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Subject: 
Re: Lego Studio Steven Spielberg Moviemaker set Review
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.reviews, lugnet.org.ca.vlc, lugnet.robotics.vc
Date: 
Mon, 6 Nov 2000 01:04:24 GMT
Viewed: 
47 times
  
Jeff Johnston wrote:

Dean Husby wrote:

There is no ability, that I could find, to add external video files into
the program.  Everything must be recorded with the Lego Cam.

The woman demo'ing it at the TRU said she thought there was going to be
some ability to use other cameras, but it might require a "bridge".  I
can't
vouch for the accuracy of her information though - she'd been trained only
on that software, and didn't know anything about the Mindstorms camera
(whether it was the same or different).

Yes, the $70USD option. (See below)

The last issue I have with the software is the fact that you have
absolutely no control over the exporting of your finished movie.  When
you click on the export movie button you're asked for a name and the
location.  It then saves the movie in MPEG format.  The resolution looks
to be about 160 by 120 (postage stamp size).  I find this disappointing
that we cannot select the size that we wish.  With more and more of us
on high-speed connections keeping the file size down is less important
than quality.

The software can play it back in full-screen mode, so I can't imagine why
it wouldn't be able to *save* it in full-screen mode.  I was watching on a
laptop, but the resolution didn't look terrible.  Nowhere close to what you

What happens when you play back bad quality postage sized images at full screen
res.? They get stretched and REALLY show off the errors... From the tests I've
done it's ghastly...

I would REALLY hope they weren't showing their "Special" Version that allows
for a better camera etc. and not the version they sell. In the Lego Studio's
box there is a flyer for a $70USD kit that includes the exact same software and
a USB to composite adapter to allow you to use your own camera... But it's
still 320x240 max. res. and I'm guessing it's going to be close to just as bad
in terms of desyncing audio and artifacting. That's just a guess though.

can get with a good digital camera...but you're not paying the bucks for it
either.

Well I'm not complaining about it's quality or lack there of absolutely. It's
just the way Lego cheats with their advertising. Take the new Studio site on
Lego. They show "DinoCop". Here are the problems. It's available in Windows
Media and Quicktime. Their Software only supports mpeg. This I can let go...
But... Then their video is at 320x240!!! You can't export at that size. Plus it
looks GREAT whereas the real kit is no where near that quality. My grips are
they are showing you one thing and delivering another...

If you are looking
for a USB camera with Lego studs I strongly suggest picking up the
Vision Command instead.  You get the same camera but for much less cost.

How much does movie-editing software run, though?  That'd be my  question.
If I could get the camera and some inexpensive software for the Mac, I'd be


$150 CDN will get you a really good capture card and software that is almost
the same as the Lego one.
It's from Pinniclesys (The same people that made the Lego Version). The only
thing it doesn't support is the stop motion stuff. (NUTS!) It even has the
extra sounds and music generator. It's called the Studio DC10Plus.


I've been testing it out for a week now with little results. I've found a lot
of bugs though. I would have thought that there would have been an update by
now since they are easy to find and reproduce...

All and all I'm not happy with it and the people I've showed it to have changed
their minds about picking one up. So I'm not alone.

Dean
--
Coin-Op's For Sale!: http://www.akasa.bc.ca/tfm/coin-op.html
Dean's Lego Workshop: http://www.akasa.bc.ca/tfm/lego_wr.html
Vancouver Lego Club: http://www.akasa.bc.ca/vlc



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Lego Studio Steven Spielberg Moviemaker set Review
 
(...) Hm, so a further $70, eh? Plus of course the cost of the additional camera... (...) The point I was making was that it didn't look that "ghastly" to me. Maybe I have a higher tolerance for that than you do, or maybe my expectations are lower (...) (24 years ago, 7-Nov-00, to lugnet.reviews, lugnet.org.ca.vlc, lugnet.robotics.vc)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Lego Studio Steven Spielberg Moviemaker set Review
 
(...) The woman demo'ing it at the TRU said she thought there was going to be some ability to use other cameras, but it might require a "bridge". I can't vouch for the accuracy of her information though - she'd been trained only on that software, (...) (24 years ago, 6-Nov-00, to lugnet.reviews, lugnet.org.ca.vlc, lugnet.robotics.vc)

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