Many are confused because of the marketing ploy that somehow recording only 24 fps instead of the video standard 30 fps will transform the look of video to look like film.
But frame rate has nothing to do with the look. Just pause a football game on your DVR. Does it suddenly look "film like?" No. It just looks like frozen video. Do the same for a movie and it still looks film like.
That's because the film look does not lie in frame rates. iMax used 48fps in some theaters in the 1990's and I thought it was very film like. RED digital movie cameras simulate film looks very well but their 30 fps gallery samples look just as film like as the 24 fps ones. The film look lies in things like the gamma of film and the boundaries between contrasting regions of an image. In video with high "presence" there is a distinct boundary, and a hard cut, or hard transition between highly contrasting regions of an image, such as a yellow sail against a blue sky. It's almost as if a thin black line separated the two. The sail "pops" against the blue sky more like real life.
In the awful "motion smoothing" gimmick that is being added to 120 and 240 Hz LCD TV's they actually do add a thin black line around some images, making a movie look like it was a behind-the-scenes Handycam shot. Awful! In fact, in Best Buy the other day they were playing a Green Hornet promo as part of the demo video and you literally couldn't tell the actual movie scenes from cheap behind-the-scenes shots except one had cameras and crew and the other didn't. Great! Turn multi-million dollar movies into junk that looks like it was shot on a $400 Sony.
But film, and the high end "digital cinema" video (Panavion and RED) have softer transitions than video and look exactly like film except without grain or jitter--two artifacts film makers try to eliminate.
That's because film has a much greater dynamic range that older video. What that means is a "softer" look. If you've played with HDR (high dynamic range) digital photos you know what an unprocessed HDR photo looks like: flat, low contrast, sort of grayed out like it was foggy when you took the photo. That's because you've captured a lot of dynamic range (a lot of shades of gray if you will) between the brightest whites and the darkest blacks. Film stock doesn't go to that extreme, but it does capture more dynamic range of luminance than older or low end video, blending contrasting regions more gently.
Actually the "p" part of 24p does help somewhat. Progressive video does not have the "feathering" artifact of old NTSC interleaved fields. Go back and look at some home video from the 90's or early 2000's that you've uploaded to your computer (assuming you have an LCD display) and you'll see when motion occurs there is a jagged edge, or "feathered" edge where the odd and even fields of video interleaved 60 times a second. Progressive video (both SD and HD) removes that artifact. In QuickTime you can deinterlace old video and on an LCD display it does make it look more film like, simply because it removes obvious artifacts.
Film has some interesting advantages related to it's look:
Ironically film masks the use of painted props because it does not pick up subtle clues that video does. If you've ever seen a set on a "behind the scenes" video it all looks fake. You can tell it's plywood and plastic and not brick and steel. That means that within the film world everything looks more plausible, more real in a sense. Film makers have long known this and that's why live staged sit coms like Cheers were shot on 16 or 35 mm film even though they were going to be shown on TV. The 2nd Bob Newhart show actually begin in video for its first few episodes, and it looked obviously fake. The producers quickly switched to film and then the set looked like a real Vermont hotel. It was believable.
Further proof that 24p does not magically transform video to film like are all those awful local cheap TV commercials being shot on Handycams at "film like 24 p" but jump 6 frames every second to make up for the fact they are missing 6 frames! What editing software are these clowns using? I can't even make Final Cut do that. But the point is their funky video for local merchants looks like video. Bad video at that.
Why 24fps in film, then? Because it's cheaper than 30 or 48 or 60 fps. Animators, whether traditional or digital, do not want to have to deal with more frames per second. Shows and movies shot on real film ditto. And even digital cinema camera usually stick to 24p because 1) it takes less storage and 2) they can get away with it and 3) most of the industry is geared that way.
But you can take a digital cinema camera and shoot 30fps and it still looks very film like. Or, take the Nikon D7000 and shoot 720p and 30 frames per second with a wide aperture and you'll see it is very film like, despite being shot at a "video" rate.
The only film-like thing 24p does is make some motion, particularly panning, look a little less smooth. But suppose you had a scene of a speaker standing at a podium waiting to begin speaking, almost motionless. You could instantly distinguish low end HD video of that person versus had it been captured on 35mm film. It just looks different, even when frame rate is not affecting motion.
