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  1. I have been given the task of teaching a broadcasting class (think: multimedia) for our school. We have an in-house tv system that allows us to prepare video news, photos, graphics - even rss feeds and send them to the system. I have been running for a semester with only a MacBook Air to do the filming, editing, etc. I have been asked to submit an equipment list for next year.

    My questions and comments:
    1. I want to order a jog wheel - suggestions on brands? I need durable and functional, though probably cannot buy the most expensive (<=$125). But...is a jog wheel as useful as they used to be - given developments in other kinds of input devices? Will something else work better for editing video?
    2. Video editing software - iMovie is not bad but limited. I would prefer a product with more features that is not Apple.
    3. We will be using Photoshop. is there another program out there that will do bulk editing a little more simply than PS? I got a free program with a scanner 10 years ago (maybe "light table" or "light show"??) that would let me select 50 (or more) photos of people (head shots) and would resize them all automatically so that the heads were about the same size. This is our most commonly used bulk editing function.
    4. Wireless microphones - what kind of features/specs do I need to look at? Given 2 or 3 microphones at about the same price, how should I evaluate them?
    5. Wireless video camera - these seem to be still in their infancy for lower priced models (<$1,000) What do I look for?

    Part of the purpose of this post is to start learning terminology about this field - don't feel you have to "dumb down" your responses.
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  2. Why not promote open software? GIMP is usually (for average user) comparable to Photoshop and latest Adobe subscription model is highly discouraging...
    For image processing (batch) Imagemagick looks as a nice alternative, side to this some processing come be done in ffmpeg or Avisynth.
    yes i know, this is not corporation profile tools but still they give good overall background.
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    I have the ShuttlePro V2 jog wheel. A friend gave it to me when he no longer worked with video. I love it and it works very well.
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  4. Originally Posted by pandy View Post
    Why not promote open software? GIMP is usually (for average user) comparable to Photoshop and latest Adobe subscription model is highly discouraging...
    For image processing (batch) Imagemagick looks as a nice alternative, side to this some processing come be done in ffmpeg or Avisynth.
    yes i know, this is not corporation profile tools but still they give good overall background.
    Or go the exact opposite route. Get the Adobe CC suite which includes Photoshop for stills, Premiere for Editing, Efter Effects for Effects, Audition for Audio as well as other useful tools. (I'm not contradicting Pandy, just opening up options.)

    As for wireless cameras. look at something like the Sony CX-900 for HD. GoPros also do wireless though you obviously wouldn't want one as your main camera. Personally, I see wireless as more trouble than its worth at this point, but that may soon change.

    Low cost wireless mics (~$150) like Azden can work very well, but are more susceptible to interference than their more expensive brethren.
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  5. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    I pay only $9.75 per YEAR for the full, complete Adobe CC suite, due to my wonderful educational discount (no functionality loss either). You can't do better than that - there are even no freeware equivalents with that much power, functionality & UI ease combined. So look into educational discounts - you may be covered also (can't guarantee that rate, however).

    I have that same shuttle and love it also. Works for more than just NLE's, too (customize-able).

    ******************************
    Hardware choices require more nuanced constraints than that.
    First, what's your overall budget?
    What percentages to hardware (production, post/editing, distribution), software, consumables, studio/construction, furniture, insurance/warranties/support?
    What's your mission/expectations?
    How much is going to be done by you? by other faculty/staff? by students?
    What scenarios & environments scopes are you expecting to cover?
    Who is responsible for installation? upkeep/maintenance? storage/loaning? production/publishing deadlines? backups/archives?
    Are your workflow options worked out? are those covered by your budget?

    I wouldn't spend a single dollar until those are ironed out first.

    Also, don't waste your effort on wireless camera solutions at this point (other than single-cam, low-rez, raw/unedited, live web streaming).

    Scott
    Last edited by Cornucopia; 27th May 2016 at 18:24.
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  6. Well, usually education license has some restrictions - i can't use educational license as not being a teacher or student.
    Side to this it is more about future, probably i was wrong on this - educated professionally people going to work in companies that easily can afford for expensive software license, other or not working in profession or using stolen copy.
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  7. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    I didn't say the discount was for everybody. But it is fairly safe to assume that the OP might be able to take advantage of something like it, seeing as how the topic includes teaching.

    Scott

    Btw, I can't make head nor tails of your "side to this comment".
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    Originally Posted by Cornucopia View Post
    I didn't say the discount was for everybody. But it is fairly safe to assume that the OP might be able to take advantage of something like it, seeing as how the topic includes teaching.
    I agree that it could be possible for the OP to make use of Adobe's educational discount. The school might obtain Creative Cloud for Education licenses for computers located in the media lab. Both the OP and his students could also meet the qualifications for a Student and Teacher License to Creative Cloud if they are using their own computers

    From Adobe:
    Student eligibility

    To qualify for a student discount, you must be at least 13 years of age and enrolled in one of the following:
    • University or college — accredited public or private university or college (including community, junior, or vocational college) that grants degrees requiring not less than the equivalent of two years of full-time study*
    • Primary or secondary school — accredited public or private primary or secondary school providing full-time instruction*
    • Homeschool — defined by state homeschooling regulations
    ....

    At checkout, you’ll need to provide the name of your school and indicate whether you are a student, educator, or administrator.
    There is a possibility that there are geographical restrictions, but surely it is worth looking into.
    Last edited by usually_quiet; 28th May 2016 at 12:19.
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  9. General problem is that you learning to use some tools that may be too expensive - i can imagine that it may be serious problem later especially when you must be self hired but ok, assuming that all of them (students) going straight to companies that can afford for all this pro software is fine. From some strange reason even rich companies don't buy such software - at least i can't convince in company (very rich listed on stock exchange) where i work my manager(s) that they should purchase such software but maybe this is because i'm not capable to provide sufficient business justification not sure on this...
    Final effect is that i use open software approach and due of this i can be independent.
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  10. My niece's school still requires students to run Microsoft Office. It makes me a little angry because they're not using it for anything that can't be done with free software. I'm sure they use it very cheaply because it has the "academic" restriction, which really means Microsoft can charge teachers and students what they can afford to pay while charging businesses much more for the same software, and of course it helps lock students into Microsoft software and.... when they leave school... paying for the software a second time.

    Haopengyou,
    Irfanview is primarily an image viewer but it does basic editing and it'll batch edit/resize/convert etc. I can't say I've used the batch conversion function in a long time, but the options look like this. It might do the batch converting you require.

    Click image for larger version

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    Anybody tried OpenShot Video Editor? I've been meaning to but I haven't got around to it yet. It's free.
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    @Haopengyou You mentioned a Mac in your initial post. What operating systems are in use at the school? If most/all students primarily use OS X, that fact would strongly influence the choice of software.
    Last edited by usually_quiet; 29th May 2016 at 22:44.
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    Originally Posted by Haopengyou View Post
    3. We will be using Photoshop. is there another program out there that will do bulk editing a little more simply than PS? I got a free program with a scanner 10 years ago (maybe "light table" or "light show"??) that would let me select 50 (or more) photos of people (head shots) and would resize them all automatically so that the heads were about the same size. This is our most commonly used bulk editing function.
    I forgot to say this yesterday. The only photography software I can think of with a similar name is Adobe Lightroom. I have never used it, but apparently it does do batch editing.
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