ViodiTV

The Video Bridge Between the Heartland and Hollywood

Posts Tagged review

ViodiTV Revealed

Jun 28

Posted by Roger in VBlogs by Roger, ViodiTV | 2 Comments


Watch this overview video for a summary of what ViodiTV has been doing over the past six years… from National shows with former press secretary Dee Dee Myers at OPASTCO, to NTCA, RICA, and NAB, to regional shows like IP-Possibilities, the Tech and Marketing symposiums, and CableNext to Connections and states like MTA, WSTA, and the list goes… 

In additon to event coverage the video highlights product reviews, promotional videos, 3D animation work, special effects, licensing music, plus a some fun time items.

The video gives testimony to our capabilities in video production and how two people can be efficient, effective, and creative with time. Contact Roger for more information and pricing…

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Good HD Video on a Still Camera?

Sep 10

Posted by Roger in VBlogs by Roger | No Comments


Yes it is possible to get fairly good quality HD video on a still camera. My quest to find one started with a Flip. Ken Pyle was using a Flip Camera, and the camera showed interesting potential, so I looked around for something more. I thought there had to be a still camera with better video functions. I found several that did okay, but two stood out. The video above is from one the two that stood out. The camera does 720p (1280×720) at 30fps, wide angle, 10x zoom, 4:3 and 16:9, 9.1 Megapixel photos, records to SD card, and fits in your pocket for a little over $300. Learn more about these cameras and others by attending future Viodi Local Content Workshops.


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KP Talks Tech on V-Phone

Aug 4

Posted by Roger in Viodi View, ViodiTV, korner | No Comments


Ken talks tech on Vonage V-phone and the "Easy as 1, 2, 3 Setup", or how come these new things are so…

The title of this section of the Viodi View was originally known as Krazy Ken’s Korner, named after that famous and fellow San Jose State Alum, Krazy George (inventor of The Wave). Part of the reason for including "krazy" in the name of this section was that it represented the feeling I so often have when working with technology. 

For decades, I have been seduced by the promises of a technology to save me money or make my life easier. More times than not, however, I spend way too much time trying to implement the technology and often times it either doesn’t work or even meet the expectations set by the supplier; yet, I never learn.

At the OPASTCO 2008 Summer Convention last month, I thought I had a great way to save a few dollars in roaming fees, while trying out a new technology/service. Fortunately, we were in a video mode, so you can see the experience Roger and I had, as we realized that Vonage’s V-Phone didn’t operate the way we thought it would.

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ToonBoom Storyboard Pro Review

Aug 4

Posted by Roger in VBlogs by Roger | 1 Comment


ToonBoom Storyboard Pro is a pre-production planning tool for producing video’s. It’s appeal may depend on your creative style, but it is well worth looking into since planning is so important.


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A Tale of Two Inexpensive Video Camcorders

Aug 3

Posted by Ken Pyle in ViodiTV | 2 Comments


The above video provides an overview of Creative’s Vado, solid state, sub-$100 camcorder. Like the Pure Digital’s Flip Video camcorder, the key features are the ease of use, the small size and its rugged nature. The video provides a side-by-side comparison of the first generation Flip and the Creative Vado. 

The color on the Flip looks a little richer.  Both camcorders feature 640×480 resolution. The Flip is specified for better low light sensitivity, although this specification was hard to tell in my side-by-side comparison. The Creative Vado seems to do a little better with fast motion, but I didn’t compare it to the newer Pure Digital models, which uses higher rate compression than does the first generation Flip.

 The Vado starts recording faster than the first generation Flip Video and it also deletes files faster. Although it doesn’t have built-in editing software like the Flip Video, transferring files to a PC is a bit easier and transferring to YouTube is easier as well. The rechargeable battery is convenient and by the time it needs to be replaced, the camera will probably be superseded by high definition technology. 

It would have been nice if a lanyard had been included in the package.  The size is such that it comfortably fits in a shirt pocket. At less than $100, it is a great value. The real testament to its value of this device is that I, a renowned cheapskate, did not return the review unit I had purchased at my local big box retailer. What’s even more amazing about this is that it is an item that I really don’t need it, as I already have a Flip Video camera and a Panasonic 3 CCD MiniDV camcorder.

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Applications for a Low Cost Camera

Aug 1

Posted by Ken Pyle in Club Viodi, Content Tools | No Comments


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Really Low Cost Video Capture – A Review

Apr 1

Posted by Ken Pyle in Content Tools, ViodiTV | No Comments


Do you have loads of old analog tapes that you need to convert to digital or need a way to bring analog video into your iPod? The Pinnacle Video Transfer [PVT] may be just the device you need. The PVT converts composite or S-Video and stereo audio inputs into highly compressed MPEG-4 files. There are three levels of encoding quality available with resolutions ranging from 320×240 to 720×480.

This device is about simplicity, as a computer is not required. Composite or S-Video is input  one side of the device, while a USB 2.0 port interfaces to an external flash drive, hard-drive, iPod, or PSP on the other side of this unit. LEDS indicate recording status, signal presence and encoding quality. The output is MPEG-4 file, encoded from 512 Kbs to 1.5 Mbs, depending upon the quality selected. 

I was able to edit the files in both Sony Vegas 6.0 and Pinnacle’s VideoSpin video editor.   The above video includes clips digitized by the PVT (indicated by the time stamp in the upper left hand corner of the video).  I found no problems in uploading the MPEG-4 files to YouTube.

Operation of the PVT was straightforward, although there were some recording issues, which were resolved with an updated driver. A scene detection feature would be nice, such that it automatically would split files into one large file. Another interesting feature would be if it had a Firewire interface, such that it would be possible to convert digital feeds directly into MPEG-4 files.  

Although I cannot really think of how an independent telco might use this, the quality is amazing for a consumer-grade device. This is a cost-effective way to convert analog video to digital, in lieu of more expensive video capture devices. Others in this class that bear a closer look, that may have more features, but also come with more complexity include the SanDisk V-Mate and the Neuros MPEG4 Recorder 2.

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