So the show begins
VideoForum has long been the biggest and best UK video editing and DVD authoring show, and this month’s event (Jan 25-27) is set to be even better – and not only because of DVdoctor’s participation!The show has relocated from its long-time Wembley home to the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in central London and looks certain to have the HDV higher-definition camcorder system as its major attraction.
The video world has been buzzing frantically since Sony’s pre-Christmas launch of its highly-desirable and hugely innovative prosumer 1080i HDV camcorder, the HDR-FX1, and this model will take centre stage on a huge number of stands at VideoForum 2005. But don’t expect to see it on the Sony Broadcast & Professional stand, which will instead be majoring on the pro variant, the HVR-Z1, due for launch in February.
Where we are expecting to see the FX1 being used and demonstrated, though, is on the of software makers’ stands – if they produce video editing or DVD authoring programs – and also on the stands of all clued-up dedicated video-editing system builders. Software companies want to show the world their HDV-editing solutions, and the system builders want to demonstrate how well they’ve implemented the various software and hardware solutions. Any everyone will be trying to sell-in the HDV concept, which promises wonderful picture quality yet is recorded on standard MiniDV tape with a capture data rate much the same as standard definition DV.
But there are plenty of gotchas, and these won’t necessarily be pointed out by companies trying to get you to buy into HDV. And that’s just one of the many reasons for dropping by the DVdoctor stand (152). Our large team of experts can help you sort fact from fiction, and show you working every currently available prosumer HDV editing solution for Windows (and maybe a beta or two)!
For HDV, the man to talk to first is Alan Roberts - recently retired from BBC R&D but still a consultant to the industry on HD, HDV and much more. Close behind may be Bob Crabtree, the birth-to-burial editor of Computer Video, the magazine that held many a hand through the first steps of video editing and DV authoring (and beyond). Bob has now taken over the editorial reins at DVdoctor Inc (and is the author of these words!).
Alan and Bob will be accompanied by DVdoctor’s (and HEXUS.net’s) Paul Dutton and many of the key long-term contributors to Computer Video mag and to the DVdoctor self-help forums
Look out for Paul Dickin ( Mac guru), Guido Giles (from the broadcast world), Tom Hardwick (camcorder connoisseur, videographer, editor and more), Ray Liffen (Intec Services, ex-BBC) and Gary MacKenzie (yes, Mr Helpful himself). And don’t miss two of the best-respected freelancer writers around today, James Morris (former editor of the UK’s top Windows mag, PC Pro) and Peter Wells (ex-deputy of CV; DVD authoring expert; and the man behind www.punkband.tv). James, Peter and Ray are also giving seminars wearing their DVdoctor hats (or T-shirts, or both).
On Tuesday 25th at 1.15pm, James will explain the importance to editors of PCI Express, the new, fast serial bus standard for motherboards. On Wednesday (10.15am), Peter will detail (from bitter personal experience) the ins and outs of creating commercially-pressed DVDs. Also on Wednesday (5.15pm), DVdoctor will be co-hosting (with Showreel magazine) a seminar on HDV - a Q&A session. All the big names in HDV hardware and software will be on the panel, so get your questions ready! In Ray’s slot – Thursday, 10.15 – he’ll show you how to shoot footage to ensure you get the shots you want and avoid unnecessary editing. If makes sense.
Watch, out, too, for the bargains that’ll be available throughout the show, including deals on the Sony FX1 and Canopus’s NX for HD hardware. Grab the Show Stoppers flyer being handed out to everyone as they come into the show – most of the bargains will be listed. See you there!
Stop Press!
Matteo Ricchetti mod'd Sony FX1 HDV camcorder will be on DVdoctor's VideoForum stand on Wed 26 - and it's been mod'd to take interchangeable lenses! Check out these links!
This is Matteo, with the beast.
These are some shots of the mod being undertaken.
And these are some stills of images he's shot on the camcorder with different lenses.
