video

The response to my post last week about how to convert digital photo collections to DVD slide shows was a resounding, "Whatever. How can I grab a screenshot from a video or DVD?"

Who knew that the number of would-be "screencappers" was so legion? Regardless, I'm your humble servant, and your wish is generally my command.

First off, for image screen captures of digital video files, I highly recommend VLC Media Player. I know I mention the free media player quite a bit, but it's still the cream of the freeware video crop for me due to its light footprint and flexibility.… Read more

Despite what Apple loyalists may think, iTunes needs NBC Universal more than the network needs iTunes, according to a report issued by Forrester Research.

As NBC shows such as The Office and Heroes began disappearing from iTunes over the weekend, James McQuivey, a Forrester analyst, warned Apple executives that it was in their best interest to "win NBC back."

In the report issued Monday, McQuivey asked what good it is equipping iPods with video monitors if there isn't any video to watch. The way McQuivey sees it, NBC Universal is the clear winner in the feud between … Read more

Today marks an important milestone in Web video. Hulu, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite online video sites, has started to add high-definition videos to its site. The most recent release of Adobe Flash Player added support for streaming HD, using H.264 encoding.

Hulu's HD Gallery is a little bit limited right now, only offering nine HD movie trailers, but we can assume that Hulu will probably be adding HD versions of other content in the future. Noticeably absent from the HD offering is the ability to embed the video in another Web page, which is a killer feature of Hulu, in my opinion.

Hulu is serving up its HD video in 1,280x720 and requires some beefy system specifications, including a 2.5 Mbps Internet connection. Hulu has a whole lot going for it right now, and it will only get better as the company signs more networks and studios. The embed feature is really great and it makes it easy (and legal!) to serve up your favorite shows on your Web site. For your viewing pleasure, I'm going to leave you with one of my personal favorites.

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There's no shortage of video-to-iPhone converters on the market, but these two freeware contenders do a more-than-decent job of making individual files iPhone-ready. Don't expect much interface gloss or batch conversion with either. However, both apps quickly produce workable iPhone videos without much fuss.

Free Video to iPhone Converter tells it like it is. The rough 'n' ready app takes up minimal screen space and memory. Browsing for links and converting quickly is easy, since there aren't too many additional tabs or buttons where you can get lost. There is, however, a useful function for trimming videos … Read more

Two of the most effective tools I've found for keeping videos embedded in Web pages are the Free FLV Converter and RealPlayer. Yes, that RealPlayer.

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Are you a fan of Instructables or SuTree? Looking for a place with just science-related items? SciVee is a site for video clips of science experiments and processes that might be just up your alley. The service originally opened up to the public in late August but today is unveiling a newer, updated look with some new features to help users find and interact with content.

At its heart, the site has been designed with scientists (both established and fledgling) in mind, and according to an article yesterday by the Associated Press, creator Phil Bourne launched the site as a … Read more

Now that the deal between Vivendi and Activision has been officially announced, it looks like the former will take two-thirds control in the popular developer and be able to compete more effectively against the video game industry's de facto big shot--EA.

And while the $1.7 billion will allow Vivendi to become a more "complete" organization that can offer a wide array of games for people on all platforms, I just can't see how this will benefit any consumers.

Sure, the merger between Vivendi and Activision will finally create a competitor for the behemoth that is EA and with Activision's current streak of 74 percent growth since 2003 as compared to EA's paltry 25 percent, it's certainly possible that the former could overtake the latter in terms of size within the next decade.

But is an environment where two major video game developers control a significant stake of the market really beneficial to consumers? Unfortunately, the answer is no.… Read more

Even though the whole gadget galaxy sometimes seems to be going retro, every once in awhile we come across a product that actually doesn't want to stay stuck in the past. Case in point: The makers of the iMep video boombox have come up with an updated version of the portable multimedia player that has a more streamlined look and is built to withstand the rigors of today's rough-and-tumble personal entertainment world.

Like the earlier disco model, this new mobile system has a 7-inch LCD, iPod dock, DVD player, and other features, but it also has a "… Read more

I woke up this morning to news that France's Vivendi has agreed to buy a controlling interest in Activision, perhaps creating the world's-largest independent video game company.

The new entity will be known as Activision Blizzard--a suitable name based on the fact that Activision has the best-known video game brand in the new company, but that Vivendi's Blizzard Entertainment unit also produces World of Warcraft, one of the most successful massively multiplayer online games of all time.

But what is not clear is whether the new company will be able to achieve something that is clearly part … Read more