Or perhaps you have played in a rock band, you’ve realized first hand the value of a good drummer.

Or maybe you’ve worked on your car.  You are likely well aware of the importance of the timing belt.

In any of those cases,  if you lose the “sync,” things start falling apart.

Same in video . . .

Ever been in an edit session and have a transition effect between two images jump around or change color?

Or perhaps you have you experienced the frustration of trying to make a dub from one source to another but the picture keeps rolling?

Or how about trying to output a show from a Final Cut Pro or Avid session and you can’t make a proper edit to start the layback?

What is likely happening in those situations is a lack of sync between the devices involved.

As you probably know, NTSC video signal typically runs at 30 frames a second. (ok, it actually 29.97, but let’s keep this simple for now.)  But just because two signals run at the same steady frame rate doesn’t mean that they can mix smoothly together.

My good friend and engineering expert Chris Vazquez likens it to one of those 4 x 400 meter sprint races one sees on the Olympics.  Runners have to be “in sync” for the handoff to go smoothly.

So likewise, to have a smooth transition between two or more video devices, such as in a dissolve between two cameras covering a live event, with a character generator added on top, the signals of each device have to be on the same clock.  In other words, they are “genlocked.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genlock

What is commonly used for video reference in professional setups is an external sync generator.  It is set to put out a black signal that feeds to all the devices in the facility or particular setup.  That black signal, often referred to as ”house reference” becomes the master drummer. (further good info on this subject: http://tinyurl.com/yz9n8pp)

These range from the large sync generators for a facility

to the rack size for a small production company:

to a small one for an edit suite or field setup:

As explained in this well-written web article http://tinyurl.com/ykgcu8m “Genlock performs four main functions: vertical, horizontal, frame, and color synchronization. These features are all normal parts of a standard composite video signal, which allows a TV or monitor to display an image properly.”

Now you might be thinking that you know of situations where there was no reference put into a record tape machine.

And you would be correct.  Some higher end devices do have internal sync generators, and if that is not the case, most devices will adjust to the sync of the incoming video signal if nothing else is available.  But these are not ideal remedies since that type of sync is certainly not “system wide.”

There are devices that have “frame sync generators,” devices that act like a drill sargeant that force all incoming signals, no matter what clock they are on, to get forcibly reconstituted to a particular clock.  That may sound ideal, but there are disadvantages to the use of such devices, one being the possible introduction of a delay to a signal.

Still, frame syncs are popular in switchers used in remote live situations (like the battlefield or a remote location) where having problems with sync is just not an acceptable situation.

But returning to the main point, most professional video setups and facilities will utilize a black burst sync generator as their house reference.

Ah, but you are thinking, what about SD and HD?

Good question.  Yes, even though both are on 30 fps, remember from above that there are elements other than time that need to be kept in sync, such as color.  The SD signal and HD signal carry color information differently.  And since high end HD decks often provide internal downconversion (HD to SD) or upconversion (SD to HD) features, you’ll understand why on such machines there are usually inputs for both SD and HD sync.

I welcome your comments below.

If you enjoyed this article, you may want to check out some of the perenially-popular tech articles written by Chris Vazquez for this site, like, “Is the Generation Loss In Digital Betacam?” http://tinyurl.com/6yd6gn

Contact me, David Ryan, for your media replication and related multimedia needs.  301-217-0000 x104 or dryan@videolabs.net I follow Thomas Friedman’s “world is flat” model http://tinyurl.com/yhxfrkt, and I work with clients worldwide.  I would enjoy having the opportunity to be of service to you.

See what clients say: http://tinyurl.com/44uw9j

Follow me on Twitter for exclusive short term discounts and other items: www.Twitter.com/DRMediasolution

The Philosophy of “Creation” and the Appeal of Adobe Illustrator & Quicktime H.264

Do you Skype in your business?

We do at Video Labs.

Do you use “social media” in your marketing efforts? 

I was recently on a media industry panel (sponsored by TIVA www.tivadc.org) about that topic.  I learned a bunch! Read more and view PowerPoints.

Who is Mindy the Cat?

“30+ inches of snow – speechless, uh, make that meow-less”

Mindy Discount: up to $50 off UPS shipping for any new order $1,250+ til snow is gone! (Read why I am a loyal fan of UPS.)

