High Definition Televisions – FAQ

For the last few years, it seems everyone has been talking about High Definition TV and what it means to us.

Today, buying a new television is not as simple as in the past, when you shopped for brand and size.  Now you need to know about technical factors such as display resolution, scanning system, display aspect ratio and screen type.

I’ve prepared this simple guide in response to the questions customers are asking about HDTV.

What is HDTV and how does it differ from SDTV?

HDTV is a digital television broadcasting system that delivers picture quality superior to traditional, standard-definition TV (SDTV).

HDTV offers a significant leap forward in viewing quality, with picture resolution up to 6 times sharper because it has more lines of resolution than SDTV. The gaps between scan lines are narrower or even invisible to the naked eye. The larger the TV on which you view the HD picture, the more improvement in picture quality.

It is important to note that an HD-compatible television requires an HD signal in order to deliver the advantages of its superior, more realistic viewing experience.

What do I need to know about display resolution and scanning systems?

High Definition usually refers to a minimum of 720 lines of video format resolution displayed in a horizontal fashion from top to bottom. In general, a higher display resolution will yield a clearer, sharper image. HDTV sets offer a choice of screen resolutions of 720p, 1080i and 1080p. The “p” indicates progressive scanning and “i” means interlaced scanning. Progressive is generally better, producing smoother video that stays sharper through fast-moving video. In comparison, SDTV delivers viewing content at just 480i.

Which display aspect ratio should I buy?

I’m happy to report that you do not need to be concerned about the display aspect ratio. That’s because all new television sets come in the 16×9 widescreen ratio, whereas older sets have a 4×3 ratio.

I hear people debating the advantages of each screen type. Which one is better?

Thin, large-screen television technology developed rapidly starting in the late 1990s. The three types competing for your consideration today are Plasma, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and LED (Liquid Emitting Display).  Without getting into technical differences, all you need to know are the key benefits of each.

A Plasma screen generally offers better contrast, better “blacks” and color accuracy, plus a larger range of viewing angle, great for action (sports & video games) and works well in dark rooms.

An LCD screen uses less power, is preferable for use with computers, and does not have a propensity for screen “burn-in,” works well in bright rooms, wide range of screen sizes.

LED TVs work well in all lighting conditions, similar to plasma for color performance, some models have ultra slim depth.

Price, screen size and life of the set are about even between the three types.

Can you recommend which TV set I should buy?

If you have any specific questions, please give us a call.

Corporate Videos

In today’s fast-paced world, video is ubiquitous. From cell phones to still cameras, virtually any electronic device has the capability to capture video. Length, quality and special features vary across devices, but they all produce video. And with the surging popularity of public video-sharing websites such as YouTube, virtually any newsworthy event can be e-blasted to the entire world in a matter of minutes – or even faster. From the simplest and silliest to the best-produced and most sophisticated, videos capture even the most finicky attention span. It seems people are so fascinated by this newly accessible and personalizable technology that they’ll watch almost any kind of video. Just think about all of the video links you’ve received in emails over the past month. This is the message we need to heed in business – Videos Get Attention!

Let’s start with the basics. Every business should have a website. Period. Today, a website is the equivalent of a business card. Would you ever consider not having business cards? Of course not. Now that we’ve established this marketing mantra, let’s talk about the value of having video on your website. The importance of video is obvious in these examples of its uses on a business website:

• Promotional Video – the perfect vehicle for telling everyone about your latest and greatest product or service
• Training Video - more compelling than a training manual
• Client/customer Testimonials – enhance your credibility with real-life compliments from the folks who know what you do
• Product Demonstration - join the infomercial bandwagon
• Before-After Video - a perfect way to show dramatic results
• Message from Business owner/President - words on paper lack the clout and personality of an owner’s first-person video
• Website Introduction Video – with millions of websites, it’s a challenge to grab and keep a visitor’s attention unless you make a great first impression with a great video story

As you can see, there are many ways videos bring a website to life with your unique stamp to distinguish you from your competition. With the ease of creating video today, you can quickly and inexpensively express your message using motion, color, audio, graphics, images and people – which would otherwise take pages to convey. The more personality your website has, the more likely visitors are to stick around and read about your products and services. Think of video on your website as the equivalent of going to a party wearing a great shirt or dress that makes a statement. Naturally, people are drawn to personality- driven websites the same way they’re drawn to personality-plus people.

