How to Use the VirtualDub MSU Old Cinema Filter for VideoPad

The VirtualDub MSU Old Cinema Filter is a Free Plugin for VideoPad by MSU Graphics and Media Lab to Give Your Videos an Old Film Look

Download for free here: http://msu-old-cinema-2-0-virtualdub-plugin.soft112.com/

The MSU Old Cinema Effect Filter is an optional VirtualDub plugin for VideoPad similar to the Old Film effect already available in VideoPad but gives you more parameters to control. It works by adding the following to your video or movie:

• Several color correction types
• Vertical stripes
• Adding small and large noise
• Emulsion exfoliation effects

Editor's Note:
VideoPad comes with a built-in old cinema filter, however, for those who want additional controls, we support the Old Cinema plugin. Please note that due to the plugin being a 3rd party product and not maintained by us in any way, we cannot provide technical support if the plugin causes the program to crash. We recommend saving your project before applying the filter.

To install the Old Cinema plugin,

1. Download the filter & specify a location on your computer to save them. We recommend creating a folder called "VirtualDub" to save this and any other VirtualDub effects.
2. Once you have downloaded and saved the Old Cinema plugin, open a video project in VideoPad. Click the Effects button on the Home tab, and from the effects, drop-menu at the top, select Load/Unload VirtualDub Plugins. This will open the Video Effect Plugins window.
3. Click the Load File(s) button and browse to your saved VirtualDub effects. Select the Old Cinema filter (look for .vdf format) and click Open. Click OK to close the Video Effects Plugins window.
4. The filter will be added to the drop menu in the Video Effects window. Select the effect to open it and click the Configure Plugin button to view/adjust its parameters. You can edit the effect any time after it has been applied by clicking this same button from the Applied Effects list for the selected clip. 

Using The Interface and Settings (Advanced Setting Shown)

• 16. Color correction
• No Changes - there is no color correction

• Manual Linear - transform from color to black&white video
  1. Red - Correct red color
  2. Green - Correct green color
  3. Blue - Correct blue color
• Yellow Shift - colors are faded to yellow
• Blue Shift - colors are faded to blue
• Fade effect
• 4. True/False - activates transfer from "Color cinema" to "Old cinema"
  
  5. If 'Fade In' then we transfer from "Color cinema" to "Old cinema", if 'Fade Out' then transfer from "Old cinema" to "Color cinema"
  
  6. Start frame number
  
  7. Duration of transfer (in frames)
• Roller`s track
• 8. Number of tracks
  
  9. Clarity tracks
• Scratch settings
• 10. Number of scratches
  
  11. Probability of scratch
  
  12. How many frames scratch will be shown
  
  13. Clearness of scratch
  
  17. Scratch thickness
• Border fade
• 14. Shape of an ellipse. If this parameter is greater, the ellipse transforms into a rectangle
  
  15. Fade sharpness. If this parameter is greater, pixels outside the ellipse fadeless
• Settings
• Show noise - display large noise
• Screen shivering
• Effect light lamp - colors are faded at the image border
• Random noise on-screen - display small noise
• Flicking - light intensity changes randomly
• Big noise - display large spots

How to Use the VirtualDub MSU Cartoonizer Filter for VideoPad

The VirtualDub MSU Cartoonizer Filter is a Free Plugin for VideoPad by MSU Graphics and Media Lab to Animate Your Videos

Download For Free Here:
video-msu-cartoonizer-virtualdub-plugin.soft112.com

The Cartoonizer filter overlays strokes and edges onto your video to simulate animation and includes a variety of styles such as colored and non-colored pencil, watercolor and oil painting to convert movies into cartoons and also to transform images into artistic paintings.

Editor's Note:
VideoPad comes with a built-in cartoon filter, however, for those who want additional controls, we support the Cartoonizer plugin. Please note that due to the plugin being a 3rd party product and not maintained by us in any way, we cannot provide technical support if the plugin causes the program to crash. We recommend saving your project before applying the filter.

