Record screencasts with VokoscreenNG
On Air

The VokoscreenNG screencast tool offers many options but is still surprisingly easy to use.
A screencast is a screenshot with moving pictures. Like a screenshot, a screencast opens up the possibility of explaining complex processes in a way that is more effective than words. Screencasts play an important role in explaining how to use programs in both professional and private contexts.
Several screenshot applications inhabit the Linux space, including RecordMyDesktop, SimpleScreenRecorder, and the not-necessarily-intuitive OBS Studio. One screencast tool that was popular in the past and is now making a comeback is Vokoscreen. Volker Kohaupt has been developing the Vokoscreen screencast app since 2013. In 2019, development slowly stopped; after the 2.5.8 release there were no further updates. But in 2020, VokoscreenNG 3.0 was released [1]. The "NG" stands for new generation, and the latest version of Vokoscreen does indeed include some innovations that should make it popular with a new generation of Linux users.
The developer completely rewrote the tool and gave it a modern interface based on the Qt framework. Instead of Ffmpeg, the Gstreamer [2] multimedia framework, which already supports use with Wayland, now runs in the background. This, in turn, makes VokoscreenNG fit for cooperation with the Pipewire [3] audio-video framework, which could eventually replace Gstreamer, Pulseaudio, and Jack.
VokoscreenNG is well suited for recording on-screen processes for demonstration purposes. It can also record audio and display webcam output in a separate window. The application is also useful for recording video conferences. The resulting recordings can be retroactively edited with an external video editor and uploaded to platforms such as YouTube.
Quickly Installed
Like previous versions, VokoscreenNG is available for both Linux and Windows. The repositories of many distributions currently contain both the old vokoscreen (version 2.5.x) and the new vokoscreen-ng (version 3.x). When installing via the package manager, make sure you choose the right name and version. The current version is 3.0.3.
On Debian and derivatives, you install VokoscreenNG with the command from the first line of Listing 1. Users with Fedora need the command from the second line. On openSUSE, use the command from Line 3; running the command from Line 4 installs a package in Snap format on your hard disk. An AppImage is already in development [4], but there is no Flatpak thus far.
Listing 1
Installing
$ sudo apt install vokoscreen-ng $ sudo dnf install vokoscreenNG $ sudo zypper install vokoscreenNG $ sudo snap install vokoscreen-ng
Format Questions
Before you start, you should think about the formats in which you need the audio and video data for the intended purpose. When you launch VokoscreenNG for the first time, you will first want to click on the tab with the blue info icon on the right in the horizontal bar to see which formats the software supports (Figure 1).

To be able to use as many formats as possible, you will want to install the gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad, gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly, and gstreamer1.0-plugins-libav libraries (for Debian: gstreamer1.0-libav) on your system. On Windows 10 you need a complete codec pack [5].
VokoscreenNG supports the MKV, WEBM, AVI, MP4, and MOV video formats with the x264 and VP8 codecs. Audio formats supported by the program include MP3, FLAC, OPUS, and Vorbis.
Seven Tabs
You can start configuring the settings for a recording in the first tab, in which you specify whether you want to record a full screen, a window, or a freely definable area (Figure 2). If there are several monitors connected to the computer, you can select one of them for full-screen recording. If required, you can also switch on a magnifying glass to highlight certain areas.

In the tab to the right, you can select an optional webcam and, if needed, a microphone. In the third tab, set the refresh rate for the image, the format for the video, the codecs, and the video and audio data quality (Figure 3). In terms of frame rate, the program supports modern displays with up to 144Hz. Parameters such as the video format, codecs, and above all, the quality have a decisive influence on the size of the resulting video.

In the fourth tab, you can define settings such as minimizing on startup or the behavior of the window during recording (Figure 4). The tab with the dial symbol offers a timer that starts and stops recording at predefined times. The last tab, which has the question mark, includes links to the homepage and source code, as well as the online help and other things.

Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.