RecordCast, An Online Capture And Editing Tool For Users
March 27, 2021If you’ve ever tried to record content on your screen for a tutorial, how-to videos or a gaming session, then you are probably aware of the tedium involved. The task requires the use of video capture software to properly grab content. The problem here is that said software also has to compete for your PCs resources.
This isn’t a problem for users with fairly powerful computers, but general user with lower end systems, might find the bottleneck a little inconvenient. That’s why systems like RecordCast be prove to a godsend for those in the latter group. It’s a cloud based screen capture system that offloads a lot of the heavy lifting from your PC’s CPU to its own servers.
It works within your web browser, allowing you the option of recording what’s on your screen and webcam feed, screen only or webcam only. RecordCast can also record audio feeds as well, but that is really up to you. There doesn’t seem to be a limit on what you can record but each session is limited to 30 minutes. As such, the applications for it seem endless.
A student could use it to record lectures that can be reviewed later. Staffers could use it to record presentations or product demos that they can then incorporate into other training sessions. Theoretically you could send grandma a short clip on how to get something done without having to be on the phone with her for over an hour.
There’s also a fairly basic video editor that helps you cut, paste and splice your content. It even has options to insert text, music and other effects. Media and preview panes are positioned side by side but above the main timeline. The controls are pretty self explanatory but some trial-and-error is required to figure out certain features.
The best part of this is that RecordCast is free to use. There’s no obligation to sign up if all you need is to download your recorded session. It’s packaged and downloaded in a .WEBM format, so if that isn’t the format that you need, you’ll need to use software like Handbrake to convert it to your desired format.
The user interface is minimalistic and straightforward, which helps lower the learning curve. However, the omission of helpful pop-up bubbles to help you navigate and master the UI, seems to be a rather large oversight. Users who aren’t accustomed to video editing software, wouldn’t know how to move, cut or splice their content effectively.
Instead, they will need to stumble their way throughout the initial process before becoming acquainted with RecordCast and its various limitations. But, with that said, it won’t take long to master it. The controls are fairly basic, which is also true of what the system can do. It allows you to import content like pictures and other video clips, then add them to the timeline.
But that’s not all. RecordCast also has an overlay option that lets you include animated text, or elements to your video to make it look a little more ‘pro’. This includes creating YouTube style intros and outros as well as personalized animation of your logo or other content. It’s quite impressive considering its limitations.
Since most of its UI is based on the ‘drag and drop’ functionality, someone without any prior knowledge of video editing can learn the basics within minutes. Then, with a little more time, can be on their way with creating and editing their content. Though you can download a recorded session without logging in, this isn’t the case for editing and exporting videos.
It’s painless to sign up for an account. All you need is to input your email address and a password. Record Cast only allows you to export content in 480P, 720P or 1080P. If you require anything higher than that, you’re out of luck. But then again, RecordCast is geared to words the average Joe, so 1080P should be more than enough for most people.
Admittedly, as feature rich as RecordCast claims to be, it’s no substitute for a full-fledged screen capture software like OBS or video editing software like Final Cut Pro. Instead, its purpose is to remove the tedium and technical know-how associated with the aforementioned software. It helps the average Joe get down to business without having to worry about the technical stuff.
Having said that, RecordCast is an online tool, which does bring up some privacy concerns. We can’t verify how much of our activities are tracked and recorded, if at all. In addition to that, there’s no way to know for sure if each session is kept private or anyone within the company can access said data.
However, if you aren’t recorded private and confidential content, then this is a non issue. RecordCast is a great way to record content easily and without much technical knowledge. It will help many users create good content that they can share with the world in Youtube and other social media platforms. Try it yourself and let us know what you think of it.
