ISBN: 0-7356-1873-9 
Pages: 352 
Disk: N/A 
Stolin-Softwares Price: $17.99
Release: 11/20/2002 
Level: Beginner 

Now you can capture everyday events, produce an executive briefing, or even make your own movie—faster, smarter, and better. Dive in! This friendly, high-energy guide makes it easy to teach yourself exactly what you need. Use the quick lists, numbered steps, and helpful examples to master the essentials—and move on to doing the cool things you want to do!

• Use everyday PC skills to produce and edit great digital video
• Get tips for choosing the right digital video camera
• Set up shots, work the angles, take better footage
• Learn how to shape a story through editing
• Add titles, music, voice-overs, and other effects
• Rescue vintage VHS footage by digitizing it on your PC
• Share your productions on CD, DVD, e-mail, or the Web

You say you don't know anything about digital video? No problem! In the first section, I'll walk you through the basics: what digital video is all about, how it's used today, what kinds of tools Windows XP gives you to work with it, and what all that confusing terminology means. I'll also cover how to pick the right digital video camera for your needs—whether you're a beginner looking for your first camera or an intermediate user looking for a high-end camera, I'll show you what to look for.    

CHAPTER 1: Welcome to the World of Digital Video 3 
    It's Not Just for the Digital Elite Any More 3 
        Digital Video in Your Daily Life  5 
        An Overview of Current Digital Video Technology  9 
        Using Digital Video in Everyday Life  11 
CHAPTER 2: Windows XP and Digital Video: The Perfect Partnership 15 
    Tools Inside Windows XP for Digital Video  16 
        Thumbnail Folder View  16 
        Detail View  17 
        Task Pane Information  18 
        File Properties  20 
        Windows Media Player  22 
        Windows Movie Maker  23 
        Third-Party Digital Video Tools  23 
    Digital Video Compression Explained  24 
        Why Is Digital Video Compressed?  24 
        Bit Rate Explained  26 
        Psychoacoustic Audio Compression  26 
        Psychovisual Video Compression  27 
        Lossless Compression  27 
        Lossy Compression  28 
    Terminology You Need to Know  28 
        Codec  28 
        Digital Artifacts  29 
        FireWire  30 
        USB 1.1 and 2.0  30 
        Digital Audio File Types  31 
        Digital Video File Types  32 
        Digital Image File Types  38 
CHAPTER 3: Choosing the Right Video Camera 39 
    Digital (DV) vs. Analog (HI-8, SVHS)  39 
        DV Cams Are the Only Way to Go  41 
        Buy the Best You Can Afford  41 
    The Features You Don't Need  42 
        Tonal Shooting Modes  42 
        Gee-Whiz Effects  42 
        Communications  43 
    Things to Look For on Your DV Camera  43 
        Video Storage Format  43 
        The Lens  45 
        Inputs and Outputs  47 
        Image Stabilization  48 
        Still Photo Capabilities  49 
        Low-Light Performance  51 
        Battery Life  52 
        Ergonomics  53 
        Interval Timers  54 
        One CCD vs. Three CCD Cameras  55 
    Classes of DV Cameras  55 
        Entry-Level Consumer Camera  56 
        Mid-range Consumer Camera  56 
        High-End Consumer Camera  56 
        High-End Prosumer Camera  56 
    A Look at Today's Camera Market  56 
        Entry-Level Digital Video Cameras  57 
        Mid-Range Digital Video Cameras  59 
        High-End Consumer/Prosumer Digital Video Cameras  62 
    Getting the Proper Accessories  66 
        FireWire Cables  66 
        Tapes  67 
        Spare Battery  67 
        Tripod  67 
        Lens Filters  68 
        Steadicam  69 
    Where to Buy Your Camera  70 
        Shopping Online vs. Going to a Local Store  70 
        Beware the Gray Market  72 
    Alternate Digital Video Capture Devices  73 
        Digital Still Cameras with Video Modes  73 
        FireWire and USB Web Cameras  74 
        Wireless Cameras  77 

PART II: CAPTURING   

Once you have your digital video camera, it's time to start using it! This section covers getting familiar with the functions on your camera and having a plan for getting great footage. I also cover what kind of computer hardware you need in order to have a painless video editing experience, what to look for when you're shopping, and what the best solutions are. And once you have that footage, I'll teach you how to transfer it onto your computer so you can begin to craft your masterpiece.  

