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
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Kernel Reducing Long-Term Support
LTS support for the Linux kernel is about to undergo some serious changes that will have a considerable impact on the future.
-
Fedora 39 Beta is Now Available for Testing
For fans and users of Fedora Linux, the first beta of release 39 is now available, which is a minor upgrade but does include GNOME 45.
-
Fedora Linux 40 to Drop X11 for KDE Plasma
When Fedora 40 arrives in 2024, there will be a few big changes coming, especially for the KDE Plasma option.
-
Real-Time Ubuntu Available in AWS Marketplace
Anyone looking for a Linux distribution for real-time processing could do a whole lot worse than Real-Time Ubuntu.
-
KSMBD Finally Reaches a Stable State
For those who've been looking forward to the first release of KSMBD, after two years it's no longer considered experimental.
-
Nitrux 3.0.0 Has Been Released
The latest version of Nitrux brings plenty of innovation and fresh apps to the table.
-
Linux From Scratch 12.0 Now Available
If you're looking to roll your own Linux distribution, the latest version of Linux From Scratch is now available with plenty of updates.
-
Linux Kernel 6.5 Has Been Released
The newest Linux kernel, version 6.5, now includes initial support for two very exciting features.
-
UbuntuDDE 23.04 Now Available
A new version of the UbuntuDDE remix has finally arrived with all the updates from the Deepin desktop and everything that comes with the Ubuntu 23.04 base.
-
Star Labs Reveals a New Surface-Like Linux Tablet
If you've ever wanted a tablet that rivals the MS Surface, you're in luck as Star Labs has created such a device.