Flip Video Mino HD
The first thing you notice when you open the Mino HD is how small it is. Using the Mino is a snap. It recharges via USB, so you plug it into your computer for three hours and it's all set to go. When you're ready to capture some video you simply turn it on and hit the big red record button. While recording you can zoom in and zoom out.
After recording a clip, you can watch it back with full volume control and even delete it immediately if it didn't turn out like you'd hoped. When you're done shooting all the video you need, all you have to do is plug it back into the computer and start working with the clips. The Mino HD includes a simple video application right on the camera, so you can watch, save, edit, email, post to the web - just about anything - without installing a single program.
The application, called FlipShare, is very basic, but it does enough to allow a novice user to do the essentials. It runs on both Windows and Mac OS, so everyone should be happy.
FlipShare features: Video and save clips recorded on the Mino HD Cut pieces of clips out with a very simple interface Tie videos together to make movies, including optional background music Email video clips to friends and family Email video greeting cards Post videos directly to the Internet, with support for AOL Video, MySpace and YouTube Prepare videos to be burned to DVD The Mino HD has 4 GB of built in memory that can record up to 60 minutes of footage.
The memory isn't expandable, so you need to get everything recorded in an hour. It records in 720p, 1280 x 720, 16:9 widescreen at 30 fps. The video actually looks really good. It is stored as an MPEG4 file using H.264 and AAC audio. The camera doesn't have image stabilization, so you have to stay pretty still if you want the image to look as good as possible.
The audio sounds good when you're close to the sound source or if the source is really loud. The further away the source is, the worse it becomes. When we briefly mentioned the Mino HD on Episode 335 and reported that it didn't have direct video output capabilities. We were wrong. It does have direct video output, but only in standard definition. You can plug the composite video cable directly into the Mino HD and play your videos back on any TV.
The quality will be better if you burn them to DVD, though. Our Mino HD happens to be black, and we think it's pretty cool looking. As a consumer, though, if you get yours through the Flip Video Store, you can completely customize the look of the camcorder. You can choose from pre-designed patterns and images from the design gallery, upload your own image and even use a pattern generator to create your own, custom, one of a kind Mino HD that shows your unique personality.
The custom designs don't cost any more than the standard black one that we have. Overall the Mino HD is awesome. While it won't replace a true camcorder, and it isn't going to get you into the wedding video business, it is extremely portable and very easy to use.
Imagine how many more video clips you would have and how many more memories would be preserved in high definition if your camcorder fit in your pocket easier than your cell phone. It's so easy to take with you, the possibilities just completely unfold. In the short time we had it, we took video of events we never would have recorded before because of the hassle associated with it. The Mino really is hassle-free HD.
The Flip gets all the press, but the Vado has 8GB of memory AND HDMI output at 720p. We've had a lot of fun with it. ADSG was the R&D unit of the sound department producing products for movie theaters and movie studios. Two of the products they worked on include the DCP-1000 and DADR-5000.
The DCP is a digital cinema processor used in movie theaters around the world. The DADR-5000 is a disk-based audio dubber used on Hollywood sound stages. ADSG was awarded a Technical Academy Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2000 for the development of the DADR-5000. Ara holds three patents for his development work in Digital Cinema and Digital Audio Recording. Every week they put together a podcast about High Definition TV and Home Theater.
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Keywords:video, video clips, video output, email video, video business, video cable, video events, video store, video myspace, video stored
Guide to DTV
Get it here. Digital signals are transmitted using computer code, which means they are less susceptible to interference and provide a higher quality picture and sound than analog. DTV is not always HDTV. HDTV's sound and picture quality are many times better than todayís analog TV. No matter how you receive your TV signal, you will need DTV equipment to watch DTV programming. DTV equipment may be purchased as an all-in-one or component solution.
Integrated" DTV sets with built-in tuners are and all-in-one solution for DTV. They include a digital tuner to receive over-the-air DTV broadcasts and a monitor to display the programming. A "component" solution includes a DTV monitor without a DTV tuner. These monitors are sometimes labeled "HD ready." Monitors must be paired with a cable or satellite set-top box, or a stand-alone DTV tuner.
Digital cable ready" or "plug and play" televisions can receive digital cable TV without a set-top box. Analog TVs will eventually need extra equipment to receive over-the-air signals. The new target date for ending analog broadcasting is June 12, 2009. When analog broadcasting ends, consumers with analog sets will need to obtain a separate converter box to watch over-the-air TV. DEFINITIONS Analog TV: Today's TV system using radio frequency waves to transmit and display pictures and sound.
DTV comes in three levels of picture quality, as described below. 480p is the quality used by most DVD players. May be stand-alone or integrated in the set. Integrated HDTV: An HDTV that has the digital tuner built into the set. It does not need a separate set-top box to receive over-the-air DTV signals.
