Camcorder & Computer Video articles from July 2004

Camcorder & Computer Video archives from July 2004

Sony's redesigned DVD cams.(Editor's Report)(camcorders)
July 1, 2004... Despite their limitations, people love DVD camcorders. The DVD cams introduced by Sony, Panasonic and others have been a success story. I recently talked with a Sony marketing representative who, while unwilling to give me exact numbers,...

HD for the rest of us.(Editor's Report)(High Definition)
July 1, 2004... HD, High Definition television, marches on, although it seems to step to a different drummer. While HD TV sets are everywhere in the stores, relatively few consumers have bought them. While an increasing amount of television programming is...

Transferring your tapes to DVD.(Editor's Report)(Kanguru Solutions)(Kanguru FC-RW )
July 1, 2004... What are the rest of us who don't have a DVD camcorder to do, if we want to save our videos onto a stable media such as a DVD? There are all sorts of solutions for transferring your video from tape to DVD. But, I just ran across an interesting...

Quick video backup.(Editor's Report)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Need quick video storage or backup? The VXA-2 FireWire drive from Exabyte handles some of the largest projects quickly and conveniently. It can store up to 160GB on a single tape and transfer data at a 6MB per second maximum sustained rate....

ProShow Gold 2.0.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... What is it? A slide show-creation program from Photodex. What does it do? Lets users make slide shows using their digital images, video and audio. Special features? Features fully-integrated high-speed DVD authoring, "Ken Burns"-style...

Swivel flash drive.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)
July 1, 2004... What is it? The newest line of USB 2.0 swivel flash drives from Imation. What does it do? With a unique swivel-cap design, these miniature drives are a convenient and portable way of protecting, transferring and sharing digital files. ...

MailWasher Pro 4.0.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)
July 1, 2004... What is it? A new and spare tool from Firetrust Limited. What does it do? Protects businesses and home users from unsolicited and malicious e-mails. Special features? Learning filters that can identify good e-mail from spare, and...

Combination drives.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)
July 1, 2004... What are they? Two new combination drives (CD-RW/DVD-ROM Plus 7-in-1 card reader, and CD-RW/ROM-DVD) from Iomega. What do they do? They're a simpler and faster (52X/24X/52X CD-RW technology) alternative for transferring memory card data to...

Music on CD & DVD.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)
July 1, 2004... What is it? A new software that creates music DVDs from MAGIX. What does it do? Lets users gather their favorite music from CDs, LPs, Internet radio, among others, and combine them onto DVDs. Special features? The software can restore...

1GB MMC.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... What is it? A stamp-sized 1GB MultiMediaCard from ATP Electronics. What does it do? Stores digital files from camcorders, digital cameras, audio players, cell phones, and other devices. Special features? Can store up to 60 minutes of...

Xdrive 2.0.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... What is it? The latest version of Xdrive's online video-sharing service. What does it do? Members can upload their digital video and photos for sharing with friends and family. Special features? Videos are stored in a private, secure...

Power2Go.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... What is it? Cyberlink's newest data and music burning application. What does it do? Gives two interfaces to copy discs and burn data, music and files on CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW discs. Special features? The Power2Go...

MediaRecover.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)
July 1, 2004... What is it? An image recovery program from MediaRECOVER. What does it do? It recovers lost images, audio and video from removable media. Special features? A Format option that can write new system files to the media, and a Wipe option...

3DS Max.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... What is it? Maxon's latest plug-in that connects its BodyPaint 3D R2 paint package to 3ds max, its character animation package. What does it do? It makes the powerful paint tools of 3D R2 available to all users of 3ds max. Special...

Easy Media Creator 7.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... What is it? Roxio's CD/DVD-creation suite. (See Tony Gomez' review of Creator 7 in this issue.) What does it do? The suite integrates the following full-featured applications: Disc Copier, Creator Classic, PhotoSuite 7 Platinum, DVD...

Instant Photoalbum.(Zoom in: hottest tools to capture, edit and make videos)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... What is it? An image-editing, burning, and slide show-creation software from Pinnacle Systems. What does it do? Lets you quickly organize your digital photos and video clips, edit your images, and create slide shows. Special features?...

