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About to Quit Camstudio Forever

edited September 2010 in Support
Initially I posted this with a whisper to another member, not realising that would be a private post!
So below is a copy/paste of that thread ... exactly as it appeared privately about 2 hours earlier.
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I am running CS on a Windows Vista OS on a BootCamp partition within a Mac.
I have tried almost an infinite variety of settings, but here are the ones recommended to me:

VideoOptions:
Key frames every: 20 frames
Capture Frames every: 50 milliseconds
Playback Rate: 20 frames/second
Quality: 70 (This has been varied between 60 and 70)

CODEC: I have tried the following:
Microsoft Video 1
CamStudio Lossless Codec v1.4
DivX 6.85 ... now uninstalled as useless ... originally I thought I was downloading DivX 6.5.1 ... but it is now replaced by an upgrade?

Region: Fixed Region 400 X 320 ... 800 X 600 ... 799 X 599 ... 399 X 319 ...
Region: I have tried dragging the selector frame over a small area and a larger area

Audio: I have tried:
Record Audio from Microphone
Record Audio from Speakers (ERROR: WaveFetSelectControl() failed.

So far every single adjustment I have made has resulted in this message/these messages:
"Error recording AVI File using current compressor. Use default compressor?"
"Creating AVI File"

and when I change from "Record Ausio from Speakers" to "Record Audio from Microphone" I get this Error message:
"The specified device handle is invalid. in Stop()"

There are 5 results on the forum with:"Error Creating AVI File" in their title - none of them gives any assistance that makes the slightest difference.

Nickthegeek's most common answer to the problem is:
"...the dimensions of your recording area must be divisible by 2 or 4, no odd numbers."

As you can see in my settings above, this is not the problem.

Tbritton has written much about 32-bit and 16-bit colours, but I have not tried this yet, as I do not think it has anything to do with creating an AVI file.

I tried Camstudio about 10 months ago, and had no problems at the time, running it on this same computer OS - the Windows Vista within the Mac partition BootCamp. It was flawless then. But i didn't have access to ways tto limit file size, the way I have now from here:

http://www.warriorforum.com/internet-marketing-product-reviews-ratings/17762-camtasia-camstudio.html

Refer to posts # 20 - 24 - 29 - 30 - 53 - 60 for very useful information in a clear-to-understand format.
There is an excellent video there too, on how to set up CS optimally.

I simply wish to record a webinar, in 2 days time, and have it compressed so that I can replay it some time in the future, without it consuming all my computer's HDD space.

None of the previous threads have gotten to the bottom of this issue - they have all died ... and no one seems to have the will to pursue this to a satisfactory conclusion. I'll keep trying, but my time and knowledge are very limited.

I think this is one free programme that I will unhappily have to let go ... upsetting for me that it has progressed to this point without resolution.

Doesn't anyone on this support thread have the solution?

Best wishes

Ivan

Comments

  • Try resetting the settings. That might help. Your problem can be caused by a corrupted settings.
  • Hi Supanut - thanks mate for your response.

    I totally uninstalled and reinstalled, and carefully re-did the settings ... zilch!

    Doing a Google search for "Error Creating AVI File" reveals that not only am I NOT the only one with the problem ... NONE of the other people experiencing the problem have been able to resolve it either.

    That does indeed make for a VERY LARGE number of people with the problem.
    Very few would be able to put their question into a web browser like the ones thrown up in the search - so I imagine there are plenty who have done what I am about to do ... walk!

    It is inconceivable that this glitch has existed for so many years, and a fix not been found, or at least an answer to what exactly it is that causes the failure to initiate AVI file creation.

    I am baffled, and running out of time.

    I have a long webinar to record in 36 hours time, and I need to be able to master the compression of files etc before then. The quality does not matter much - it is for my own consumption, and it is the voice-over that will be most meaningful.

    My plan "B" is coming along fine with another software called BBFlash, if I am allowed to mention it here ... but I have to say it is not my first choice ... but a forced choice. It has its limitations too, but I am able to record clear video of someone else's YouTube in a test, at 276Kb for 30 seconds ... and I may just have to go with that ... mpeg format. I am recording mostly static stuff, with voice commentary (Currency trading charts).

    I remain amazed that 5 earlier questions/threads on this forum about the same problem have been allowed to slip through without hardly a bump. Strange thing is that last November I had Camstudio operating flawlessly on my setup, same as I have today.

    Thanks again for your suggestion

    Best wishes

    Ivan
  • Ivan, I can't address all of your concerns but can only relay to you my experiences with CamStudio and what worked when I encountered some problems similar, I believe, to what you are experiencing. I discovered CamStudio about the end of 2009 or early in 2010. All I use it for -- at least so far -- is capturing streaming video at the puppycam. My computer ran XP SP2 and had a 40 GB hard drive when I first started using CS to capture. Some days the pups' owner turned on the audio, and sometimes he didn't. That's still the case, although now the audio IS NOT ON more often than it is. Then I used Windows Movie Maker to edit the AVI file, adding transitions, titles, etc. WMM produced wmv files, which I then uploaded to YouTube.

    During the setup of CamStudio 2.0, I received the old "WaveSetSelect" error. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I just ignored it and found that although I received the error message, when I remembered to turn the audio on, CS was capturing it despite the error message (my computer has Realtek).

