DVD Player, DVD Copy, Video Converter

MP4 is a new container format, it is the global file extension for the official container format defined in the MPEG-4 standard. A container format allows you to combine different multimedia streams into one single file. Multimedia containers are for example the well known AVI, MPEG , Matroska, OGM. MP4 is streamable and supports all kinds of multimedia content, multiple audio-, video-, subtitlestreams, pictures, variable-framerates, -bitrates, -samplerates…) and advanced content like 2D and 3D animated graphics, user interactivity, DVD-like menus.

Based on the diversity of video format and different need, some times we want to convert video to our mp4, or mobile phone, some times we want to up load some video we have recorded with our DV and upload it to YouTube or other networks, so, we need to do a lot of video conversion, so we need a video converter, and most users who need a video converter, they also need a audio converter, and an image converter, so the question came:”Is there a video converter which can also convert audio and image files, or extract audio track fro video?” (more…)

How to backup a DVD to one or two DVD±R disc(s)? There are several options to choose from, ranging from keeping only the main movie and one audio track, to splitting complete DVDs onto 2 DVD±Rs and to squeezing every feature on a particular DVD on a DVD±R. Some guide list many different software for different requirement, such as Full DVD backups, Main movie only, Stripping unwanted extras; DVD-5 -> DVD±R, DVD-9 -> 2 DVD±R, DVD-9 -> 1 DVD±R; basic multiangles, advanced multiangles, Button over video, Infinifilm, Mimicking seamless branching, and so on. But I come up with a question, is there a software which can satisfy all of those needs? (more…)

525/60 refers to a NTSC analog TV signal. Although NTSC only has 486 horizontal lines in its Active Area, a NTSC video signal also includes extra vertical sync lines, which are basically just filler timed to allow the electron guns in a CRT television time to reposition themselves at the top of the screen. There are 39 vertical sync lines, resulting in a total of 525 lines (486 + 39). (more…)

Matroska file formats is a new video and audio container format, it is similiar to AVI but with several new features like support for OGG audio, Variable Framerate Video, etc.
.mkv : Generally video files, as well those containing audio or video only
.mks : a so called ‘elementary’ matroska stream containing any subtitles stream
.mka : audio only files, can contain any supported audio compresion format, such as MP2, MP3, Vorbis, AAC, AC3, DTS, PCM and soon MPC ( musepack )

DVR-MS is abbreviation for Microsoft Digital Video Recording developed by Microsoft, it is a proprietary video and audio file container format, it can be used for storing TV content recorded by Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Multiple data streams (audio and video) are wrapped in an ASF container with the extension DVR-MS. Video is encoded using the MPEG-2 standard and audio using MPEG-1 Layer II or Dolby Digital AC-3 (ATSC A/52). (more…)

Dolby Pro-Logic is an encoding technology developed by Dolby Laboratories, Pro-Logic and Pro-Logic II are methods of encoding 4 channels for Pro-Logic (left, right, center, surround) and 5 channels for Pro-Logic II (left, right, center, left surround, right surround), into a stereo (left, right) channel format to be decoded into 4 or 5 channels with a proper decoder. (more…)

These days, video editing techniques have become so advanced that there is virtually no limit to what you can do with a home movie you have created to add dramatic effect to a particular scene. The interesting thing is that we hardly notice these effects when we’re watching a film but they do make the difference between an interesting and a boring home movie and can bring a special dimension to a particular scene. Ultimately, it’s the creativity and skill of both the filming and editing which will be the determining factor in whether a specific effect ‘works’ or not in the context of the scene. That only comes with practice and trial and error. Here are some useful editing effects you might wish to try out. (more…)

With in these two days, BlazeVideo will realease its iPad series software, including Blaze Video Magic for iPad, Blaze DVD to iPad Converter, and Blaze iPad Converter Suite. For the latest news of BlazeVideo, please follow us on our Blog(http://www.blazevideo.com/blog/), Twitter(http://twitter.com/blazevideo), FaceBook(Email:oceanzhai@blazevideo.com).

As digital video involves far more data such as moving visuals and sound as opposed to a simple word processing document or even a photograph, it inevitably takes up far more room on your hard drive. Even if you intend storing video files on an external drive, you’ll still need to work with them on your hard drive initially and this is why video compression is so important as it involves making files smaller so that they can be stored more practically.

Doesn’t Compression Mean Losing Quality?
With digital video, the aspects of the compression don’t end up affecting the quality that we can perceive. A couple of examples are where there are literally billions of colors but variations in shades are so subtle that to us with the naked eye, we cannot comprehend the tiniest changes in shade and therefore not all of that data is needed, hence it can be compressed.

Likewise, although an object may be present in a scene for a minute or even longer, an example being a static table in a room, it’s not necessary to keep all the data contained in each particular frame as the table is going nowhere. So, in effect, compression is really a function of getting rid of all the saved data that has been captured during filming which, to the capabilities of our eyesight as viewers, we don’t really need as we wouldn’t be able to perceive any difference even if it wasn’t compressed.

Options
It is also necessary to determine which compression format tool works best for your specific project. The likes of DivX has become increasingly popular for compressing full length feature films whilst other film makers use MPEG-4 which has translated very well into the use of compression for the likes of viewing shorter clips on hand held PCs, personal music players which are now capable of showing visual clips and even longer feature length movies. Some of the video clips you can get on mobile phones will also have been compressed using MPEG-4 whilst other applications still use MPEG1 and MPEG2.

Some file formats use up more bit-rates per second with the resulting quality exactly the same so there is no real tried and trusted answer to the solution of video compression for your own specific project and upon what media platform you intend to view it. Ultimately, it’s a case of trying out different compression formats and seeing what works best for your particular project, reading up on the subject and speaking to others working in the industry for their advice based upon your specific projects and needs.

The Best Way Of Maximising Compression
Standard digital camcorders tend to compress data at a ratio of 5 to 1, although there are many formats which enable data to be compressed at a far higher ratio. The key is to use as much compression as possible and then stop when you spot with your own eyes that the quality is starting to diminish and then, simply to push the compression back a bit until quality is restored.

And, it really is a case of there not being a standard fixed rate of compression which you should be aiming for. Some videos look fantastic when tightly compressed yet the same amount of compression on others looks awful.