AWA 2010 - Pro downloads active; Expo 4 days left, August 20

[godix]

55 - Ya know, 'epic' and 'long' are not synonyms... 2/5

They are in "MY" pants. LULZ

Nah but for real, thanks for the 2/5. We shall see how it holds up after this weekend.

It'll probably do well, there wasn't that much competition for it really. Regardless, it wouldn't be the first time I have a different opinion than others. You don't have to thank me for the 2/5 though, the video deserved it.

[Phantasmagoriat]

I didn't see an "AWA feedback" thread anywhere, and if this gets a discussion going, maybe a coordinator can make a separate thread for AWA feedback... so:

• I think AWA Pro should allow editors to upload/download their own *distribution copies* of their videos [creditless of course]
  -If AWA already allows individual downloads, why not have the best quality possible?
  -For a 'Pro' contest, shouldn't quality matter? [for example, I tried watching the winning video "The Apple Tree" in SD, but quickly opted for the HD version]
  -Allows editor to determine the balance between quality and file-size [even if limits are placed]
  -By entering this contest, I think it can be assumed that we know how to encode our own videos
  -Allows various file types/formats, framerates, resolutions, aspect ratios, luma ranges, subtitle support etc... generally better encoding methods.
  -Makes issues related to conversion non-existent [I had sync-issues last year, and quality-issues this year... and I could tell this changed some people's impression of my video]
  -Adds familiarity to the contest [it'd be just like uploading to the .org]
  -Quality would be up-to-par with videos downloaded from the .org
  -Basically it would be a much better viewing experience

• I liked having the .mpg files available to check for proper playback at AWA...
  -that was an excellent idea. Maybe this could be done for expo as well...?

Anyways, I don't know what other people think, but these are just a couple suggestions

[Vlad G Pohnert]

For the judging that might be ok, however for show at the con that is another story in general. For Main events at most cons you're stuf with a SD projector connected to a DVD player so pretty much all the video have to be compiled into DVD mpeg complicant files.

Vlad

[Phantasmagoriat]

Yes, of course, I meant strictly for Pro since the contest is essentially online, and is geared towards computer playback. And after seeing your announcement thread this morning Vlad, I know of *at least* four people that made videos originally in HD: you, me, Khameleon808, and Nessephanie. I'm sure the viewing experience would have been much more enjoyable if we could have uploaded/downloaded the original distribution copies. It's not just the HD option either, there are a number of other advantages [listed above]

[Vlad G Pohnert]

Yes, of course, I meant strictly for Pro since the contest is essentially online, and is geared towards computer playback. And after seeing your announcement thread this morning Vlad, I know of *at least* four people that made videos originally in HD: you, me, Khameleon808, and Nessephanie. I'm sure the viewing experience would have been much more enjoyable if we could have uploaded/downloaded the original distribution copies. It's not just the HD option either, there are a number of other advantages [listed above]

Well, actually the last video I did was in 720p... Again, I don't dissagree with that... One day SD will only be a thing old folks talk about (probably mp4 too at the rate tech stuff is going...)

Vlad

[godix]

As Vlad says, the problem is in the showing rather than the judging. Judging really is the least of concerns, most people I've ever heard talk about it say the important thing is that the video be seen at the con showing.

Actually, if you spoke with the coordinators before hand, they were willing to work with editors. I had a 1600x480 video (yes yes, I typed that right) I was thinking about submitting to Pro. So I asked if I could submit two versions - a full resolution one for judges to download and a 720x480 for display at the con. Eventually I decided to not submit since I wasn't happy with the results of forcing it into 720x480 though. Since I didn't do it, I don't know for sure they would have accepted this, but they were receptive to the possibility and didn't dismiss me out of hand. Coordinators provide their contact info for a reason, use it if you got reasonable requests like this. The worst that happens is they say no.

That being said, I do know that AWA people are aware of these concerns. It's entirely possible some things will be changed next year. I'm not on the AWA staff so I don't know what, if anything, they're going to do. However, I have a pretty high confidence cons will deal with HD in the near future.

[Nya-chan Production]

How much is HD projector's cost (a one that could be connected to MPC-HC with codecs on notebook that almost anyone has today)?

[Pwolf]

How much is HD projector's cost (a one that could be connected to MPC-HC with codecs on notebook that almost anyone has today)?

Lower end, about $1000 - $2000 for 1080p

[Vlad G Pohnert]

the problem with HD Projectors is the low end ones do not have the brightness (lums)... A real good SD projector you can rent can get up to 10,000 lums (which is what I have at Sakura-Con).. best you can do with HD right now is may 5,000-6000 lums andf they are EXPENSIVE. Sure you can get a 10,000 lums, but that is out of anyone's budget even to rent!

I would rather stay with a SD projector for now that can do 1024x768 or better VGA resolution but have 10K lums as the picture is then rocks solid and Nice on a HUGE screen) untill HD projerctors for big screens are more resonable.

I think we will still see DVD in main event rooms as the norn, however I do this changing so HD is not that far away for becomign main stream at cons.

Vlad

[Nya-chan Production]

And why can't SD projectors be used for HD content in mp4 again?

Excuse me (I don't know US con scene, obviously), it's just that all the local (Czech, Hungarian, Slovakian, etc) cons I know of screen 720p mp4s (and other formats) just fine.