Re: [tlug] Mencoder conversion of files

["Lyle H Saxon" <llletters@example.com>]

On Dec 1, 2007 7:05 PM, Godwin Stewart <gstewart@example.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 01 Dec 2007 13:47:11 +0900, Dave M G <dave@example.com> wrote:
>
> > I use the originals, which are already in DVD-ready format to burn to
> > DVDs
>
> That's interesting. I thought you said earlier that they were uncompressed?

Indeed!  I've been working on digitizing some old analog tapes I took
back around 1992 (8mm Hi-8 tape) and when I tried saving one two-hour
tape in raw form, those two hours became just shy of 50GB!!!  (GB with
a "G" not an "M").  4-8GB may seem large, but not in comparison with
50GB!!  But it makes sense when you stop and think of how much data is
in video - 30 pictures per second (NTSC) with sounds, etc.

I'm just now beginning to think about editing this material (first
things is to get it in digital form before the analog equipment that
can play the tapes burns out), but - off-hand - are the tools being
discussed capable of frame-specific accurate editing?  The setup I had
fifteen years ago made use of time code on the tape and was usually
accurate within +/- one frame.  It may sound odd, but for tight edits,
sometimes (often, usually, nearly always) it's good to start at - for
example - 00:05:02:27 and then maybe cut out again at 00:05:03:17 (00
hours, 05 minutes, 03 seconds, 17 frames).

Video is such a money-burner though....  And here I am again burning
money in an attempt to rescue the tapes so expensively taken fifteen
years ago....

Lyle