To install the Cartoonizer plugin,

1. Download the filter & specify a location on your computer to save them. We recommend creating a folder called "VirtualDub" to save this and any other VirtualDub effects in.
2. Once you have downloaded and saved the Cartoonizer plugin, open a video project in VideoPad. Click the Effects button on the Home tab, and from the effects, drop-menu at the top, select Load/Unload VirtualDub Plugins. This will open the Video Effect Plugins window.
3. Click the Load File(s) button and browse to your saved VirtualDub effects. Select the Cartoonizer filter (look for .vdf format) and click Open. Click OK to close the Video Effects Plugins window.
4. The filter will be added to the drop menu in the Video Effects window. Select the effect to open it and click the Configure Plugin button to view/adjust its parameters. You can edit the effect at any time after it has been applied by clicking this same button from the Applied Effects list for the selected clip. 

The Interface and Settings

"Painting" mode settings:

Brush Size
Controls the size of the brush. Small brushes make the image more detailed and are recommended to apply small brushes to the video with small resolution. Large brushes make the image more blurred to amplify the non-photorealistic effect.

Brush Wetness
Controls the simulated wetness of a brush, Higher settings reduce the accuracy of strokes.

Color Randomization
Adds variety to the color of strokes.

Color Saturation
Changes Saturation of the resulting image.

Show Edges
This setting allows to render edges and add a stroke to them. and can be modified in Pencil Edge Options.

"Filled Segments" mode settings:

Number of Segments
Controls the number of rendered segments.

Color Saturation
Changes Saturation of the resulting image.

Show Edges
This setting allows to render edges and add a stroke to them. and can be modified in Pencil Edge Options.

"Drawing" mode settings:

Pencil Type
Allows choosing the type of pencil, Black or Colored.

Number of Edges
Controls the number of rendered edges.

Edge Brightness
Controls the brightness of edges for non-colored pencil and saturation for colored pencil.

Edge Thickness
Controls edge thickness.

Edge Accuracy
Controls accuracy of edge rendering. The left side of the bar maximizes precise strokes.

Use Face Detection
If enabled, this setting allows improving the accuracy of rendering for Faces.

General Settings:

Process each N frame
Control the number of processed frames. Each N-th frame is processed, other frames are duplicated. This parameter can be used to reduce the realism of the processed video or decrease shaking. 

To see various examples of how the filter can be used, take a look at the MSU gallery here 

Digitize Video from VHS to AVI, DVD or MPG

Recently we talked about the birthday of audio cassette tapes, and how some of you might have an old collection you might want to consider digitizing. Well, the same can be done with video cassettes too. If you want to digitize old VHS tapes Golden Videos VHS to DVD Converter is here to help with the digital video transformation.

In addition to Golden Videos, you will need a video capture device to connect your VCR to your PC, with your VCR connected and Golden Videos installed the hard part is done. Golden Videos will guide you step by step through converting VHS tapes. The only other things you need are a little patience while the video is being processed and about 80GB of disc space for each 2hr movie you are converting.

The ambitious can go a step further to enhance the newly digitized video files by taking them to other video programs. With either the easy VideoPad video editor or PhotoStage slideshow creator you can easily edit movies and combine video with other media to make video montages of life's golden memories and significant events, saving them into fun and shareable videos for this digital age.

Easy CD/DVD Copying and Burning

As new features and operating systems come out, some things start to go away. You probably don't miss floppy drives much, but one thing that is getting harder on a Mac is an easy way to burn things like your home movies to DVD. If you have videos, music, or even data you want to burn to CD, DVD, or Blu-ray, take a look at this preview of how easy it is to create and copy disc with Express Burn.

Video Competition Tips & Advice

Ready to take your videos beyond home movies? For VideoPad users who are ready to showcase their creativity and videographer skills, we've put together some advice and resources for getting your videos ready to compete.

There is a wide range of video contests out there, put on by all kinds of companies and products, in a variety of themes. The smaller contests will have smaller prizes, but they will also have less competition, so they are still worth considering. To find a contest that appeals to you here are a few sites to explore:

• Online Video Contests
• Video Contest News
• Zoopa Brand–Sponsored Video Contests
• VideoMaker Community Contests

Once you have a contest picked out the real work starts. Be sure to take your time and do your due diligence instead of jumping straight into filming.

