Hi--

>Help. I'm considering an XL-1. Compression artifacts sounds
>really bad. Is it really annoying, visually?
> My situation-
> I am currently developing a TV comedy series, which I am
>planning on turning into a "demo" reel, in order to make friends and
>influence people. This demo will illustrate my vision, my writing
>abilities, and promote the high concept that I've originated. This
>approach breaks ALL the rules, but I still feel it's the way to go,
>for me. Ideally, I'd use the demo to pitch my concept, and to enlist
>the support of people in power to re-produce my comedy concept, calling
>in their own creative personnel. I would attach myself to the project.
> My production strategy for the demo, would be to
>shoot the comedy with an XL-1, and edit/post-produce with my PC.
> In your opinion can the DV format serve my purposes?
> Thanks for any input, -Doug Lauber
>--
>"My standards are just too high for myself."
> -Eric Clapton
>
> dugster@primenet.com

The tag line says it all, or as I used to say in my audiomania days,
"Perfection lasts two weeks, max!". ;-) The mini-DV format is a wonder
format, looking from the bottom end up (it gets you a long way toward
the top, at a bargain price), but it is a faulty medium, looking from
the top end down (but it is FAR cheaper than top-grade gear!). It is
good enough to make money with in all but high-end markets, if your
salesmanship is good, but it is not mistaken for video made on the
best gear..., SIGH! ;-) It should serve your purposes for good demo
video (and mine, for nature/quirky/wedding/etc. work, and maybe for
an ad or two...;-). The artifacting is a stair-stepping on moving
diagonals and a "buzzyness" on fine detail - but at least it is
capable of showing fairly fine detail, unlike Hi-8 and SVHS...
The look is not all-out pro, but it is good...