A George Washington historical analogy that I use in answering, “What’s the difference between marketing & sales?”  George Washington as a young man surveying western Virginia and Appalachia was “marketing,” . . . the pioneers who followed and transformed the land into farms and commerce were the “sales team.”

If you missed it, read Video Labs’ latest newsletter on using all forms of media to communicate. (hint: CDs & DVDs remain VERY effective choice)

A great report about how online video is booming – and guess who’s “the 800 lb. gorilla?”

“It’s not about me . . . it’s about you.“  My sales motto & commitment to you remain the same, even with my recent promotion into a senior manager role at Video Labs.  I appreciate the challenges and opportunities presented me by our CEO, Mike Weiss. ]]> http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/2010/02/11/feb-2010-e-zine/feed/ 0 http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/2010/01/20/the-philosophy-of-creation-and-the-appeal-of-adobe-illustrator-quicktime-h-264/ http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/2010/01/20/the-philosophy-of-creation-and-the-appeal-of-adobe-illustrator-quicktime-h-264/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 02:02:54 +0000 David http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/?p=1664 Why do we at Video Labs www.VideoLabs.net often tell our clients that our preferred format for artwork files are vectors created with Adobe Illustrator?

And why are we talking so much about H.264 files for video?

Allow me to digress for a moment.

From a philosophical point of view, the concept of making something out of nothing has long intrigued me, and of course, that has been pondered by greater minds than mine throughout the ages.

I was raised in a fundamentalist religious household where the word “create” was rarely used.  The thinking behind that was that only God could “create,” in other words, make something from nothing.

Well, with due respect to those of the faith, I have wandered away from the flock and headed more toward the Unitarian philosophy of inquisitive agnosticism (There may or may not be a god . . . I’m still thinking about it — fyi, Thomas Jefferson and the great civil rights leader, Whitney Young, were Unitarians) . . .

but to this day, I find to I still have a slight cringe when I am tempted to use the word “create.”

But then there is the graphics software Adobe Illustrator http://tinyurl.com/8nl4y and the Quicktime video codec H.264 http://tinyurl.com/8875c

To my rather pedestrian mind,  (you know the joke, “a salesperson with a little tech knowledge is worse than one with no knowledge . . . ), the appealing features of those two formats are such that they appear to actually ”create something from nothing.”

We’re talking “scalability” here; in other words, the ability to expand and/or manipulate a client’s graphic or video file without affecting the original resolution.

Within the graphics realm, that translates to ”vector graphics.” http://tinyurl.com/y7j84p  In short, what happens is that the lines, colors and other defining characteristics of a graphic are stated in mathematical terms, not rasters http://tinyurl.com/ycplhtt

So when the graphic is expanded, the formula recalculates accordingly — it doesn’t just stretch pixels http://tinyurl.com/y3ar9e

Graphics programs such as Adobe Illustrator (as compared to Adobe Photoshop) handle vector graphics.  So with Illustrator files, our graphics team can better “tweak” submitted artwork files without affecting the resolution of the artwork.

As for H.264, that’s a video format (aka codec http://tinyurl.com/rua78 ) that results in doing a similar thing to video as a vector graphic file does to a graphic.

The most popular use of the H.264 format is within the Quicktime family of compressions.  It has been streamlined by a complicated lot of technical tweaks (read http://tinyurl.com/hbjs3) with the result being able to efficiently transmit large video files without degrading the quality of the original video file.  Think of it as doing to video files what goes on when dehydrating and reconstituting instant potatoes.

To give you a real-life example, we often download a QT H.264 file of a spot from a client’s .ftp site, expand it to lay to tape and add closed-captioning or spoTTracing http://tinyurl.com/6yq8zo, and then re-compress the file as a QT H.264, and upload it back up.  Obviously, a BIG time saver.

Now, full disclosure, there are a lot of variable settings and specs in all of this to make things go smoothly, but we do utilize this process almost every day.  

So, alas, in the end, there is no magic “creation” or supernatural powers in play here.  But as far as my network of contacts, vendors and clients are concerned, (who for the most part are moving a mile a minute like me) – it’s all VERY cool.

Your comments are welcomed below.

If you are looking for media replication (DVDs, CDs videotape) or related multimedia services, please contact me at dryan@VideoLabs.net or 301-217-0000 x104.

If you enjoyed reading this article, then you might also want to check out Leslye PJ Reaves’ article on Flash: http://tinyurl.com/68ahbm

Also check out Video Labs’ blog for more useful tech info: http://tinyurl.com/cnto5o

Follow me on Twitter www.Twitter.com/drmediasolution for exclusive quick-turn deep discounts.

