What do you think of MR's video clips?

[ereimer]

the quality of the second TSL clip is definatly better , not at true DVD quality yet but very acceptable for an online compressed format . it's going to take a while to download a 10 minute clip , even at cable speed

[jfugate]

For what it's worth, if you have a Windows XP system and you are having any problems playing video files in Windows Media Player, go to this link, download and install these codecs:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/format/codecdownload.aspx

This should clear up the problems for most people trying to watch video over the internet with a Windows XP system.

[jfugate]

Bob:

Nice to know you had such problems. DivX works great for me, but sounds like it's a pain for some people. There are other competing MPG4 standards coming out as well, and of course, Microsoft has their own standard too.

Ah, the bleeding edge. [B)] Sounds like it bears more research. Thanks for taking the time to post your less-than-stellar experience.

[Bob Hayes]

Joe,

I finally got the first TSL3 clip to play but, I had to convert it to Divx first, and then play it on their player. Windows Media Player just wouldn't work for me. I got into computers as a tool to be used with trains, not as a second hobby, but lately, it has become a job just getting the computer to work. I'll stick with the DVD's, thank you.

Bob Hayes

[selector]

I replied earlier that the quality is inferior. They load very quickly (cable), but I have to brighten the image to see any detail on the loco. Sound is very good (though my ears are not). There is a lot of shimmer, pixel-wrapping, or what-have-you, so that we get the idea, but that's about it. Nothing you'd save to your hard drive for occasional fun.

[jfugate]

Earlier in this thread there was a lot of discussion about the problems people have trying to play the current MR video clips.

How about the people who have been able to play the clips successfully? Are there any of you out there? And what do you think of their video clips?

[jfugate]

And for each how-to video, I think it would be good to have a dedicated discussion forum thread where the author could answer questions.

Then once several questions have been posted in the discussion forum thread, it would be good to compile a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) so you would not have to wade through the meandering discussion to winow out the questions and their answers.

I'm speaking of how I think an online Model RR how-to video web site ought to work. I've thought of maybe doing such a thing eventually once I finish up my work on my DVD series.

[electrolove]

Joe:

Thats a great idea!

[jfugate]

The one thing with streaming how to videos ... or even DVDs for that matter, is it's hard to go into the layout room and step through it.

That's why I was thinking that any online video subscription should include a free (no extra charge) PDF summary of the material, sort of crib notes, per se.

That way you can watch the video, then print out the PDF as a hardcopy summary / checklist, take it into the layout room and have it right by your side as you work.

[BurlingtonJohn]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jfugate

How many of you have watched the video clips that MR has posted on their site?

I'm curious, what you think of them?

As you may know, I have a model RR how-to video series that I'm producing. It's a multivolume series that covers "from dream to reality" on designing, building, and operating a model railroad. You can buy this video series today on DVD, and it's distributed by http://model-trains-video.com ... volumes 1 & 2 are available, volume 3 will be out next month, and volumes 4 & will come out over the next year.

What would you think of an online video library of 5-10 minute how-to videos that you subscribe to and could watch over the internet?

Or do you prefer just buying a DVD instead?

If the DVD quality video was available as a download (12 MB per minute of video) that you could burn to DVD, would you be interested in that?

Just curious ... I've kicked around the idea of doing something online with streaming video and was wondering how popular -- or unpopular -- that might be.

Anybody want to chime in with an opinion?

I've seen them and they really don't trip my trigger. Sound is poor and video quality marginal (yes, I have a high speed connection, etc, etc, etc).

I'd rather buy the DVD than go to an internet subscription thing (that said, a teaser clip would be okay).

As for the DVD quality download, I would have to see it first, but I would probably stick with the actual DVD.

In regards to streaming video, I am not a big fan.

Regards,
Burlington John
[8D]

[electrolove]

Joe:

Yea, I think I can agree with that, because the content it's taken to another (and better) level. So my answer is yes.

[jfugate]

So elctro, you consider a video by the same author as the written article to be new content, then?

[electrolove]

I'm not sure if I understand your question but I will try to answer.

