http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php Tips & tricks, industry news and professional commentary. en Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:56:04 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php Subscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with RojoSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with Pageflakes http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/323795493/blog.php Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:42:26 GMT Samsung SDI (http://www.samsungsdi.com) has announced its intention to spend US$529 million boosting production of OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays by mid-2009. The plan is to multiply... Samsung SDI has announced its intention to spend US$529 million boosting production of OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays by mid-2009. The plan is to multiply production levels by six times.

There is a growing market for active-matrix (AM-OLED) displays, with advantages such as better quality, slimmer size and increased energy-efficiency over LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens.

Samsung seem to be enjoying their lead into the world of OLED. Their grammar may not be the best but their confidence is beyond question: "Samsung SDI is by far taking the initiative in OLED the mobile display for next-generation as well. We are going to dominate OLED market with our advanced technology along with the development of full-color AMOLED for IMT-2000 and the successful mass production of full-color OLED first time in the world."

If you're thinking about a new TV or monitor you might be tempted to wait for OLED technology to become more available (and maybe a bit more mature). If you aren't in a hurry that's not a bad idea. Don't stress though - the change from LCD to OLED is nothing like the change from traditional CRT TV/monitors to LCD. You can still buy an LDC without worrying too much about obsolescence - they will hold their own against OLEDs for a while yet.

On the other hand if you still have a gigantic CRT taking up half your living room, you might want to think about selling it while there are still people prepared to pay for such an ugly monster. Hurry - the second-hand price for these things is falling by the day. ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=21 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=21 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/320234590/blog.php Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:43:50 GMT I'm still trying to sort out the best way to run this blog but I've realised that I need to move it to my own personal account in the MediaCollege.com forum. The URL for the blog has changed but apart from that everything should be working as normal. You don't have to change your subscription in any way.

I had to do a bit of a hack to move the blog entries to the new location so please let me know if you spot any problems.

Regarding guest posts, from now on I'll suggest that people set up their own blogs at MediaCollege.com and run them as they like. I'll keep an eye out for posts that I think are worth featuring in the main blog and just link to them from here. If you'd like to start a blog at MediaCollege.com:
(1) Register in our forum.
(2) Click the Control Panel link in the forum navbar.
(3) Click the Blog link near the bottom of the left side-bar.

You can also see a fairly basic FAQ about our blog system here. Let me know if you have any problems or questions. ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=20 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=20 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/316674997/blog.php Sat, 21 Jun 2008 03:31:04 GMT MT9 is an digital audio file format developed by Korea's Electronics and Telecommunications Institute, and currently being considered as a new international standard by the Motion Pictures Experts Group (MPEG). You can hear it in action at MT9Hits.com.

As well as an increase in sound quality, MT9 boasts a very cool feature: 6 channels of audio that can be independently adjusted. End users can become producers - pump up the bass, remove the vocals for Karaoke, isolate the guitar track... lots of fun to be had.

I see a couple of little problems.

First, as an ex-muso myself I actually have a bit of a issue with people remixing my material. I spent a lot of time getting my mixes just right and I don't think I'd want my songs to be distributed after being remixed by some random teenager. Maybe this shows just how old and inflexible I am, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who likes to retain some artistic control of my music. If MT9 does take off, be prepared for some restrictions on what you can actually do to your favorite sounds (especially if your favorite musicians are grumpy old has-beens like myself). Of course there's also the small issue of re-mastering existing catalogues into an appropriate 6-track format.

Secondly and more importantly, there's the incumbent MP3 standing in the way. MP3 is so ingrained in our software and hardware devices that it's hard to imagine it being replaced any time soon. From a personal point of view, MediaCollege.com's own MC Media Player supports MP3 audio and changing to a new format is likely to be a hassle we really don't need.

