mpeg

Patent cloud looms over Google Web video plan

In mid-May, Google launched an ambitious effort called WebM to make it as easy and cheap to put video on the Web as it is to put photos there today.

At the heart of WebM is Google's new royalty-free, open-source technology called VP8 that combines modern streaming-video features with a price tag of zero. But almost immediately after Google allies made their jubilant statements, a more sober question arose: does Google's gift actually come with strings attached?

A video patent licensing group called MPEG LA is publicly questioning VP8's patent pedigree and raising the prospect that those … Read more

Get a Sanyo 720p camcorder for $149.99

Remember the Sanyo Xacti 1080p camcorder deal I posted last week? At $380, it was probably cost a little more than what most folks wanted to spend. Now I have a much  cheaper deal that might be Xacti what you're looking for--sorry for the pun. OK,  no I'm not.)

Geeks.com has the Sanyo Xacti VPC-ZH1 720p camcorder for $149.99. That is after applying coupon code ZH1R at checkout and adding about $11 for shipping to the cost.

This deal came to my attention on Friday, so there's a good chance it will sell … Read more

Get a Sanyo 1080p camcorder for $380 shipped

I'm a big fan of camcorders, especially the pocket variety. When they cost less than $100, I'm a big fan.

However, more serious moviemaking requires more serious hardware, and the pocket cams really don't have the right stuff. You need a larger camera, one with a lot of bells, whistles, and pixels.

Abe's of Maine has the Sanyo Xacti VPC-FH1 1080p camcorder for $379.95 with free shipping. You get that price by applying the LOYALTY10 coupon code at checkout.

Bells? Whistles? Pixels? The VPC-FH1's got 'em in spades. For starters, it captures full 1080p … Read more

Buggy video converter

There are a lot of video file converters out there, and most of them are quite similar, allowing users to convert videos between different file formats. Unfortunately, the only thing that sets Leap Free All to AVI MPEG4 WMV MOV FLASH Converter apart from the competition is the fact that it doesn't work very well.

We had high hopes when we first opened the program. The interface is clean and intuitive, with large graphical buttons. We were excited to see that the program also includes a YouTube downloader, and we decided to try that first. We were disappointed to … Read more

Simple DVD maker

Joboshare MPEG to DVD Converter is an easy-to-use program that lets you burn MPEG video files to DVDs. The program isn't fancy, but it's a great choice for quickly editing videos and burning them to DVDs.

The program's interface is quite sleek and intuitive, with all of its major features represented by attractive graphical buttons. A small preview window lets you view the videos you are working with, which is a very helpful feature, and you can also preview a variety of templates for the DVD's menu. To create a DVD, users simply add individual files … Read more

Sony replaces Webbies with 'bloggies,' seriously

I remember groaning when Sony introduced us to its Webbie branding for MPEG-4 camcorders last year; this year's redubbing them as "bloggie" (complete with lower case "b") leaves me dumbfounded. Sony says the target audience for these models is 16-28-year-olds and moms aged 25-40; I guess those demographics must be intimidated by products with names that end in consonant sounds, or they don't realize that blogs live on the Web. If anyone out there can tell me why "bloggie" might succeed where "Webbie" implicitly failed, please have at it in … Read more

HD hero

With the advent of high-definition video, many people are finding that programs like Windows Media Player just aren't good enough anymore. HD video demands a player that can do it justice, and DivX 7 for Windows handles this task formidably.

DiVX 7 for Windows is actually a whole suite of utilities, including a player, converter, codec, Web player, and DirectShows filter. We put each of the applications through its paces and found them all to be intuitive and well designed. The player is specially designed to maximize the appearance and audio of high-definition video, and the converter allows users … Read more

Quick conversion

MySoft's MyVideoConverter is an all-in-one software solution for converting digital video files from one format to another. It touts lightning-fast conversions, high-quality video output, and an easy-to-manage interface.

MyVideoConverter's clean, Windows-style interface certainly facilitates the quick-and-easy conversions it promises, with four easy steps: 1) Click Add a Task to select the source file, target, quality, and output format; 2) load a video file; 3) enter a name for the output file; and 4) click OK. MyVideoConverter does the rest, and quickly, too, just as advertised. If you have orphan video files that have been hanging around your hard … Read more

Amazon.com has the Aiptek MPVR 6MP MPEG4 Digital Camcorder for $88.80, after $61.19 savings.

Save $61.19 on the Aiptek MPVR 6MP MPEG4 Digital Camcorder from Amazon.com >> Regular price is $149.99 >> Sale price is $88.8 >> Savings $61.19 (40.80%) >> Click here for deal