If you’re recording from your screen, you likely want to have audio recording capability as well. If you’re recording lectures, music, or other things where audio quality is important, you want to be sure that you have the best recording software that you can get.
What are the characteristics of leading recording software? How should you know that the product you choose is really as good as the company says it is? Let’s take a look at some of the features you should be looking for, as well as some of the top products on the market this year.
Features to Look for In Screen Recorders
There are a lot of products out there now, so it may be hard to know exactly what tools and features to look for in a video screen recorder. Here are some of the main characteristics that we found in the better ones:
- The ability to record different kinds of audio. You might want to incorporate a microphone, computer audio, or audio from other sources, so you should look for a program that allows for this. The ability to add special effects. Depending on your purposes, you might want to add on-screen text or other special effects. If, for example, you have audio that is difficult to understand or in a foreign language, you might need this capability to add captions.
- Easy editing of video components. Look for a program that will allow you to piece together the parts of your recordings without too much hassle. Some programs offer a convenient timeline below the main window that allow you to select parts of your video easily and move them around.
- The ability to save and export in different formats for easy sharing with others.
In addition, it might be wise to think about whether you will be using desktop versions or another type of device. Also, if you’re working remotely, take into consideration the risk of malware attacks and what can be done to ward them off. Investing in a secure VPN and ensuring that you have the right security levels in your software can potentially make your life a lot easier.
Top Products in June 2023
Movavi Screen Recorder
Movavi’s screen recorder is a solid solution for how to screen record with audio. Movavi’s program is user-friendly and offers several features that help users record and edit with ease:
- The ability to use either system sound, microphone sound, or both. If, for example, you record a lecture that you both want the original sound for, and you want to add commentary to, Movavi’s screen recorder allows for this.
- Scheduled recordings so that you can plan in advance
- It produces high-quality recordings, so you’ll have reliable sound quality when you review
Movavi offers a free trial of its recorder. There are also two paid versions of it: $39.95 for a personal license or $49.95 for a professional license.
NCH Debut Video Capture
Another popular recorder on the market is NCH Debut Video Capture. NCH allows for putting together videos from different sources and using a variety of methods, including:
- The inclusion of videos from YouTube, Vimeo, or other sources
- High-quality sound capture that is well suited to recording webinars or lectures
- It’s own compatible editing software that allows for advanced editing features.
NCH offers a free, limited version of its screen recorder. There is also a full-featured version for $39.95 per user per month. It is compatible with Windows XP and higher.
ScreenRec
ScreenRec is a good option with audio for recorders that allow multiple users to collaborate on recording projects in a cloud. During the recording process, teams can collaborate and share the parts they hope to add or revise with one another through a unified portal. There are also several other useful features in the program:
In addition, ScreenRec has useful tools for users:
- One-click recording for easy use
- Analytics to track various aspects of recordings
- URL sharing so that users don’t have to worry about saving in particular formats
ScreenRec is free.
BB FlashBack
BB FlashBack is another program that allows you to add features to your videos in order to complement or enhance your screen recording with audio. With it, you can:
- Add annotations to recordings where the audio might be difficult to understand
- Include recordings from different sources, including multiple monitors
- A dedicated site for video sharing. You can initially save in Flasback’s own proprietary format, share with other Flashback users in the same format, then switch when necessary for exporting.
BB FlashBack allows for a free trial of its software. Licenses start at $49.00 per user.
Camstudio
Camstudio uses AVI format (a format that contains both audio and video data together allowing for synchronous video and audio playback) for its files. Although this format was developed by Microsoft, it can be used on Windows with the appropriate codec.
With CamStudio, you’ll also get:
- A user-friendly interface for easy recording and basic editing
- A custom cursor if you want to add text to audio and highlight words as they appear
- The ability to create small-sized files for easy downloading
Camstudio is free and has limited editing capabilities. It is a solid option for those on a tight budget with few editing needs.
For Reliable Audio, Make Sure Your Whole System is In Order
Whatever app or software program you choose, just be sure you’ve read up sufficiently to make sure you’re getting the features you want. Also, if audio is important to you, make sure that your computer itself is equipped to provide high-quality sound. Programs can vary in their own quality, but you want to be sure that all parts of your system are in order.