I need these features to be standard on iPhone -
I am currently evaluating several video converters in my attempt to backup my home videos. The problem is as I have stated before. I want to save them so that I can find them easily and also, I want to save them in an efficient way – from storage and quality point of view. I know both these points of views go tangential to each other, but still I want to reach a middle ground that I can live with.
Now what do I have ?
What do I want the output format to be? I have chosen mpeg-2 as my universal output format. AVI is out of question (will take too much storage space), mpeg-4 DivX or XviD..? hmm.. not sure, it is more for the web and there is too much compression there.
Anyways, so I looked at the following:
I vote for MPEG_Streamclip or SUPER obviously because they are Free! Still working on finding the easiest and fastest solution for this.. will keep updating this post I guess.
In the meanwhile, anybody has any other suggestions/comments?
I am investigating this for far too long.. I need some input on how others are doing it. I have done the usual Google search on this a lot, but nothing has convinced me on what is the best way to store your memories. I totally believe that leaving your videos on miniDV tapes is quite inefficient -
I was thinking of backing up my camcorder videos to external hard drives. Backup to DVDs is not so attractive – although I have done it before, since, again, finding a video quickly is an issue and DVDs can get damaged too. I have already moved my old VHS-C videos to miniDVs and then to DVDs long time ago.
There is a question about the right format too. If I back them up in an uncompressed format like AVI, I know it will take a huge amount of storage space. Hundreds of Mb’s will just fit a few minutes of video. Also if you have your hard drive in FAT32 format, then you have the 4GB / file limit. Of course, now-a-days it is usually NTFS. But on the other hand, is it wise to use compressed formats such as mpeg2 – DVD / mpeg4 – DivX/XviD etc. ‘coz you will lose some detail there in the compression? How will the resulting video look on a 50+ inch TV? Well, DVDs look good, so it should be okay?
Okay.. so this is not new and I am not trying to reinvent the wheels many others have spun already! All I am doing here is to mention some of the things they have missed which cause a lot of grief when you are trying to get this done. So this is essentially a add-on to posts like these http://www.pendrivelinux.com/installing-ubuntu-to-a-usb-hard-drive/ but with the missing pieces that I found elsewhere.
Use Case:
Prerequisites:
Get Ready:
Step-By-Step:
Now everything should be fine!
Enjoy!!
Here is a list of addons I use for my Firefox:
I have always wanted to do this. What better way to do this than when I am studying Computer Networks. Knowledge courtesy: Computer Networks by Tanenbaum.
Application Layer : Application Gateway
Transport Layer : Transport Gateway
Network Layer : Router
Data Link Layer : Bridge, Switch
Physical Layer : Repeater, Hub
Repeaters: Just amplify volts.
Hubs: Can connect many entities. Frames arriving from any one is sent out on all others.
Bridges: Bridges are used to connect LANs. They connect 2 ethernets. They do not examine packets. So they can transport any type of payloads – IPv4, IPv6, AppleTalk, ATM, OSI or any other kind. A bridge can have line cards for different network types and different speeds.
Switches: Switches also route on frame addresses. Swich is almost like a multi-port Bridge. However switches often are used to connect individual computers. Switches do not broadcast like hubs.
Routers: Examine addresses in packets and route based on them.
1. The Boot logo:
Replace the C:\logo.sys
2. OEM Logo in My Computer Properties:
Your infos and logo are stored under these files: c:\windows\system\oeminfo.ini and c:\windows\system\oemlogo.bmp.
If don’t need them, simply delete these files.
3. IE Logo in the top right corner of the browser:
This is a 22×22 icon.
98/ME: Change or simply keep the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\InternetExplorer/Toolbar/SmallBitmap, SmBrandBitmap, BrandBitmap values blank.
4. IE Title will have the OEM name in it:
Check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\Main and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\InternetExplorer\Main.
Change “Window Title” value here.
Change ‘BigBitmap’ value here
XP: Run gpedit.msc
To prevent unauthorized copying of prerecorded VHS tapes (especially Disney), Macrovision came up with this scheme of copy protection. Came into existence in 1986. When a Macrovision-enabled VHS is played back, it looks normal. However, when you try to copy it using 2 back-to-back VCRs, the electronic pulses added by Macrovision in the non-visible part of the VHS tape (vertical blanking interval) make the copying VCR think that the signals are too strong. So the copying VCR tries to weaken the signals which basically rolls the picture, loses color or brightness randomly or suffer from flashing.