Plug-ann-Play or Digital Cable Ready: A DTV or other device for digital cable customers that plugs directly into the cable jack and does not require a separate set-top box. Plug-and-Play TV owners must obtain a CableCARD from their cable company in order to view scrambled programming services. Aspect Ratio: 4 x 3: "Traditional TV" screen's width as compared to its height.
For example, a "32-inch TV screen" would be 25%-inches wide and 19-inches tall. 16 x 9: "Widescreen TV" is more like a movie screen than a traditional TV. For example, a 32-inch TV screen would be 28-inches wide and 16-inches tall. Source: Consumer Electronics Association Share this article ADD COMMENT Comments feed We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.
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Keywords:tv, analog tv, tv auction, traditional tv, tv owners, tv width, tv signal, tv inch, tv box, tv matter
Yamaha YSP-4000 Sound Projector
We first saw the Yamaha YSP-4000 Sound Projector in use at CES 2007. At that time we were quite impressed that a single unit could generate a 5.1 sound field. For those of you who are not familiar with what the Yamaha Sound Projector, it is single unit resembling an oversized center channel that decodes surround sound and generates multi-channel experience by bouncing sound waves off the walls in your room.
The advantages are obvious, no running of speaker wire, easy placement of a single component, no clutter! This type of device is ideal for an apartment dweller or for use in a master bedroom, or for the person who wants surround sound but doesn't want to deal with the installation of a multi piece system. You connect your source components to the Sound Projector and then connect and HDMI output to the TV.
The YSP-4000 on supports two HDMI inputs. The 4000 also supports two component, three composite, and two digital optical and coaxial audio inputs. Once all the connections were made you connect a microphone and start the automatic room calibration. This took a few times to get it to run successfully. There are some requirements about where you can place the microphone in relation to the Sound Projector. This may limit how well the surround performs.
In general the microphone needs down the centerline of the Sound Projector and no more than 1 meter above or below. Due to the room's dimensions that it was installed in, we had to move the orientation of the 4000 to get a calibration that succeeded. The unit also supports an iPod dock and XM Radio module. We received both and installed them into the unit. Each has a port on the back of the unit and only took a few seconds to install.
One word of caution on the XM Radio unit: If you don't have a South facing window near the unit you won't be able to receive XM radio. The unit also supports a subwoofer. Our tests did not include one but we strongly recommend that you use one for the full surround experience. A nice feature of the 4000 is that it can store three calibration setups in memory.
This is very important because the room configuration is important to the experience. In our case we ran two calibrations, one with the windows and blinds open and one with them closed. The Sound Projector produced a better experience with the windows and blinds closed.
However, if I did not run a calibration with the windows open the surround experience would have been completely lost. There is also a feature called "My Beam" that directs all the audio to your sitting position eliminating any surround effects. It has clear diagrams for optimal room placement. This will save you some grief if you have a room that the projector just won't work in.
Performance After hearing how good the YSP-4000 sounded at CES and CEDIA we were hoping for the best. But if we were able to get any sort of multi channel sound we'd call it a success. The answer is that for Ara's wife the sound was fantastic and for Ara, just 20 inches to her right, the sound was good.
Due to the positioning of the microphone per the instructions the optimal sound was on Ara's wife's side of the bed when she sits up. In that position it the surround sound was very strong. During Harry Potter I would look at the wall next to me in amazement. There is no speaker there but the sound was definitely coming from the wall just above my head. The experience was not as good on Ara's side of the bed.
While the sound was far more expansive it was not as pinpoint. It was still an improvement over the TV speakers alone. This drove home the fact that the proper placement of the speaker makes a big difference. We ran a final setup with the unit in a position that was not acceptable to the wife but more conducive to the proper calibration. For this last test the microphone was place right down the middle of the bed.
In this case both my wife and I were able to hear surround sound as if we had speakers above our heads. The sound projector really works well if placed properly. The other area that was tested was music playback. We were quite pleased with how well the 4000 produced music. There was a good sense of stereo and openness. HT Guys Advice The Sound Projector is an amazing device that makes setting up a home theater simple.
While it's true that you can buy a traditional home theater surround sound system for less, you can't buy one that is easier to install. Just be sure to read the User's Manual first to make sure that the Yamaha YSP-4000 will work in your room layout.
ADSG was the R&D unit of the sound department producing products for movie theaters and movie studios. Two of the products they worked on include the DCP-1000 and DADR-5000. The DCP is a digital cinema processor used in movie theaters around the world. The DADR-5000 is a disk-based audio dubber used on Hollywood sound stages.
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Keywords:sound, sound projector, surround sound, sound stages, sound buy, sound department, sound coming, sound expansive, sound harry, sound speakers