But the line is blurring! I mentioned the Nikon D7000 SLR. You can watch video samples on YouTube where a wide aperture throws the background into soft focus and you will think it is film, despite being captured in 30fps. And the Red camera has become a mid-range digital "film" staple that perfectly mimics the film gamma and transitions between contrasting regions. But, a still frame from the Red will look film like because of how it handles image information, not frame rate. Of course many films today are being shot on high end digital film cameras such as Panavision or Arri as well. But it's all image handling, not frame rate that really makes the "film look."
Conversely, sports and news are two media that despite using high end HD cameras intentionally dial up contrasty, punchy video to give a more live "you are there" look.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Dave Ramsey, If Federal Budget Scaled to Household Budget
Dave Ramsey posted this on his daveramsey.com Web site:
What would happen if John Q. Public and his wife called my show with these kinds of numbers? Here’s how their financial situation would stack up:
What would happen if John Q. Public and his wife called my show with these kinds of numbers? Here’s how their financial situation would stack up:
If their household income was $55,000 per year, they’d actually be spending $96,500—$41,500 more than they made! That means they’re spending 175% of their annual income! So, in 2011 they’d add $41,500 of debt to their current credit card debt of $366,000!I can see the call now, "Dave, we make $55k a year, spend $96k a year, and have a credit card balance of $366k. What do we do?"
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Debt Ceiling Myth - The End is Near! Or Is It?
Let me see if I can understand this, because, as you know, money works differently for the Federal Government than for all 50 States, and for all individuals on planet earth. Or does it?
Timmy Geithner of "can't figure out TurboTax" fame is so smart, that he assures us that if we don't raise our debt ceiling (i.e., the credit limit on the national credit card) then that equals "default." But does it? Last I checked default is when you stop paying off debt, and has nothing to do with raising your debt limit. Just the opposite, in fact!
Geithener and Obama never explain why that would be any different from a State, or a business, or a family having to live within it's means. They just says it, and we are to believe it. End of argument. The truth is, it is not different at all. The only thing at stake are politicians getting re-elected.
Obama and the Dems sound like the guy sitting at the craps table, who just "knows" that if he can just borrow to bet a little more then his ship will come in.
Not raising the debt limit in no way means default on our payments of debt.
The federal government currently wastes 4 billion dollars a day on interest payments and is adding new debt by deficit spending to the tune of 3.8 billion dollars a day.
We could scrap the entire Dept of Education. It's doubled it's budget in two years. It dwarfs Homeland Security. The Department of Labor has tripled it's budget in just two years, adding 120 billion a year to it's budget for a total of 180 billion! For what? Agriculture has increased 33% or 40 billion more a year.
Timmy Geithner of "can't figure out TurboTax" fame is so smart, that he assures us that if we don't raise our debt ceiling (i.e., the credit limit on the national credit card) then that equals "default." But does it? Last I checked default is when you stop paying off debt, and has nothing to do with raising your debt limit. Just the opposite, in fact!
Geithener and Obama never explain why that would be any different from a State, or a business, or a family having to live within it's means. They just says it, and we are to believe it. End of argument. The truth is, it is not different at all. The only thing at stake are politicians getting re-elected.
Obama and the Dems sound like the guy sitting at the craps table, who just "knows" that if he can just borrow to bet a little more then his ship will come in.
Not raising the debt limit in no way means default on our payments of debt.
The federal government currently wastes 4 billion dollars a day on interest payments and is adding new debt by deficit spending to the tune of 3.8 billion dollars a day.
We could scrap the entire Dept of Education. It's doubled it's budget in two years. It dwarfs Homeland Security. The Department of Labor has tripled it's budget in just two years, adding 120 billion a year to it's budget for a total of 180 billion! For what? Agriculture has increased 33% or 40 billion more a year.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
ILD & Compufix Phone Bill Rip Off On Your Verizon or AT&T
Check your phone bill for unauthorized charges by a company called Compufix, complicit with ILD Teleservices. Compufix Online of Studio City, CA is a pure rip off organization just hoping you won't notice their fraudulent charges on your bill. They use cramming, which is illegal and apparently also simply "harvest" names and phone numbers from undisclosed sources and start charging them. They will try to make their monthly 12.95 charge recurring.
I noticed a charge funneled by ILD for Compufix Tech support & computer repair Mth of $12.95 with the taxes of $1.45 for a total of $14.40. I checked with family members. No one had clicked anything, signed up for anything, or had ever heard of this California base outfit. It's url is compufixonline.com Here is their address
I called ILD's 800 number 800-433-4518 and got the voice message everyone apparently gets that says, "We'll call you back." Right.