If you’d like to know the next steps for creating a video “personality” for your website, email me so we can discuss various options.  Call me at 209.931.9700, or send an e-mail to info@demellovideo.com.

Camcorder Formats

Remember when watching a video was as easy as popping a tape into the VCR – and it actually played? Yes, back in “the day”, video choices were limited and life was so much simpler. Today, watching a video involves an array of complex choices that require you to know about various formats and the media players on which you plan to view them.

If you’re looking to purchase a camcorder, you first need to consider the media format choices. All formats provide digital video, some in “high-def” – but that’s an article for another newsletter.

So, the four most common video formats are:

1. MiniDV (Tape)
2. MiniDVD (Disc)
3. Built In Hard Drive
4. Flash Memory Camcorder (Card)

Here’s a brief overview of the benefits / drawbacks to each format:

MiniDV (Tape): -Tape Cassette

• -Standard length 63 minutes
• -Shelf life of 10-15 years
• -Inexpensive
• -If tape breaks, can be spliced

MiniDVD:

• -3″ DVD Disc
• -Inexpensive
• -Standard capacity of 30 minutes
• -Need to finalize in camera to play in DVD player
• -May not be compatible with all DVD players
• -Succeptable to disc failures

Built In Hard Drive:

• -No need for tapes, discs or media cards
• -Need to transfer video to comnputer
• -Limited capacity on camera
• -Computer may not be compatible for video

Flash Memory Camcorder (Card):

• -Works same way as memory cards for still cameras
• -No need for tapes or discs
• -Some cards depending on capacity can be pricey
• -Need to transfer video to computer
• -Computer may not be compatible for video

When it comes time to decide, you just need to figure out which format best suits your needs at the time. There is no right or wrong. However, in my opinion, there is no substitute for tape.

ABC’s of DVDs

A basic guide to archiving your irreplaceable videos on DVD

Editor’s Note: Although this article focuses on DVD media storage, most of the same concepts apply to CD media, as well.

Factoids: The first DVD players were introduced in Japan in November 1996. DVD players were first made available in the United States in March 1997. It has taken DVD players less than half the time it took VCRs to reach critical mass with U.S. consumers. Price drops for DVD players in 1999-2000 kick-started sales. By 2002, China had become the largest producer of DVD players, making 30 million players – over 70% of the world output.

It seems as though the DVD (Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) has been around forever! But in truth, it wasn’t until the turn-of-the-century in 2000 that DVD players had gained a presence in half of the homes in the US.

In recent years, the DVD has definitely earned its place as the archive media standard to which we entrust our most precious recorded memories. Today, when you attend a graduation, wedding or bridal shower, religious celebration, sporting event, music recital or a party – would you be more likely to record it on VHS or DVD? Yes, I thought so – DVD wins!

So now that you’re trusting special events to DVD – and perhaps even transferring cherished old VHS videos onto shiny new DVDs – can you really be sure they’re safely preserved for future generations to enjoy?

Well, that depends.

Like most technology purchases today, you get what you pay for when buying DVDs. Although you would never know just by looking at them, there are vast differences in the quality of DVD materials and construction and, thus, dependability. These differences are startling: the cheapest discs may only yield 3-5 years of service compared to 100 years or more for a high-quality DVD. And some manufacturers are touting archival DVDs that will last 300 years! Gulp. This creates a new “time capsule” challenge: Will your relatives centuries in the future really want to watch the memories you save today?

I guess a reality check is in order. It’s doubtful the DVDs we burn today will still be lovingly looked at three or four generations from now – or that anyone will even save them that long. It’s even more doubtful that DVD players won’t have evolved into something quite different by then. But it’s good to know the technology has become so stable that your DVDs could be viewable that far down the road. All you really need is for your DVDs to be viable when some unknown descendant decides to transfer your humble 2000-something video onto their own next-generation media. I believe this could happen within the next century.