Recuerda que hablo espanol tambien.

My poem in tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Now on to the “civil rights” of education? My thoughts on DC Schools canceling NBPTS teacher certification funding

An analysis of the role of social media in the Haitian earthquake catastrophe.

Other notes:

“When TV and the Internet Converge” 

Quick video overview of Video Labs’ services

I will be on a TIVA panel re: “Leveraging social networking in your business marketing,” this Weds Jan. 20 at 6:30 pm.  I’d love to see you there.  (I’m lookng forward to learning lots myself!) 

Final Thought:

Whether you are at the workplace, studying, performing community service or simply taking the day off, may Monday be one of meaningful reflection for you.

Thank you for your patronage.  As always, it’s a pleasure to be of service. – David

“Some day, some way, I will serve you.” - Chris Whitley from his ”Rocket House” CD

In today’s Wahsington Post (1/11/10) there was an article http://tinyurl.com/ycgh42z about how due to intense budget pressures, DC public schools will not continue funding supporting activities and incentives for teachers to pursue earning certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  www.nbpts.org

Full disclosure: NBPTS is a client of mine, and has been for many years, both here at Video Labs and elsewhere before I joined this company.

I also have a sister-in-law in Florida who went through the rigorous process to achieve her certification.

So I know, from my “outsider” relationship, that being a board-certified teacher is indeed quite an achievement and of great benefit to both a teacher and to students.

I respect the difficult decision made by DC schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee.  (Frankly, I have been an admirer of Ms. Rhee and her overall reform efforts.)   And I thought NBPTS president Joseph Aguerrebere Jr.’s restrained low-key response in the Post article was quite appropriate.   He was quoted as saying only that he has hope that Ms. Rhee “will come around.”

Some might criticize the Chancellor for doing the equivalent of eating one’s “seed corn.”  And with the recent controversial staff lay-offs that Ms. Rhee effected in the fall, she is indeed an easy target.

Regardless, I will say though, that there is nothing in the article that says DC  teachers still cannot cannot pursue the certification on their own.  I understand and sympathize with the financial pressure this entails on individual teachers, but let’s look at the other side of the coin – i.e. we are in a “reset” economy. 

I see it clearly every day in our media field.

Just like numerous other industries, the communications field has been devastated by the economic tsunami of the past year and a half.  Look at newspapers, television stations and other support industries.  I’ve written about that in the past:  (see “When A Competitor Closes Its Doors”  http://tinyurl.com/db9kfq)

And I have been counseling several out-of-work media colleagues who have been affected by the downturn.   Most of them were really “there for me” when I was down-sized from a VP/GM position with a media firm four years ago, and I am only too glad to return the favor. 

The reality is that many of those folks I am advising are coming to the realization that they too need additional training.  But, uh, guess what, they are paying that for  themselves these days.

I am rather proud that I have garnered over the past several years a reputation as a “tech-savvy” salesperson.  Belivee me, there are people from earlier in my career who would wonder at that moniker.  “Dave Ryan, tech guy? . . . Really?”

But alas, I just kept asking questions and researched answers.  And with the added resource of Google searching and accessing other web-based information, I have  indeed earned the “tech-savvy” reputation.

Now, am I saying the good ‘ole Lincoln-like “bootstraps” approach is applicable for the DC teachers?  OK, I acknowledge there are differences.  And I suppose they would bristle that some Maryland suburban guy thinks he knows what he is talking about when it comes to inner-city education.

But I would posit that the NBPTS certification is SO valuable to an individual teacher, that he or she should consider “investing” in going for the certification themselves, no matter what.  The certification will present immeasurable benefits to a teacher, regardless of what a school system does or doesn’t do.

But before I get labelled as being unsympathetic to teachers, I will say — and again, this is my own personal opinion — that this is just another example of needing to equalize the nation’s education system.  I mean, the Post article points out how teachers in Maryland and Virginia still get subsidies and incentives to earn the NBPTS certification. 

Just another example of systemic inequality.

So I know I open myself to accusations of being a socialist.  But as long as we allow school districts to be funded by local taxes, inequalities in education will persist.

To my eyes, both NBPTS and Chancellor Rhee are brave souls valiantly battling for the good of our children.   Too bad we are pitting them against each other.

