A Dabbler’s Guide to Computer Video

by Karen Director
Special Issue 1999

Many people think computer video is still too scary, with visions of SCSI drives, codecs and frame rates dancing in their heads. To many people, computer video just seems like too much work. Even if you aren't ready for full-blown nonlinear editing, there are still plenty of fun, easy ways you can use your computer to enhance your videos; and these applications do not require powerful state-of-the-art computers to run them. From organizing your productions with scripts and storyboards to using your computer to control your VCRs for linear editing setup, take a look into our beginner's bag of tricks.

Scripting it Out
Scripts and storyboards are two helpful planning tools that are easy to produce on any computer. A script uses words to describe the visual portion of the finished video, and the accompanying dialog. A storyboard is a visual depiction of how the finished video will look, with major scenes roughly sketched in and notes about the type of camera angles and edits.

You can create scripts with a word processor but specialized software is more efficient. Much of a scriptwriter's time is involved with repetitive tasks, like changing margins and indentations or typing in frequently used scene descriptions and character names. A screenwriting program automates these tasks, reducing the number of keystrokes needed.

Some script programs, like PowerProduction's Story Board Artist ($799), will produce storyboards and others like Dubner International's Scene Stealer ($960) will keep track of your shots. Some will coach you through the process of writing a dramatic script. Add-on programs like Parnassus Software's Script Werx ($129) work with word processors such as Word for Windows and can be less expensive than stand-alone scripting software and work just as well. Features like screenplay menus and toolbars for point-and-click access to script writing commands can convert a standard word processor into a powerful screenwriting tool.

Design, Print and Shoot Titles
One of the easiest computer video applications to perform is titling. Combine a color printer with word processing or paint software and you have rudimentary title-making tools. Print out your design, mount the masterpiece on a wall, zoom in to crop out the edges and record for 10-20 seconds.

If you don't have a color printer, you can get a similar effect by shooting the image as it's displayed on your computer monitor. Diminish the effect of rolling vertical lines by changing the camcorder's shutter speed and adjusting your computer monitor's refresh rate. Each monitor and camcorder are different so experiment with different shutter speeds and refresh rates until you find one that works.

There is a way you can record your computer titles right to tape. You will need an encoder because the VGA output of your computer is incompatible with NTSC video. If you want to record a "clean" computer image onto videotape, you'll have to convert the computer's VGA display standard to the NTSC display standard used in North American television and video. That's the function of an encoder (also referred to as a scan converter).

Converting Computer Signals to Video
With an encoder, you can use any computer with a word processing program to make titles. An encoder converts the computer's output (VGA) into a video signal (NTSC). The simple encoder allows you to view the image on your VGA monitor and also on your NTSC monitor--and to record that image to videotape. An encoder will not superimpose or otherwise mix that image with a video image coming from your source deck.

Many newer video display cards have an encoder built-in to display your computer's image on the TV. Simply hook the RCA or S-video output on the card to your VCR's RCA or S-video input and you are ready to record. If your camcorder has video inputs, you can use it to record.

For external encoders, such as Focus Enhancement's TView Gold ($249) or AVerMedia's AVerKey iMicro ($99), connect the serial port on your computer to the encoder. Then connect the video out jack on the encoder to the video in jack on the VCR or camcorder. The last step is to connect the VCR's video out jack to the video monitor or TV's video in jack.

If you want to get more creative with your titles, then you might want to invest in a specialized video-titling program and a genlock or overlay card.

Genlock Windows
Genlocking is the process of aligning or synchronizing two different video sources. Pasting or superimposing a graphic or title over a video image is called "overlay." Most genlocks are also overlay devices. If you want to overlay titles from your computer onto moving video you'll use a genlock to synchronize the two signals and overlay the title.

You can buy a genlock/overlay circuit board that plugs into an ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) expansion slot on the computer's motherboard, an example of one of these is Compix Media's Video CG-Pro ($1850). Genlocks are also available as external boxes that plug into the serial port on the back of the computer, such as TV One Multimedia's Delta Scan GL ($495). And, all genlock cards include the encoder circuitry so you won't have to buy a separate encoder.

