2 Free Software to Backup Your DVDs

Before DVDs, if that’ll ever come the day, leave us, there are still so many movie lovers addicted to DVDs. They prefer to enjoy movies with DVDs at home in the living room. But chances are that sometimes after searching all day for a classic DVD you’ve collected and inserting it, when you realize that it’s damaged.

That’s way annoying, isn’t it? Although news came from Disney that: users can get new copies from without requiring customers to purchase a new one (but not free: DVD for $6.95 each and Blu-ray $8.95). They only referred to Disney DVD movies. The following software would help you backup your DVDs as digital copies.

Super
Super-simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer is a freeware for video converting provided by FFmpeg, MEncode, MPlayer, etc. With it you can convert DVD to many video formats (and .iso images) you need for your portable devices or for other purposes. In addition, it could merge several videos into one. It is said Super even accept custom option for users.

Its operating interface seems to be kind of complicated, which may make it difficult for some users for the first time. Till now, it only supports Windows OS. The biggest flaw I personally think is there’s even no way of getting support and help: email, telephone or live chat, nothing works.

Format Factory
This is an awesome free format converting tool: videos, audios and images are all supported. Formats can be easily converted with it with a nice icon-driven interface, including DVD to other formats. Besides, it could be applied for batch media conversion.
It's a pity that there’s only Windows version available at the moment.

Well, these two are not professional (specialized) in DVD ripping, though, they work well. Too many other tools for DVD to be listed here, I’ll introduce some other ones, maybe some of the best paid ones from my personal experience, just for your references.

Will DVD soon be Replaced by BD?

DVD seemed to lose its favor over the years; more and more people tend to watch movies online. If for better effects, they usually would prefer Blu-ray movies rather than DVD ones. So people would wonder if DVD would be replaced?　Just the way it took the place of VCD years earlier.

With great improvements in BD technology, digital HD and 3D demand (for better UE), BD’s march to people’s life becomes possible and needful. Back to the BDA’s reference in 2011, BD showed its great possibility to the world’s media industry.

Will DVD be displaced then?

Pros:
It’s just a matter of time; DVDs will be taken over by BD, sooner or later. It’s how technology moves: isn’t DVD the replacement of VHS, VCD back to the late 1990s’, to some extent?　
BD could provide better visual effects, audio and video quality.
BD also possesses larger storage volume of 25 GB which is about 10 times that of DVD.
HD TV and 3D effects requirement are acting as accelerator for BD’s promotion. That’s to say, BD can meet people’s needs for visual enjoyment to the most.
And more and more laptops even do not contain a DVD driver which makes it impossible to view DVD movies in laptop for some.

Cons:
In a general way, BD does takes too much to afford for many people, far more than that of DVD.
Both the disc and the player, which would be a real headache, stop it’s becoming widely-used. Worse still, there are always poor pirated so-called BD disc (could be cheap as DVD or even cheaper) would cause bad impact to BD.
There is lacking of BD movie source, many blockbusters would not be available these days.
Besides, HD online video players, HD TV, are also taking part into this video battle to win its own place. Online 3D and HD videos are becoming easier and easier to obtain.

Since its launch back to 2000, Blu-ray took 3 years for the original model. By the year of 2006, commercial applications began, just for 1 and half years’ time, it beat HD DVD. According to the research data of In-Stat, the selling share in North American of BD and DVD was 38% and 62% separately. Japan, as the birthplace of BD still remains as the biggest consuming market. And till the end of 2010, the number of users from the large video rental company that have chosen BD has reached up to 15%. In-Stat predicted that 2015 would be DVD’s last year when BD rules the markets.

The fact is that newly-risen technology would like to be subtitle to the older one. Or may there exits some tech. else of even more astonishing features than BD? To me, I would most likely to choose affordable ones, and convenient ones. Probably streaming media, online movies would be my personal choices; all I need is just network and laptop. What do you say?　