Do Your Homework

Make sure that you read the rules and judging criteria carefully. Knowing how a winner will be chosen will help you make a video that will fit the bill.

Scripting and Story Line

Having a good story is key, so take the time to brainstorm until you have a story you are confident in. You want a moving story that fits in with the contest theme and connects with the viewer. Humor is often one way to draw people in, but it isn't always easy to pull off and certainly isn't the only option. You can tug at the heartstrings or appeal to people's sense of justice, etc. The goal is always to create a story people will want to watch through to the end.

Practice and Timing

Since you will almost always have a time limit, you need to make sure you can take your story from beginning to end in the time allowed. With a limited amount of time, subplots and tangents should be scrapped, and you need to grab your audience in the beginning. You want to start with a strong hook, and keep things moving through the conclusion. When reading through your script and practicing, you should not only make sure you are familiar with the dialogue, working on making it sound natural and animated, you should also be testing how long it takes to read through. Does it fit within the video time limitations? As you go through this process you should think about if there are any awkward phrases you should remove, or other edits to either cut down the length or help with the rhythm of your story and keep things moving forward.

Sponsors

Depending on who is sponsoring the contest you may want to try to work them into your video. Maybe use one of their products as a prop or have it in the background. If they are doing the judging this could earn you some brownie points, but don't force it if it really doesn't make sense with your story.

Dialogue and Audio

Audio quality in your video matters. It is an important part of a film as a whole, and poor audio can detract from a film and cause people to lose interest, so don't forget about the audio. Dialogue should sound natural and animated, which can be a challenge both in writing and performing, as well as in the recording. You should strongly consider using an external microphone for recording high-quality audio. You want the dialogue to be easy to hear and understand and have a consistent volume between shots.

If you do use the built-in microphone on your camcorder remember you can still separate the audio from the video so you clean the audio, remove background noise, normalize and make other adjustments. For a closer look at some important audio editing features, you may want to use, see our list of WavePad audio editing tips and tricks.

Adding Music

Adding music to your soundtrack can help draw the audience in, but be sure to balance the volume with any dialogue. And make sure that you either get permission before using copyrighted music from the publisher or steer clear of copy-protected music altogether and use royalty-free music and original works. You may be required to provide proof of copyright/permission for the audio in your video with your submission; using copyrighted music without permission can not only get your video disqualified, but it can also cause legal problems, so getting and sending proof of permission for a piece of music is in your best interests.

Filming and Editing

Important things to remember are that you want to maintain sharp focus and limit the amount of zooming and camera movement. Consider using a tripod during filming. Shaking can be removed from video using video stabilization, and if you are using handheld camcorders or cell phones this will be a necessary step, but using a tripod will eliminate the need for stabilization in editing.

For a closer look at some more VideoPad editing features you may want to use, see our post on video editing tips and tricks, but remember you want to entertain the audience, not to make them nauseous. Excessive camera movement or overdoing the effects can be distracting, and like everything else you want the transitions and movement to support the story, not draw attention to itself.

Double Check Everything

Before you send in your video be sure to double-check everything. Did you follow all of the guidelines? Is the movie saved in the correct format and does it meet the time requirements? After all of the work you put in it, you don't want to have your video thrown out because you forgot something. If you will be submitting your video on a DVD, do not include menus unless they were asked for. The judges will be watching hundreds of entries, so this is another case where time matters and they will want the video to start playing automatically.

Submit Your Video

When you're sure you have dotted all your i's and crossed all your t's send in your submission. If it is being judged by the community be sure to let your friends, family, and colleagues know to check it out and vote for you, otherwise it will now be out of your hands. But win or lose, you should have a video you are proud of.

If you have any more advice to share please comment, and Good Luck with your videos!

