After much frustration and digital pulling of hair, I have figured out the following steps.

HP Pavilion Laptop and Samsung Monitor

I have a HP Pavilion dv7-1285dx laptop running Vista 64-bit with a Centrio 2 Duo Core P8600 with 6 GB of RAM.  I use two monitors – the laptop is open on a notebook stand, and I have a Samsung SyncMaster 2333 hooked up as a second monitor.  I have the monitors configured separately, so the desktop is spread across both monitors.  I can just drag windows or programs from one monitor to another.

Once you use two monitors, you can’t go back to a single monitor.

Here is the software I am using:

1. I am using CamStudio 2.5, not Camstudio 2.0.  This records the video and audio, and creates an avi file.
2. To convert avi to flv (flash) or mpg4 (Quicktime) files, I am using ImToo FLV Converter 6 software.  I did a search on Google, it looked legit.  Downloaded the trial program, which worked well, then paid $29 USD to register the software.  After I bought it, I found that it supports converting mp3 audio files into flash files… sweet!
3. To play the flash files, I am using the JW Flash Player pluggin for WordPress.  The documentation is not real clear.  After installing the plugin, you have to go to the website and download a zip file containing  the player and two other important files.  Then you have to upload those three files to a folder on your WordPress blog website.  Not real clear.  Maybe I’ll do a short video showing how.

And that is it!

Convert an article to a text file without periods.  Import into PowerPoint.  Create slide show and cleanup slides.  Narrate slide show and record using CamStudio 2.5.  Convert the .avi file to a .flv file.  Log into your WordPress blog.  Upload video into post or page.  Done!

Here are examples of the same CamStudio and Powerpoint video presentation.  The first is a flash using the JW Player.  The second is a mpeg-4 file.

And here is the same video, in a larger resolution and in MPEG-4 file format:

Click Here to view MPEG-4 file at resolution of 640×480

I have found that the best recording resolution is 640×480.  I have also found that it helps to reduce the resolution on my monitor before trying the screen capture.

CamStudio and PowerPoint – they were made for each other!

CamStudio - Free Video Recording Software

I have been trying to use CamStudio to record a PowerPoint video.

Camtasia has a built in plugin for PowerPoint that makes recording PowerPoint presentations dead drop simple.  But still, I would like to see if I can get CamStudio to work.

The price is right (free!) but there aren’t a whole lot of bells and whistles. And I am spending way too much time on this.  Time is precious, and I want to get things done more quickly.

As soon as I get it working, I will post the results on my blog.

CamStudio and Powerpoint – great combination… if I can just make it happen!