Movies: DVD or Stream Media Online? Probably BD

Many analysts believe that DVDs are doomed to be disappear, although once as a main media of movies/videos, with the development of digital version movies uploaded online, there's little room for its existence. Worse still, the new risen Blu-ray HD movies also rub salt to the wounds. Sooner or later, DVD will leave us.

DVD collectors may feel disappointed about such result, while the sell of DVDs or the years were going down at a rapid speed. Not just from the stress of Blu-ray, some of the newly-released laptops even do not have a built-in DVD driver which makes it harder for DVD's survival. These somehow force people to watch videos or movies through the modern way-online viewing, what we call streaming media. Continuous, real-time and temporality, these three outstanding features out weight some limitations of streaming media. Viewing online, you need no driver, no waiting, even portable devices like cell phone, pad, or pc, which do have no DVD driver.

One biggest problem of watching through streaming media online is that you have to pay for it. And it allows you to watch it in 24 hours only, otherwise you have to repay it. Besides, it actually costs almost the same as a DVD.

One more thing, people would like the background story that may be embedded at the end of the DVD movies, some even include another end of the movies. After all, you have to wait for months or maybe longer for the movies set online for people to pay and watch.

To some extent, the statistics below could tell something (image from MacRumours)

Personally, I'll choose online movies mostly, however, I prefer the way DVD is, maybe as a collector's choice. It can store your data, and you don't have to worry about the network, or the limitation of certain data stream. What do you think? Will DVDs still be alive years later? Or will BD die as well?

5 Free Video Editing Tools

Video editing tools could always beautify your personal videos before you uploading to websites for sharing. There are many of these programs that can be found, such as YouTube video editor, iMovie, etc., as have mentioned before. This article would introduce some other free video editors for readers’ reference.

1. YouTube video editor
As the largest video sharing hub in the world, YouTube offer users an easy way to edit the videos they’ve uploaded to the YouTube website. Some of the basic video editing effects and also some new features exist as face blurring, 3D, etc. YouTube Video editor absolutely make your video editing and sharing effortlessly.

2. Windows Movie Maker
This free movie maker for editing videos by Microsoft has been discussed before in my previous blogs. In windows XP OS PC, you can make your own videos, and then edit the picture, audio effects for better viewing. Microsoft has many add-ons for this movie maker. Updates are available in the official Microsoft website.

3.Wax
Wax is definitely a good choice as a high performance and flexible video compositing and special effects software, whether for personal use or for business use. You can compose your dream video sequence with ease by using this tool. Being used as either a stand-alone video editor or as a plugin to other video editor, it would always perform well. It supports many video formats and also can create 3D viewing mode. It’s perfect for both beginners and professional users.

4. Zwei-Stein 
Well, this is free for personal use. With a technical interface, this full featured editor can edit up to 256 video, audio, and still image clips, each with up to 64 effects chained serially. Cropping, panning and custom effects are easy with automatic key frames.

 5. ZS4 Video Editor
As the new incarnation of Zwei-Stein, ZS4 Video Editor is advanced video editng and compositing toll with over 150 built-in video effects.

Many other video editors like Avid FreeDV which supports both Mac and Windows. This solid video software provides basic video and audio editing capabilities, as well as up to two streams of real-time effects. But it is not available any more.

Maybe you can choose one that is suitable for your video sharing needs. Although people do think that free ware like Windows movie maker just change videos slightly. After all, they’ll make your videos full of fun with some basic effects for free.

Video Editing in Adobe Photoshop

As a graphics editing program developed by Adobe Systems, Adobe Photoshop is mostly regarded as the most wonderful image editing tool ever. Cropping, slicing, drawing, typing and many other editing functions are all available in this software for image. However, Adobe Photoshop can also be a video editing tool for you to do some basic editing effects as well-help you create and enhance visual effects and motion graphics, or to prepare still images and text for inclusion in video projects.

As to the video editing function, it is an extend edition to Adobe CS5/6, which is comprehensive and efficient with a broad compatibility of video file formats such as MOV, AVI, FLC, MPEG-4, and FLV formats and easy workflow. Video layers can be easily modified, with features like adding text and the animating singe images, by using the simple combination of keys. Besides, 2D elements of an artwork could be turned into 3D version without efforts. In this Adobe CS5 extended edition, extrusions of texts, an available library of materials for three-dimensional and even wrapping two-dimensional images around 3D geometry are all possible.

