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Archive for August, 2010
Sunday, August 29th, 2010
You can’t underestimate the impact that DVD has had on our culture. For my money, it’s right up there with the television, iPod, and Internet.
Think back to the early 1990s. How did you buy your movies? Most likely, you didn’t. Many films were not available to purchase, or were only available at a premium price (especially for widescreen). The only other option for collectors was the record movies from TV or cable onto a VCR. But in any case, your movies would likely be on VHS–low quality, bulky, linear, and degradable VHS tape. Laserdiscs were the format of choice for real film fans, but the media was expensive, awkward, and prone to the infamous “laser rot” syndrome. The thought of a movie on an easy-to-use, CD-size disc was futuristic.
 Then came August 26, 1997. That was the date that “Digital Video Disc” made its debut, as Warner released 61 movies on DVD. One of the first DVD players was Sony’s DVP-S7000, which cost $1,000 (pictured at right). By Christmas 1997, other models reached the market for half that cost. (I purchased my first DVD player, a Panasonic, during Christmas 1997 for $650–a real bargain!)
Despite the buzz (and the undeniably great picture quality), DVD faced multiple challenges in those early days. Not every Hollywood studio wanted to commit to the new consumer format; they had already adapted to laserdisc and were unsure as to why the new smaller disc was any different. In addition, video rental stores were hesitant to clear out a huge section of their rental racks for a bunch of little discs.
But thanks to a group of early adopters (including the owner of Timeless DVD!), ever-growing DVD releases from Warner and Sony, DVDs being available for purchase the same day as rental, and stores stocking DVDs at affordable prices, DVDs took off quickly. 1998 became a banner year for DVD. About 23 million players were shipped and nearly 2,500 movies were available on DVD by the end of 1998. Eventually, all the chains and studios jumped on board, with Fox, Paramount, and Disney being the last major studios to begin releasing films on DVD.
Since 1997, DVD has changed how the entire world purchases and enjoys movies–and TV shows too. In 2010, it is affordable for an average consumer to collect movies on DVD and create an amazing home theatre in his or her living room. It was not long ago that only the wealthy could afford to have home-run movies and complete home theatres. (Before the VCR came along, you also needed a film projector!) Now you can own as many movies as you wish and have a great home-viewing setup even in an apartment. DVD did the unthinkable: made movies available to everyone.
Saturday, August 28th, 2010
Are your family’s home video tapes piled haphazardly in a box or stored away in an attic or basement? If so, you run the risk of losing the video on them forever!
Tapes are sturdy, but they are made of plastic and glue, materials that degrade over time. They are also prone to damage by common household irritants, such as dust and hair. Caring for your videotapes correctly is the key to a long lifespan.
Environmental Concerns
The temperature of the location in which your video tapes are stored plays the most important role in their longevity. Humidity and heat are tapes’ two greatest enemies, and should be avoided at all costs.
The reason is this: over time, normal atmospheric humidity seeps into a tape’s binder glue, causing it to expand and contract. This unavoidable occurrence is the main reason why tapes degrade. But when a video tape is stored in an environment that is particularly humid, this process accelerates. In addition, excessive heat can warp the plastic tape or distort the cassette’s shell.
Therefore, a cool and dry storage location is best. Experts recommend an ideal range of 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower floors are better since they are generally cooler, but avoid basements and cellars, which have higher humidity levels. For the same reason, stay away from any rooms that experience steam, such as bathrooms or laundry rooms. And avoid attics, due to their tendency to trap heat.
If tapes have been stored in a location that is hotter or colder than the normal environment, let them acclimate before playing them. Even slight humidity changes can cause a magnetic tape to expand and contract, which changes the tape’s physical dimensions. If you play a videotape that is affected by humidity, the altered dimensions can clog VCR playback heads and jam tapes.
Magnetic Fields
Next to environmental conditions, the second most dangerous threat to video tapes is magnetism. This is because the audio-visual information on a tape is comprised of magnetic particles. These magnetic particles are susceptible to data loss, which can be caused by anything from static shock to normal electrical fields.