I welcome your comments below.

If you enjoyed (or even if you hated) reading this article, you might like to read one of my other controversial observations about education, titled, “Moma, don’t let your children study (only) TV & film.”  http://tinyurl.com/nvx7wo

Regardless of what you think of this editorial, remember to contact me for any media replication or related multimedia needs: dryan@videolabs.net  301-217-0000 x104

Follow me on Twitter for more media info and news along with exclusive, quick-turn deep discounts: www.Twitter.com/drmediasolution

If you haven’t seen it yet, enjoy Video Labs’ fun quick holiday video card. Baking, anyone? (Hey, I have a cameo appearance. Name what I am doing and get 5% off your order placed by cob today – Mon 12/21.)

The Value of Diagramming when communicating.

Whoa. This blog article of mine received HUGE traffic last month, so I’ll promo it again: “Why can’t I just drag mpeg2 files from my DVD?”

Turn-off your cable tv? NY Times article explains how — and options for still enjoying tv. Convergence anyone?

Five free downloadable software programs I really like.

Who is “Mindy the Cat?”

A most interesting Wash Post sports article on National Hockey League’s centralized instant video review control center in Toronto. I think it speaks volumes about the future of our biz. Your thoughts?

Tight budget? Remember, Video Labs offers VERY cost-effective Final Cut Pro editing, and we can output to Blu-ray, 4:3 & 16:9 DVD, and SD / HD tape and related files.

And I am no different.

I would like to share with you five downloadable programs that are free, or have free versions. 

I use these programs all the time.

Sure, sometimes with the free versions you have to endure a few pop-up advertisements, but hey, we’re talking free here, right?

Now, I use them on a PC.  Only the first one listed, Jing, is also avail for  Mac.

I would like to take credit for finding these, but alas, all five of these programs were referred to me by folks within my network – (all much smarter at IT than I.)  I credit each below accordingly.

Here goes:

Jing (PC & Mac):  http://www.jingproject.com/  Leslye PJ Reaves www.reflectiondigital.com told me about this.  It allows you to crop and save any portion of your computer screen as an image file.  Excellent when you want to insert computer screen images into a presentation like PowerPoint.  I REALLY REALLY like this one.

Pdf995 (PC): http://www.pdf995.com/  This allows you to save a Word doc as a .pdf.  Man, is this useful!  Andy Hemmendinger of GVI www.g-v-i.com turned me on to this one years ago.  (Fyi, Andy has updated me that recent versions of Word do now actually allow you to save out to .pdf – so this program might be obsolete for you in that case.  But there are some other features of Pdf995 that you still might find useful even so.)

CCleaner (PC): http://www.ccleaner.com/  Video Labs’ IT guru, Randy Thomas www.VideoLabs.net , told me about this one.  It is a great “cleaning the pipes” program.  It goes through and determines what files are “clogging up the works” in your computer, and it suggests which ones can be deleted without harming your computer’s function.  

This is particularly handy if your computer seems to be running a bit slow.  Granted, that could be caused by other reasons, but I find this program can really be of benefit in most instances.  

Malwarebytes (PC): http://www.malwarebytes.org  Randy also told me about this one.  This is a further check to use after you do your regular anti-spyware scan.  (So it doesn’t compete with your first-line protection software.)  I know firsthand just how valuable it can be.  Yep, I recently got a “trojan.”   After I thought I had deleted it with my normal security scanning program, I ran this program.  Sure enough, there were more hidden files that it found.

HijackThis (PC): http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/ Bryan Hurley datilus@gmail.comrecommends this one as a final check after you have deleted malware.  You can run this program and create a report.  As the homepage advises, you should be an expert before acting on the resulting report, but having the report avail to e-mail to your IT expert (or an online community of expert advisors - see site) is a great benefit.  It allows them to confirm that all is clear.  I know.  Bryan had me do that when I engaged him to assist us remotely after I realized one of our family computers was infected.  By looking at the report, he was able to “bless” our work.  Whew, that was a relief.

Bryan made another good point.  He cautioned that whenever looking at ”free” software, be sure to check whether the usage is restricted to only personal non-work use.  As our clients know, we here at Video Labs observe closely all licensing parameters.

I welcome your comments below.  And be sure to peruse the many great multimedia and IT articles written by Leslye and Bryan on this site:  http://tinyurl.com/d6wtrg

And I invite you to follow me on Twitter www.Twitter.com/DRMediaSolution for more media news and info and exclusive short-term, deep discounts on Video Labs’ media replication and related multimedia services.

