Fraps alternative

I'm running a 2.2Ghz AMD with 2Gb of RAM. Regardless, when I try to capture video with Fraps, everything slows down too much to really record a video.

Are there any good alternatives to Fraps that I could use instead? I'd really like to Youtube some of my new work.

Camstudio, if you're lucky

Taksi, if you're lucky

Camtasia, if you're lucky

Hypercam, if you're lucky

there could be alternatives as well depending on what you're doing.

Just trying to capture a full screen or window of PrBOOM in action either in soft or GL mode.

I used to reccommend camstudio for these things, but then I found out that the playback framerate is unbelievably wacky and low.
I'd suggest camtasia, Camtasia studio 2 runs very well on my computer(similar to yours in features based on what you posted), and I can only assume newer versions run even better. I'd suggest putting the screen to windowed mode, 640x480 and setting the framerate to 15. 15 fps isn't as smooth as it could be, but it's better than trying to cap at 30 or so and getting an error message that the compressor can't keep up.

I thought PrBoom+ includes an AVI capture mode of its own.

Even if it doesn't, can't you just record a demo and then play it back while recording it in FRAPS? Wouldn't that pretty much render the speed problem a non-issue?

I don't think so, as the movement and event data that slows down the capture would still occur.

Heh

MasterSyphadias, I'm having a similar problem using Fraps to record ZDoom. However, my conjecture of the problem is the framerate of the game itself, not what Fraps has set as a framerate. I've noticed that ZDoom runs over 150 FPS on my system, according to the framerate counter in Fraps. The maximum FPS that can be set in Fraps is 100. Thus in my case no matter how much I tweak Fraps, the game will always run ultra slow. I have a problem with Fraps not being able to encode while recording anyway.

Maybe ZDSOFT. Regardless of processer speed and RAM, fraps runs smooth on my geforce 7300's. What GFX card you got? What settings you running fraps at? On faster cards, it should run faster. Comparing some videos I made with fraps on a 128 mb card to a 512 mb dual video card, they run much smoother on my 512 dual card. Also if you want ZDSOFT, try googling it. Hope this helps :)

Camtasia is the BEST!

Thank you very very much!

the iron hitman said:

Maybe ZDSOFT. Regardless of processer speed and RAM, fraps runs smooth on my geforce 7300's. What GFX card you got? What settings you running fraps at? On faster cards, it should run faster. Comparing some videos I made with fraps on a 128 mb card to a 512 mb dual video card, they run much smoother on my 512 dual card. Also if you want ZDSOFT, try googling it. Hope this helps :)

Well, I'll answer that question:

- eGeForce 8600 GT
- 1 GB memory
- AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400

Trust me, I don't think it's a hardware problem since I'm able to record Doom 3 videos just fine.

MasterSyphadias said:

Camtasia is the BEST!

Thank you very very much!

Where did you get 300 bucks that fast?

Texas Libra said:

Where did you get 300 bucks that fast?

I'm pretty sure he didn't paid for it.

Jim Rainer said:

I used to reccommend camstudio for these things, but then I found out that the playback framerate is unbelievably wacky and low.
I'd suggest camtasia, Camtasia studio 2 runs very well on my computer(similar to yours in features based on what you posted), and I can only assume newer versions run even better. I'd suggest putting the screen to windowed mode, 640x480 and setting the framerate to 15. 15 fps isn't as smooth as it could be, but it's better than trying to cap at 30 or so and getting an error message that the compressor can't keep up.

Did you try the Lossless codec on Camstudio's site? It works rather nicely. I've never been able to get other codecs working with it.

dutch devil said:

I'm pretty sure he didn't paid for it.

There's a trial version

caco_killer said:

Did you try the Lossless codec on Camstudio's site? It works rather nicely. I've never been able to get other codecs working with it.

I've only ever used MSVideo 1, and even with that recording anything over, say, 10 minutes usually makes the filesize so large it becomes corrupt. Plus, camstudio doesn't allow you to really set an actual framerate to record in.(Well, either that or the function is screwed on Vista.)

leileilol said:

There's a trial version

There's also cracks and serials on the internet. Hopefully he didn't use those.

Did he rip off the corporate masters, did he not? You be the judge on the next Montel Williams!

Bored much!?! :)

Damn fine program, definitely worth backing up with cash by those who can afford to do so considering that it is developed by a virtual unknown and therefor struggling company.

Out of idle curiosity (nothing better to do) I used Fraps (unregistered) to record runs through Doom2 Map01 on ten source ports (plus Doom95) at screen resolutions from 320x240 to 1024x768. Some of the results suprised me.
For the record - my desktop PC's a P4-2.8Ghz with 512Meg of DDR400 Ram and a Radeon 9600Pro - no longer cutting-edge technology but it does the job.

Summary of results-

The first and most obvious conclusion I arrived at is that the higher the resolution you record at the more screen lag you'll have.
The first suprise was discovering that 800x600 produced larger AVI files than 1024x768. With most ports 640x480 and 1024x768 produced similar sized files - lag is often evident when playing back the higher resolution file.
Fraps will record GL rendered screens at half-size, most Software renderers are fullsize only. Couldn't record from some ports.

A port-by-port summary-

Chocolate 1.1.1 (DirectX) - Records full-size only. Produced the largest files.
Chocolate 1.1.1 (GDI) - Couldn't record.
Doom95 - Records full-size only.
Doomsday 1.8.6 (GL) - Records half-size. Mouse movement disabled while recording.
Doomsday 1.8.6 (Direct3D) - Same as above.
EDGE 1.29 - Records half-size.
Eternity Engine 3.33.5 - Couldn't record.
Eternity Engine r434 (DirectX) - Records half-size.
GZDoom 1.0.26 - Records half-size.
Legacy 1.42 (GL) - Records half-size.
Legacy 1.42 (Software) - Records full-size only.
PrBoom+ 2.4.8.2 (GL) - Records half-size.
PrBoom+ 2.4.8.2 (Software) - Couldn't record.
Risen 3D 2.1.00 - Recorded once from six attempts - half-size.
Vavoom 1.25 (Direct3D) - Records half-size. Produced the smallest file.
Vavoom 1.25 (GL) - Records half-size.
Vavoom 1.25 (Software) - Couldn't record.
ZDoom 2.2.0 - Couldn't record.

After 60-odd runs through Map01 (I'm too dumb/masochistic to do a lmp) I hope this info's of use to someone.


EDIT - Updated port-by-port summary.

GreyGhost said:
Eternity Engine 3.33.5 - Couldn't record.

Yes, it can. See this post. Basically, you need to run EE with the commandline options "-directx -8in32" with the latest SVN build, which you can find here linked from the Eternity wiki.

I'd seen that thread but was too busy admiring the portals to notice how the demo was recorded - thanks for pointing that out to me.

The SVN build did record - produced suprisingly small AVI files at all resolutions. The downside was difficulty in controlling movement, lag at most resolutions and image breakup at 1024x768 - BUT - that might be my old hardware.

I'll update my previous post.