Monthly Archive for August, 2007

Fig Rig

The Fig Rig Stabilizer from Bogen/Manfrotto is non-traditional in design, yet simple and effective. It’s a modular system that smoothly supports the DV camera and acts as a frame to mount all the accessories.

A circular frame with a crossbar to mount most mini DV cameras, allows the Fig Rig to become part of the body to produce smooth, steady traveling shots. As the operator walks, his/her muscles and tendons absorb all the shocks, transferring only fluid movements to the camera. As there are no straps or harnesses attached to the Fig Rig, quick …



Adobe adds H.264 video support to Flash

When Flash first incorporated video in version 6, they chose the “Spark” Sorenson 3 codec. A good choice, that was the best encoding quality at that time. In the following years, several companies developed encoding algorithms that were clearly higher quality.

Flash 8 then added the On2 VP6 codec, which again delivered higher quality at lower bandwidth.

Because of so many viewers had the Flash plugin, a couple years ago web video encoders found they could encode video into Flash rather than the triplicate of the past (Windows Media, Real, Quicktime).

But with the release of the H.264 standard there was still one …



What’s the difference between DVD replication and duplication?

This answer from Frank Datzer at Allied Vaughn:

DVD duplication is done by using towers of burners to duplicate large amounts of DVDs at a time. This produces exact copies or DVD-Rs of your original. Replication actually uses a glass master to “stamp” new DVDs. This method dramatically lowers the price per unit at high volumes — 1000 DVD will run about $1.25 each from a DVD-R master.

This includes all glass mastering fees and 5 color silk screening on the disc (5th color is a white background or “flood” coat.

DVD duplication machines with ink-jet printers …



LaCie Blu-ray Burner


LaCie d2 Blu-ray Professional BD-R, BD-RE Drive
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and FireWire

LaCie d2 Blu-ray Professional BD-R, BD-RE Drive

    • Up to 8x BD-R
    • Record four hours of high-definition video*
    • Store up to 50GB of data on a single disc
    • View BD-ROM, DVD-Video, Video-CD
    • Sturdy d2 design
    • Comes with Toast 9 Titanium software

Engineered for professional video authoring houses, the LaCie d2 Blu-ray Drive records, rewrites, and plays back high-definition (HD) video. Store up to four hours of HD video on a 50GB** disc—about 10 times as …



Canon HV20 HDV Camcorder

The HV20 HDV Camcorder is causing quite a stir, due to its unprecedented image quality. Never before has there been this feature set for under $1000.

The top points:

true 1920 X 1080 chip - beautiful, sharp image quality

24 fps (adds pulldown for 59.97i) stream with film 180 degree (1/48th) shutter

“Cinema mode” switch for filmlike gamma

external audio jack for wireless receivers, or XLR cables and Beachtek adapter

Here is a sample, encoded to H.264 and downsized to 720p- but look at the quality!

  | Downloads 1926

Despite its consumer level manual controls (but …



How does Motion compare with After Effects?

After Effects is the software from whence a new art form, motion graphics, was born.

Motion offers many advantages and disadvantages to AE. The two can work together, AE users can use Motion to generate layers for their AE compositions.

Owners of both, before starting many projects, will have to pause and consider which program to use.

So when would you use Motion?

  • projects involving interaction between elements (attracting, repelling, orbiting easier in Motion)
  • users needing something cool-looking quickly without having to create it from scratch (because of the large library of text behaviors and textures (particle emitter presets) - LiveType also good for this
  • particle



Edirol R-09 High Quality hand held Stereo Recorder

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Building on the success of the R-1, the R-09 takes many of the most desired features — 24-bit uncompressed recording and a built-in stereo mic — and shrinks it all down into a more streamlined, stylish, and affordable package.

24-bit/48kHz (or 44.1kHz) linear PCM recording

Ultra portable, half the size of the R-1

Up to 320 kbps MP3 recording

Records to SD card

Isolated Adaptive Recording Circuit (I.A.R.C.)

High-grade stereo condenser microphone built in

Mic and Line audio inputs

High speed file transfer via USB 2.0 connection to