Electrical fields can be found everywhere, including near TVs and home stereo components, but can also be located around a device with a large motor, such as vacuum cleaners and refrigerators. Thus, avoiding storing tapes near electric equipment. Use a cabinet or, preferably, a room separate from your entertainment center.
Video Tape Packaging
Video tapes should always be stored in their cases, which prevent airborne dust from entering a tape cassette. VCRs are very sensitive to dust and other small particles. If a speck of dirt slips underneath a cassette’s flip door, it can be picked up by the VCR’s heads during playback and can clog the deck. Foreign debris can also increase the number of magnetic particles that are rubbed off a tape when it is played, as well as dissipate a tape’s electromagnetic charges.
In addition, store tapes in an upright position, like a book on a shelf. Storing tapes flat stresses the edge of the video tape, which can eventually result in tracking errors. And never stack tapes on top of each other, since pressure can cause the plastic cassette shell to warp.
Playback Issues
Every year, the magnetic particles that comprise a tape’s audio and video wear off naturally, simply from normal decay. However, this degradation is accelerated every time a tape is played, since video heads rub off data when they pass over a tape’s surface as well.
Therefore, limit how often you watch important tapes. The best solution is to convert video to DVD, which enables you to safely watch the video while preserving the original tape. However, always, always, ALWAYS keep your original copies after you transfer tape to DVD! Never get rid of master video tapes because they will always contain the highest-quality version of your footage.
Tape Exercise
While you should limit playback, tapes can benefit from other forms of VCR exercise. Insert each of your tapes into a VCR every few years and fully fast-forward and rewind it. Exercising a videotape in this way repacks the mylar tape and relieves any accumulated stresses caused by uneven moisture absorption from normal humidity. When re-tensioning isn’t done, the tape can become stretched or warped.
Along the same lines, always rewind a tape to the beginning before putting it away. When a tape is kept rewound, the majority of the physical tape is protected because it is wrapped inside the outer layers.
Finally, maintain your VCR or camcorder, because dirty video heads are abrasive to tapes. Use a head cleaning tape to eliminate dirt on your own, and have the unit professionally cleaned at least once a year. When not in use, cover VCRs and store camcorders in camera bags to lock out dust.
All videotapes break down over time. But with proper care, you can ensure that your tapes last a lifetime–and maybe even beyond.
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
 Twenty-five years ago, it was impossible to keep your camera perfectly steady while filming by hand. Over time, manufacturers have added ever-improving stabilization controls to correct this problem–but it’s impossible to eliminate every natural human movement while filming.
Luckily, it’s easy to fully stabilize your video. Just buy a tripod! You’ll be amazed at how much better and professional your video looks. These three-legged wonders will eliminate any camcorder shake. A tripod makes panning and tilting (up and down movement) smooth, and is also especially useful when filming on a windy day. And when you want to shoot from a different angle, just pick up your equipment and move it.
One caveat: be careful when setting up a tripod in a public place, as they are definitely trip hazards!
Saturday, August 21st, 2010
A DVD will last for 100 years…or so the experts say. While a short-run DVD is realistically expected to remain playable for 25 to 50 years, it’s a foregone conclusion that the better care a disc receives, the longer it will endure.
Storing DVDs
The main factor in the lifespan of a short-run or burned DVD is the dye present in the disc. DVD dyes are sensitive to light, especially the components present in sunlight, such as UV rays. Excessive exposure to light can cause the dye to age more rapidly than it would otherwise. For that reason, DVDs should be stored in a dark environment.
Temperatures and humidity are similar factors to consider. While DVDs can be played in warm, humid climates as well as sub-zero locales, a cool and dry location is the best solution for long-term video archiving. If a DVD does become exposed to a very hot or cold environment, let it acclimate to room temperature for at least 2 hours before playing it.
Endeavor to keep your DVDs clean; avoid dirt, dust, and hair as much as possible. Clean discs ensure that your DVD player’s lens remains clean too. If tiny particles like dust and dirt get stuck to a disc, your DVD player’s laser can skip, stutter, or refuse to read the DVD at all.