Some overlay boards include a "chromakey" feature. This lets you replace a selected color in the computer image with live video or replace a color in the video with the computer image. You can see this effect used during the weather report on your local TV news. The announcer, who appears to be standing in front of a map, is actually standing in front of a blue wall. The video of the announcer and the image of the map are chromakeyed together.

With titling software and a genlock device, you can create a large variety of professional looking titles for your video projects.

Edit Control
There are two methods of editing video with your computer. One way uses the computer to control one or more source decks or cameras and a recording VCR. This is called computer-based linear editing (see the computer-based edit controllers buyer's guide on page 8 of this issue). The computer's hard drive doesn't capture or store video. Instead, the computer tells the VCRs when and what to play and record and in what order. Computer-based linear editing systems are available for every type of video project, from simple cuts, to complex A/B-roll edits with transitions and titles. Two examples of computer based linear systems are Pinnacle Systems Studio 400 ($229) and FAST Multimedia's Video Machine ($3995).

Hardware and software for computer-based linear editing requires less computing power than nonlinear editing systems. You could operate some computer-based linear editing systems with only a 486 PC, 16MB of RAM, an available serial port and a 256-color display.

Aside from making sure that a particular edit control program will work with your computer, you'll need to make sure that it will also work with your VCR and camcorder. Because some VCRs and camcorders have proprietary connectors, you'll need to check to be sure that they are compatible with whatever computer-based editing system you choose. For example, Sony video products feature a Control-L or LANC connector, Panasonic has 5-pin jacks and Mitsubishi uses a RCA-type "edit" plug. Several editing programs will allow you to use an infrared (IR) remote control but it will not provide the precise accuracy of hard-wire connectors.

To edit, simply enter the start and stop points of each scene you wish to record. This list of edit decisions is called an EDL (Edit Decision List). You can rearrange scenes in your EDL and select transitions prior to recording. The computer stores the edit commands and the location and length of each segment with a name the user selects.

When you're ready to perform the edit, the computer tells the source deck where to find the segment and when to begin playing it and tells the record deck when to start and stop recording. Accuracy varies, but most system's are quite accurate at performing the edits of an EDL.

Nonlinear Editing
Nonlinear editing is now cheaper and easier than ever before (see the nonlinear editing software buyer's guide on page 20 of this issue). Nonlinear involves digitizing and compressing video onto a hard drive for instantaneous, random-access of the footage. Using this digitized video, nonlinear editing software, such as Apple's Final Cut Pro ($999) or Adobe Premiere ($895), let's you cut and paste scenes, and add titles and transitions in many variations, before decompressing and recording the final version back to videotape.

Until recently, nonlinear editing was reserved for computer whizzes who were not afraid to dismantle, reconfigure and reassemble pricey computers. If you are one of these daring folk (or know someone who is) you might consider purchasing a digitizing or capture card and nonlinear editing software to retrofit your PC for nonlinear (see our digitizing/capture card buyer's guide on p.12 of this issue).

The good news is that nonlinear editing is no longer reserved for the elect few who have the guts to take the lid off their boxes. Today, configuring a nonlinear editing system can be as easy as opening a box and plugging in. Many manufacturers are now marketing ready-to-edit "turnkey" solutions (see the turnkey nonlinear editors buyer's guide on p. 22 of this issue).

These turnkey nonlinear systems are available in two styles; stand-alone nonlinear appliances like DraCo's Casablanca ($3995), and pre-configured nonlinear editing computers like Apple's Final Cut Pro Bundle ($5497) (see our turnkey nonlinear buyer's guide on p.22 of this issue).

Whatever route you choose, there is no denying the benefits of employing a computer in your video productions. Whether for writing a script, creating simple titles or producing a full blown production with 3-D animation and digital effects, your computer can take your videos to a higher level.

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