So I called Verizon to have it taken off. They said, "Why don't you call ILD?" I let them know I did but I'm not in the business of trying to deal with fraudsters when Verizon obviously knows exactly who these people are. Just Google ILD and you'll pull up hundreds of complaints of fraudulent charges over the past several months for a variety of major carriers, many involving Compufix, a small store front operation in a strip shopping center in Studio City, California. Compufix claims to provide tech support, anti spyware online, etc. and they can "fix" your computer over the internet. They claim they provide "five hours of consulting" for just 12.95 a month. Really? Do the math. And based on hundreds of complaints of fraudulent charges of 12.95 in which people have never even heard of Compufix Online that seems highly unlikely.
ILD piously claims to take every precaution to screen their third party billers. Obviously not!
Hint to Verizon: you want my continued business, file complaints with the California attorney general against Compufix and protect your customers.
ConsumerAffairs.com has a whole page on them
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/cell_phones/ild.html
The unhelpful suggestion of Verizon was, well just deduct that and pay the balance to us. Of course then they hound you for insufficient payment for several months.
Here is a similar complaint from one person on consumeraffairs.com
When Chip Smedley, a staff writer for Lancaster Online called to investigate as a "watchdog" he reported:
In your typical 10 or more page phone bill it's easy to miss the sudden charge. That exactly what Compufix counts on! Unlike your credit/debit card, there is no identity theft protection with third party billing. You are simply out of luck. If the scum who bill you don't remove the charge it stays there forever. If you don't spot it, then you are out the money. That why it's a small charge of only $12.95. They hope you won't notice. And they make it a monthly subscription so it recurs.
And let's think about it: "five hours of consulting time" for a measly $12.95?? Who are they paying to do the consulting? Let's see, that works out to a gross of $2.59 per hour for their professional consulting advice. Watchdog, do the math! No way! It's a pure scam.
Oh, and Compufix Online of Studio City also says they'll give you downloads to "fix" your spyware and viruses on your computer. I bet. I wouldn't download anything from these crooks.
You can read the Watchdog report at:
FOLLOW UP May 18, 2011
I got Verizon to adjust my bill and remove the charge. I had called Verizon twice and insisted on getting in writing the adjustment to my bill, less the 14.40 for my records. I also forwarded the basic info from above on CompuFix and suggested Verizon protect its customers in such notable cases.
I noticed a charge funneled by ILD for Compufix Tech support & computer repair Mth of $12.95 with the taxes of $1.45 for a total of $14.40. I checked with family members. No one had clicked anything, signed up for anything, or had ever heard of this California base outfit. It's url is compufixonline.com Here is their address
Compufix Online
11271 Ventura Blvd. #217, Studio City, CA 91604
888-736-3799
I called ILD's 800 number 800-433-4518 and got the voice message everyone apparently gets that says, "We'll call you back." Right.
So I called Verizon to have it taken off. They said, "Why don't you call ILD?" I let them know I did but I'm not in the business of trying to deal with fraudsters when Verizon obviously knows exactly who these people are. Just Google ILD and you'll pull up hundreds of complaints of fraudulent charges over the past several months for a variety of major carriers, many involving Compufix, a small store front operation in a strip shopping center in Studio City, California. Compufix claims to provide tech support, anti spyware online, etc. and they can "fix" your computer over the internet. They claim they provide "five hours of consulting" for just 12.95 a month. Really? Do the math. And based on hundreds of complaints of fraudulent charges of 12.95 in which people have never even heard of Compufix Online that seems highly unlikely.
ILD piously claims to take every precaution to screen their third party billers. Obviously not!
Hint to Verizon: you want my continued business, file complaints with the California attorney general against Compufix and protect your customers.
ConsumerAffairs.com has a whole page on them
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/cell_phones/ild.html
The unhelpful suggestion of Verizon was, well just deduct that and pay the balance to us. Of course then they hound you for insufficient payment for several months.
Here is a similar complaint from one person on consumeraffairs.com
Just found an extra charge of $12.95 monthly plus tax added to my bill by ILD Teleservices for Compufix Inc. I never heard nor dealt with either of these companies before. Called the ILD number and they referred me to the Compufix toll free number * *** *** ****.This is normal for Compufix. This is how they make their money.
They say ther reversed the charges, then I called Verizon to block third party billing on my account. Per FCC rules Verizon must allow thrd party billing un;ess you call them to block it.
