Hot New Video Recipes from DV Kitchen

February 28, 2010 by · 6 Comments 

Deciding on the best combination of codec, frame size and bitrate is the tricky but essential task faced by anyone encoding video for the web.

In this article, I describe how to use SampleLab, one of 5 unique tools built into video compression suite DV Kitchen to take the guess work out of the encoding equation.

SampleLab is the only tool in the world that is designed to help you determine the best encoding setting for your videos.

Let’s say I have a video of a two people in a park that I want to put on my website. The first question I face is what encoding settings, or recipe, is going to make this clip looks spectacular on the web, but not take up unecessary bandwidth?

That’s the question that SampleLab was designed to answer. A master chef always tastes a variety of samples before finalizing a recipe. A master video compressionist does the same thing.

Fast Start with QuickSpecs

In SampleLab, you have the option to choose an existing recipe or create your own. Either way, the fastest way to get started is with QuickSpecs, the built-in default options. Choose from the amazing x264 codec, Flash FLV, or Windows media formats, choose any frame size and a bitrate, click go and you’re done.

Next, create a second sample with different characteristics and compare it against the first. SampleLab allows you to toggle between your samples while they’re playing in the built in video player.

Repeat the exercise with as many different settings as you like until you are satisfied that you have the achieved the ‘threshold of quality’ (TOQ) . . . the setting that represents the best trade-off between quality and bitrate size.

“TOQ” is the phrase coined by DV Kitchen designer Josh Mellicker to describe the diminishing returns of increasing bitrate over a certain amount for a particular movie. The TOQ of a clip is the “sweet spot” – just enough bitrate so the movie looks fabulous, but no more.

SampleLab is by far the best way to find the TOQ for each clip you encode. When you decide on a winner, save your recipe so you can recall it in the future with a single click.

To learn more about SampleLab, watch the official avi to mp4 mac demo video.

Keep Your Dog Healthy

Can Hamilton Beach Deliver on its Food Processing Promises?

February 2, 2010 by · 6 Comments 

Many appliance companies have food processors for sale, and often each company offers a variety of models that have been designed to meet the needs of a specific kind of consumer. Hamilton Beach is an example of these appliance brands, and their inventory of food processors is comprehensive enough to address the desires of virtually any user. A nice model to look into is the Hamilton Beach 52654 Blender Food Processor.

Hamilton Beach 70670

The flagship Hamilton Beach 70670 Chef Prep 525-watt home food processor is renowned for strength and user-friendliness. This processor has a 10-cup chopping canister, keeping food processing tasks rapid and effortless, regardless of the size. The appliance comes with two reversible discs for shredding, slicing, crinkle cutting and fine shredding. A standard spindle-mounted stainless-steel cutting attachment is additionally included. An added advantage is the inside cord cubby to make counters clean and organized. Hamilton Beach metal components are even dishwasher safe, and therefore easy to cleanse.

However, there are a few flaws experienced when using this Hamilton Beach food processor. For one, the look of this product is less appealing as the appearance of other, costlier machines. This is largely due to the appearance of the chopping bowl which is made of lightweight, cloudy plastic. Another slight frustration is caused by the motor, which is remarkably noisier than normal motors of a comparable strength.

Hamilton Beach 6-cup 70450

Hamilton Beach furthermore markets a smaller, 6-cup 70450 food processor. This machine offers in-bowl blade storage, a 300-watt motor, a diminutive profile and pieces which are dishwasher compatible. This food processor has a two-way pulse dial which could be handy for cooks who like a manual application to vary their processing speed while they combine additional ingredients.One distinctive benefit of this device is its safety feature. This machine will not turn on unless the lid is closed and properly secured. This is important for making sure that fingers can’t enter and materials can’t leave the container while you are processing. Another great option is the Hamilton Beach 52654 Blender Food Processor.

The one problem identified with this particular machine is the awkwardness dealt with as someone is cleaning the parts. The motor shaft assembly is put together in a way that it goes through the blade, consequently, when it is encrusted with scraps, it can be particularly hard to take out. Cleaning the motor shaft with a sponge might likewise probably cause soap residue which may be tasted in your next batch of tomato sauce.

Hamilton Beach 70590

The Hamilton Beach 70590 Big Mouth 14-cup food processor is one more model which includes some individual abilities aimed at a specific type of job. The unique ability of this model is that it could take more substantial ingredients such as entire cucumbers, apples and other sizeable fruits and vegetables. The machine’s modifiable feed chute is really huge, which renders it ideal for bigger bits of food, which obviously means that the next big job can be quicker and simpler to perform. The food processor houses a 450 watt motor. Additional handy attachments include; a four position locking bowl, designed to hold 14-cups of food, as well as the stainless steel chopper, shredder and slicer blades which are a snap to sanitize.

This device has two disadvantages, both of which are concerned with space. Hamilton Beach’s device takes up a lot of storage space, and consequently is not made for a tiny kitchen. In addition, there is a rather large space between the lower edge of the food shaft and the disc, therefore when shredding vegetables, you will usually have a substantial amount of material which stays left over when you are through.

All things considered, if you are looking for a food processor made to work wonders in your kitchen then Hamilton Beach food processors could be a brand you ought to think about.

 

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