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ie8 fix

mpeg-4

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HandBrake is a free application for converting all types of videos into MPEG-4 files. You might be overwhelmed by the busy interface and numerous options, but once you get started, you'll find that HandBrake offers features that will help any user get up to speed quickly.

HandBrake's interface holds all the tools you need but the wide variety of options can confuse users -- especially beginners. We quickly found that the program's preset options were the quickest and easiest way to convert files. In fact, the moment you find the Presets tab, you'll find the best … 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

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

Sony takes on Flip Video, in Technicolor

Now that Flip has created a market for cheap minicamcorders such as the MinoHD, Sony's decided to jump in with its own offerings, somewhat annoyingly nicknamed the Webbie HD models.

The vertical-style MHS-PM1 seems a better category fit than the MHS-CM1; though like many of its competitors it lacks an optical zoom, it has a nifty swivel lens mount. It records 1080p MPEG-4 video to Memory Stick Duo media at 1,440x1,080-pixel resolution, and shoots stills at a comparatively high resolution (5-megapixels). Also like many competitors, the software it ships with--Picture Motion Browser Portable--doesn't support the Mac.… Read more

Sony offers up Web camcorder with 5X zoom

One of a duo of direct-to-Web HD mini camcorders marking Sony's debut in the market, the MHS-CM1, is modeled more after the traditional cheap designs from Panasonic and Samsung than the new tech toy-type Flip MinoHDs of the world.

The horizontal design does allow for a 5X zoom lens and largish 2.5-inch LCD. However, I found the CM1 oddly uncomfortable to hold. It records 1080p MPEG-4 video to Memory Stick Duos at 1440x1080 resolution, and shoots stills at a comparatively high resolution. Also like many competitors, the software it ships with, Picture Motion Browser Portable, doesn't support … Read more

Pinnacle Video Transfer: Digitizing analog video gets easier

One of the most daunting tasks in video archiving is getting the footage digitized and transferred to an easily accessible storage device. This is especially tiresome and tedious if the original is in tape format.

For this reason, I am impressed with the Video Transfer from Pinnacle.

About the size and weight of a cigarette pack, this little device is capable of converting analog videos from any source into MPEG-4-quality video files and saving them to any USB 2.0 storage device, including thumb drives, without the need for a PC. You can also choose to convert video footage directly … Read more