When Chip Smedley, a staff writer for Lancaster Online called to investigate as a "watchdog" he reported:
The watchdog called Compu-fix and talked to a supervisor who would only give his name as "James." He explained the company advertises widely on the Internet through e-mails and pop-up banners and the $12.95 fee buys five hours of consulting time.Sorry Chip! James sold you a line. They had gotten my son's name, but he never clicked anything or called any funky 800 or 900 numbers. This out-of-the-blue scenario is the most common complaint. People who obviously never asked for any tech support or heard of Compufix, or clicked on pop ups are getting billed by them. FCC rules foolishly require all third party billing to be processed.
All that is required to sign up is a name and telephone number, since all charges are added directly onto the phone bill.
"It's very easy to sign up," he said.
He said a common situation they encounter is that someone in the household, "like a son, who does have have a credit or debit card," will experience computer problems, see the online banner, call Compu-fix, provide their parents' names and phone number, and get their problem solved.
In your typical 10 or more page phone bill it's easy to miss the sudden charge. That exactly what Compufix counts on! Unlike your credit/debit card, there is no identity theft protection with third party billing. You are simply out of luck. If the scum who bill you don't remove the charge it stays there forever. If you don't spot it, then you are out the money. That why it's a small charge of only $12.95. They hope you won't notice. And they make it a monthly subscription so it recurs.
And let's think about it: "five hours of consulting time" for a measly $12.95?? Who are they paying to do the consulting? Let's see, that works out to a gross of $2.59 per hour for their professional consulting advice. Watchdog, do the math! No way! It's a pure scam.
Oh, and Compufix Online of Studio City also says they'll give you downloads to "fix" your spyware and viruses on your computer. I bet. I wouldn't download anything from these crooks.
You can read the Watchdog report at:
FOLLOW UP May 18, 2011
I got Verizon to adjust my bill and remove the charge. I had called Verizon twice and insisted on getting in writing the adjustment to my bill, less the 14.40 for my records. I also forwarded the basic info from above on CompuFix and suggested Verizon protect its customers in such notable cases.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Unions Breed Helpless Dependency
This morning on a local Tampa radio station the news had a clip from a man who identified himself as an electrician who was out of work because Rick Scott killed the high speed rail between Orlando and Tampa.
His excuse? He said, he was "100 in line from my union for an electricians job." What a helpless peasant mentality! Instead of applying for a job somewhere, anywhere and getting off his couch and off of unemployment, he's going to sit and watch TV and wait for the Union "bat phone" to ring. I have two words: pizza delivery.
This "serf," this lazy man's only hope was the Federal government spending taxpayer money they don't have for a project people won't use and don't need.
A number of years ago in the mid-90's I met a man who was a master electrician who had moved to southwest Florida from Michigan during the building boom. Construction jobs were in high demand everywhere. As we talked he said he was out of work and on unemployment. I was shocked. "You're a master electrician. You could hang up a shingle and have work at $80 an hour tomorrow. How can you be unemployed?" He explained, "Well, I'm union so I can't do that. I can only work Union jobs." I told him Florida was a right to work state. He said yes, but his Union back home wouldn't let him do that. After a minute he said he hear there was one part time Union job at a power plant in the panhandle and he was going to drive up and see about it....400 miles away!
That's your Union mentality. We might as well have share croppers or serfs tilling the Lord Union Boss's estates.
His excuse? He said, he was "100 in line from my union for an electricians job." What a helpless peasant mentality! Instead of applying for a job somewhere, anywhere and getting off his couch and off of unemployment, he's going to sit and watch TV and wait for the Union "bat phone" to ring. I have two words: pizza delivery.
This "serf," this lazy man's only hope was the Federal government spending taxpayer money they don't have for a project people won't use and don't need.
A number of years ago in the mid-90's I met a man who was a master electrician who had moved to southwest Florida from Michigan during the building boom. Construction jobs were in high demand everywhere. As we talked he said he was out of work and on unemployment. I was shocked. "You're a master electrician. You could hang up a shingle and have work at $80 an hour tomorrow. How can you be unemployed?" He explained, "Well, I'm union so I can't do that. I can only work Union jobs." I told him Florida was a right to work state. He said yes, but his Union back home wouldn't let him do that. After a minute he said he hear there was one part time Union job at a power plant in the panhandle and he was going to drive up and see about it....400 miles away!
That's your Union mentality. We might as well have share croppers or serfs tilling the Lord Union Boss's estates.
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