Techsmith's release of Camtasia version 3.0 is really a slight improvement on version 2.2 that has been updated for Windows XP certification. The new features that would normally be added for a version number increase are relatively few. They have increased the outputs available by adding a Camtasia RealPlayer Plugin to allow users to utilize the Real Player environment and by adding a QuickTime Output so that the user can produce QuickTime movies (MOV). The two innovative additions are saving frames as still images and adding "layered window capture."

Camtasia is really a suite of video making programs: Camtasia Recorder, Camtasia Producer, Camtasia Player, and the audio program Dubit. You record the video with Recorder, edit the video with Producer, add sound with Dubit, and Camtasia Player is used to freely redistribute Camtasia movies to others by using the Pack and Show feature. Player will also play AVI files made by any other program.

Additionally Camtasia bundles the Camtasia Recovery Tool that will help recover the capture files should your system fail, crash, or hang-up during the recording of a file.

This review will cover the newer features of Camtasia and a few other features as a comprehensive review of Camtasia v2.2 was previously published on this site.

Layered Window Capture

This feature in Camtasia Recorder is in anticipation of the use of layered windows in Microsoft's Windows XP products and can only be used if you are running Windows 2000, XP or later. If you are using Microsoft Office both the screen activity and the Help character "Clippy," which floats above the Office document, can be captured in a Camtasia video.

Saving A Movie Frame as a Still Image

To save a still image from a captured movie frame you must start Camtasia Producer. Open the clip in the Timeline Editor pane. Select the frame you want to capture as shown in figure 1. Then select Edit->Save Frame As (see figure 2). The frame can be saved as a BMP, GIF, or JPG image file.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Pack and Show

Pack and Show allows you to share your Camtasia videos with others. It converts your video into an executable file that can be easily viewed at the same high resolution at which it was recorded. The recipient of the executable file simply double-clicks to unpack, install TechSmith's Screen Capture Codec (TSCC), and runs the video. No other software or hardware in required.

Select File->Pack and Show...

a Pack and Show screen will appear...

then fill in the Movie File Name. The Executable File Name will be automatically filled in. Click Package and your movie will be transferred into an executable file that can be copied to disk, CD or even emailed.

Camtasia Recovery Tool

If your computer should malfunction in the middle of recording or editing an AVI file, Camtasia supplies a Capture Recover Tool. It is a separate EXE file found in the same directory as the Camtasia programs.

To recover interrupted Camtasia Recorder sessions, you must first find the temporary capture files that Camtasia saves as it is making the video. They are located in the folder specified in Options > Preferences > Program. (figure 7) They have a name looks like *_capture*.avi.

Figure 7

You must then create a new AVI file that has the same characteristics of the file that needs to be recovered. It might be a good idea to create a generic file called recovery-reference.avi so that it will be available when and if something goes wrong. Then run Recovery.exe, enter the name of the recovery reference file you created in the "Select AVI recovery reference file," and then enter the temporary capture file you found.

Click [Recover...]. The Save As dialog asks you to select a new name and folder for the recovered files. Don't try and save them over any of the names you have used previously. When it has finished it should show "File Recovery Successful!."

Camtasia v3.0 is getting ready for Windows XP and is also ensuring that it is compatible with all video outputs. For non-2000 and XP users the upgrade is not significant. But for those with the later operating system, Camtasia is ensuring that it will not be left behind; a very good program that is keeping up with the latest technology.

System Requirements

• Microsoft Windows 95, OSR2m 98, Me, NT, 4.0, 2000, XP
• 90 Mhz processor (400 Mhz recommended)
• 16 MB RAM (64 MB recommended)
• Windows-compatible sound card and microphone
• 12 MB hard-disk space for installation

Pricing

The suggested retail price for Camtasia is $149.95 US and includes two free updates. A 30-day trial can be downloaded from TechSmith. If purchased with TechSmith's SnagIt, the bundle represents a savings of approximately $20. [compare bundle prices]