The video is always better, if it's good quality, and the MR is not! To read an article is great, but it always leaves possibilities for some missunderstanding. To follow a good quality video is much better in that sense. You can see every single step right before your eyes.

I work with computers and the old way to learn is a book. Same thing there, you can always missunderstand things in the book. So every time someone asks me what book they should buy I answer, buy a video training tutorial instead from vtc.com, lynda.com or here in sweden klickdata.se You will see every single click, every meny, you just can't miss it. I think it's the same with train videos, you can see exactly how the work is done. A better way to communicate.

Hope this helps a little.

[jfugate]

Given all this discussion around the PDFs and their lack of new content, what about this:

1. MR prints an article covering some topic, say weathering.
2. MR posts a video by the same author on the same topic.

Do you consider that old or new content?

[johncolley]

I never used to be able to download and play them until my tech-minded grandson somehow doubled my modem speed to 115.2 kbps. I haven't a clue as to what he did but it works fine now! I like them as little quickies but the quality is definitely not on a par with Joe's DVD's. They are nice little teasers, though, as are Joe's "segments". Keep 'em coming!

[jfugate]

George:

My idea was to re-edit the current video series into 5-10 min clips and offer current DVD *subscribers* (those who signed up for the entire 5-volume series) a free subscription to the online site the first year.

I would continue to add new content to the online site, covering various subjects new and old.

The notion of updates is a good one too. Volume 3, the one on DCC, will see about 50% of it's content going obsolete in the next 18 months to 36 months. It will be an ideal candidate for updating.

I agree new content is essential.

[selector]

Yes, night-owl that I am. This one is better, Joe, very nearly the same as the other video. I can still see the fuzzy, heat-shimmer effect, in some instances, but this was a marked improvement. And, sorry to say, it showed some rocking and bucking in your rolling stock. [:O]

Thanks for your efforts to show us a better version. I appreciated it.

[Anonymous]

I'll just add my [2c] here. What I think is lacking in the PDF articles is new content. When I looked over the articles I saw most were just reprintes of old articles. Which is cheap and easy for them but gives us information we already have. I found in most cases we are collectors when it comes to MRR stuff. Most have a subscription and own most of the books. So when the articles were put out most of us realized we already had most of the the stuff.

Now let me bring it full circle. The people who would be purchasing the subscription would be past costumers who may own one or all of your past DVDS. If they see they already have the clips on a DVD they'd pass but if they see it's new material or more in-depth material then they would be more inclined to purchase it. So a scenery technique you glossed over in your video could have it's own 5-10 in depth clip. Another idea is updates on the video. Like most of us you probably learn nw things as you go along. You could add new things that you hadn't learned yet for the video, or a product that hadn't been released yet.

There's a lot you could put on these to make them more appealling to the consumer. Though if they are clips of the DVD's most will skim over them and buy the DVD. If this was the plan from the begining then I would be happy to sign up.
Andrew

[jfugate]

Anyone check out the new and improved TSL3open video?

Just curious ...

[jfugate]

I've posted a better version of the video at:
http://mymemoirs.net/model-trains/mtv/video/TSL3/TSL3open.zip

It is smoother and clearer than the last one (my mistake -- see previous message).

One other comment about watching video on a computer. Standard (non-HD) video is intended to be viewed from a slight distance and not viewed close up.

Consider -- do you sit with your nose 12-18" from your 17" portable TV when you watch it, or do you sit in a chair about 4-8 feet away? If you set the video to play full screen on your computer monitor and then back away to 4-8 feet away, you will see the video as it's intended to be viewed.

Or if you watch it from your computer monitor at 12-18" away, if you cut the video down to half size, again, you get the effect you have when you watch it from across the room, and see the video more as it is intended to be seen on your TV.

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

Joe, for the purposes of feedback, I watched the TL3 and found the video to beconsiderably better than MR's clips, but this one did not seem up to par with the previous one you and I were keeping in context. On a scale from 1-10, the previous one rated about a 9, while I would rate the TL3 about a 7, maybe an 8.