It is still a shot to people to see standard and extended versions of Photoshop version5/6 have video import and editing capabilities, with a video editing timeline in it. It is quite easy to import videos into Adobe Photoshop, similarly to adding images into Photoshop. Importing the videos from your devices to a new Photoshop document, and then going back to the import dialog to select the second option for any subsequent videos, which is simple, one video each time, is all you need to do for video input.

With this video editing function, your videos can be adjusted in a better way. Color and exposure adjustments, as well as layers, work just how you’d expect them to. If you like, you can add borders, textures, filters, and even audio tracks to your video according to your preference. Once the editing is finished, you’re presented with just a handful exporting options. It's no Premier, Final Cut, or even iMovie, but Photoshop aficionados will feel right at home inside the new video editor.

22 years have passed since 1990; Adobe Photoshop has always been the best image editing tool around the world. The 6 versions during the past two decades also show how Photoshop improves, with more features & functions added and modified each time. Video editing certainly outstands among these astonishing developments.

Besides, the following video from YouTube is for your reference(there are more in YouTube if you're interested):

Mac and Win Video Editing Software from Adobe

Founded in 1982, Adobe System Incorporated is a multinational computer software company in America, which has historically focused on the creation of multimedia and creativity software products and enriches the internet application software development. Premiere Elements, Premiere Pro, and After Effects are 3 video editing software for Win and Mac OS X by Adobe System.I collected some information and made some summarization as below for your references.

Premiere Elements
As a scaled-down version of the professional-level Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Premiere Elements is a video editing software application for nonlinear video editing, which can handle unlimited video and audio tracks, with multiple keyframed effects applied to each clip, as well as Picture-in-picture and chromakey capabilities. It can be optionally bundled with Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Many third-party plugins for additional features, Premiere Pro plugins included, are supported by this editor. In addition, features like real-time video rendering which allows the user to instantly preview edits made to the video timeline is also available in this software.

Premiere Elements goes well with Windows XP and also for Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Premiere Pro
Generally being viewed as the successor to Adobe Premiere, Premiere Pro is a timeline-based video editing software application.

Though as part of the Adobe Creative Suite, a suite of graphic design, video editing and web development applications, people can purchase it separately. The fact is that it is widely used by broadcasters and in movies, such as BBC, The Social Network, respectively. And more!

Due to the plugin in it, wide range of video and audio formats can be supported by it for both Mac and Win OS, input or output, which beyond that of QuickTime or DirectShow. Effects of 3D editing with the ability to view 3D material using 2D monitors, can be fulfilled when used with Cineform’s Neo line of plugins, while making individual left and right eye adjustments. As a result, this program is definitely intensified by the 3rd party plugins.

After Effects
In most cases, After Effects is used as a digital motion graphics and compositing software in the post-production process of filmmaking and television production for primarily used for creating motion graphics and visual effects. Actually, it can also be used as a basic non-linear editor and a media transcoder. It integrates with other Adobe software as Illustrator, PS, Flash, etc. and 3rd party 3D programs as Cinema 4D and Autodesk 3ds Max, etc.

Thus, users can animate, change, or even recreate media in 2D and 3D with the built-in tools and third-party plugins. Believe it or not, parallax and user-adjustable angle of observation- individual attention also add effects to it.

Free Cross-platform Video Editor CineFX Tutorial

Jahshaka (formerly known as CineFX) aims to become a cross-platform, open source, free, video editing software, effects, and compositing suite. It is currently in alpha stage, supporting realtime effects rendering, but lacking useful implementations of many features such as the non-linear editing system. It is written using Qt, but its user interface is written using an OpenGL library to create GUIs.

This is an introductory tutorial on Jahshaka (Cinefx) covering the editing module.

3 Free Open-source Video Editors for Linux

Video editors could always make your videos better for display. There are various video editors around, for mac, YouTube video editor is available, for win, the free windows movie maker will be perfect, and then as to Linux, the video editors below are for your reference. BTW, all are free!

