re subtitling consortium

[GavinRees@aol.com]

It has been really good to see that people have been really getting onto the 
subtitling band wagon. I would just like to reply to one small point, though. 
People who despise technology, please avert your gaze.  

Markus wrote: 

<<
>Copy protection

If you use the digitizing route on computer, the copy protection on video
tapes does not work. It only affects dubbing to tape.
>>


That is not actually true, I am afraid. It depends on the CODEC that you are  
using, that is the mathematical procedure used for converting the signel, be 
it analogue or digital,  to a digital format which the computer can 
interpret. Most of the cheap video editing systems, which educational 
establishments are buying at the moment, use DV firewire. Protected video 
tapes contain a signel which freaks out the mathematics that the CODEC uses 
causing the computer to abort capture. When the various manufacturers set the 
standard, Sony, which also has major software rights, insisted that some form 
of copy protection be included. (I think it is called Macrovision.)

The good news is is that you cant strip the signel out from the analogue 
output, before it goes digital if you have the right piece of electronics.  
It is not very expensive.  (I doubt though you would be able to do this going 
direcltly from copy-protected DVD to DV.)

If you use an Avid or a Media 100, then it probably is not a problem, but I 
don't know for sure. As with all of these technical things, it is really 
important to make double sure, before investing in anything. Saying that I 
don't want to pour cold water on everybody's ardour. 

All the best, 


Gavin Rees