A Short Course in Digital Video

Like all camcorders, DV camcorders use CCDs to capture the moving images, but they store the images in a high-quality, endlessly reproducible, easily edited, digital format.

Guide to Making MP3 Files

With the right software and hardware, it's easy to use MP3s to turn your computer into a virtual jukebox, create audio files that are nearly indistinguishable from the original source, make compilation discs from your CD collection, and share music with your friends.

MP3s

MP3 stands for MPEG 1 (Motion Picture Experts Group) Layer 3. It's a digital audio compression format built from over 15 years of psycho-acoustical research. MP3 squishes down sound files 10-15 times smaller than a parent file.

MP3 Package

Our MP3 package covers pretty much all you need to get started MP3ing. First, Adam covers covers the legal and ethical issues behind the MP3 phenomenon. Then he takes a look at the music industry and how MP3 just might be the catalyst that changes it all. And then, last but not least, Nate fills you in on how to rip, download, and play your very own MP3s.

Digital Audio Formats

Digital audio comes in many different formats, and multiple formats will be a fact of life for the foreseeable future. Groups like MPEG have created open standards, but even formats based on the same MPEG standard may not compatible with each other because of proprietary components.

The Basics of Digital TV & HDTV

In a nutshell, high-definition television delivers a greatly improved wide-screen picture and better-quality sound (including the option of Dolby Digital surround sound). HDTV is also broadcast to your home in digital form.

HDTV Standards and Definitions

HDTV is a type of television signal, which is scheduled by government mandate to replace the current US standard, NTSC, by the year 2006. HDTV is different from NTSC in several ways.

The Guide to Digital Television

Broadcast stations have several digital television broadcast options, including multicasting several channels of programming at once, upconverting standard definition images, or providing high-speed data services.

The Beginner's Starting Point

Don’t know anything about computer audio? Want to refresh your memory on the basics? This is the spot! We understand that not every music-lover is also in love with their PC or knows everything about PC audio, so we’ve written these step-by-step instructions (in plain English!) to help you get started.

Creating Custom CDs

This tutorial will show you how to prepare CD tracks, MP3s, even music from tapes and records, and how to burn this music onto your own mix CD. We'll even help you learn how to do fun things like add voice clips in between songs radio-show style, or use a wave editor to add useful effects.