As an aside, how the aitch did you get that track so smooth? I began to focus more on the tops of the box cars to see any discernable rocking or bucking, and saw exactly zero.

Selector:

In checking what I had done on this video, I found out I have reprocessed already processed video. We don't use the video straight out of the digital video camera -- we post-process it to remove interlacing artifacts, add slight motion blur to eliminate ripple, and so on.

But if you post process already post processed video, it just makes it grainy and slighly more blurry. So I will upload the original material post-processed only once to the original link if you want to try it again.

There is still some autofocus hunting on this clip because we wanted to run the train toward the camera and have the camera keep things in focus. It works sort of. We redid this shot about a dozen times and this is the best of the lot as to getting the camera to track on the approaching train. We could probably improve on that if we tried another dozen times, but I do need to get the video out sometime!

As to the track, I use masonite spline, and smooth the top of the spline with a sureform plane first, then lay the track using gray latex caulk. To get the superelevation, I use a piece of 1/16" stripwood along the outside edge of the curve. I lightly sand the stripwood to smooth the joints, and solder the flex track into 6 foot sections when I lay it around curves to eliminate kinks.

By taking some care with the track when you lay it like this, it comes out pretty smooth.

[Anonymous]

Joe,

R.E. The MR pdfs: I think most people here were not happy with the price and the fear that these were expensive McArticles that rehashed stuff that was available somewhere else for less. There may be a market for pdf type stuff if the unit price drops lower and there is a strong perceived value (i.e. your stuff).

[selector]

Joe, for the purposes of feedback, I watched the TL3 and found the video to beconsiderably better than MR's clips, but this one did not seem up to par with the previous one you and I were keeping in context. On a scale from 1-10, the previous one rated about a 9, while I would rate the TL3 about a 7, maybe an 8.

As an aside, how the aitch did you get that track so smooth? I began to focus more on the tops of the box cars to see any discernable rocking or bucking, and saw exactly zero.

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trainnut1250

Joe,

You realize I was joking with the free thing... Just poking gentle fun

Trainnut:

I knew you were joking [:D] ... but there is a grain of truth to your joke. People expect many things online to be free.

The dream would be to have vendor infomercials and ads on a how-to video site and the content itself could be free -- supported totally by ads.

But then lots of ads and popups, etc can get annoying ... and I don't think there's enough ad business online to support such a site. At least not until online video matures more.

[Anonymous]

Joe,

You realize I was joking with the free thing... Just poking gentle fun

[ereimer]

i just downloaded and watched the TSL3 clip and it looks pretty good . i could see downloading a 5-10 minute video if i wanted to see it right away , without waiting for shipping and customs up here

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Trainnut1250


I' not sure how many guys would subscribe to an online service vs buying the DVD. Everything on line is supposed to be free....Right.

Trainnut:

I don't know how many people are buying the PDF downloads from MR -- but if that's getting any traction, there probably would be traction for online video how-tos as well.

Most people on here have been pretty down-in-the-mouth about the PDFs, and any research I've seen shows PDF downloads do okay, but the numbers are much smaller than print media. The same's probably true of DVDs versus online streaming or downloads.

Still, the instant gratification angle is worth something ...

[Anonymous]

Joe,

I would prefer the DVD. I have older equipment and can barely get the MR video to run. I'm thinking that video online is the next wave, but a few years out. The quality needs to improve, I need new gear, and the download time has to be shorter before I would consider paying for it . I get very impatient with down loads personally (I have DSL) and I would prefer to have the info in a DVD format.

I' not sure how many guys would subscribe to an online service vs buying the DVD. Everything on line is supposed to be free....Right.

[jfugate]

CARRfan:

For select beauty shots, we dub in prototype sounds. Be nice if we could get DCC sound to do that ... but we're not there -- yet. I think it will get here eventually.

For the sound decoder demonstrations elsewhere in this video volume, you get the real sound recorded off the layout. The full DVD, which demos all kinds of DVD tips and tricks, should be out in the first half of July.