Improved sound quality is always nice but if consumers are happy with MP3 quality (which they generally are) then any new format needs to offer something else. The 6-channel feature is compelling - will it be enough? For now, my money says no. But in time, consumers will probably demand this type of flexibility. We'll just have to wait and see how long it takes. ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=19 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=19 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/312942948/blog.php Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:48:27 GMT I notice that JVC has announced a new series of consumer HD camcorders, including the GZ-HD40 and GZ-HD30. These camcorders both record in 1920x1080 and support MPEG-2 as well as AVCHD recording (see... I notice that JVC has announced a new series of consumer HD camcorders, including the GZ-HD40 and GZ-HD30. These camcorders both record in 1920x1080 and support MPEG-2 as well as AVCHD recording (see the press release, detailed info and photos).

I've been quite frustrated by the move from DV to HD in the consumer market.

When DV (or more specifically MiniDV) arrived on the consumer market it was a Godsend. Finally, a standard digital format that provided consistent high quality video and was easy to work with from acquisition to mastering and distribution. Then came HD... sort of. "True" HD was initially beyond the capabilities of most consumer camcorders so some compromises were required. HDV records at 1440x1080 with rectangular pixels similar to widescreen DV, and uses temporal compression for greater efficiency (although it's not as good for editing).

Unfortunately the move from DV to true HD has been accompanied by uncertainty, competing formats and other complications. Even the first wave of HD TVs haven't been "true" HD.

The new JVC range continues the move toward the AVCHD codec for hard-drive based camcorders, which is good for efficiency and standardization but hard work when editing (that could be a blog post in itself). I'm happy about the inclusion of 1920x1080 recording, although it's still plagued by interlacing.

So anyway, here's what I'm hoping and waiting for:
(1) 1920x1080 recording in progressive mode. Kill interlacing once and for all. Kill it dead.
(2) Some sort of codec standardization. If cheap camcorders all record in AVCHD, that's fine by me as long as better codecs are available for the higher-end prosumer market.

1920x1080 at a progressive frame rate of 60fps would be all we really need for most video work. When we get there, we should demand that manufacturers stick with these specs for the foreseeable future (in the consumer market). I really can't see a need for anything "better" than 1920x1080p60.

Could there really be an end to tinkering with video standards for the consumer market, at least in terms of resolution and frame rate? Could the manufacturers resist the urge to play one-upmanship? I sure hope so. ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=18 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=18 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/308714361/blog.php Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:05:13 GMT Over the past couple of weeks I've been involved in a project that used a variety of camcorders, most of them Sony HDD (hard drive) camcorders that record in MPEG format. If you've ever tried to use these camcorders for editing, there's a fair chance you've discovered that the recording format isn't easy to work with. In particular, we struck the common problem that the MPEG files lose their audio when imported into Adobe Premiere Pro.

The reason for this is that Premiere Pro doesn't recognize the AC3 codec used for the audio. Why Adobe hasn't included AC3 support in Premiere Pro has been the subject of much debate and the source of much frustration, especially when the consumer-level Premiere Elements does support it.

In any case I thought it would be worthwhile sharing the solution because it's such a common problem. The solution is actually very easy and I've documented it here:
MPG/AC3 Files in Premiere Pro ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=17 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=17 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/297470054/blog.php Sun, 25 May 2008 00:21:16 GMT In less than 24 hours from the time I post this blog entry, NASA's Phoenix lander will attempt to land on Mars. See my forum thread with the details and my opinion of why this is the best type of reality TV going. Try something different - tune in for some real drama! ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=14 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=14 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/281808388/blog.php Fri, 02 May 2008 01:46:23 GMT Adobe has announced a new subscription model for the CS3 Design Premium package. It's a small start, apparently only available in Australia, but it's a sign of where things are headed in the software world.

Whether or not a subscription plan is beneficial will depend on your situation. In many cases it will be more expensive in the long run without offering any real advantages. However a lot of people will find subscriptions to be much cheaper and more convenient.

For example, let's say you have a short-term project requiring half a dozen staff for a couple of months. With a subscription you can purchase multiple software licenses just for the duration of the project.