Along the same lines, always store DVDs in cases or DVD packaging, which helps to minimize dust and debris as well as light exposure. Store cases in an upright position, like a book on a shelf.
Handling DVDs
Human mishandling is the most overtly destructive force that can affect the longevity of a DVD. Optical discs are very durable when handled correctly, but they can be easily bent and damaged. If a DVD is severely scratched, the data on the disc often becomes inaccessible, usually for good.
Only handle a disc by its outer edges or plastic inner core, and never touch the shiny surface on the bottom of a DVD. This is the side of the disc that is read by a DVD player’s laser, and even a small scratch or thumbprint can cause the laser to refract improperly and fail to read the data. If a scratch or smudge happens, you may notice video glitches during playback, or the DVD may stop working entirely.
Be careful when extracting a DVD from its case, and avoid bending the disc. A warped disc can become unplayable quickly, since DVD players are very sensitive to balance issues. And while it may go without saying, never play a disc that is visibly cracked! The DVD could break and seriously damage the DVD player.
Finally, if you need to make multiple DVD copies, send the disc to a professional DVD duplication company. Using your own computer to burn and print a large number of discs is time consuming, and at-home DVD copying can ruin consumer drives and printers.
Cleaning DVDs
If a disc does attract a small scratch and you notice playback errors, clean it properly. First, wipe the shiny side of the disc with a soft, lint-free cloth. Wipe in straight lines from the inside ring to the outside edge, never in a circular fashion. (The laser in a DVD player can compensate for any light scratches caused by wiping that cross the disc at a straight angle, while circular scratches cover a wider area of data and are harder to correct.)
If dry wiping doesn’t do the trick, spritz the bottom of the disc with water, water with light soap, diluted dish detergent, isopropyl alcohol, or a dedicated CD/DVD cleaning liquid. Allow the liquid to sit on the disc for a minute, and then wipe it off completely with a soft cloth, again using straight lines.
If the video still shows errors, your disc may have serious scratches and need more intense repair work, which generally means filling in or polishing out the scratch. To avoid further damaging the DVD, it’s best to find a company that has equipment for polishing discs. Commercial polishing machines, which are often found at movie rental and video game stores, can restore a DVD disc to immaculate condition and buff out even the deepest scratches. Online services, such as Azuradisc, can also repair damaged DVDs for a reasonable fee.
Finally, remember that it’s common for the lasers in DVD players to wear out. So if you encounter a disc that skips or stutters, try it on another DVD player before cleaning it. You may find that the disc is actually fine, and it’s your player that needs replacing!
A DVD will last for many years if it is stored and handled properly. With correct care, your DVD home videos will be playable for many years to come.
Thursday, August 19th, 2010
Today’s tip is just for those of you still using analog tapes in your camcorder. Here it is: Before you record on a new tape, or re-record over a tape that’s been used, “black the tape.” What this means is, rewind the tape to the beginning, close the lens cap, and start recording. Allow the camcorder to record “blackness” from the very beginning to the very end of the tape. The camcorder will stop recording automatically when it reaches the end of the tape, and then your tape will be fully blacked.
What purpose does this serve? It avoids the timecode being reset on the tape (which is near-essential if you will be editing your video on the computer). In addition, for already-used tapes, blacking eliminates the possibility of brief flashes of your old video popping up between your newly-recorded shots. Finally, an unrelated but useful advantage is that by rewinding the tape fully, you’ll be tightening it up, which prevents the tape from potentially slipping toward the end of filming.
Monday, August 16th, 2010
If there’s one constant in home video, it’s that camcorders constantly get smaller. But is this a good thing or a bad thing?
 In the late 1970s, the first video cameras actually came in two pieces: the actual camera and a “portable” VCR, which were connected by a thick cable. Suffice it to say that these “camcorders” were a little too big, heavy, and awkward for the average person to use!