The bottom line is that you should never shop for archival DVDs based on price. To avoid boring you with too much technical detail, here are the five main reasons for DVD failure:

1. Damage to or failure of the clear plastic seal
2. Fading of the reflective layer
3. Substandard organic dye
4. Shoddy manufacturing
5. Improper storage

In a nutshell, here is what this all means to you:

In order for a DVD to work properly, the silver and aluminum alloys (shiny part) within the DVD must remain highly reflective. Contact with air will oxidize and rust the shiny part, making the disk unreadable. That makes the clear plastic seal surrounding this layer so important, and why gold archival DVDs are growing in popularity – since gold does not oxidize. Many gold archival quality DVDs also have an extra layer of scratch protection that helps ensure longevity.

Assuming that the protective seal and shiny layer are manufactured and sealed correctly, the next possible source of failure is the organic dye. When a DVD is burned, this is the layer that is actually manipulated by the laser, allowing only some parts to stay reflective. Basically, organic dyes are not all created equal and will fail much sooner on cheaper DVD media.

Where these elements all depend on the integrity of the DVD manufacturer and your willingness to pay more for quality, there is one factor that only you can control: storage.
Here is my best advice regarding storage:

1. Store DVDs in a cool, dark, dry place – always out of direct sunlight
2. Avoid the possibility of large temperature swings where DVDs are stored
3. Store DVDs in plastic jewel cases, positioned vertically on-edge (not flat)
4. Never use a ballpoint pen or Sharpie to write on a DVD or on a paper label that’s affixed to the DVD – ever!

Sharpie makes a special marker for marking on DVDs and CDs that doesn’t doesn’t have the chemicals that can deteriorate plastic that are in a normal Sharpie.

Some people in-the-know say these storage best-practices can increase the life of your DVDs by 200 – 300%.

The final factors to consider are the brands and types of DVD media on the market today.
On websites that continually rate DVD and CD quality, brand names like Taiyo Yuden, Maxell, TDK, and Verbatim keep emerging near the top. Most video industry professionals would agree, however, that Taiyo Yuden makes the most reliable recording media today.

When it comes to media type, there is some debate on whether DVD-R or DVD+R works better overall. The key advantage of –R is better compatibility with older DVD players. The +R variety is newer to the marketplace. Definitely stay away from DVD-RW or DVD+RW for archiving, since these formats are designed to be altered or edited after burning.

Many customers ask me how Blu-Ray discs fit into the media equation. Until Blu-Ray costs come down, there is probably no strong reason to consider them unless you’re archiving such huge amounts of data that standard DVDs are no longer practical. Blu-Ray may make more sense in the not too distant future, but as Alton Brown says: “That’s for another show”!

I welcome your questions on DVDs, since there are so many factors to consider before purchasing. Email, call or stop by and we’ll talk!

Tips for Shooting Your Family History Video

We’ve all heard them – those wonderful tales our relatives love to tell at family gatherings. Sure, sometimes we even hear them more often than we’d like. But when you stop to think about it, at some point those stories will eventually be lost forever. And although we can try to repeat that information in our own words in order to preserve the memory, it’s always more meaningful and accurate coming directly from those who have lived the experience.

So, if you agree your family history is worth holding on to, it’s time to take action and capture the memories once and for all – literally!

There are companies, like DeMello Video, that can provide professional video services to meet your family memory needs. But if hiring a pro is not feasible, you can just take matters into your own hands.

But before you run off and point the family camcorder at Grandma or Uncle Bob, here are some tips to help you be successful in capturing your family history on video.

As people get older, memories fade or worse, so the first tip is do this ASAP. If there’s not a family gathering of some sort already planned in the near future, consider being the one to initiate a get-together. Be sure to tell the participants in advance that you plan to set aside time at the event to videotape one or more interviews to capture one-of-a-kind family memories. Also consider asking someone with video camera experience to operate the camera while you ask the interview questions. This will enable you to focus on getting great content while sharing production tasks with another family member.