1. Avidemux
Avidemux is a free and open-source video editing program designed for video editing and video processing. Simple cutting, filtering and encoding, can be fulfilled with it. It is compatible with many video formats such as AVI, DVD compatible MPEG, and Mp4 etc.

Features like WYSIWYG interface, easy conversion from one format to another, filtering effects and a built-in subtitles, make Avidemux outstanding.

Avidemux is available for almost all distributions of Linux that are capable of compiling C++, GTK+ and the SpiderMonkey JavaScript engine.

2. Kdenlive
Kdenlive, which is short for KDE Non-Linear Video Editor, is another free and open-source video editor for GNU/Linux and FreeBSD. Kdenlive is an intuitive and powerful multi-track video editor, including most recent video technologies.

With a simple interface, this editor integrates well with the desktop manager, which ensures its high speed and simplicity. The editing process such as adding effects, adding clips, can be done by simply drag-and-drop.

A wide range of video formats are supported by it, as well as many kinds of camcorders and cameras. Advanced features like sepia, grayscale, gamma, inverse color, speed changes, etc. can be found in this program.

3. FFmpeg
As a free software project that produces libraries and programs for handling multimedia data, FFmpeg is widely used in Linux. The fact is that although developed under GNU/Linux, FFmpeg can be compiled under most operating systems, including Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, AmigaOS and its heir MorphOS. Most computing platforms and microprocessor instruction set architectures are also supported by it.

The 3 free open-source software above, for editing videos in Linux probably is just for beginners. Many kinds of other video editing tools can be found as well, such as LiVES Video Editor I’ve mentioned in the previous blog. Still too many to list, you can choose one you need accordingly.

Video Editor of Layers of Features-Lives for Linux

LiVES is an advanced video editor that can double as a video jockey (VJ) tool. It is surprisingly powerful. But its interface makes it rather simple to learn. In fact, it has so many feature levels that this app would be right at home as the video editor of choice in any professional film editing studio.

I had almost no trouble putting LiVES to work on a current project before I even finished my initial shakedown of this application. This trial-by-fire test run proved highly successful. I was able to give LiVES a thorough hands-on evaluation while finishing an instructional video for an upcoming presentation.

LiVES took my mind off of technicalities such as formats, frame sizes and frame rates. Instead, it let me focus on importing clips, editing frames and adding audio. I discovered early on in this process that I could record my voice contributions in real time and then edit the soundtrack later.

For those more technically suited, LiVES is frame and sample accurate. You can control it remotely as well as with scripted commands for use as a video server. For those more oriented to editing tasks, LiVES is a top-of-the-line editing tool for mixing and switching clips from the keyboard. It is packed with real-time effects.

Jump-Start Options

Unless you are a purist, you can start LiVES by clicking its menu entry. But more experienced video users with a penchant for avoiding starting and loading files can force-start the process using a terminal command with parameters. For example, type the program's name followed by the file name to run LiVES and have it load a particular video or film clip -- or sets of clips -- at the same time.

You can build on this approach and start the video project file at a specific point. Do this by adding the running time point you want. That command looks like this:

lives [file name] [start time]

Apple iOS 6 will Remove YouTube app

Reports from Apple and Google claim that there won’t be YouTube app as default equipment in the next generation of iPhone, or any other i–devices with iOS6 operation system from apple, which makes people recall of the fracas between the two companies to be one of the reasons. The next iPhone which is said to schedule for release in fall this year, will for the first time not include a built-in YouTube client. However, it is said that the update version of iOS5 won’t exclude this app from YouTube.

“Our license to include the YouTube app in iOS has ended, customers can use YouTube in the Safari browser and Google is working on a new YouTube app to be on the App Store,” Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller told Macworld.

Many people are trying to figure out the reasons for such deed from Apple, since Apple and Google have been in a subtle and cooperation relationship for years. But as Google’s promotion of its own Android smartphone-Nexus, etc. which is thought to be copycat of iPhone, and the fracas over the years leads to the breakup.

