The LiveBook Mobile Video Studio
LiveBook: They're not just for audio anymore...
Although the LiveBook is promoted as an audio computer, it has the capacity to handle the extra demands of video (optional extra storage, a bigger screen for more video "real estate," wide viewing angle, and the like). For me, the proof of this came during the 2006 Frankfurt Musik Messe (the world's largest music industry trade show), which coincided with my LiveBook's first major road trip. I shoot a lot of trade show videos to post on the harmony-central.com web site, and was hoping to be able to do some editing in the hotel after the show so I could get some of the work done while the event was fresh in my mind.
The LiveBook turned out to be a great vido editing platform. I used a pretty modest collection of tools: Aside from the camcorder, you can turn your LiveBook into a mini-video editing suite (well, maybe not so mini) for around a couple hundred dollars...here's how.
The camera.
First, you'll need a MiniDV camera. A FireWire or IEEE 1394 port is essential, as that's how you'll transfer video from the camera to the LiveBook's IEEE 1394 port. Note that not all camcorder companies actually call this a FireWire port; it may just be called "DV port" or whatever. But do check to make sure any camera is truly IEEE 1394-compatible before you buy it.
There are many suitable cameras in the sub-$500 range. My camera is a Panasonic PV-GS250, which is a little higher up on the food chain. Its main claim to fame is a Leica lens for shooting stills, so you get a decent camera along with video capabilities. The stills are stored on an SD cartridge, which conveniently slips into the LiveBook's card reader when you want to do transfers - definitely easier than hooking up a USB cable, although you can do that too.
Also note that you need a 4-pin to 4-pin IEEE 1394 cable to get from the camera to the LiveBook. You can find this pricey little puppy (why are cables so expensive, anyway?) at electronics stores and office supply shops.
Figure 1 - Click to englarge
The software.
Again, you have quite a few choices. My favorite Windows video editing program is Sony Vegas (see Fig. 1), but if you're on a budget, Sony also makes a "lite" version called Sony Movie Studio + DVD that sells for under $100. It not only does video editing, but can also do DVD authoring (which is pretty cool if you upgraded your LiveBook optical drive to the model that burns DVDs). Don't be misled by the price: There are transitions, effects, multiple tracks, fast editing, and just about everything you need to cut basic videos.
Although the LiveBook is promoted as an audio computer, it has the capacity to handle the extra demands of video
The narration.
Many of the projects I do require narration, and the easy answer while on the road is Samson's C01U USB mic (Blue also makes a USB mic that has a great reputation, but I haven't had a chance to check it out yet.) The C01U is a class-compliant USB device that plugs right into the LiveBook USB port, so no special drivers are required; however, Samson does offer a free custom driver on www.samsontech.com that allows for easier gain setting and adds a phase switch and low-cut filter. It's a fairly substantial mic in terms of size, so it's convenient that it doesn't need a separate audio interface or mic preamp. The quality is surprisingly good, given the under-$100 street price.
The music.
For times when I need themes or music beds, Cakewalk SONAR or Propellerhead Reason gets the call (both are installed on my LiveBook). SONAR is best if I'm using loop libraries with digital audio files, as they can just drop into Sonar and you can put together a background fast. If I didn't bring any loop libraries with suitable files, Reason contains a lot of soft synths suitable for creating custom music. I use a program called Bome's Mouse Keyboard, which allows using the LiveBook QWERTY keyboard to play MIDI notes into Reason or other programs. The only drawback is latency (around 30 ms) when using the LiveBook's internal AC97-based audio.
Aside from a spare camcorder battery (always a good idea!) and a bunch of DV tapes, that's all you need to do video on the road. Although it's helpful to have a separate external drive like the Rain Recording StormDrive, that's not essential - the internal drive has no problem capturing video as long as you don't have multiple processes going on at once, and defragment your drive before you start editing. But bear in mind that video has a major appetite for hard disk space (about 100MB/minute) so you may need an external drive anyway if you'll be doing lots of editing.
So yes, the LiveBook does audio...but if you're so inclined, it does a fine job on video too. It was a
relief to get back to the states knowing that I already had quite a bit of finished, rendered video sitting on my hard drive.
Copyright 2006 by Craig Anderton and licensed to Rain Recording. All rights reserved.
Author
Musician/author Craig Anderton has played Carnegie Hall, been involved with dozens of major label releases as a musician, producer, or engineer, and plays guitar with the Cologne, Germany-based group Rei$ Force. He has written several books, including the classic "Home Recording for Musicians," as well as thousands of articles. Craig has also given seminars on technology and the arts in 37 states, 10 countries, and three languages. Currently he is a regular contributor to EQ, Keyboard, Pro Sound News, Performing Songwriter, Sound on Sound (UK), and Keyboards - Recording and Computers (Germany).