Video Preview Device Recommendation

[David Ruhland]

I used to have a little zoon, Zen, or something similer to that.... It was about 2 inches..I believe they called it a MP4 player. Well the darn thing was so small and compact that i misplacd it and cant find it.

I am looking for something to watch videos while sitting on an airplane, or to show a client while having a cup of coffee.
I was thinking maybe the ipad now that the ipad 2 is out, perhaps they are down in price.... I would like to stay in the 200.00 range

Suggestions

[Wayne Reimer]

Go to the apple store, seach away...they have a variety of small and/or diminuitive video/music players. Many other manufacturers do as well these days.

[David Ruhland]

I think I figured out I need an MP4 player...Im going to check into ZUNE players again. Thanks...

[Wayne Reimer]

I'm sorry to say, they've (Zunes) been discontinued. You're most likely to find what you're after with one of Apples offerings

[David Ruhland]

I got the chance to test drive an ipad2 today I really like it...lil pricey yet.... but being a PC person I could really like one of these i think. Actually I think my wife would like it a whole lot more! But then I would never see it. lol

[Wayne Reimer]

I'm a PC guy too, but I bought an ipad ( the first generation) about a week after they became available. I never in a million years dreamed I would use it as much as I do; for entertainment it's fantastic, I use it for word processing, photo storage and editing, and more and more I'm finding seriously useful apps for film-making...teleprompter, slate, a variety of scripting tools, various calculators, etc..
a wonderful machine, truly wonderful

[David Ruhland]

Wayne..

I am confused....How would you edit on this thing? Do you mean photo editing?

Am I able to put PDF documents on it and view them?

Is there a way to format the ipad so it doesnt have all the junk on it like i saw at the store?

[Wayne Reimer]

You can edit both stills and video on the ipad 2. The apps are highly customizable. I suspect the store's copy had a bunch of "entertainment" software on it, but there are literally thousands of applications for photography and video...I read a brief online this afternoon that Adobe is releasing a full verson of photoshop optimized for ipad; not a "lite" version...the full meal deal. the number of video editing apps will likely surge as well with the new model since it has the ability to run iMovie as well.

for configuring, you simply go to the Apps store, pick and choose what you want and download them. Many are free, many more are only a couple of dollars. I currently have 9 different photo editing programs on mine, as well as several video-centric apps. I use the ipad for a teleprompter ( there are several really good apps, quite inexpensive), as a slate ( again, numerous apps for that), a number of script writing tools, aperture calculators, hyperfocal calculators, various clocks and timers, all very useful.

Of course, its wonderful for watching movies, or t.v.shows, as an electronic book reader. I use it many times a day; certainly more than my laptop since everything is almost "instant on"

Forgot to add that yes, you can put PDF's on it with a variety of different applications. I keep electronic copies of all my equipment manuals in the Ibook application. I'm a voracious reader, so I use it as an ebook reader a lot. Right now, I've got in excess of 40 books on it, three fulll length HD movies, probably 30 or 40 different t.v. Episodes, about 3500 photos, my stills portfolio, my video demo reel...so much stuff, it's hard to recall everything I've got on it.

One other thing that I use it for is maitaining electronic photo/video release forms. There are several ways of accomplishing that; I have a standard form, and just have the talent sign with their finger. If you take payments for things via credit card, there is even a service that you can plug in a small credit card dongle to the ipad, swipe their card and have them sign with their finger. You pay a small processing fee, but it's just like having a protable credit card terminal with you all the time.

[David Ruhland]

"Sign with thier finger" Now you have me interested....

So let me get this straight... I can put my model releases on there.. (in Word or PDF format? pull them up and they can sign it with finger. I am interested in this app.

You said you also found a teleprompter and slate app as well? was this also at the app store?


I purchased an ipod a week ago, but its going back to the store because its simply to small for my big fingers!

[Wayne Reimer]

yes. there are a few teleprompter apps, as well as a few different slate apps available, all in the apps store.

pro-prompter, Movie*Slate ( a clapperboard and shot log app) are just a couple of those available.
Several different apps that will let you save copies of documents and sign on screen, as well as editing tools for Lightroom, FCP, and in the very near future Adobe CS5 and CS 5.5, as well as other Adobe creative suite programs.

I use lightroom a lot for stills, and I use an app called LRpad. It allows me to have an image displayed on my computer in lightroom, and adjust all the sliders with a fingertip on my ipad, with the results transmitted to LR via wifi. the latency is almost non-existent...your image changes as you move the slider, and it's much easier than manipulating them with the mouse. with the ipad 2, you now also have Apple iMovie available, so you can shoot and edit video onboard. I think it's only a matter of time before someone writes an app for Sony Vegas, Final Cut to allow you to use the ipad as a control/input/viewing surface.

With Adobe providing a SDK for the CS line of products ( announced at NAB yesterday), I suspect the ipad as a production tool is going to become very much a reality.
Oh, forgot to mention...the Cube also now streams wireless video out to the ipad, so you can even put it to use as a remote monitor should you need to.

I tend to be an early adopter of new tech, and I was with the ipad too. it's an amazingly useful device, and a darned fine media player/ebook reader to boot

[Wayne Reimer]

David,
I had to go and get my ipad to see what the program name was for the release. it's called "Easy Release", cost is $10. they are just releasing an update to it, that adds a bunch of functional improvements; multi language support, the ability to take a photo of the talent and imbed it in the release, fully customizable legal text to suit your specific location.
It's accurate enough that it has approval for use with submissions to Getty Images, and Alamy.
The nice part about the app is that once you've completed the release and gotten the "fingertip" signature, it automatically emails a PDF to you. I just drop them into the file folder that I create for each project with all the working edits, renders, clips, etc. so I have everything in one place at the end of each day.
BTW, this app is also available for the iphone and the touch as well.

[David Ruhland]

Wayne...

I have to tell you... that model release app is really slick. I am always misplacing blank releases.... and also completed releases.

The bad news is i cant find an ipad2! As fast as they come in to the local Apple store they are sold.! Best buy is having difficulty getting them as well!

Ill keep trying!...but the ipod is going back!

[Wayne Reimer]

It really is. I had the same problem; by the time you'd finish a day of shooting, I'd spend hours gathering paper up. No longer, thank goodness.

You may actually have better luck ordering directly from Apple, or from a Canadian supplier. For some reason, the second version of the ipad hasn't pulled nearly the interest the first one did. I live in a relatively small city on the Canadian prairies, and there are at least three separate locations within 5 miles of me with lots of stock

[Kin Lau]

I got my iPad2 at a store that specialize in Macs, everyone else was out. But then again, I'm in Canada as well :)

It's definitely a great little device... I wish that it's support for full HD video was better. It's only in 3rd party apps, not native.

[David Ruhland]

Have you rendered your own videos and tried them on the ipad? What size, resolution, bitrate is optimal for the ipad, and is there a difference in rendering out for the ipad, vs ipad2?