Making Movies on Your Computer
Video Storage Media Basics
Media Types
Video Tape
Analog – to tape capacity (SP–1 hr viewing, LP–2 hr, XLP–6 hr)
Digital – to tape capacity (1 1/2 hr)
CD – 640MB storage capacity, 1 hr, poor quality
VCD – 640 MB storage capacity, 30 min, better quality
S–VCD – 640 MB storage capacity, 15 min, good quality
DVD – 4.7GB storage capacity, 2 hrs, excellent quality
Media Formats
On Video Tape
File type – Audio/video
Analog format – VHS, VHS–C, S–VHS, S–VHS–C, 8mm, Hi8, interlaced
– up to three separate tracks, 0–4v pickup
Digital format – Digital 8 (D8), Mini DV (DV), Micro DV (DV)
– 720×480 pixels, 30 fps, FBR, intraframe compression, progressive
On Memory Card
File type – Audio/video (.mpg–j extension)
Digital format – 25 fps, non–interleaved, .mpg extension (mpg–j)
File type – Still/Interval Still (individual compressed files)
Digital format – .jpg extension
On CD – per burning method selected (file and media)
On DVD – 720×480 pixels, 30 fps, VBR, intra–/inter–frame compression, progressive
File Size
On Video Tape
Analog format – to tape capacity
Digital format – to tape capacity
On Memory Card
Video/Audio type – to memory card capacity
– 128 MB card (~90 min play at 160×120 pixels with audio)
Still/Interval Still type– to memory card capacity
On CD, etc. – audio/video file type
Frame Size and Resolution
On Video Tape
Analog format – 400 (VHS) to 525 lines, fair quality, degrades with time
Digital format – 352×240, poor quality (CD)
– 720×480, excellent quality (DVD)
On Memory Card
Video/Audio file type – to 320×240, poor quality
Still/Interval Still file type – to 1600×1200, good quality
On CD, etc – increasingly larger file, increasingly better quality
2. Video Details
Frame Rate
NTSC – 30 fps
PAL – 25
Movie – 24
Animations – various <24
Frame Size
Analog
VHS – 230 lines
NTSC – 480 (to 525)
PAL – 525
Digital
VCD – to 384×288 pixels
VGA – 640×480
S–VCD/DVD– to 720×576 (max)
3. Audio Details
File Format
PCM – pulse code modulation (no compression)
.mpg – compressed
.wav – compressed
Dolby digital – AC-3 (proprietary format)
Sampling Rate – 32 KHz, 44, 96, 192, 384, …
Bit Depth – 8 bit, 12, 16, 24, 32, …
4. TV Resolution
Analog
NTSC – 400+ lines
PAL – 525 lines
Digital
480p – 640×480 pixels, progressive scan
720p – 1280×720 pixels, progressive scan
1080i – 1920×1080 pixels, interlaced scan
1080p – 1920×1080 pixels, progressive scan (HDTV)
