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RVM Product and Technical FAQ

RioVista HDV and SD Footage Products:

Music Track Products:

RioVista HDV and SD Footage Products:

1. Do you have any means of letting customers test out or try before they buy your footage products?
Yes, you can get an NTSC video clip right away from our Free Downloads page. Additionally, demo samplers are always available by direct request. Call us at 760-479-9807 or email at info@riovista-media.com and we'll send you a demo packet right away. This DVD includes free clips NTSC, PAL, 1080/60i and 1080/50i, as well as a lot of other good stuff.
2. The previews of your video clips don't play on my system?
All of our video clips previews are in Flash video format. You simply need to get the free Flash player from Adobe. We provide a convenient link to Adobe from our Links page.
3.What version of QuickTime do I need for your different clips?
Quicktime version 7 (or greater) is required to play our clips. QuickTime is a free download from the Apple website and we provide a convenient link to it from our Links page.
4. Is there any reason to purchase both the High-Definition and Standard-Definition versions of the same clips?
You can easily create SD or multimedia format video from our HDV source clips. We can even just some transcoding very affordable solutions here: Pegasys TMPGEnc Xpress for Windows and QuickTime Pro for Apple or Windows. (Note that Pegasys can do batch processing.) If you have the HDV libraries, the only reason to purchase the SD versions would be to save the cost (in time and application purchases) of having to make them yourself.
5. I'm still learning about HDV, SD, NTSC/PAL and other broadcast standards. Do you provide information that might help customers make better 'informed' purchase decisions, in this regard?
Digital video formats is a very complex subject that we cannot fully address here. However, we do our best to include clear and detailed technical information about our products, how they work, and what you should expect from them. Important to note is that our HDV and SD products are well-tested and designed to meet professional standards. You should have no problems using them in broadcast or film projects with NLE's such as as Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Avid, Edius, Sony Vegas Video, and others. Our Technical Info page has plenty of details that cover these subjects and, there is a PDF document (you can open/download here) entitled 'About NTSC Broadcast Specs' that might also be of help. Additionally, we recommend doing your own research from sources such as Adobe, DV Magazine, and VideoMaker, etc.; the 'DV Info' community is another excellent resource (all of these are available from our Links page). From these, and many other sources, you'll find a wealth of information at all levels of the subject matter. Finally, you can always contact us directly via phone or email--we welcome your questions.
6. Can I use your SD footage in High-Definition projects?
Yes. Most professional NLE systems (Non-Linear Editors) such as Avid, Edius, Final Cut, and Premiere Pro should seamlessly mix Standard Definition format clips with High Definition content. The specifics on how to do it will vary from one applcation to another--but, all pro-grade NLEs support it. Since our SD clips are based on broadcast standards and delivered in popular QuickTime codecs, you would simply have to configure your NLE as required. In our production studios, we use Premiere Pro CS3 and can verify that it works easily in that application.
7. Do you plan on offering SD (NTSC/PAL) versions of your High-Definition collections?
Yes. A lot of people use SD footage and make DVDs do we now offer source 1080i content in widescreen SD.
8. Can I use your 1080i High-Definition clips in 1280x720 HD projects?
Yes. A number of methods can be used and most should be relatively simple. We provide a basic guideline entitled 'Using 1080i in 24p' (in PDF) you can download right here. This document covers basic compatibility questions for using our products in 720-HD projects at interlaced frame rates of 29.97 and 23.98, as well as with progressive scan 24p. Additionally, your NLE may have this capability natively.
9. Can I use your 1080i High-Definition clips in 24P (progressive-frame) non-interlaced projects?
Yes. Please refer to the answer given in #8, above.
10. Why do you offer High-Definition footage only in 1080i format?
We focus primarily on nature footage and, according to our research, this is the preferred format for that type of content. Canon and Sony have both standardized on it, as have a majority of broadcast networks. Additionally, we have found that 1080i works well in other HD/HDV environments (such as 720p). Finally, 'true' HD-uncompressed, full 1920x1080, progressive frame, in 4:2:2 (or greater) color space-is supported by our camera equipment and we want to work in that relative environment. We plan on offering HD products in the not to distant future.
11. Why don't you offer downloadable video clips, as many others do?
There are a number of reasons for this: First, we do sell all content as downloadable clips via a number international resellers. These companies are well-positioned to host and market content at this level. Our providing this facility not only competes with them but creates a lot of additional and unnecessary overhead costs for us. By focusing on just the complete libraries, we can offer very attractive packages that our download partners do not offer, and that does not compete with them. Simple arithmetic will show how much value you get for your dollar (or Euro) when you purchase the complete HDV set of NS2-NS7 libraries-a total of 840 clips that average more than 27 seconds each. Compare that to any other package-purchase option and we think you'll be convinced.
12. Your video footage libraries are made up of a number of 25-clip collections but you don't appear to offer these individual collections for purchase. Why not?
This is a question with multiple answers. First, we can accommodate single-collection purchases but only via direct sales (via phone or email)--not directly online at the RVM website. Second, for the libraries based on HD/HDV source content, price-wise, we cannot sell single collections for much less than what we now offer a single HDV library for (a single HDV library has 6 collections and 140 clips). Third, we did originally offer collection packages but found that our sales have been primarily for full libraries. In response to customer feedback, what we have done is focus on longer clip times delivered in the highest quality codecs for high-definition (in HDV format). This means much larger files and much more footage overall; for example the 840 clips of NS2-NS7 has more than 6 hours of footage, as compared to the 2.75 hours of the 525-clip NS1.
13. Regarding the QuickTime Movie Product Clips: How close to the actual or 'true' quality and color (of the clips) are the QuickTime movies?
elivering footage products as QuickTime movies is very common and, in many quarters, considered 'the standard' delivery format for digital video (in HD/HDV and SD formats). Also very important is the codec used. In this regard, we have found the Photo-JPEG codec to be the very best in image quality. It is correct however that the 'true' quality and color will be shown only with the appropriate display equipment. We used qualified NTSC/PAL and HD pixel-for-pixel reference monitors in creating these clips and that is the only way to view their 'actual' quality and color characteristics. For example, the HD clip products will automatically form-fit to full-screen size (and the full resolution of 1920x1080) when rendered within a professional NLE system that outputs to an HD compliant monitor; the QuickTime previews do not provide these 'full-screen' aspect ratios and pixel-to-pixel previews.
14. Regarding the Flash Preview Clips: How close to the actual or 'true' quality and color (of the clips) are the Preview clips on your website?
All of our nature clip previews are in a Flash video format that is very easy to load, play, and (we hope) enjoy! However, they are intended only as a quick and very basic preview of each clip's content and composition. That is all. The actual quality of each product clip will be much, much better, in every way!
15. Do your video clips include any audio?
Our video clips do not contain audio; however, we do provide a set of free nature audio sound clips that are available from our Free Downloads page. Each of these sound-clips was recorded in the wild and provides many of the sounds you might associate with our nature videos. We will be adding to this list on an ongoing basis so please check back again!