David Ryan dryan@videolabs.net    301-217-0000 x104

Such is the case of an article I read in the October, 2009 issue of SCN, Systems Contractor News, www.systemscontractor.com

The title of the article is “The Visual Channel:” http://tinyurl.com/yab2k2e

And it’s written by Paul Chavez, director of systems applications for Harman Pro Group. pchavez@harman.com

The first two sentences of the article made me realize I had found a kindred spirit.

“Everywhere I go, I carry a pencil and a small notebook in my back pocket.  I don’t use them every day, but they are there just in case I can’t express an idea in words . . .”

That is most definitely I.

I am no artist, but I’ve incorporated diagramming, or imprptu drawing, in my communication throughout my career. 

It started with my early days as a multi-camera and single-cam director, where I always knew the value of having having floor plans and/or storyboards available for the crew and cast.

I remember how during the heat of a shoot, my impromptu squiggle of a storyboard, with just a circle for a face and arrows coming out the eyes (to illustrate screen direction) could quickly communicate a shot to the camera team. (And the hilarity of my ridiculous minimalist drawing style also helped break on-set tension.)

Paul Chavez further presents academic-based evidence on why such a complementary communication approach is effective in getting points across.

And I know that from firsthand experience as well.  Case in point: 

I was downsized from a production company over three years ago.  I was one of the VP’s and the GM.  Part of my responsibility in that position had been to cover some of the company’s sales. 

Well, you can imagine how in every subsequent interview for new employment I was asked to explain how I seemingly failed at that sales situation. 

I found that after readily admitting that I was not without fault,  it was also very effective to draw a free-hand chart of how the company’s business model had changed over time.  This impromptu drawing technique allowed me to engage the interviewer in a different manner.  It always seemed to convince the interviewers that my being downsized was not necessarily a reflection on my performance.

And I still use drawing today in my sales efforts.  For example, any one who has interacted with me of late knows that I am a firm believer in using social media for marketing.  (see my article, Real world example on Why I Twitter: http://tinyurl.com/q6uxfh )  At networking events, I often pull out a piece of paper and sketch my believe on how a good blog is the engine that drives all of that.

And having that paper and pencil ready also signals two other things:

Confidence: in order to diagram a message, I find that I really need to know what I’m talking about.

and also, it signals that I value the customer.  I am demonstrating a willingness to go the extra mile to facilitate communication and understanding.  People appreciate that.

Even when I have a prepared PowerPoint presentation, I still like to have an easel with a large pad of paper or a blackboard or dry marker board handy.  I find that having those available and visible let’s your audience know right from the start that you are willing to customize the formal presentation to meet their specific needs. 

Hey, rock bands know this, right?  Come on, admit it, how much do we appreciate it when our favorite band finds a way to customize OUR concert and make us feel that we are special?

Paul mentions a book in his article: “The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures.”  I have looked it up on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/2v5rcz  I look forward to reading it.  There’s proably a lot more to uncover.  (The book is at the top of my holiday wish list – hint to my wife and daughter.)

Thanks again to Paul Chavez for validating my crazy diagramming tendencies.

Do you use diagramming in your communications as well?  I welcome your comments below.

Hey, if you enjoyed this blog post of mine, you might also like to read my blog article: ”Knowing when to be an Order-Taker, an Up-Seller or an Advisor:”  http://tinyurl.com/ya6gzkt

Remember to contact me for all of your media replication and related multimedia needs: dryan@videolabs.net   301-217-0000 x104

And follow me on Twitter  www.Twitter.com/DRMediaSolution for more media news & info along with exclusive short-term deep discounts on services.

Recently I attended a dinner hosted by MBS of Gaithersburg for a group of visiting TV professionals from Taiwan.  Many were with Taiwan Public Television Service  Great time!  Editor extraordinaire Abba Shapiro is in the photo below with me.

The delegation later came by Video Labs.  CEO Mike Weiss and sales colleague Valerie Yoscak joined me in explaining our services and global view biz model (check out PowerPt).

Our guests were particularly interested in finding out more about our SpoTTrac encoding capabilities.

Who is “Mindy the Cat?”

At this season of “giving thanks,” just wanted to reiterate that Mindy and I are grateful to you who have asked us to be of service this past year. 

