Important Update
Program.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Drawing;
using BytescoutScreenCapturingLib; // import bytescout screen capturing activex object
// NOTE: if you are getting error like "invalid image" related to loading the SDK's dll then
// try to do the following:
// 1) remove the reference to the SDK by View - Solution Explorer
// then click on References, select Bytescout... reference name and right-click it and select Remove
// 2) To re-add click on the menu: Project - Add Reference
// 3) In "Add Reference" dialog switch to "COM" tab and find Bytescout...
// 4) Select it and click "Add"
// 5) Recompile the application
// Note: if you need to run on both x64 and x86 then please make sure you have set "Embed Interop Types" to True for this reference
namespace SimpleCaptureCSharp
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
Capturer capturer = new Capturer(); // create new screen capturer object
capturer.CapturingType = CaptureAreaType.catScreen; // set capturing area type to catScreen to capture whole screen
capturer.OutputFileName = "LowFPS.wmv"; // set output video filename to .WMV or .AVI file
// set WMV video codec to Windows Media Video 9 Screen that gives best quality/size ratio when recording from screen
capturer.CurrentWMVVideoCodecName = "Windows Media Video 9 Screen";
// disable audio so we will have a video only (and the lowest wmv file size as possible: about 20 kb per 1 second, about 70 mb per 1 hour
capturer.AudioEnabled = false;
// set FPS to 0.5 fps (1 frame per every 2 seconds)
// you may also want to set to 1 fps (1 frame per 1 second or higher)
capturer.FPS = 0.50f;
// WMV and WEBM output use WMVVideoBitrate property to control output video bitrate
// so try to increase it by x2 or x3 times if you think the output video are you are getting is laggy
// capturer.WMVVideoBitrate = capturer.WMVVideoBitrate * 2;
// set output video width and height
capturer.OutputWidth = 640;
capturer.OutputHeight = 480;
// set the text overlay with autochanging time stamp macros to indicate playing time and current date time
capturer.OverlayingRedTextCaption = "Recording: {RUNNINGMIN}:{RUNNINGSEC}:{RUNNINGMSEC} on {CURRENTYEAR}-{CURRENTMONTH}-{CURRENTDAY} at {CURRENTHOUR}:{CURRENTMIN}:{CURRENTSEC}:{CURRENTMSEC}";
// uncomment to enable recording of semitransparent or layered windows (Warning: may cause mouse cursor flickering)
// capturer.CaptureTransparentControls = true;
// set border around captured area if we are not capturing entire screen
if (
capturer.CapturingType != CaptureAreaType.catScreen &&
capturer.CapturingType != CaptureAreaType.catWebcamFullScreen
)
{
// set border style
capturer.CaptureAreaBorderType = CaptureAreaBorderType.cabtDashed;
capturer.CaptureAreaBorderColor = (uint)ColorTranslator.ToOle(Color.Red);
}
capturer.Run(); // run screen video capturing
// IMPORTANT: if you want to check for some code if need to stop the recording then make sure you are
// using Thread.Sleep(1) inside the checking loop, so you have the loop like
// Do {
// Thread.Sleep(1)
// }
// While(StopButtonNotClicked);
Console.WriteLine("Capturing entire screen for 5 seconds...");
Thread.Sleep(5000); // wait for 5 seconds
capturer.Stop(); // stop video capturing
// Release resources
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(capturer);
capturer = null;
Console.WriteLine("Done");
Process.Start("LowFPS.wmv");
}
}
}