VideoPad: Video Editing Excellence

We are very proud of the fact that even though VideoPad hasn't broken into the top three on TopTenReviews' list—yet—they have awarded our video editor for excellence. With each new release, we strive to add more of the advanced features professionals crave, and just as importantly stay easy to use. That user-friendly quality that allows everyone to make movies is in a large part what TopTenReviews has noticed and is recognizing:

"Using VideoPad requires little effort. Before we even looked at the manual, we were able to create a video. To add transitions, effects and more, all you have to do is drag and drop them in place ... Overall, VideoPad has some excellent features. It can import files directly from many types of devices and it has 3D and green-screen capabilities. It is easy to use and has basic editing tools."
    –  TopTenReviews

If you haven't tried VideoPad video editing software yet, why not download a copy today. We think you will agree that VideoPad is both an excellent and easy video editor. Those of you who are already VideoPad users remember you can always send us suggestions on how we can make VideoPad even better. With your help, those other video editors better watch out, because we plan to keep moving VideoPad forward and raising the bar on video editing excellence.

Y is for YouTube

NCH Software ABCs Series

YouTube has a wealth of videos, from information to humor you can find videos about just about everything, a whole world of endless amusement is just a click away. But watching videos isn't the only side. There are millions of aspiring YouTube stars out there who would do well to note some of the useful and easy YouTube software programs below that can help you download, record, edit and upload videos directly to YouTube. Who knows, yours could be the next big viral video.

• VideoPad - Edit Video for YouTube
• Debut - Record Video for YouTube
• Prism - Convert Video for YouTube
• WavePad - Record and Edit Audio or Voice-overs
• MixPad - Create and Mix Together A Video Soundtrack
• FlashLynx - YouTube Video Downloader
• Switch - Extract Audio from Video Clips

And, for video tutorials on many NCH products, stop by the NCH Software YouTube channel.

<<< Previous: X if for eXpress

Next: Z is for Zip >>>

Top Video Converter Software

The editors at CNET recently took the time to review our Prism Video Converter. As they mention, digital videos are great until you run into one that you can't use or watch, which is when video converting software comes to the rescue. And what more could you look for in a converter than "a straightforward, efficient tool for video conversion," as the editors at CNET described Prism in their 5 star review, going on to say:

"Prism Video File Converter has an attractive, intuitive interface that we had no trouble figuring out ... Converting a video -- or batch of videos -- is as simple as navigating to the desired files, adding them to the list of files to convert, and selecting the desired output format."
– CNET

You can read the complete review of Prism Video Converter on download.com, or simply download Prism now so you are armed and ready for any video files that might come your way, no matter what format they are in.

C is for Converting

NCH Software ABCs Series

Converting is a great example of what we strive to do with all of our software programs—solve problems quickly. Our file converters have powerful tools built in for batch converting many files at once and command line integration, but what really makes them great and keeps people coming back is that they are easy, they convert more file types than the competitors, and they give you a reliable solution to convert, compress, open and share less common files formats fast.

If you need to convert the format of any type of media, look no further:

• Switch audio converting software
  
• Prism video converting software
  
• Pixillion image converting software
  
• Doxillion document converter
  
• Express Zip archive file converter
  
• Golden Records vinyl to CD converter
  
• Golden Videos VHS to DVD converter
  
• Verbose text to speech converter
  

<<< Previous: B is for Business

Next: D is for Dictation >>>

Make Animated GIFs from Video Files

Did you know that Prism Video Converter can be used to convert video clips into animated gifs? In addition to sharing video files, animated gifs are also a popular way to share short or funny video clips on websites without needing to embed and wait on larger video files to download/buffer.

To create an animated gif simply add the video clip in Prism and select .gif as the Output Format. You should also consider resizing the video in the Video Options, to make an animated gif at a smaller resolution that will be better suited for posting on the web.

Convert and Compress Files

Whether you're on a Mac or a PC, these conversion applications cover nearly every file type you'll run into, making them the most complete and reliable software for converting and compressing files out there.