Many times, it’s ideal to include two or more people together on-camera to obtain the most amount of information. Getting siblings or couples to tell a story together tends to keep the conversation moving while eliminating “stage fright” or self-conscious awkwardness. Seeing the interviewees interact while story-telling also gives future video viewers a sense of their relationship, which can validate or refute family lore.

Choose a quiet spot where everyone can focus without distractions or interruptions. Usually this requires a place indoors where you have more control over the surroundings. You don’t want nosy strangers standing around gawking. Pay attention to the background of the shot and make sure it is fairly neutral. An approach we professionals use is to move the subjects’ chairs away from the walls toward the middle of the room, so the background isn’t competing visually with the subjects.

Always use a trusty tripod when videotaping an interview! You want the scene to be steady and look professional. There’s nothing more distracting, annoying or headache-producing to a viewer than a jumpy, wobbly video. And if you’re holding the camera in front of your face, that’s what you’ll get!

Too often our sole attention is on the visual composition of the shot, when in reality, what’s being said is the most important feature of the video. Ideally, you should use an external microphone, such as a lapel mic, placed on a shirt or dress collar or a jacket lapel a few inches from the speaker’s mouth. If that’s not available, make sure your camera’s built-in microphone is close enough to the speakers. We always recommend a sound check test prior to taping the actual interview. Ask your subjects to state their name and the alphabet in a normal speaking voice while you roll about 30 seconds of tape. To make the test most effective, use headphones on your camera to monitor the sound while shooting. Play back the test footage to be sure the audio is loud and clear enough. If possible, have another person operate the camera so you can focus on the conversation and listen over the headphones. Then if the voices get too low, you can subtly signal the speakers (without interrupting them) to adjust their voice level.

The goal of your interview should be a conversational style with your “stars”, rather than just getting them to answer your questions. After you set-up your camera, step to the side and conduct your interview from there. Asking questions while you make eye contact with the subjects (rather than being a disembodied voice behind the camera) will make the interaction feel more personal; your subjects will be talking to you, not the camera.

Ask questions beginning with who, what, where, when, why and how. Avoid questions that can be answered with a one-word ‘yes’ or ‘no’. If you’re having trouble thinking of good questions, General categories of questions that work well are about childhood memories, education, career, hobbies/Interests, marriage and children, faith, life lessons and perhaps some wisdom to share.

Sometimes interviews can last longer than anticipated once a good dialogue gets started. Take pre-arranged breaks as needed every 10 minutes or so, to ensure your subjects are always at “their best” on camera.

Prepare for the interview well ahead of time. Put real thought into the type of information you want to preserve on video. Have all your questions written in advance. Conversations may flow differently than planned, which is fine, but a written list will help you stay on track to cover your key topics.

Bring photo albums to the interview to help spark memories. These can also be good topic starters, as it’s easy to describe a photograph you’re viewing. This is also a great way to elicit spontaneous and genuine emotion.
Especially with people who may be shy on camera, tell your participants a few days in advance about the types of topics you will be talking about, so they can be gathering memories and organizing their thoughts. Consider showing them your list of questions so they’re not taken by total surprise. Remember that many people are reluctant to answer questions off-the-cuff, especially when their discomfort or fumbling for answers is being recorded as part of family history.

Once you have your interview “in the can”, it’s time to share it with everyone. Not only will family and friends love watching the video, but also this distribution strategy ensures back-up copies will be stored in different locations, increasing the odds that your video will be around for future generations to enjoy. You may only get one chance to document these precious memories, so the more copies are spread around, the better.

Be sure to thank your participants – your interview subjects, camera operator and anyone else who contributed to this team project – for their time and effort. Make them each feel like “stars” by gift-wrapping their personal copy and enclosing a home-made certificate of appreciation. You can also quietly ask everyone at the event to sign a Thank You card that expresses the family’s appreciation to the video subjects. If the stars use email, encourage family members to send their own statements of gratitude. Think about other ways to show thanks for their contribution to the worthy cause of “family history”.

If you need more tips on making your family video a start-to-finish positive experience, stop by and tell us how we can help you achieve your goal.