    Then CS started refusing to save the capture file. I don't remember if there was an error message, or, if so, it was the one you mention. But that turned out to be that my hard drive was too full. When I began I had no idea how big the avi files would be. Until I started messing with video, my 40 GB hard drive was plenty big. Solution to this problem: buy an external hard drive and move to it all the avi files created by CS. This left enough room on the C drive to new recordings. And the avi files could just as easily be brought into Windows Movie Maker for editing/finalizing from the external hard drive as from C.

    Next problem: AVI files bigger than 2GB. Windows Media Player wouldn't play the file (I don't remember the error message). I poked around on the internet and kept finding references to a free program called VirtualDub. Again figuring I had nothing to lose, since the big AVI file created by CS when I let it record too long, I downloaded and installed VirtualDub and brought into it a copy of a big AVI file. Sure enough, it worked perfectly, producing an AVI file bigger than 2GB that Windows Media Player could play with no problem. The new file had virtually no degradation of quality. [Please see the top "Sticky" in the discussion with LowellGeneral regarding VirtualDub settings that worked -- and continue to work -- for me.]

    The fixed capture area I use for the puppycam captures are the following: Left: 133 Top: 146 Width: 566 Height: 420, with "Fixed Top Left Corner" checked.

    I'm still using CS 2.0, although I have tried the 2.6beta. I see a couple of things in the beta that I intend to write about, but time is at a premium for me right now so that'll have to wait.

    For what it's worth, when I'm experimenting with a new setting, I go online to MSNBC or elsewhere that there are videos with sound, and practice capturing. I don't pretend to have a lot of knowledge about WHY some of the things I've tried work, but if they do -- that's all I'm after, at least for now.

    I've never attempted to capture a timespan like what you're contemplating, so I have no idea whether VirtualDub could handle that big a file or not. It appears that 2.6beta will permit starting a new video without the first one having been compressed by CS. This would be a big plus if true, so in a case like yours you could possibly capture several shorter videos and then combine them later, especially if, as you say, the webinar will be strictly for your use.

    Regarding your not having tried Terry's suggestion about 16-bit color: since you said quality wasn't a concern since it's for your use, why not try it? What do you have to lose?

    I don't know if this will help or not. Most of it I believe I've mentioned before, but not all in one place.

    Jo
  • edited September 2010
    Ingot54,

    Certainly, no offense taken concerning my posts here (you most likely have NOT seen all of them!!) ;-)

    First, I should mention that DivX requires 32-bit color. So... Use CamStudio Lossless.

    Some Codec-specific observations:

    ffdshow requires very specific sizes to work. Width must be a multiple of 2. Height must be a multiple of 2. Any color setting works (16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit)

    DivX needs to be in 24-bit or 32-bit color mode, so you’ll never get great speed out of that one. If possible, go for 24-bit (32-bit only includes the 8-bit transparency channel, which is not useful for most screen recordings.) Width must be a multiple of 4, height must be a multiple of 2.

    CamStudio Lossless needs even numbered dimensions for uploading to YouTube, otherwise skewing occurs. (Likely taking place during YouTube’s codec conversions). There are also some even-numbered dimensions that YouTube dislikes. Works with 16-bit, 24-bit and 32-bit color.

    In VirtualDub, Xvid says “No Known Restrictions”, but I’ll bet you need to be even-numbered dimensions like with CamStudio Lossless for successful upload to YouTube. (Not tested yet)

    Microsoft Video 1 – no known restrictions, but huge file sizes even at lower “quality” slider settings.
    BTW – the “quality” slider only works with codecs that do “lossy” compression. It does nothing with lossless compressor codecs like CamStudio Lossless (or so I’ve heard…)

    For "mission-critical" efforts, stick with CamStudio 2.0 - this is no time to be one of our beta testers if you have a project to get out the door!

    I have several videos that may be of help at http://screencasttutorial.org and some useful articles as well, all in one place.

    The CamStudio Frequently Asked Questions page has recently been updated - http://camstudio.org/faq.htm

    Your settings are fine as you listed them above. I'd optimize for 16-bit color and turn off desktop enhancements (right-click on the desktop), but your setting should be working even without those changes.

    The long size of your AVI will present a problem - not because of CamStudio, but due to a limitation inherent in the AVI format. Save several shorter ones, assemble them in iMovie or Windows Movie Maker and re-save. Be sure to see my post about Quicktime Pro settings around here. http://camstudio.org/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=492&page=1#Item_1

    I'm a little new here as a helper (prolific though I may be...) I'll do a similar search as you have performed for the "Error Creating AVI File" messages and see what I come up with.

    Also, see the other recent posts. Watch this video concerning audio setup so you can use "Record from Microphone" with "Stereo Mix" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZV6yTujhNo

    Follow this thread if you are recording flight simulators or games: http://camstudio.org/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=490&page=1

    Of course, you are attempting to run a very resource hungry PC Windows program in an emulator on a Mac, so best of luck in the hardware department to you... please do let us know what works for you, as we do not have many Mac users around here.

    Terry
  • @Ingot54

    I normally see that "The specified device handle is invalid. in Stop()" error when my audio settings are incorrect ... can you post what yours are?

    Thanks

    Nick :o)
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