Another Question pertaining to technical help

[teenreporter]

Hi Everyone, thanks for helping me in everything that I ask, I appreciate it. I have another question pertaining to ways to transfer files. KHQA is rewiring the feed from Macomb to Quincy and it should take a couple weeks... Well I will probably be doing stories in that time and I want to get it down there ASAP. Overnighting sounsd quick, but it doesnt get there the same day I do a story, so is there any way I can use a computer to send my stuff with the footage I have still being usable? Thanks!

-T.J.

[Another OMB]

Yes. That's the way we now get my stories from the bureau where I work to the main station.

I edit the stories on a laptop computer, which leaves me with an mpeg file. The station has an ftp (file transfer protocol) site on the Internet. I just drag the story file (mpg) from my desktop to the ftp site.

How long the transfer takes will depend on the length of your story and the speed of your Internet connection. We have a really fast line here since I do this every day and it takes about 12 or 13 minutes to upload a typical package that's 1:30.

Once it's on the ftp site, the station downloads it, which takes 8-10 minutes.

One of the great things about this is you can upload a file from anywhere there's an Internet connection. And since it's all digital, there's no degradation in video or sound quality. When I used to feed via satellite, the video didn't look quite as sharp or colorful once it was taken off the bird. Now, it looks exactly like it did when I shot it.

[teenreporter]

So, what you are saying is that after you are done editing you save it as a MPEG?

I never thought of a FTP, thats a great idea! Thanks!

[SamG]

You need to contact the station and see what they'll accept. MPEG, AVI, Quicktime, etc. Also find out if they have an FTP site you can use.

[Another OMB]

SamG is right. We use mpg, but you should check to see what they prefer.
Our non-linear editing system automatically saves the package as an mpg, but you can save it as another format, too.

And it will obviously depend on whether the station has an ftp site. It was my understanding from my news director at the time, who set up our system, that if they don't have one, they can be set up for not much money.

[Bureau Chief]

I am sending stuff in from our bureau using mpg2, and sending it by www.yousendit.com (http://www.yousendit.com)
Its free for under 100 mb I think and does not require the station to have a FTP server. Just a puter that will get it on the air.