However, large video cameras actually had a side benefit: due to their size, they were not too difficult to hold steady (at least for short periods of time). And by resting on the videographer’s shoulder, they gained the natural steadiness inherent in a person’s stance. These were the days before image stabilization features, so any stability a camera could gain, the better!
 Fast-forward twenty years, and now we have camcorders that are not only in one piece, but can be as small as your hand. Some “video cameras” don’t even look like camcorders at all, but rather like a still camera or phone (and many are in phones!). These camcorders do have amazing image stabilization features that their earlier counterparts lacked, but the downside is that since they are so small, they are often difficult to hold steady.
However, the benefits of small camcorders are many. Most of today’s current camcorders don’t use videotape, so you never have to search for blank media–you just pick up your camcorder and go. Batteries last much longer than they used to, and if your video camera is in your phone, you only have to worry about one device being charged. And it is much more convenient to shoot video on the spur of the moment, because small video cameras are often easily at hand.
Plus, small camcorders are much easier for camera-shy folks to become used to. All of us know people who don’t like to be on camera. But the bigger the camera, the more self-conscious these people usually are. Tiny camcorders, on the other hand, can be so unobtrusive that people don’t even know they are being taped–and as a result, helps them act more naturally.
So what about the main problem with small camcorders: stability? It’s likely that camcorder and electronics manufacturers will keep on working on solutions. For now, a tripod is your best option for situations in which you need to keep your camcorder as stable as possible. And look for tinier tripods, wireless mics, and other equipment to be developed that is specially geared toward small camcorder users. Small camcorders are a great innovation–as long as you keep their main drawback in mind!
Friday, August 13th, 2010
Constant zooming, whiplash panning, and earthquake filming are only three of the common habits of the untrained videographer. Fortunately, it’s easy to jump from raw newbie to knowledgeable amateur simply by learning what not to do. Are you guilty of the following camcorder sins?
Snapshooting
Some novice videographers forget they are using a video camcorder rather than a still camera, and wind up engaging in “snapshooting.” Snapshooting means recording scenes that are too short: a snapshot, in other words. But while a photo can be looked at indefinitely, that same image in a video needs to last long enough for a viewer to absorb it.
To avoid snapshooting, hold a shot for at least 10 seconds after pressing the record button. For example, if you’re shooting a still subject–such as the Washington Monument–just press record and count to 10 before stopping the camera.
Along the same lines, try to video tape more footage that you need. Start recording at least five seconds before the action starts. Wait to push the record button again until five seconds after the action ends. It’s always better to shoot more video than not enough!
Firehosing
Panning is the movement of the camera from side to side. It is also one of the most frequently abused filming techniques. Some amateur videographers never stop panning, but instead wind up waving the camera back and forth–as if they were spraying water from a firehose!
Picture this example from a birthday party: The videographer opens with a shot of the birthday cake. Then he swings the camera to his daughter laughing, swings it to the right when a child shouts, then swings back to the daughter laughing, and finally swings left to the front door because the cousins came in. It’s enough to make any viewer seasick!
Be conscious of your camera movement. Plan ahead when panning and land somewhere specific with your camera. Begin with a stable starting shot (Point A), then pan slowly to a stable ending shot (Point B). Hold both shots for at least 10 seconds before moving. And be careful not to move the camcorder too quickly. Pan at a speed that is about ten times slower than what seems normal.
And while you can move your camcorder to follow action, be discriminating. For example, panning from the birthday cake to the daughter would be fine. But the camera should then concentrate on her, rather than moving to other children.
Motorzooming
Zooming is not natural. Think about it: we can’t zoom with our eyeballs. So why do amateurs feel compelled to constantly zoom in and out? Because zooming offers an easy edit that lends dynamism to the video.
The drawback is that zooms can be distracting. Only zoom when necessary in your home movies, such as when you are unable to move physically closer to your subject. For instance, the zoom is perfect for focusing closely on your child’s entrance in the school play or a lion at the zoo.
As with panning, have a starting shot and an ending shot with your zooms. Always zoom gently, and hold the zoomed shot for at least a few seconds before moving again.
