1) Do I need to purchase a DV Camera to use this technology ?

Using a DV Camera can simplify the process since the video footage can be transferred directly to your NLE System with only a 1394 cable. In the case of a Beta cam a play out deck with a composite or component output is required. Using an A to D converter box the video can be digitized for NLE System use and ultimately converted to MPEG-2 for file transfer.

2) Why not capture my footage in Real-time MPEG-2? Would not that save time ?

MPEG-2 is a compression algorithm that was not designed for editing. This compression scheme uses what are know as I, P, and B frames in groups know as the GOP. Only the I frame in the GOP contains all of the picture frame information. As a result doing a precision edit is not possible. For this reason ENG FTP requires that all submitted material be edited in native DV format and then compressed to MPEG

3) Once I have my edited MPEG-2 file ready for upload how do I get it to the File      Transfer Server ?

This can be done with any High Speed IP connection and simple FTP software. IP connections can be made by Inmarsat modems, Hotel broadband, and even a regional Wifi. Using an FTP Program to access the server is as straight forward as MS Explorer navigation. The ENG FTP server is available to clients and crews however some end users may have their own.

4) At what rate should I encode my MPEG-2 file ?

A given is that the better the quality the larger the file you will need to transfer. The range is usually between 3 Mbs and 9 Mbs. Using variable bitrate encoding lessens file size as does the way the material was shot. Using Variable Bitrate Encoding (VBR) the more movement in the material the larger the final file size will be. The key is to remove movement that does not contribute to the story. ENG FTP has some preset encoding configurations that we believe provide the maximum quality with the least compromise in quality.

5) What FTP software do you recommend ?

IP Switch WS FTP is a commonly used program as is Cute FTP. Both programs allow you to log into a server to either place or extract a file. They also indicate the connection speed and will restart the transfer if your connection is lost.

6) How does the network convert my MPEG file to analog video?

In the case of the VST this is done using a professional MPEG-2 Decoder card the same type of card used in broadcast servers.  We use the line level audio and composite video output as our source for the satellite uplink.  In other cases a Media Converter can be used as well as an import into some NLE systems for output or additional editing. 

7) How does this compare with Streaming Video ?

The simple answer is both systems use computers and IP connections. After that the similarities stop. MPEG files are capable of being viewed on a television monitor while Streaming Video is typically watched on a computer screen.