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How to Digitize Video
http://www.arhu.umd.edu/technology/workshops/mmpublishing/howtodigitvid.html
mmhome.html

Digitizing Video from VHS or 8mm source via digitizing card
(use Felini or the Sony Converter box)

• Use Fusion Recorder to Capture Video (EMC: Apple Menu/ Video Production

• Setup Record Window Size: Record Menu/ Record Window Size

Half size (320x240)

• Setup Video: Record Menu/ Video Settings

1. Image: adjusting color, etc.
2. Source: digitizer: builtin, input: composite, format: NTSC
3. Compression:
compressor:sorenson; quality: medium, FPS: 13, key frame:13
(Ideally you want one key frame per second.)

• Setup Record Settings
  1. Record Menu/ Record Preferences
  2. Record Method: check Record Directly to disk, and show time remaining; do not check post-compress.

Post-compress video
You will get smaller files and higher quality if you check post-compress, but the process takes longer. Leave this unselected: if you are dissatisfied with your frame rate experiment with the post-compression option/

• Setup Audio options: Record Menu/Sound Settings

1. Source: device: built in; input: RCA in.
2. Sample: 44kHz, 8-bit, mono
3. Compression: none (Compressing audio is not advisable. )
4. Speaker: On
5. Volume slider control: adjust speaker volume;  this control does not affect the levels of the input audio signal.
6. Gain: levels should not extend into the red zone to the right of the meter.
Audio Notes:
Rate: determines sampling rate for audio clips; highest frequency that you can achieve in the final audio output is equal to 1/2 the sampling rate; for example, a 44kHz-sample rate is capable of producing a 22kHz frequency. Format: 8-bit mono; 16 bit stereo; 16 bit has greater hardware and/or software requirements; 8-bit satisfactory for most applications.

Experiment with various sizes, frame rates and even compression.
http://www.inform.umd.edu/ARHU/Workshops/chays/digitalvideo/dv-sizes.html

Learning more about what you have captured
Fusion (EMC: Apple Menu/ Video Production)
* Movie Menu/Get Info ;

Movie Player 2.5.1 (EMC: Apple Menu/ Video Production)
* File Menu/OpenÖ
* Movie Menu/Get Info ; Movie/ General shows you data size and data rate

Guiding Questions
* Can you see a visible difference between 12fps, 15fps or 30fps?
* Can you see a visible difference when adjusting the quality with the video input dialogue box?
* What is the greatest fps you can achieve at a larger screen size?
* What difference in files size is there between the same length of clip at 12 fps versus 30fps?
* What difference in files size is there between the same length ofclip at a window dimension of 160x120 versus 240x180 versus 320x240?

Grabbing still frames
Movie Player 2.5.1 (EMC: Apple Menu/ Video Production)
File Menu/ export, Movie to Picture

Having Trouble Playing back on PC

Make sure the movie is flattened. You can use DropFlatten MoovÖ to prepare movie file for PC.
Just open file and itíll automatically create a flattened vesion. Also, saving as "playable on non-apple computers" via Fusion or Movie player will flatten the file.

Using Fusion Recorder or MoviePlayer for simple Editing
* File must be saved.
Hold shift key and move playback head to select section of movie clip;edit menu/ cut.  Sections can also be copied and pasted.
 

 

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