectangle containing the callout can be moved to the desired location and resized by clicking and dragging.

If you want to see the details of the hotspot, click the double arrows and you will be provided with information about the name, start time, stop time, and included text.

Click Finished to return to the main screen. The hot spot can also be stretched over the desired period of time and moved around in the timeline bar at the bottom after it has been placed.

Note: Interactive hot spots can only be used in the SWF flash format. Once the video is made and hot spots are placed you must go under file and select Produce Video As. Then, select to save the video under SWF flash format.

Make sure to also view these great video tutorials by TechSmith to extend your use and enhance your final presentation.

1. Add a Title Slide - create a title slide to introduce the overall presentation, a particular concept, or provide ending credits.
2. Add a Transition - create an effect between clips on the timeline
3. Apply Smart Focus - Zoom-n-Pan effects that allow you to emphasize certain screen movements by zooming in and out on the recording.
4. Custom Callouts - a supplement to the above section on Callouts
5. Draw on the Screen while Recording - add drawing effects to highlight particular areas of the screen
6. Quizzes and Surveys - add a multiple choice, true false, or short answer quiz directly into the presentation to test knowledge or gain feedback. Responses can be e-mailed directly to you.
7. Record a PowerPoint Presentation - create a narrated PowerPoint presentation using an add-in directly in PowerPoint

When preparing to record a presentation with Camtasia it is best to have some kind of outline or plan of the material that needs to be covered. In this case, an outline is better than a script; when reading from a script the narration tends to become flat and lack intonation. An outline is best because you can ensure that all of the relevant material is covered and the narration sounds natural and engaging.

When recording your presentation, take your time, speak slowly and clearly. Remember that you can always edit your presentation once you've finished recording, so you may even want to continue recording even if you made any mistakes. It is much easier to edit one small sequence out of a video than it is to record an entire presentation without making a single mistake.

Find out what type of files will best suit your needs and be sure you and your students will be able to view them without complication. It may even be a good idea to do a test presentation and experiment with various screen sizes and file formats. To learn more about different file formats, feel free to review our tutorial for online media.

While you are recording try to be aware of any extra movement that you may have and keep them to a minimum. Try not to make any unnceccessary cursor movements and you will find that your file sizes will be smaller. This is a very simple detail that will help make your files more manageable for others to download and view.

Any time you are working with video, you can expect large file sizes. Camtasia enables you to produce videos in a variety of different formats. The format you choose will largely depend on your audience's connection speed and the quality video you desire. However, Adobe Flash is generally a good option that provides reasonable quality audio/video, cross-platform support, and a free media player that can be viewed in most browsers.

• Flash movie (.swf)
• Flash video (.flv)
• Quick Time movie (.mov)
• Windows Media (.wmv)
• Real Media (.rm)
• Camtasia for real player streaming media (.camv)
• Animated GIF (.gif)

Since video file sizes tend to be quite large, remember to record an area of the screen that is the minimum size required to deliver your presentation effectively. Recording excessive areas of the screen will cause your file size to increase drastically, and may also increase the amount of time and effort it takes to edit and prepare your presentation. Below is a list of approximate file sizes for various recording sizes (these sizes are for 5 minute video with accompanying audio unless otherwise noted).

	300 x 500 (no audio)	300 x 500	600 x 1000	300 x 500 high motion
AVI (.avi)	15MB	18MB	25MB	63MB
QuickTime (.mov)	18MB	25MB	30MB	33MB
Real Media (.rm)	8MB	10MB	14MB	10MB
Windows Media (.wmv)	3MB	5MB	8MB	3MB
Flash Player (.swf)	2MB	3MB	4MB	12MB
Animated GIF (.gif) no audio	1MB	1MB	1MB	10MB

The quality of video varies depending on file size as well as the sampling rate of the audio and video. However a larger file size does not neccessarily mean higher quality video. Varying the audio and video settings can keep file size down. The most straightforward way to change the video quality is to vary the frame rate. More significant differences will be noticed in files with more movement in the capture. Standard AVI files created with Camtasia will be recorded with 15 frames per second. The following chart is an extimate for a 300 x 500 high motion Flash video at varying frame rates:

Frames per second	File size
1	4MB
5	6MB
10	9MB
15	12MB

Below are samples of the same video presentation saved in differing file formats. To view them, click on the file format you would like to sample. In order to view these samples you will need whichever media player can play that file type. The media player required (and a link to a download site is listed beside each sample)