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Digital Video and Laptop


Jim,
I have been invited by a world class naturalist to stay with him in the world oldest jungle (Malaysia) for a few months. The intent is to produce a book on his amazing relationship to nature. The best way to record info is with a video camera (with the possibility of a PBS/Discovery Channel production. So I seek your advice on a jungle worthy, lightweight laptop with tons of memory, the best user-friendly but versatile video editing app, and the best value in a small, versatile videocamera.


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February 23, 2000

 
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  Hi Tom,
That's a tough one; I must reluctantly admit I am no expert in these areas of digital video and laptop selection. I'll tell you the little bit I've gained from my experiences, though.

I have turned from doing most of my work on the Mac operating system to only doing a bit of it - scanning and the like. Most people will say that the best video editing apps will be on the Mac; they may be right. Adobe Premier, SoundEdit 16, Avid Video Workshop... these are the main names I have heard. If you can find good programs, though, for NT or Windows 2000, I recommend this OS because it is very fast and prevalent.

I like my ASUS laptop but have not taken it on the road to really test it. Intel or AMD seem to provide the best innerds. A firewire will provide fast downloads of your heavy video files. A USB (if using Mac or Win 2000) will also be helpful for speedy transfers.

Many digital videos today offer still image capture and great low-light capturing. Other than that, I think you will soon be able to teach me more about video that I can teach you (let me know what you discover - both in the consumer jungle and in the Malaysian jungle).

Enjoy!


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March 07, 2000

 
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