Switch Audio File Converter

For your music, presentations, or audio projects, Switch Audio Converter lets you put your music anywhere at any time. Convert music for your iPod, PSP or phone. Compress audio to save hard drive space. Create a ringtone on your phone by converting the format, or even extract audio from video files.

Prism Video File Converter

Your computer might only be able to open certain video file types. Use Prism Video Converter to ensure you'll always be able to watch your videos. With Prism you have complete control over video settings such as compression and encoder rates, resolution, frame rate, and size output. You can also batch convert thousands of files at once and preview videos before conversion.

Pixillion Image File Converter

Pixillion isn't just image conversion software, there are many additional settings to make adjustments to your images while converting including adding watermarks, adjust the image quality, size or resolution, or even crop and rotate photos.

Express Zip File Compression Software

Express Zip is currently the only application on this list that is only available for Windows, but it is an extremely valuable compression tool. Use Express Zip archiving software to create, manage, and extract zipped files and folders. Plus extract files from a variety of other archive formats including rar, cab, iso, tar, and 7z or convert those archives into zip files. You can also easily email zipped files from the program or simply compress files to save disk space.

Give A Gift of Memories

If you are looking for a really special gift idea, why not give new life to your home movies? Whether they are on VHS cassettes or just taking up disk space, you can easily edit them together and create a memorable home movie DVD for a truly priceless gift to give your loved ones.

First, collect together all of the home videos you want to use. If you have any old analog home movies stored on an old camcorder or VHS tapes you can use a Golden Videos VHS to DVD Converter with a video capture device to connect your camcorder or VCR to your computer and digitize your home movies in no time.

When you have all your video clips collected you are ready to start editing with a quick and easy video editing program like VideoPad. Trim down clips, arrange on the timeline and select transitions. Add a soundtrack or record your own narration to share your memories about the recorded events. VideoPad also has a video stabilization feature to help clean up shaky video if your hand wasn't very steady when you were recording. And for a little extra emphasis you can even adjust the speed of video clips to add in an instant replay of that first home run or other momentous event. VideoPad is very user friendly so editing your home movies really only takes a little time and a little creativity.

Once your editing is complete you are ready to package everything together. Give your video the finishing touch by burning to DVD and adding a custom DVD label for a polished and professional looking final product.

See our software gift ideas page for more ideas on software programs to give, or other ways to add a little personal flare to your gifts.

Video Downloader Software Saving Online Videos Made Easy

With thousands of web pages and files added every day, sharing is the cornerstone of the web, and online video is all the rage these days. With it's oft times comic whimsies and profound sentiment, online videos are arguably the most popular form of shared content on today’s internet. And while uploading videos has become so easy it’s practically an automated service, the same can’t be said for downloading them. It could be that a family member or friend uploaded a video you want to show others. Maybe you keep an archive of files for creative inspiration. And, if you’re like me, having these files on-hand is more convenient than bookmarking every video worth remembering. Whatever the reason, saving online video files isn’t as easy as, say, saving an image. Many times, these files are encoded in a way that makes saving them locally near-impossible if you don’t have the right tools.

Enter FlashLynx video downloader. Downloading video files shouldn’t be as difficult as it is, so make it easy on yourself. FlashLynx is a free, user-friendly online video downloading program for Windows. Simply type in the web URL of the video you want to download, choose the video file format (there’s over a half dozen to choose from), decide where to save it, and you’re done. Simple.

FlashLynx is also a stand-alone program, not a shady online video conversion service hiding in a dark lonely corner of the internet. So if you have a list of YouTube videos you've been wanting to burn to edit video clips together from, burn to DVD, or simply save, mosey on over to NCH, well-lit part of the internet, and download your free copy of FlashLynx video downloader software.

Prism Video Converter: A Rainbow of Possibility

It’s happened to us all before: you get an email from your best friend. The subject line is Funniest Video Ever!!! and the only line in the email indicates your friend laughed so hard they spewed milk out of their nose. The attachment is a video, which you click to view, eager to be entertained by this week’s top viral blooper. But something is wrong. Your computer won’t open the video file format...