CHAPTER 4: Ready, Set, Film! 81 
    Get To Know Your Camera  81 
        Power, Record, and Mode Selection  82 
    Viewfinder  84 
        LCD Viewscreen  84 
        Tape Carrier  85 
        Lens  87 
        Zoom Control  88 
        Input/Output Ports  88 
        Tape Playback Controls and Jog Dial  91 
        Battery  92 
        Flash  93 
        Microphone  94 
        Memory Card Slot  94 
        Speaker  95 
        Stabilizer, Focus, Menu, and White Balance Selection  96 
        Tripod Mount  98 
        Other Buttons  98 
    Fail To Plan, Plan To Fail  99 
        Know the Event  99 
        Arrive in Advance  100 
        What Are the Key Elements You Want to Capture?  100 
        Capture Based on Opportunity, Not Order of Events  101 
        Get in Close to the Action  101 
        It's All About the Angles  102 
        Length of Shots Depends on Final Footage Use  102 
        Scripting Events  103 
        Where Will the Video Be Used?  103 
    Do's and Don'ts with Your Camera  103 
        Don't. Use Special Effects on Your Camera  103 
        Do. Experiment with the Footage Later  104 
        Don't. Hit Record Too Quickly  104 
        Do. Allow an Exposure Lock Before Recording  104 
        Do. Use Standard Play (SP) Recording Mode  104 
        Do. Turn Off Those Beeps!  104 
        Don't. Forget About the Audio—Unless You Don't Need It  105 
        Do. Use An External Microphone If Needed  105 
CHAPTER 5: Examining Your Computer Setup 107 
    Having the Right Hardware for Maximum Performance  107 
        Balancing Cost vs. Performance  108 
        The Value of Your Time  108 
    How Each Hardware Element Affects Working with Digital Video  109 
        Taking Stock of Your Current Computer Assets  110 
        Space Requirements for Digital Video Capture  114 
        Where to Store Your Digital Video  114 
        Internal Hard Drives  115 
        External Hard Drives  117 
    Hard Drive Partitions  119 
    The Processor (CPU)  123 
        How Many MHz Are Enough?  123 
        Intel CPUs vs. AMD CPUs  124 
    System RAM  125 
        Is Generic RAM the Way to Go?  126 
    Your Monitor  127 
        LCD or CRT?  127 
        Monitor Size  128 
        Screen Resolution  128 
        Dual Display Nirvana  128 
        Video Card  129 
    The Importance of Audio  130 
    USB and FireWire Ports  132 
        You May Already Have the Right Ports  133 
        Adding USB 2.0 and FireWire Ports  133 
        Use Hubs for Easy Access  135 
    Final Video Output  137 
        If You Want to Share Your Video in VCD or SVCD Format...  137 
        If You Want to Put Your Video in DVD Video Format...  138 
        If You Want to Share Your Video in VHS Format...  138 
    Name Brand Computers vs. Custom Built  139 
        DIY (Do-it-Yourself) Computers  139 
        Computer Artistry  139 
    Dedicated Video Workstation  140 
CHAPTER 6: Capturing Your Video 143 
    What Type of Video Do You Need to Capture?  143 
        Analog Video Capture  143 
        Digital Video Capture  148 
    Preparing to Capture Your Video  155 
        Turn Off Complex Screen Savers  155 
        Close Other Programs  155 
        Deactivate Antivirus Software  156 
        Check for CPU-Intensive Tasks  156 
        Capture to an Empty Partition  157 
        Defragment Your Hard Drive  157 
    Capturing Video from a DV Camera  157 
    Capturing Analog Video (Archiving Home Movies)  163 
    Organizing Your Video Clips  167 

PART III: EDITING   

What's another word for unedited video? "Boring." In this section I'll cover both basic and advanced video-editing software suites, with a few detailed step-by-step walkthroughs to get you on the right path. Want to rip a song from an audio CD and make it a part of your video? I'll show you how. This section also looks at some of the newest software on the market and how it will help you to make your imagination a reality.   