It’s truly been a pleasure and a lot of fun. 

As a way of saying, “Thank You!,” existing clients can get a “Mindy Discount” of up to $50 off shipping for new orders $1,000+ placed thru Wed 11/25.

Since we are all about the future here at Video Labs - just as NASA finds water on the moon, hmmm, check out this most interesting article on how the Catholic Church is coming to terms with the liklihood of extraterrestrial intelligent life.

A mis amigos latinos . . . recuerda que hablo espanol tambien! ]]> http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/2009/11/17/nov-2009-e-zine/feed/ 0 http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/2009/11/15/why-cant-i-just-drag-mpeg2-files-from-my-dvd/ http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/2009/11/15/why-cant-i-just-drag-mpeg2-files-from-my-dvd/#comments Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:20:43 +0000 David http://davidryanmediasolutions.com/?p=1523 Ah yes, as the saying goes: “If I had a dime for every time I got asked this question.”

And I certainly understand the frustration.

Prospects and clients think they are doing the right thing to get their video assets transferred DVD, to a safe permanent digital format.

And they have.  But the issue gets complicated when they also want to then edit the footage on that DVD further.

I get calls from frustrated clients saying, “Why can’t I drag the mpeg2 files from my DVD into my non-linear editing system?”

When answering, I like to use the following analogy: Think of a video DVD being like a wedding cake.

And think of the native mpeg2 files being the layers of the wedding cake underneath.  When asking whether you can access the mpeg2 files for further editing, it’s like asking the chef to take the wedding cake back into the kitchen and delivering to you clean cake layers.

It just ain’t gonna happen.

The only way you can use the video on the DVD as source material is to play it out again from a DVD player as an analog composite or component signal and re-digitizing it into a non-linear editing program.

But that of course if not ideal because you’ve gone from analog to digital to analog to digital — unnecessary extra compressions that will degrade the signal.

Here’s why you can’t just drag the mpeg2 files from your video DVD:

If you click on the directory of a video DVD, you will see there is a video-TS folder.  This is the finished “wedding cake.”  (the audio-TS file you may see is a dormant file structure from back when it was thought DVDs would be used for music, but that really hasn’t evolved.)

Yes, dig further and you see .vob files, which yes, are a type of mpeg2 format file, but even these are not clean “cake” layers. These are mpeg2 files with other data wrapped with them.

So bottom line, a DVD-video has files that contain a lot of other embedded information that allows the video DVD work more than just a data storage disc.

Now, with that all said, ok, ok, I know, yes, there are indeed ways of pulling out the mpeg2 files.  Doing so involves that somewhat shady term, “ripping.”

There are indeed ripping programs out there, some legitimate, and some not so.

Understand that as a licensed replicator, we at Video Labs are very reluctant to utilize ripping software.  Such programs are often used by “hackers” to violate copyright restrictions, and anyone who has worked with us knows that we do our best to protect copyrighted material from being “ripped off.”  (Also, check out this link about the legal repurcussions of ripping under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act http://tinyurl.com/6u7hf)

The other thing about ripping is that the mpeg2 video files taken are indeed already compressed.  So, if the source material (i.e. SD or HD tape or high-end digital file) is still available, (which it should be if rights are truly clear) we suggest that it’s better to just go back to the original for further editing.

So there are exceptions of course, but you can understand our skepticism when we hear that the original material or the edited sequence, is not available.

Hmmmm . . .

So, let’s review the options when considering transferring video material to digital:

If you are transferring a final product that will not require more editing, then making a DVD video is an excellent way to go.  And we can certainly do that for you.

But if the material is likely to used as source material for further editing, then we suggest having it be converted to a Quicktime or .avi file (uncompressed or perhaps slightly compressed, depending on the eventual future need) and stored as data either on a DVD-R or a portable hard drive.  Using the above analogy, what that does is make basic clean “cake layers” which can easily be loaded into a non-linear editing program.

As always, I welcome your comments below.

(Thanks also to Hugh Robertson of our Video Labs’ multimedia dept. for the fact-checking and input he provided for this article.)

If you found this article of interest, you might also like to read: The Challenges with Captions and Subtitles for DVD http://tinyurl.com/5vgp9m

Remember to contact me dryan@videolabs.net or 301-217-000 x104 for all of your media replication and related multimedia needs.

Follow me on Twitter www.Twitter.com/DRMediaSolution for steep short-term discounts and other news and info.