Quick Hint: When photographing Wildlife or Sports …

… Keep Both Eyes Open!

When photographing wildlife or sports with action, keep both eyes open. With your eyes open, you’ll see what will possibly enter your frame before it actually enters the frame – perhaps ruining your shot, or possibly improving it.

Book Excerpt: Building a Successful Brand

From eventdv.net – Branding is one of the most challenging areas for many studios. In this article by Ron & Tasra Dawson, they cover some of the key areas video producers and any small business owners can focus on in order to make quick and substantial changes in their approach to branding. read further …

New Final Cut Pro and Color User Manuals

As you might have heard, the new version of Final Cut Pro, version 3.0, did not come with any PDF user manuals. Apple has now made these manuals available on-line, on this web page.

Also, the new Color user manual is available on-line, on this web page.

Happy reading!

Tips for Videotaping Sports & Other Events

Capture the moment, clearly and effectively …

Independence Day has past and we are into the dog days of summer. Some of us find relief from the heat by fast-forwarding our thoughts to the cooler fall weather, when we’ll be watching action-packed sports like football, volleyball or the increasingly popular soccer. This in turn leads us to think about videotaping a favorite player for posterity. And if that player happens to be our own sports-savvy child, we might also be videotaping them to impress a certain VIP (in addition to the grandparents): the college coach.

With game season fast approaching, now is the time to learn how to capture the best possible action footage on any video camera. To this end, DeMello Video has compiled a series of tips focused on helping parents produce good quality footage of their children’s sports activities. Like anything else, this also takes practice; but it’s well worth the effort. Here goes:

1) Use a tripod!!! – This one tip, above all others, helps create good footage. Shaky, jittery footage is very distracting and hard to watch. If a tripod is not available, try using something else to steady the camera. Or simply hold the camera close to your body and lean against a wall, fence, etc., to support yourself. If your young athlete is college-bound, shaky video footage as part of their application could eliminate them from consideration or mean the difference between a full-ride scholarship to a Division 1 school and having to walk-on at a community college. Is a sturdy tripod a good investment? You bet it is!

2) Turn off digital zoom – Digital zoom magnifies an image electronically, creating “pixilation” and degrading the quality of the video. Digital zoom is different from the optical zoom, which uses the lenses to bring an image closer. Learn how to turn off the digital zoom on your camera and practice using just the camera’s optical zoom. And please remember that the closer you zoom-in, the more critical it is to hold the camera steady [Tip 1 above].

3) Make sure your battery is charged – Always have a backup battery fully charged and ready to use, should the primary battery fail. Plan ahead so you can avoid the maddening frustration of a camera shutdown during an important game.

4) Use new, unused videotape with a clearly marked label – The cost of a new tape is a small price to pay for quality outcome. Prior to inserting a tape into the camera, affix a clearly dated and numbered sticky label that will not peel-off inside your camera. If you’re taping a lot of footage, numbering your tapes will help you keep the sequence straight when you get home. Do not use these tapes for other purposes. And don’t rewind a tape in-between plays to see what you captured – wait until you get home. Rewinding during an event could cause you to miss the next play or, in a rush to start taping again, accidentally erase something that is meaningful.

5) Establish a medium shot before moving to close-ups – A medium shot is one that encompasses the playing area and the relevant players. Close-ups are great, but when used too much or at the wrong time, important details of the play – details that highlight your athlete’s performance – can be missed. When taking wide-field shots of college-bound athletes, note that college coaches want to see the number on a player’s jersey, so don’t completely zoom-out.

6) Set camera high enough above obstructions – You want to be able to capture the playing surface, but be sure to keep your shooting area above or away from current and potential obstructions (i.e., people 3 rows down who do not stay seated, light poles, team mascot, etc.).

7) Shoot early, turn off late – Start the camera at least 10 seconds before action starts, and leave the camera on at least 10 seconds after action stops. If you edit the video, this will give you some “wiggle room” when cutting or fading from the scene.

We wish you fun and success in creating excellent action footage, whether for nostalgia or posterity, a college application, or any other purpose where quality video matters.

Happy shooting!

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