Previously I would have closed my email and skulked away from the computer feeling left out. But now I know I can open Prism, select the file, and convert the file to a format that I can watch. The laugh’s on me, but in a good way.

Out of the many NCH products I use on a daily basis, Prism video converter gives me the most satisfaction. Videos really used to be a stopping block for me. I understood so little about them—their formats and codecs (Ok, I still don’t really know what that refers to)—that I was willing to give up rather than put myself through the headache of figuring it out. So in a way, Prism has changed my life.

And more than just my email-attachment-opening skills has improved. Recently, I took a silly little video of my dog running around the house on my phone. I emailed the video to myself, converted the file format to a .mov, and loaded it onto my iPod. Video, which used to be such a foreign and out-of-reach media to me (and the masses) is now something I’m considering turning into a hobby.

Soon, I’ll be editing videos on VideoPad, compiling intricate soundtracks on WavePad, and posting my amateur cinematography for you all to see. YouTube first, then...the Oscars? You never know...all thanks to one little application that showed me never to fear video files again.

Preserve Your Own Olympic Moments With Golden Videos and Golden Records

How many of us will ever step up on an Olympic podium, bow our heads down as a gold medal is slipped over our head, gracefully accept a wreath of laurels, and stand tall while our national anthem is being played in front of an audience the size of millions?

A very, very small percentage.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t have moments of our own. We each have our achievements, large and small, and often those achievements have been commemorated with plaques, trophies, certificates, or simple pats on the back. We can remember feeling proud or accomplished, the hard work it took to earn recognition, and the smiling faces of those sharing our victories with us.

Maybe your big moment was winning the big football game, track meet, or marching band competition. Maybe your big moment was watching your child succeed. Or was it a speech you gave for a cause you believe in, or an experience you don’t have every day: your wedding, your trip to Ireland, your surprise 40th birthday party.

Whatever the moment, it’s important to have access to these memories. The sensations we experienced at the time never completely go away, but too often we stash the home movies and the memory-inducing music in the dusty attic, a flood-prone basement, or in a cramped closet. How devastating would it be to lose them, and to not be able to recall the smaller details? We deserve to have a little bit of our own Olympic moments injected into our lives more often. Those memories deserve to be on hand.

During this Olympic season, bring a little gold back into your life and revisit your old memories. Converting your old home videos is easier than you think with Golden Videos VHS to DVD converter software, a USB capture device, and your old VHS player. And for those vinyl records and audio cassettes that bring those memories flooding back (for me it’s The Joker by the Steve Miller Band), use Golden Records Analog to MP3/CD converter software.

Enjoy watching your country in the Olympics this month, and remember to delight in your own golden achievements.

Convert Videos for your Cell Phone with Prism Video Converter

Do you have a video on your computer that you want to be able to take with you on your cell phone?

If you have ever attempted to simply put video files on your phone from your computer you already know that cell phones won't play avi, mov or other common video file formats that you might have on your pc. The video file format used by most cell phones is 3pg, so if you want to put a movie on your phone you need to convert to the 3pg format first. You can do this quickly and easily and even for many videos at once with Prism Video Converter.



Download and install Prism for an easy way to convert avi to 3pg or between just about any other video file format including avi, mp4, wmv, mov, mpeg and flv. Just follow these easy steps:

1. Open Prism and click "Add Files", "Add Folder" or "Add DVD" to browse for the video files you want to import and convert.
   
2. Select your output format.
   For most cell phones you will want to convert to 3pg
   
3. Choose your Output Folder
   
4. Select all your files in Prism and click Convert
   
5. If you receive a message about installing a codec on demand click OK
   
6. Your videos will be converted and saved in the output folder for you
   

You will want to allow for a chunk of time when you are converting large video files, but once Prism is done you can put them on your cell phone or other mobile device and watch your movies on the go and take them with you anywhere.

You can also follow these step and simply changing the output format if you want to import the 3pg videos you have recorded on your cell phone and convert them for viewing and sharing on your computer.

Note that Prism will not convert copy protected files, and will give you an error that the file is not a supported format if it encounters a copy-protected file.