In Box: Readers' letters

I just finished reading the multicam story by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D. [July 2007]. I don't remember reading anything in the article about using the same cameras. Did I miss that?
John Roth
Salina, KS

Good catch, John. Yes, we did omit that tidbit. John is referring to the suggested policy of using the same camcorder model for each multi-cam setup. If you can't use the same model, try to at least stay within the same camcorder family and format. This is to keep your colors, filters, chroma and other elements that might be unique to one format or camcorder company as similar as possible. For this same reason, you might also want to consider the same mics and mic types if you're shooting several people conversing in the same scene.
-The Editors

I recently received the current copy of Videomaker. I wonder which type of reader you are aiming for? It would seem that most articles are well over the heads of a simple soul, who has just been presented with a camcorder by his nice "Uncle Ned."

I like the magazine.
Mr. Hilary W. Szymanowski
(Member A.S.M.P.T.E. )

Funny you should ask... we get this same question... in reverse, many times, Hilary. People might say the article was too simple, and they wanted more complex questions answered. The answer is, some of the articles we write are focused to the beginner users who are just starting out and want to "up" their videos to make them more enjoyable and more watchable for their family and friends. Other articles are focused for the intermediate user who has been making videos for some time and is interested in stepping up to a higher skill level with some special techniques. Still other articles are for the advanced users who might want to learn some tricks to streamline their workflow or advanced ways to make special effects, and to reinforce what they know with refresher techniques.

Everyone is interested in the gear, from beginner to pro, and while some stories might fit one reader, other stories might be too advanced or too basic for them. Our Basic Training column is always geared towards the beginner, but other columns and features vary on their skill level and user's understanding.
- The Editors

What's up with High Definition DVD Authoring? Note I didn't say "HD DVD," because, as I gather, there's a shootout underway between the HD DVD consortium versus the Blu-ray consortium.

I've avidly followed articles in your magazine as I try to step from years of audio engineering/production into video engineering/production. Overwhelming. But I'm driven: I want that kick-butt 1920x1080 video!

I've been following cameras (HDV vs DVCPro, etc.) and editing software/systems; have been using Adobe Premiere for some time. So now I'm committed. I'm going to second mortgage my house and get myself equipped to produce HD video. First I spent days learning about cameras, their various formats, features, etc. Then I surfed capture and editing options. Finally, I wanted to know how I actually get a high definition DVD written, i.e., one that I can drop into a player attached to a 52" 1080i screen.

Here's where I've gotten a little stumped: how in the world do I write out that 1080 timeline to a DVD that will actually tickle all of my pixels? I'm learning there are HD DVD "writers," as well as Blu-ray "burners".

• Which should I choose, and why?
• Which ones will be compatible with which editing software?
• Does the choice of player (at the end of the process) affect the choice of cameras and formats used at the beginning of the process?

Man, I'd really like to see you guys do an in-depth tutorial on the whole authoring process, including surveys of top cameras, capture options, editing suites, rendering (including hardware acceleration options), and finally writing to (some kind of) (high definition) DVD. Thanks for considering this.
Tom Ballister
Via email

Trust us, Tom, we're just as frustrated as you are. For the early adopters like you, where price (almost) is no limit, the technology is out there, but just barely. Like that famous quote by George Santayana, "Those who cannot learn from history are condemned to repeat it," too many manufacturer leaders remember the VHS vs. Beta Wars and are afraid of going out on a limb just yet. It seems everyone is really waiting for the Format Wars to show a clear winner before they sock a lot of R&D, money and their own necks into the technology yet. Then add the fact that prices are still out-of-the-world for many. Here at Videomaker, we've tried to get the devices in for review and have ourselves met with great resistance from some companies. We'd love to be able to review an HD DVD burner and a Blu-ray Disc burner side-by-side and are holding our collective breath, while waiting for this opportunity.

When we do have the chance to look these babies over, we'll bring the details to you. Rest assured that we are pushing to get some products in for review, and each month we eagerly await the arrival of an announcement that one is on the way for review. When we get it, you'll hear about it!

Meanwhile, we have a tutorial planned in the works using our new mag and web tutorial format, watch for that soon.
- The Editors

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