In addition, Apple also removed the Google Map app from i-devices as well. People said Apple need no help from Google.

Well, though big changes will take place in the soon-coming iPhone and new iPad, there is no need of worrying about what the users' should do because of the removal of such apps. The fact is, as a third-party supplier, Google will develop its own app for maps or for YouTube for users. To some extent, users of i-devices would even feel more comfortable since there’s YouTube sharing app from app store without the built-in one. Moreover, Google’ app will more than likely include additional features, such as its own notifications and ad integration.

New Home for Investigative Journalism on YouTube

Some of the biggest news stories of recent times have played out on YouTube—we’ve been transfixed by citizen-uploaded footage coming out of the Middle East, gained unique perspectives on natural disasters thanks to on-the-spot reporting and security cameras, and seen citizens document elections via video to ensure fair process. This growing volume of news-related video has contributed to the now 72 hours of content uploaded to YouTube every minute.

In this age of abundant content and short attention spans, thoughtful analysis and rigorous reporting is more important than ever before. That’s why we’re so pleased that investigative reporting now has a new home on YouTube—The I Files. Curated by the Center for Investigative Reporting with funding from the Knight Foundation, The I Files will be a hub and community for investigative journalism on the web, showcasing reporting that digs deep into stories, gives background to complex issues, and reveals details that help us make better sense of our world.

Contributors to The I Files include such luminary media outlets as The New York Times, BBC, ABC News and Al Jazeera, and organizations like the Investigative News Network and their member non-profit news organizations like the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, the Center for Public Integrity, and the Investigative Workshop at American University.

Subscribe to youtube.com/ifiles to get the best of online investigative journalism delivered to you as it happens.

David Gehring, News Content Partnerships Manager, recently watched “The hidden cost of hamburgers.”

From youtube-global.blogspot

Best Video Editors for Mobile Olympic Videos (4 more)

Day 10 of the London 2012 Olympics, the competitions are fiercely ongoing. As sports fans, you may have collected quite some video clips of Olympics. Whether on your mobile or on your computer, you can edit them with online video editors to make it perfect for sharing. Except for the top 4 online video editing tools which have already been introduced in my previous article, today another 4 more online editors are for your choices to beautify your Olympic video clips.
1. Creaza
Creaza is web-based and you run the program in your browser. Creaza is available for PC, MAC, and Linux users alike. This tool is popular among thousands of teachers and students. With it, you can shoot and capture videos with your mobile phone, then upload them to your personal media library in the cloud. Then edit your video clips with some professional effects: titles, transitions, effects, music, etc. And after editing, you can publish your videos to social networks for sharing.

2. Stupeflix
With Stupeflix, you can choose beautiful themes, add photos and videos together, add text, choose background music, add maps and add text to speech. All these effects will help you perfect your videos, makes your simple slideshow into astounding videos.

3. One True Media
As online video editing tools, no software is needed. Video editing could be finished in just 3 simple steps: upload your videos and photos as well; mix effects, transitions, text and music or you can choose a style; post to Facebook, YouTube, Twitter. Get a link, download or DVD. In fact, they offer many themes for users such as weddings, school, holidays, graduation, summer, etc. Maybe you can use it this summer to make it full of fun.

4. Pixorial
It is recommended as the easiest way to edit and share videos on Google drive. With Pixorial, edit, upload and share video clips seem to be so easy. You can store and manage any videos from vintage to mobile. With so many funny and interesting effects available, your videos can be edited with really cool/sound effects for sharing. You can also choose to be private or social sharing within your private media library.

My favorite athlete is Liu Xiang from China; I would like to edit the videos clips of his Olympic performance in 2004 I’ve collected. I’m expecting his success this year in 2012. Besides, I’ve already made one of another great Olympian Phelps-the historical Olympian ever.

Well, you can also edit your own Olympic videos and have fun!

How to Copy DVD Movies?

DVD used as container for some wonderful movies definitely would be perfect for movie lovers as collectors’ edition. Yet, sometimes DVD may be damaged and unreadable. A backup copy for these classic movie DVDs helps.

