Digital Video 1

Lesson Objectives After completing this lesson, you will be able to: Identify the characteristics of digital video. Explain what digital video editing is and the various output formats for digital video. Identify the features of different Web video technologies. 2

Characteristics of Digital Video One of the important characteristics of digital videos is that you can edit them easily on a computer by using digital video editing software. For example, you can: edit videos to include titles, add a sound track, or add special effects. upload the video to a Web site and share it over the Internet. copy the video from a computer to a recordable CD or DVD. Another characteristic of digital videos is that they can be compressed. One of the important characteristics of digital videos is that you can edit them easily on a computer by using digital video editing software. For example, you can edit videos to include titles, add a sound track, or add special effects. You can also upload the video to a Web site and share it over the Internet. In addition, you can copy the video from a computer to a recordable CD or DVD. 3

Types of Camcorders Analog Camcorder Digital Camcorder 4

Types of Camcorders Analog Camcorder An analog camcorder records and stores video in an analog format on a tape. To edit the video on a computer, you need to convert it from the analog format to the digital format. 5

Types of Camcorders Digital Camcorder A digital camcorder records and stores video in a digital format. An advantage of using the digital camcorder is that the recorded video is easy to edit because it is stored in a digital format. Another advantage is that a digital camcorder is generally lighter and smaller than an analog camcorder. 6

Digital Video Editing Using digital video editing software, you can: Add titles and background music to your video to make it more appealing. Cut or remove certain scenes from the video. Add special effects, such as fade-in and fade-out, to the video. Enhance video quality by adjusting its brightness, contrast, and color. Record audio over the video to describe certain scenes. Imagine a scenario where you have recorded your friend’s birthday party by using a camcorder. You would like to add certain effects to your video to make it look better. Using digital video editing software, you can: Add titles and background music to your video to make it more appealing. Cut or remove certain scenes from the video. Add special effects, such as fade-in and fade-out, to the video. Enhance video quality by adjusting its brightness, contrast, and color. Record audio over the video to describe certain scenes.    Note: You can also edit video by using analog technology. However, using digital technology makes it easier to edit video. 7

Digital Video Editing Digital video editing can either be linear or nonlinear: Linear editing - you have to sequentially traverse a file to edit the file. Nonlinear editing - You can directly go to the frame and remove it from your video. In linear editing, you have to sequentially traverse a file to edit the file. For example, if you want to remove a frame that is in the middle of a video, you have to linearly traverse to that frame. However, in nonlinear editing, you do not have to traverse from start to end. You can directly go to the frame and remove it from your video. Tape is always in the linear format and has to be edited linearly. Random access devices, such as DVDs and CDs, let you read and write data in a nonlinear manner. You can edit DVDs and CDs linearly and nonlinearly. 8

Digital Video Output Formats After you edit a video, you can store it in various formats: You can use software to capture a frame from a movie and save it as a still image. You can also edit the video and save it as a video clip in the Windows Media Video (WMV) format. You can also share the video clip with your friends by uploading it to a Web site or sending it by e-mail. You can save the edited video clips and still images in a format that can be copied to a recordable DVD or Video CD (VCD). After you edit a video, you can store it in various formats. You can use software to capture a frame from a movie and save it as a still image. For example, you can capture a frame from a video and save it as a jpeg file. You can upload this file to a Web site to share it with your friends. You can also edit the video and save it as a video clip in the Windows Media Video (WMV) format. Saving the video in the WMV format allows you to play the video clip on the computer by using Windows Media Player. You can also share the video clip with your friends by uploading it to a Web site or sending it by e-mail. You can save the edited video clips and still images in a format that can be copied to a recordable DVD or Video CD (VCD). You can play the DVD by using a DVD player and the VCD by using a VCD player. Some DVD players also allow you to play VCDs. Warning: Copying video directly from the Web and storing it on CDs is illegal. Copying video directly from a video CD or DVD is also illegal. Ensure that you have permission to copy any video before you copy it. 9

Web Video Technologies Video Streaming Video streaming allows you to view video files over the Internet without downloading them. In this case, the video file is sent to your computer in a continuous stream. You need a streaming video player to view the video file over the Internet. You might need to download a streaming video player and install it on your computer before you can play the video files. Generally, digital video files are large and can take a long time to download. Video streaming allows you to view video files over the Internet without downloading them.   In this case, the video file is sent to your computer in a continuous stream. You need a streaming video player to view the video file over the Internet. You might need to download a streaming video player and install it on your computer before you can play the video files. 10

Web Video Technologies Two Types of Video Streaming In real-time video streaming: you can view a live event over the Internet. a camera is used to capture the live event. a converter is used to convert the video into the video streaming format so that the video can be broadcast over the Internet. In on-demand video streaming: a video is taken from a storage device, such as a CD or DVD, and converted into a streaming video format. This video is then distributed over the Internet. There are two types of video streaming, real-time and on-demand.   In real-time video streaming, you can view a live event over the Internet. In real-time video streaming, a camera is used to capture the live event. When the camera captures the event, a converter is used to convert the video into the video streaming format so that the video can be broadcast over the Internet. In on-demand video streaming, a video is taken from a storage device, such as a CD or DVD, and converted into a streaming video format. This video is then distributed over the Internet. The quality of streaming video depends on the hardware used to capture the video and the speed of the Internet connection. It also depends upon the compression technique used because each compression technique preserves the quality of the original file in a different manner. 11

Downloading Video You can also download video files, such as video clips or video presentations, from the Internet.   Sometimes, when you are downloading a file, you can play the file after a major portion of the file is downloaded, but usually you need to wait until the entire file is saved on your computer. You can also download video files, such as video clips or video presentations, from the Internet. In this case, a copy of the video file is downloaded on your computer.   Sometimes, when you are downloading a file, you can play the file after a major portion of the file is downloaded, but usually you need to wait until the entire file is saved on your computer. 12

Web Conferencing Web Conferencing allows you to: hold a virtual conference where you can see and hear others in real time. use tools such as virtual whiteboards and slide presentations during the conference. Can do screen sharing, where the participants can see what is on the presenter’s desktop. voice communication between the participants so that they can share their views and discuss their opinions.  use text chatting if voice communication is not possible.   Today, you do not have to travel from one place to another to attend conferences and seminars. Instead, you can use Web conferencing so that all the participants can communicate with each other over the Internet. One of the features of Web conferencing is that it allows you to hold a virtual conference where you can see and hear others in real time. You can also use tools such as virtual whiteboards and slide presentations during the conference. Another feature of Web conferencing is screen sharing, where the participants can see what is on the presenter’s desktop. Web conferencing also allows voice communication between the participants so that they can share their views and discuss their opinions. Voice communication could be Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or voice communication by using telephone conferencing. Web conferencing also allows you to use text chatting if voice communication is not possible. 13

Questions 14