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alisac62427907
alisac62427907
Participant
July 23, 2020
Answered

Slide Video vs Video Demo

  • July 23, 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 1008 views

Hello, I'm new to Captivate and trying to figure out the best workflow for my project.  I'm creating a non-responsive course educating users on a software program.  We have one of our trainers doing an introduction on camera in our studio, then they demonstrate the technique, and then the user will have the opportunity to try it out.  The entire course must be closed captioned.  I've recorded the intros and added them as mp4 files into my Captivate project as Slide Videos.  However, when I try to do video demo, I've found that the editing tools within Captivate are quite limiting.  The demo requires me to add a lot of zooms, pans, graphics, etc.  Is it better for me to record the demos in a software like Camtasia where I have more control over how the presentation looks and then add them as slide videos?  I also like that I have the option to caption in Camtasia and export the captions as an SRT file so I can at least copy and paste the text and timecodes into Captivate.  Video demos seem to be a bit more work in terms of captioning.  Or is it better to do video demos knowing that more videos will increase the size of my project?  There will probably be around 16 videos for this course, but they will be pretty small in size.  Or do I solve the size issue by hosting on Vimeo or YouTube (I believe there are captioning limitations?)  We do not have an LMS as of yet, and these courses would be for clients outside of our company.  I've also tried doing Software Simulation, and while I love the fact that I can record both the demo and the user training at the same time, software simulation also seems to have the same limitations in terms of video editing.  I will be using Software Simulation for the user try it out portion.

Thank you for your help.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Lilybiri

Standalone video demo project has the extension cpvc. A video demo slide in a normal Captivate ptoject (which has the extension cptx) is also named 'cpvc' slide if you insert an existing cpvc project in a slide. If you record from within the project, it is called a Video Demo slide. In both cases it is important that you use the correct resolution (size).

Before Video Demo was introduced as a feature in Captivate I used Camtasia sometimes, but integration of a Camtasia video is not as easy as integrating a Video Demo on a slide which seems logical. Camtasia has only one goal: capturing a video from the screen. It has more bells and whistles than Video Demo. I never used it for CC, but you can close caption any video in a Captivate project. Beware: you cannot publish the project in that case to MP4, because you'll lose the closed captioning which is part of the skin in a cptx-project. You need to publish it to HTML5 which means uploading to a webserver and providing the URL.

 

Video can be inserted in Captivate in two ways: as event video or as slide video. Only the second type is controlled by the Captivate timeline and can have CC.

If closed captioning is important, and you want to use Captivate's CC integration feature, you need slide video and publish!ing to HTML5.  I am not aware of a tool which publishes to mp4 and includes CC.

 

BTW: you can also use Captivate's software simulation feature which has three modes. The demo mode can be an alternative, it is slide based and for that reason lot easier to edit and manage. You can record in multiple modes at once and get a Training and/or Assessment simulation at the same time as the pured demo version. Adding CC to a slide based project is of course easier than to a video.

2 replies

alisac62427907
alisac62427907Author
Participant
July 23, 2020

Thank you so much for all this helpful information.  I've been hesitant to use the software simulation feature as it doesn't seem to have a lot of options for video editing.  It seems like Video Demo is the way to go.  Thank you again so much - your answers are insightful as always.

Lilybiri
Lilybiri
Legend
July 23, 2020

In software simulations you have a lot of static slides, only the FMR slides are video slides. You can add and do a lot on static slides. 

Just one tip both for FMR slides and Video Demo: in Preferences, Recording, change from 16-bit to 32-bit to have better quality. One of the preparation steps I mentioned in this post:

https://elearning.adobe.com/2019/11/software-simulations-1-preparation/

 

Lilybiri
Lilybiri
Legend
July 23, 2020

Do I understand correctly that you only want passive video to 'educate'? Video demo is sort of a Camtasia clone, it has a dedicated editor which you find limiting.  My view on software training is that it is a lot more efficient when it is interactive, and Captivate allows you to make software training interactive. For passive video you do not need a top elearning authoring tool.

https://elearning.adobe.com/2019/02/view-software-training/

I am very confused by your topic title? If you have a cpvc-slide it is always slide video, created with Video Demo feature. What do you exactly mean by that title?

alisac62427907
alisac62427907Author
Participant
July 23, 2020

Hello and thank you for your reponse.  Yes, I want a passive video to educate, but then the user will have the opportunity to try out the techniques for themselves on some of the modules in my course.  For example, one module is just about preferences in our software.  The trainer will be explaining to the user what each preference is and the user will be able to follow along.  There is really no need for interactivity.  The next module is about building templates with our software.  My vision was to have the trainer explain it (Video demo or Camtasia mp4 file) and then the user could click on an "apply your knowledge" button and be brought to an area where they could attempt to build a template the instructor just showed them.  I used the software simulation training for this part, so the user gets a prompt if they execute the wrong command. The user can also choose to take a quiz after each module to further enhance their knowledge.  My biggest concern is using the correct techniques so I'm able to provide closed captioning, and not have a huge final project that may be lagging if its loaded with videos.  

Because we have a wide variety of users at different levels, some of them simply want the passive instruction to refresh their memory, while others want that interactive element.  We are offering this course free for people who purchase our product.  In the future, we will be designing elearning courses that are much more interactive for our advanced techinques that people can subscribe to.  I have already created a short sales demo project using the software simulation that was well received by our clients.  This is just my first time using video with Captivate.   

I apologize for the confusion in my title.  I'm still learning all the terms in Captivate as a beginner.  I was not aware that cpvc was always a slide video.  What I mean is is it better to record passive video demos with the Video Demo feature, or use an outside program for effects and graphics and insert it into my project?  Which is easier in terms of providing closed captioning?

Lilybiri
LilybiriCorrect answer
Legend
July 23, 2020

Standalone video demo project has the extension cpvc. A video demo slide in a normal Captivate ptoject (which has the extension cptx) is also named 'cpvc' slide if you insert an existing cpvc project in a slide. If you record from within the project, it is called a Video Demo slide. In both cases it is important that you use the correct resolution (size).

Before Video Demo was introduced as a feature in Captivate I used Camtasia sometimes, but integration of a Camtasia video is not as easy as integrating a Video Demo on a slide which seems logical. Camtasia has only one goal: capturing a video from the screen. It has more bells and whistles than Video Demo. I never used it for CC, but you can close caption any video in a Captivate project. Beware: you cannot publish the project in that case to MP4, because you'll lose the closed captioning which is part of the skin in a cptx-project. You need to publish it to HTML5 which means uploading to a webserver and providing the URL.

 

Video can be inserted in Captivate in two ways: as event video or as slide video. Only the second type is controlled by the Captivate timeline and can have CC.

If closed captioning is important, and you want to use Captivate's CC integration feature, you need slide video and publish!ing to HTML5.  I am not aware of a tool which publishes to mp4 and includes CC.

 

BTW: you can also use Captivate's software simulation feature which has three modes. The demo mode can be an alternative, it is slide based and for that reason lot easier to edit and manage. You can record in multiple modes at once and get a Training and/or Assessment simulation at the same time as the pured demo version. Adding CC to a slide based project is of course easier than to a video.

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