In my case I have the Adobe Master Collection for PC, and it's prohibitively expensive to transfer it to my Mac. A subscription might make the transition a lot less painful. ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=12 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=12 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/271162117/blog.php Wed, 16 Apr 2008 03:23:36 GMT Guest post by Vickie Mathews www.myredtree.com Getting Technical: The best approach to landscape photography is to ensure the largest possibly amount of your scene is in focus. In order to... Guest post by Vickie Mathews
www.myredtree.com

Getting Technical:

The best approach to landscape photography is to ensure the largest possibly amount of your scene is in focus. In order to achieve this you will need to adjust your camera to a small aperture setting (larger number) to increase your shot’s depth. However this will mean a smaller portion of light will be hitting your image sensor, so you will need to compensate by increasing your camera’s ISO or shutter speed. Because of this you will need to ensure your camera is completely still. To avoid blurring, I highly recommend the use of a tripod.

It is always desirable to find a focal point when shooting landscape images. Without such the beauty of your image is left without form or structure, leaving viewers aimlessly wandering through your photo, questioning its purpose and missing the point. The focal point could easily be a rock formation, building, or tree.

Your eyes witness the depth of the landscape. Let your camera capture that, by carefully choosing and placing your foreground, so it doesn’t dominate your shot, and keeping it free from distractions that could easily mar its impression. Feel free to adjust your camera's height to achieve various perspectives.

The horizon is a powerful tool in any landscape photography. Placement in this case means emphasis. The lower you place the horizon the greater dominance it plays in your shot. So for instance if the sky is bland, then don’t let it over power your photo, place it higher. Thus enabling your true subject to take precedence.

It is good to keep in mind that landscapes are very seldom sleeping. They are often alive with movement, trees, grass, clouds. Capturing this lends much added beauty. Think poetry in motion.

The perfect timing for landscape photography is dawn or dusk. The sun plays an important role, enabling shadows, color, and that golden hue, that enlivens surroundings. Use this to your advantage by choosing wisely. Position and timing are the golden keys in landscape photography. Once mastered you should be able to capture some breathtaking shots. Good Luck! ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=11 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=11 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/267678031/blog.php Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:00:30 GMT This story appeared last week at bbc.co.uk.... A 10-second audio clip of a woman singing has been played back for the first time in 150 years. The recording was made in 1860 and is thought to be the... This story appeared last week at bbc.co.uk....
A 10-second audio clip of a woman singing has been played back for the first time in 150 years. The recording was made in 1860 and is thought to be the oldest in the world. It was made using a machine called a "phonautograph" which etches soot-covered paper. The recording pre-dates Thomas Edison's first recording by around 17 years.

You can see the full story and hear the recording at news.bbc.co.uk. Don't expect too much - this isn't exactly high quality - but it is interesting. ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=10 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=10 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/266658328/blog.php Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:08:36 GMT CUPERTINO, California—April 8, 2008—Apple® today announced that Final Cut® Server, a powerful software solution for media asset management and workflow automation, is now shipping. A scaleable server... CUPERTINO, California—April 8, 2008—Apple® today announced that Final Cut® Server, a powerful software solution for media asset management and workflow automation, is now shipping. A scaleable server application, Final Cut Server automatically catalogs large collections of assets, allows searching across multiple disks and SAN volumes and enables viewing, annotation and approval of content from anywhere using a PC or Mac®.

Final Cut Server is available immediately through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US) for one server and 10 concurrent client licenses, and $1,999 (US) for one server and unlimited client licenses. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Server can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutserver. ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=9 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=9 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/264792552/blog.php Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:17:36 GMT Guest post by Vickie Mathews www.myredtree.com *What you will need:* Time, place, lighting, and a camera (of course!) So you want to be a freelance photographer? Keep in mind the road to any... Guest post by Vickie Mathews
www.myredtree.com

What you will need: Time, place, lighting, and a camera (of course!)

So you want to be a freelance photographer? Keep in mind the road to any vision is never easy. It takes time, hard work, and some initial investment. (I will try to help you keep that at a minimum.)

Rule number one: Think small, anything and everything great always needs a basic foundation, or starting point as you like, in which to build. Running to the nearest store and shelling out large sums of money isn’t necessarily going to help you get to where you want to be any faster. Take it one step at a time.