Besides, traditional way of enjoying DVD movies is out of date nowadays. More and more people tend to watch movies on the go, anytime they want. Thus a copy of DVD at least exists for two reasons: for backup copy and for convenience purposes.

As a perfect “1 click DVD copy” program, Leawo DVD Copy makes it possible for movie fans to enjoy DVD conveniently by copying it to hard disk or DVD player. Worried about some DVDs are being protected? Leawo DVD Copy also solves it in a simple click.

For novice computer users to enjoy DVD movies, the tutorial below shows how it works:

1. Import DVD.
In “Source” drop-down panel, you can load DVD discs, DVD folders and ISO image files according to your need. Here I take DVD folder as an example.

2. Select output target.
In “Target” panel, choose the output destination for the copied DVD files on your computer.

3. Settings.
Set the specifications for the output DVD files. In “Disc type” panel: DVD-5 or DVD-9. In “Copy mode”: Full movie and Main movie mode. In addition, you can also create your own “custom mode”. After setting copy mode, in “Disc label” panel, click “More info” to set “audio selection” and “subtitle selection”. Meanwhile you can preview the DVD video.

After all is set, click the “start” button to copy DVD files.

You can save the copied files and the transfer it to disc, PC folder or ISO image file. Then you don’t worry about breaking your classic DVD movies. And Leawo DVD Copy causes rarely no quality loss. Enjoy your DVD movies!

YouTube Creator Space

We’re sure you’ll agree that our YouTube stars are some of the most imaginative and creative around. It is amazing to think that some of the most successful creators on the platform, with millions of views, use little more than their bedrooms, a webcam and any props they can lay their hands on to produce compelling videos and build a global fanbase.

But many of our partners are ready to take their channels to the next level by using the latest equipment and editing techniques as well as tapping into the valuable advice from other experts and YouTube stars.

With this in mind we’re delighted to announce that in the next few weeks we’ll be opening the doors to our new creator space, housed in the offices of Google London’s Soho office. Our partners from all over Europe, Middle East and Africa will be able to book time in the space to create and collaborate with other creators, learn new techniques, as well as gaining access to state-of-the-art audio visual equipment, to help them generate great new content for their channels. The creator space is complete with the latest equipment such as DSLRs and cinema cameras, two studios including a green screen and editing suites.

The space will be overseen by the YouTube Next Lab, a team focused on accelerating the growth and development of channels and creators on YouTube. The Next Lab has launched programs like YouTube NextUp (now in 11 countries), Creator Academy and the YouTube Creator Playbook. More information on how to book will be posted on our Creator Hub.

From youtubecreator

Don't Let Your YouTube Videos Bore Your Audience

A study conducted at the University of South Australia's Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science found videos that evoke positive emotions (exhilaration, hilarity, astonishment, happiness, and inspiration) were more likely to be shared. I suspect these emotions are also the most likely to engage your customers and prompt them to subscribe to your YouTube brand channel.

For example, take a look at "The Force: Volkswagen Commercial," if you haven't already seen it. This is the most popular video on the Volkswagen USA channel with almost 53.8 million views. It also has more than 205,000 likes and less than 3,400 dislikes. That's a good ratio.

A pint-sized Darth Vader is astonished when he uses the Force on his father's new 2012 Passat in the driveway. This award-winning commercial first aired during the Super Bowl in 2011. According to the Mashable Global Ads Chart, it is also the most shared video ad of all time with more than 5.5 million shares.

Creating a laugh out loud (or a "rolling on the floor laughing") response is a key element to creating a viral video hit according to recent research conducted by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. I think it is also more likely to turn viewers into subscribers.

Dr. Karen Nelson-Field, who conducted the research, says, "Marketers should try and up-scale the degree of arousal so if they think something is amusing, they need to get it to a point where someone will actually physically laugh out loud."

She adds, "I think the opportunity missed for marketers is they send out a video that misses the sharing opportunity but perhaps maybe worse -- bores their audience."

From imediaconnection