Macrovision is an analog copy protection and hence there is no software solution to get rid of it.
DVD-ROM Drive: Means a read-only drive where you can play your DVDs.
DVD+R/DVD+RW:
Alliance: Dell, HP, Verbatim, Philips, Ricoh, Sony, Yamaha, Thomson
Links:
http://www.DVDPlusRW.org
http://www.dvdrw.com
DVD+R DL is the double layer DVD+R that can fit upto 4 hours of high quality video. This format is also widely supported in all DVD players. The capacity is whopping 8.5GB!!
DVD-R/DVD-RW: Has a slighly more compatibility percentage that the plus alliance.
Alliance: Pioneer, TDK
Links:
http://www.dvdforum.org
DVD-RAM: Less compatible with DVD Players/ROMs
Writable DVD but works as a virtual hard drive. Random RW access (unlike DVD-RW which is sequential)
Alliance: Panasonic, Toshiba, Hitachi
Links:
http://www.dvdforum.org
MiniDVD/cDVD: Like a mini-CD.
DVDs come in PAL/NTSC formats and they also have an additional thing called the Region code. Motion picture studios in USA release the movie DVDs all over the world. In order to prevent unauthorised export of DVDs which get released in USA before the rest of the world, they introduced the region codes. A DVD released in one region does not play in DVD Players in some other region.
There are 6 regions defined as follows:
Graphics courtesy: Sony
Courtesy: Wikipedia
Legend: Yellow: PAL, Green: NTSC, Orange: SECAM
Two main differences:
1. PAL has better resolution
2. NTSC is a higher framerate (29.97 fps vs 25 fps for PAL) so less flicker
(Blank) VHS cassettes by themselves do not have any format attached to them. It is when you record video on them that they get that assigned to them.
A NTSC cassette usually works fine in PAL systems but not vice versa.
Television Types
HDTV is the broadcast format of the future-and of the present. More and more stations have been upgrading from NTSC to 16:9 HDTV. HDTV broadcasts will be in 16:9 formatting.
There are two types of high-definition televisions:
1. HDTV: Also known as high-definition TV. These have a built-in high-definition receiver that allows the TV to receive over-the-air high-definition broadcasts. These TVs require either an indoor or an outdoor antenna to receive high-definition over-the-air broadcasts (such as CBS or NBC).
2. HDTV Monitors: These are capable of displaying a high-definition TV signal, but require the separate purchase of a high-definition receiver and antenna to receive high-definition broadcasts.
Basically they still fall under the “Rear Projection TV” category – which means the projection cathode ray tubes, commonly known as CRTs, are found within the set and behind a plastic projection screen. The light from the CRTs strikes a mirror and is reflected onto the rear of the screen, where it forms an image you can see on the other side. Instead of the traditional direct view TVs you’re used to, where you view the picture directly on a single tube, rear projection TVs use CRTs, a series of focusing lenses, a mirror, and a display screen.
The screens on the TVs most of us are still watching today (referred to these days as “analog” or “traditional”) are roughly square and have an “aspect ratio” of 4:3. That is, they’re just slightly wider than they are tall. But widescreen HDTVs have an aspect ratio of 16:9. As you can see, they’re much wider than they are tall. So, what’s the advantage? We thought you’d never ask.
Movies shown at a theater have pictures that are wider than your TV’s screen. By the time a movie is released on video tape or shown on TV it has been “modified to fit your screen.” Unfortunately, they “modify” it by chopping off the sides of the picture. Widescreen TVs use the entire TV screen to let you see the whole picture.
The resolution for traditional TVs is of the order of 200,000 pixels whereas for HDTV it is ~2 Million. There were several resolution standards that were approved by FCC in 1996 and the most popular ones are 480i (regular analog TV), 480p, 720p and 1080i. The number is number of horizontal lines and how they are drawn (i-nterlace scanning or p-rogressive scan). The traditional TVs actually use 525 lines but some of these lines are used for things other than picture and the number is close to 480 and hence the name 480i instead of 525i. Interlacing means constructing the picture using odd-even lines and Progressive (which is only found in HDTV and HDTV Monitors since only digital broadcasts and digital sources like DVD players send the signal this way) is like computer monitors – from top to bottom in the order of lines.
The audio is CD quality sound as compared to analog sound which is like FM Radio. It supports Dolby® Digital sound that can recreate surround sound effects from five different speakers with the right kind of home theater equipment.
Source: Circuit City Knowledge base
Nokia N800.. http://www.nseries.com/n800. Priced at $399. Cool device.