Camera: Go digital! It will save you time and money. Instead of waiting for your prints, you can view them instantly on you pc. Also you have the option of taking as many shots as you wish, in order to get that perfect one, without wasting film. An extra plus is your images will be instantly ready for editing or adjusting. So click away!

Keep it basic! Any camera with at least 5.0 mega pixels and a 3x optical zoom, will get you by for now, and will be a lot less confusing if you aren’t a technical genius.

Setting up your studio

Much of what you will require for a basic small studio can be found around your home.

What you will need: A table, basic white sheet, or white poster board, and lighting, (this is essential.)

Halogen desk lamps or work lights are sufficient to start out with, and are widely available and much more affordable then lights sold expressly for photography. Fluorescent lights should be avoided because they will require the most color correction in your photos. Natural lighting is by far the very best in my opinion, drawing out the best coloring in any image.

Place your table, or prop, in the middle of a room, if it’s a sunny day near a window. String your white sheets, or poster board as a back drop. Place your item and begin clicking!

Tips: For poor lighting adjusting your cameras ISO is a must! Also taking your images in raw is a plus for editing, and/or adjustments.

Editing: There is a wide array of photo editing software available. I recommend using various trials first to find the one that you feel most comfortable with, before purchase. Corel, Photoshop, and Canvas, all have trails available for download, just to name a few. Remember don’t get carried away with effects, until you have the basics down pat. There’s plenty of time for that in the future. Pure images are most preferred, and essential for beginners.

Uploading and your portfolio

With the world at your fingertips, via the internet, finding a site to get your portfolio started isn’t hard, but be prepared for rejections. Just because you think it’s a great shot doesn’t mean it is. Take the advice given and improve. I started out with www.sxc.hu, a great place to get your images online, downloaded, and your name out there.

Don’t get discouraged, and most importantly have fun! ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=7 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=7 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/263703300/blog.php Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:24:13 GMT Sony Corp has unveiled the new HDR-TG1 Handycam®, described as the world's smallest and lightest high-definition camcorder.

According to Sony the HDR-TG1 is a full-featured camcorder that can record 1920 x 1080 HD video and 4-megapixel digital photos directly to Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo™ or PRO Duo Mark2 media cards.

The full press release with more pictures can be seen at news.sel.sony.com ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=6 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=6 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/263003907/blog.php Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:48:05 GMT Okay, we've all fat-fingered the controls occasionally. Everyone who has worked in a live TV environment knows the fear of putting the wrong thing to air. However I think this guy's bad day beats anything I can recall...

On March 3rd 2008 a technician at the Tahiti Nui television network (in French Polynesia) watched a bit of "adult content" in private, while at the same time supposedly recording a separate satellite feed for later broadcast. What he didn't realize was that he was recording the porn channel instead. Oops.

To make matters worse, the porn was accidentally broadcast on the back of a religious program.

Tough day at the office.

Original story from: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4461703a4560.html ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=5 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=5 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/262395847/blog.php Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:01:11 GMT In this forum thread I've called for interested writers to contribute to the MediaCollege.com blog. I'm also advertising in a couple of other places. There has been some interest and it's looking promising.

I'm quite open-minded about how the whole blog thing can work so let me know if you have any thoughts.

I'm also looking ahead to when I upgrade the forum and blog software (vBulletin), and I'm toying with various ideas. One possibility is to let all forum members have their own blog at MediaCollege.com. This could be a great way to promote yourself, provide some useful content, or just chat about your interests. We could have a "Featured blog" category for the best posts.

I hope to upgrade the forum software within a matter of weeks (maybe even days). There will be some nice new features, including the option for members to create online photo albums.

Cheers,
Dave ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=4 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=4 http://feeds.mediacollege.com/~r/mc-blog/~3/260920429/blog.php Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:46:37 GMT On February 17, 2009, analog television broadcasting in the United States comes to an end after six decades.

If you're not exactly sure what it's all about or how you will be affected, have a look at this concise summary: The End of Analog Television ]]> Dave http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=3 http://www.mediacollege.com/forum/blog.php?b=3