Whatever you do, avoid zooming in, pausing, and then immediately zooming back out. This gaffe is called “tromboning,” and will quickly irritate your viewers.
Jogging
Holding a camcorder steady has gotten much easier over the years as manufacturers have improved their video stabilization features. Frankly, there’s no excuse for your home video to be bouncing up and down unless you are jogging or in an earthquake. (In addition, shaky footage is more difficult to transfer to DVD, since higher bit rates are required for a clear picture.)
Always hold your camcorder with both hands, especially if you have a tiny or miniature video camera. Next, use external support, such as a wall or a tree, to stabilize your body. If you must film while walking, bend your knees slightly to absorb the shock, and handle your camera as if it were an overflowing cup of hot coffee. Finally, use an external tripod whenever feasible.
Shut up!
Never forget that you are the closest person to your camcorder’s microphone. Anything you say will drown out all other sounds. The camera picks up your every laugh, sigh, groan, and comment, which can be embarrassing when the video is viewed later. Remember, run your camera–not your mouth!
A newbie is just a person who hasn’t been taught yet. By following these simple guidelines, you can dramatically improve your shooting style and garner rave reviews from your audience from your video on DVD!
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
 Now that consumer DVD burning has been around for about 10 years, many average people have homemade DVDs of their data, photos, or videos. Unfortunately, many people are also finding that these discs are no longer playable–and losing their important memories. The reason DVDs become unusable is frequently due to poorly-made disc media. If you’re planning to transfer important data to DVD, it’s essential understand which discs are the best–and why.
The simple truth is that blank DVD media has a wide range of quality. Purchasing a disc that will burn well and last long is not a matter of buying a name brand, or choosing the most expensive pack on the shelf. About half the media in a given store is usually of inferior quality. Inferior discs are made out of poorer-quality materials, and so they will not last long before beginning to break down.
The most important factor in a good disc is its reflective quality, which is mostly determined by the type of dye used inside the disc. The best dye is Metal AZO, which is a synthetic organic-metal compound. Due to the presence of metal in this dye, it possesses high reflectivity and well-rated life expectancy. Other types of dyes are primarily organic (which is cheaper), and are thus found in the lower-rated discs.
Beyond reflectivity, the sad truth is that quality control also plays a role. Like many products, discs are often manufactured in the cheapest and fastest way possible, so they can be rebranded for many different manufacturers and flood the superstores. Discs that originate in China and Malaysia are generally the worst, while discs manufactured in Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore have a much better track record.
The best discs are made by Verbatim and JVC Taiyo Yuden, and to a slightly lesser degree, Sony. These discs use Metal AZO dye and have well-known, reliable track records. If you’re burning important files such as home videos or photos, we recommend using a disc from one of these three companies, which will ensure the best chance of preserving the data for as long as possible. (Good discs should last 25–50 years.) Verbatim and JVC Taiyo Yuden discs are usually only found online these days, while Sony is more widely available in stores.
One final note, regarding “gold archival media.” Gold discs are a scam. Remember what we noted above about reflectivity? Well, one important truth is that gold is less reflective than silver. Plus, the dyes used by the only company that manufactures gold discs are, to put it kindly, crap. So between the natural lower reflectivity and the lower-quality dyes, gold discs have a far greater chance of read errors and compatibility issues. The only company that promotes gold discs as the best archival option are the manufacturer–as well as the video transfer companies that have fallen for the hype and dumbly repeat the manufacturer’s marketing boilerplate. Don’t be fooled! Stick with the discs that have are widely known to be reliable.
If you are transferring your media, invest a few extra dollars into purchasing Verbatim, Taiyo Yuden, or Sony discs. Choosing lesser-rated discs will only lead to a waste of time and money.
Saturday, August 7th, 2010
DNR is a common term in electronics. It means “digital noise reduction.” One might think this might be valuable tool–and it can be. But DNR can also stir a lot of emotions for film preservationists and video transfer pros.
