Source Media

Audio or video that you want to put on the Web may already be stored on media such as cassette tapes, CDs, Beta tapes, VHS tapes, or even in existing digital files. Whether you are re-purposing (reusing) existing content or creating your own original material, the following guidelines will help you get the best possible Web-appropriate content.

The quality of your original material (as well as the equipment you use to prepare it) has a significant effect on the final resulting video. Certain media provide a better starting point than others. At the moment, the best format for source material is Beta video. VHS tapes are considerably lower quality, and should only be used if there's no other alternative. If using a VHS tape as your source, try to get an "original" copy, rather than one that has been recopied several times, as each dubbing (copy) of the tape results in lower quality output. Digital video (DV and miniDV format downloaded directly from a digital camera) are approaching the quality of Beta at much lower cost, and will probably become the most widely used source material in the near future. If capturing audio only, use a high-quality metal tape or (ideally) DAT tape.

As mentioned above, if you are re-using existing material you may not have much of a choice of either its source media or the techniqes used to create it. Repurposed content can be enhanced by putting it into context, and by providing additional information to your viewers.