Camcorder & Computer Video articles from March 2003

Camcorder & Computer Video archives from March 2003

Pushing the technology. (Editor's Report).(new products)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... Video technology advances both in big jumps and in little steps. A big jump was when we moved from analog to Mini DV and then to MICROMV and DVD. These breakthroughs happen rarely and generate a lot of attention. But, little steps occur more...

Movie Maker 2. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? A full-featured consumer video editor for Windows XP users from Microsoft. What does it do? Movie Maker 2 features a wide selection of editing tools, including nearly 30 video effects, 60 video transitions, and more than 40...

Qdisk. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? Portable storage drive from Archos. What does it do? Offering 60-gigabytes (60GB) of storage, the Qdisk is capable of data transfer of 480 MBps through the supplied USB 2.0 connector. Special features? With a compact and...

USB 2.0. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? A new highspeed USB 2.0 four-port hub from Keyspan. What does it do? Offers a simple way to connect four USB devices to your PC. Special features? It supports both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices. When connected to a USB 2.0...

Edge 4:Nu Metal/Extreme Rock. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Sound Recording Review)
March 1, 2003... What is it? It's Vol. 4 of the Edge Series of original, royalty-free music from Sonic Desktop. What does it do? It offers plenty of cutting-edge, high-octane riffs that are ideal for action videos, extreme sports footage, or modern...

K2Extreme. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? The latest DVD+RW/+R internal drive from Kano Technologies. What does it do? It answers the need for a powerful, simple-to-use backup/restore solution based on DVD+RW/+R technology. Plus, it offers 4.7GB capacity per disc....

Matinee 1HD. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? From Studio Experience, it's the first wide-screen projector for less than $2,000. What does it do? It's designed to create excellent images with features such as true 964x544 wide VGA resolution, 800:1 contrast ratio, and...

PCTV Deluxe. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? A tapeless, personal video recorder (PVR) and TV tuner from Pinnacle Systems. What does it do? This all-in-one external device allows users to use their existing desktop or laptop PC to watch TV, and digitally record programs...

Cinema 4D R8. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? A 3-D modeling and animation software from Maxon. What does it do? It contains new modeling tools (edge and selection), edge ring and loop functions, as well as edge extrude and edge bevel functions. It also includes light...

MovieFactory 2.0. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? A DVD-creation software from Ulead Systems. What does it do? Gives users a simple tool for sharing videos and digital slideshows on DVDs and CDs. Special features? It offers Disc Direct capture technology, a time-saving...

Hydration pack. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? A sports/travel pack from Band-O-Gear. What does it do? Made of 840d lightweight rip stop nylon, the basic pack comes with three pockets in front that can fit sunglasses, mobile phones, digital cameras, PDAs, and other...

Final effects complete. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? From Media 100, it's a set of more than 100 software plug-in filters and transitions for Mac OS X Media 100i, Avid Xpress DV, Apple Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects users. What does it do? Lets users generate...

Invigorator ProAnimator. (Zoom in: the newest gear and accessories for video editors).(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... What is it? A 3-D animation package from Zaxwerks. What does it do? Lets video editors create complex animations the easy way. With Invigorator, animation clips are spliced, arranged and trimmed, while clips can be added, deleted,...

Best ever camcorders: setting the standard for quality.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... If you've owned a camcorder in the past, or spent some time looking at cams, you probably have a favorite model. For some, it's the sturdy old Canon A1 digital (actually an analog-format cam). For travelers, it was the Sony TR1, the first...

Shot improvers: enhance your video with lenses and filters.
March 1, 2003... Videographers and photographers have a little secret. Sure, they would like us to believe that the way to capture outstanding images is all about talent and skill, and, of course, there is truth to that. However, when all is said and done, it...

Buying online: where to save money.
March 1, 2003... I'm a cheapskate. I delight in buying something for the absolute lowest price you can find anywhere. In fact, I refine the process of shopping to a fine edge; a primeval instinct sets in. Although the steps in this article work well for...

Loaded package: full-featured video-editing effects for $79. (Video Eye Candy).(new products)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... Every once in while, a newcomer joins the pack of video-editing packages available today and introduces a product that offers something a little different. Nova Development's Video Explosion Deluxe ($79.95 MSRP) combines a basic and...

Video plus! Adding stills to your movies. (Video Eye Candy).
March 1, 2003... Just because we call it a video production doesn't mean that still images have to be left out. There are many times where a still can be used to enhance a video production. For instance, a screen of large text makes for quick titles if used...

3-D at last? Home videos with depth. (Video Eye Candy).(new products)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2003... It crawls it pops and it explodes out of your television screen. It comes right at you... watch out for that scary monster! That's right, we are talking about 3-D Throughout the history of video and filmmaking, various directors and...

Screen savvy: how to buy a video-editing monitor.
March 1, 2003... With virtually all video editing taking place on the computer these days, the selection and installation of the computer monitor is a critical task for the modern videographer. When selecting a monitor, it pays to understand the...

Sony DCR-IP55: compact cam with hi-res and Internet-access technology.
March 1, 2003... For a while now, I have been anxious to get my hands on one of Sony's new MICROMV camcorders and was quite pleased to see the new DCR-IP55 arrive on my desk. The tiny package brought on a bit of nostalgia, the fold-down handgrip, integral to...

DVD coming at you! Software that's faster, easier and more affordable.
March 1, 2003... Working with digital media on your computer is getting mighty easy these days. First, it was digital audio, to build and enjoy your own custom music collections, and then digital photography, to store and organize photos so you could edit and...

All-in-one: machines that answer all your recordable DVD needs.
March 1, 2003... Sony has recently launched two products that may very well be the answer to ALL your recordable DVD needs: the internal DRU-500A ($350 MSRP) and the external DRX-500UL ($430 MSRP). I wrote about these units in a previous C&CV "Camcorder...

Editing on the fly: how to produce videos on the road.
March 1, 2003... Last summer, I flew to Japan to make a short documentary about fishermen on the southern island of Kyushu. A controversial dam construction project there was killing the sea life and driving the local fishermen out of business. All the...

"DVD dilemma". (Camcorder Insider).
March 1, 2003... Will It Play? Compatibility is probably the biggest problem that could prevent the wider usage of recordings made with the current generation of DVD recorders. Whether created in stand-alone set-top DVD recorders, or in your computer...

Cool it! Portable fluorescent lights chill your shoots.
March 1, 2003... Ever had one of those long, hot sweltering days where you're stuck shooting under your video lights? After a couple hours of working in a room where video lights are constantly burning, your filming environment can become quite uncomfortable....

Romancing Venice: special techniques for capturing the city of canals on your camcorder.
March 1, 2003... Quanto costa a ride in your gondola?" "80 euro signore" the gondolier says. Gosh, more than $80 bucks. He must have misunderstood me. I didn't want to charter his gondola for the day; I only wanted to be ferried through the famous...