 At right is a basic example of DNR in action. The image on the right is the original film. The image on the left is the same image after extensive DNR processing. (Click the image for a larger example, which shows the details more clearly.)
Typically, film and video both show noise. This can range from simple grain in the picture to chroma noise (the red/blue mist that often hovers on top of the picture). Most of the better VCRs, such as the professional lines manufactured by JVC and Panasonic, include various settings for reducing noise. For instance, the JVC HR-S9000 series has a “TBC/DNR” button as well as a picture control setting, both of which adjust the amount of processing in the picture.
When using these types of filters in real time during a transfer, you generally search for a compromise, because removing noise always includes removing detail as well. But there is an ongoing debate about this in many video preservation forums. Some people would rather have more detail (such as the texture of the man’s face) than a smoothed-out, filtered picture. But other people are really bothered by excessive noise and want to completely remove it. So it generally becomes a matter of personal preference.
But both using and not using DNR can both be taken too far. Two DVDs that show the extremes of noise reduction are the releases of 1932′s Grand Hotel and 1942′s Now, Voyager. The DVD of Grand Hotel has very sharp detail in its scenes. But the grain and noise are so thick that they actually hamper the viewing experience. In one scene, Joan Crawford’s character is standing in a shadowed section of a scene, and her reaction to a critical plot point is all but obscured by the grain. In this case, more noise reduction would have helped improve the DVD by leaps and bounds.
By comparison, the DVD of Now, Voyager is a good example of DNR taken way too far. Apparently, this movie was ridiculously processed during transfer, over-filtered as well as over-sharpened. Strangely, for a movie from the 1940s, there is hardly a flicker of grain present in the entire film on DVD (a sure sign of too much DNR). The picture quality throughout appears incredibly sharp; but on closer inspection, skin and hair textures have been completely smoothed away. So it’s likely that the film experienced extreme DNR, followed by edge sharpening–both of which resulted in a presentation that no 1940s director of photography would have created.
In recent years, the transfer of classic films to Blu-Ray has ignited a new round of this argument. There is a trend of studios over-processing older movies for Blu-Ray release, and many film fans and cinephiles are not happy about it. Many studio “suits” reportedly believe that any grain in the picture is evil and should be stripped out (probably thinking that modern audiences expect every HD movie to look like it was made last year). As you can see from the images above, 100% noise removal is not always a good thing–especially where older films are concerned.
DNR should be used carefully to remove grain. As in the Grand Hotel example, if the grain in the film is coarse or distracting–particularly to the extent that it affects an actual scene–it should be removed. But on the other hand, film also has inherent grain in it. If you can’t see any grain at all when moving frame-by-frame in an older film, then it’s likely been scrubbed within an inch of its life–and this just isn’t natural. At that point, not only has the natural film grain been removed, but the textures in actors’ skin and hair and other details in the actual movie as well.
The bottom line is that every film or video tape is different. For videotapes, each tape requires its own settings, which includes choosing the best VCR to play it as well as the most ideal processing settings. At Timeless DVD, we try to strike a balance between removing some noise but not over-processing or over-softening the image. Much of video transfer is made up of compromises, and DNR is a great example.
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
Philo’s birthday is in just two weeks – have you picked out your gift?
 Philo T. Farnsworth may not be a household name, but without him, Timeless DVD wouldn’t exist! That’s because Philo, born August 19, 1906, is considered the father of television. As a teenager in Utah, Philo brainstormed the idea of picture transmission, and in 1927, he successfully transmitted an image of a dollar bill. He soon submitted the patent applications that established him as the inventor of the all-electronic television.
Two years later, Farnsworth created Farnsworth Television, which later became Farnsworth Radio and Television. He counted patents for amplifiers, electrical scanners, and cathode ray and vacuum tubes among his many accomplishments.
What would Philo T. Farnsworth think of the many video gadgets we take for granted these days, such as the DVD player, the video iPod, and Flash camcorder? It’s breathtaking to realize that all those devices can be traced back to Farnsworth’s groundbreaking conception of deflecting beams of electrons in similar rows.
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