Double-layer DVD is here; Home theater terms defined.(Camcorder Insider)(DVD+R DL discs )
July 1, 2004... Sony's New Double-Layer DVD Recorders We've been telling you for quite some time now that certain DVD-recorder manufacturers would be soon ramping up for the next big thing in recordable DVD technology--double layer. Well, it looks like...

What the well-equipped videographer needs.(The Shooter's Toolkit)
July 1, 2004... Whether you've finally made the plunge or you are about to go there, the purchase of a camcorder is only the first step in assembling all of the necessary items in the videographer's tool kit. The fully outfitted camcorder owner is ready for...

More than just something to lug your camcorder in.(Take-It-All Bags)
July 1, 2004... We pause for a moment for some cathartic "in my day" kvetching. pass several schools on my way to work and let me tell you, the "kids today" never had it so good. You know what I'm referring to: rolling backpacks. In my day, we had to use...

Videos that look and sound great: why you need aftermarket audio.(external microphone jack)
July 1, 2004... How do your videos and home movies sound? Have you ever turned off the pictures and just listened to the videos you have captured and the movies you have made? Is there room for improvement? It is a lot harder to get good audio on a...

Panasonic AG-DVX100A: designed for, and by, professional videographers, the DVX100A incorporates improved color reproduction, enhanced 24p/30p progressive modes, and is certain to ignite passion in filmmakers.(Camcorder Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2004... No doubt, you're aware that Panasonic's AG-DVX100 was a huge success when it came to market. It caught the imagination and the attention of videographers--from the very experienced to the neophyte. Now, Panasonic is building on the success...

Multiple personalities: how well do digital cameras shoot.(analysis)
July 1, 2004... It's hard to find any digital camera from the most advanced to the least expensive--that doesn't offer some sort of video mode. Of course, not one of them that I've looked at actually calls it "video." Rather, it's usually referred to as some...

Sony DCR-PC109: Sony's newest palm-sized mini DV adds an exclusive handycam station for instant downloads, touch-screen technology for quick menu selection, and shoots 1MP digital stills.(Camcorder Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2004... Are you looking for a sub-miniature camcorder that records Mini DV digital video and captures high-resolution digital stills? Sony's DCR-PC109 will take you there with a 1-megapixel (1MP) CCD, USB interface and any number of nice and very...

Making a great first "impression": ArcSoft VideoImpression 2.(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2004... There are a few big names that seem to dominate the video-editing software business. Adobe, Apple, Pinnacle, and Ulead are most often mentioned as the leaders in making video-editing software for the home consumer market. In this article, we...

Ulead DVD workshop 2: going beyond basic DVD authoring.(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2004... Creating a DVD is a technically challenging task, much more complex than dumping some uncompressed music tracks on disc to make an audio CD. But, what only a few years ago required tools that cost multiple tens of thousands of dollars is now...

Home theater in a box: two different approaches to enhance video viewing.(Hardware Review)(Gateway 2000 Computers GmbH)
July 1, 2004... You don't have to break the bank to achieve surround sound in your home theater; you just need to look out for entry-level systems that should include the basic components you need for getting that unique sound. But, if you're an audiophile who...

Canopus' entry-level NLE software adds something extra.(Software review: let's edit)(nonlinear editor)
July 1, 2004... Canopus is a respected name in video-editing circles, having produced reliable hardware solutions for computer-based editing while always staying current with advancing technologies. Now, with Let's Edit ($99), Canopus completes the package....

Beyond easy: Roxio's easy media creator 7 keeps it simple.(Software Review)(Easy Media Creator 7 )
July 1, 2004... Roxio has just introduced a new suite of integrated programs for the express purpose of making your CD/DVD media-creation life easier and fun. It's called Easy Media Creator 7: The Digital Media Suite. Creator 7 is such a large integrated...

How to shoot in the surf.
July 1, 2004... When a friend of mine recently screened a video of his kids surfing at a nearby beach, he spellbound his audience. While children are always great subject matter, this time it was the videographer's camera technique that had me intrigued. He...

How to make your videos more cinematic.(production practices)
July 1, 2004... By emulating the practices of Hollywood's best moviemakers and caring enough to invest the time to test and experiment, digital movies can approach, if not yet equal, the look of movies shot on film. Here are several production practices,...