CHAPTER 7: Basic Video Editing  173 
        It's More Than Just Fixing Errors  173 
        Unedited Video Is Boring  174 
        Shaping Your Story  174 
        Audio Adds Excitement  174 
    The First Editing Decision You Need to Make  175 
        Enter Autoproducing  175 
        Autoproducing Software Products  178 
        The Power of Manual Editing  181 
    Using muvee autoProducer Cobalt  187 
    Using Pinnacle Studio 8.0  193 
    Saving Your Video  201 
        Transient  202 
        Final Product  202 
    Previewing DVD, VCD, and SVCD Videos  202 
        WinDVD 4 from Intervideo  203 
        Sonic Cineplayer 1.5  204 
CHAPTER 8: Advanced Video Editing 205 
    The Possibilities with Advanced Video Editing  205 
        Going from A to B: Transitions in Action  206 
        Moving Paths  209 
        Batch Capturing  210 
        Adding Narration  210 
        Importing Photos  211 
        Importing Videos  212 
        Adding Text Titles (a.k.a. "Titling")  213 
        Alpha Channel Effects  214 
        Time Stretching and Time Compression  216 
        Picture in Picture  218 
    Advanced Video-Editing Software Packages  218 
        Ulead MediaStudio Pro 6.5  218 
        Adobe Premiere 6.5  220 
        Sonic Foundry Vegas Video 3.0  221 
        Pinnacle EditionDV  222 
        Adobe After Effects 5.5  224 
    Advanced Video Manipulation Tools  225 
        TMPGEnc Plus  225 
        FlasK MPEG  226 
    Music Creation and Audio-Editing Software  227 
        Sonic Desktop SmartSound Movie Maestro  228 
        Sonic Foundry Sound Forge Studio 6.0  229 
        Sonic Foundry ACID PRO 4.0  230 
        Sonic Desktop SmartSound Sonicfire Pro  231 
        Sonic Foundry Sound Forge 6.0  232 
    Getting Audio from a CD  233 
        Using Audiograbber to Rip CDs  234 

PART IV: SHARING   

Now that you have your final product, how do you share it with others? In the final section, I'll cover methods to share your video digitally: using e-mail, uploading it to a Web site, or sending it over an instant messaging application. Want a keepsake you can share with others? Burning your project to a CD or DVD is covered, including a step-by-step procedure for making your own professional-quality DVD with a menu system. Confused about the difference between DVD-R and DVD+R? It's all covered in this section.   

CHAPTER 9: Sharing Your Video with Others—the Digital Way 239 
    The Advantages of Sharing Video Digitally  240 
        Nearly Instant  240 
        No Reproduction Costs or Loss of Quality over Generations  240 
        Immune to the Ravages of Time  241 
        Distance Isn't a Factor  241 
        Privacy and Security  241 
    The Disadvantages of Sharing Video Digitally  242 
        No "Finished Product" You Can Hold  242 
        Limitations with Length of Video 242 
        Playback is Computer-Centric 242 
        Usually Lower Quality than a Physical Medium 243 
        Compatibility and Tech Support 243 
    Using the 9 Series Windows Media Encoder 243 
    Putting Your Video up on the Web 249 
        Starting a Community 250 
        If You Already Have Your Own Web Site or Want One 259 
    Using an Online Storage Site 263 
        Yahoo! Briefcase 264 
        Whalemail (A Swapdrive Company) 265 
        Xdrive 265 
    Sending Your Video Using Instant Messaging 266 
        Sending Your Video over E-mail 268 
        Using the E-mail Function from Within a Video Editor 269 
CHAPTER 10: Sharing Your Video with Others—Using a Physical Medium 271 
    The Advantages of Sharing Digital Video Using a Physical Medium 272 
        A Finished Product 272 
        Maximum Quality Video 272 
        Computer Independent 273 
        Security 273 
    The Disadvantages of Sharing Digital Video Using a Physical Medium 273 
        Time and Cost of Reproduction 274 
        Distribution Time and Cost 274 
        Duplication of VHS Tapes Will Be of Lower Quality 274 
        Vulnerable to Decay over Time 274 
        Expense of Devices 274 
    Picking the Appropriate Format for Your Video 275 
        VHS 275 
        VCD 275 
        SVCD 276 
        DVD-R and DVD+R 277 
    What Software Is Available for Video Burning Projects? 278 
        Sonic MyDVD 4 Plus 278 
        Ulead DVD MovieFactory 280 
        Nero Burning ROM 5.5 281 
        Ulead DVD Workshop 282 
        Sonic DVDit! PE 2.5 283 
        Sonic ReelDVD 3.0 284 
    Burning Your Project to Disc 285 
    Burning a Video Using a Stand-Alone Recorder 296 
    Putting Your Video Back onto Tape 297 
    The Finishing Touches 299 
        Disc Labels  299 
        VHS Labels 300 
        Jewel Case Inserts and Cover  300 
    Video on Portable Devices 300 
        The Pocket PC 301 
        The PoGo Products Flipster 307 
        Panasonic DVD-LV50 Portable DVD Player 308 
APPENDIX: Digital Video Resources 311 
INDEX 315