Incompatibility between Camtasia and M1 security

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Level 1

18 points

Incompatibility between Camtasia and M1 security

Hi,

I use a third party screen capture software for work - Camtasia - that worked fine on my MacBook. I've recently started using a Mac Mini for work and there has been a problem with the "plug-in" that manages recording system audio. I can install it, but it won't authorise. There's lots of stuff about this on the Camtasia/Techsmith website and forums, and basically the problem is that it involves a "kernel extension" (?) that can't be authorised with the M1 chip without going into recovery mode and changing the security settings.

A) I don't really want to do that - I'm not an IT professional and such settings are scary and the security is presumably set up as it is for good reason!

B) I can't physically do it without borrowing or buying a different keyboard because I'm using a wireless one that won't work in recovery mode (as it doesn't have time to connect).

Is there anything that can be done? There are obviously a lot of Mac users using this software; it's not cheap (I've just paid for a 2021 update to try and resolve this problem, which was more than a bit frustrating!) and the solution being suggested by Techsmith/Camtasia seems awfully drastic. Is it not possible for Apple to a small update to the OS to allow this software to work? As I say, it's software that is being / has been widely used by Mac users for years and I can't be alone in being frustrated about it. I've raised it with the tech support at Camtasia but not got very far - just reduce your Mac's security... Anyone got a better suggestion for me?!

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Nov 18, 2021 9:15 AM

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Answer 1

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,822 points

Nov 19, 2021 4:55 AM in response to duncan147

Apple doesn’t allow recording of internal sound most likely due to copyright restrictions—people could duplicate commercial streams and such—but I really don’t know why the restriction exists. I doubt it is something they forgot to do or arbitrarily chose not to do.

So, recording of internal audio requires some hack of the OS which is where the kernel extension comes in. You are probably correct that Techsmith didn’t create the kext, and it is likely a legacy kernel extension.

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,822 points

Nov 18, 2021 10:38 AM in response to duncan147

A) all third party Kernel extensions are security and stability risks. The M1 Macs were designed to require you to take responsibility for acceptance of that risk.

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Answer 3

duncan147 Author

Level 1

18 points

Nov 22, 2021 1:21 AM in response to Barney-15E

Cheers. You can record system audio on E-Camm so it does seem like it would be possible for Apple and Camtasia to find some agreement to do the same. After all, you can screen capture the visuals which are just as likely to be copyrighted, and there's always a work around where you can copy a sound file and edit it in on Camtasia - it's just a ruddy faff...

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,822 points

Nov 22, 2021 4:39 AM in response to duncan147

Cheers. You can record system audio on E-Camm so it does seem like it would be possible for Apple and Camtasia to find some agreement to do the same.

There already is an agreement. CamTasia can write a modern kernel extension.

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Answer 5

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,822 points

Nov 18, 2021 10:58 AM in response to Barney-15E

Camtasia could also update their kernel extension to a modern kernel extension; I believe you can then install it without reduced security as it must meet more stringent requirements.

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Answer 6

duncan147 Author

Level 1

18 points

Nov 19, 2021 1:24 AM in response to Barney-15E

Right... Doesn't instil me with the confidence to go in there and change it (assuming I can borrow a wired keyboard from someone so I can do anything in the recovery mode anyway...) I don't really understand why I can't just give permission for system audio to be recorded in the Security and Privacy section in the same way I can to allow screen recording. It ought to be something Apple and Techsmith could work out together bearing in mind how many of each others' customers use the other.

So I take it that, as far as you know, there's no way I can resolve this without reducing the security settings in recovery mode? (I appreciate in your other response you suggest that Camtasia could resolve this, but - helpfully - the plugin for recording system audio is from a third - fourth? - party software company, so I won't hold my breath.)

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Incompatibility between Camtasia and M1 security

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