RioVista Production Music Tracks:

1. Do you provide a catalog or list so that I can quickly review all of the music tracks you offer?
Yes, you can get it here or from any of our Music Collection (and preview) pages.
2. Do you have any means of letting customers test out or try before they buy your music products?
Yes, you can get an excellent MP3 music track right away from our Free Downloads page. Additionally, demo samplers are always available by direct request. Call us at 760-479-9807 or email at info@riovista-media.com and we'll send you a demo packet right away. This DVD includes free music, vidoe clips in NTSC, PAL, 1080/60i and 1080/50i, and lot of other good stuff as well.
3. Is there any reason to purchase both the .WAV and .MP3 versions of the same clips?
For downloads, the price differential is so small that we would recommend getting the .WAV version. The reason is that the .WAV has very little compression as compared to the .MP3. The .WAV version is a 'pure' audio file and is definitely more durable. If you decide to purchase any of our collections, you will get both the .WAV and .MP3 versions of each track. We therefore think this is far and away the best value for your investment.
4. I'm learning about layering audio tracks into multimedia and independent film projects. Do you provide any information in this regard that helps customers make 'informed' purchase decisions?
We recommend visiting some of the sites given in our Links page. Companies like Adobe, Apple, DV Magazine, Sibelius, Steinberg, VideoMaker Magazine, the Vienna Symphonic Library forums (VSL), and many others, provide a wealth of information on digital-audio production techniques for using music in all types of projects. We would also be happy to discuss our own methods (our phone number is listed in the contacts page).
5. Some of the music previews don't appear to have the kind of rich sound I am used to from regular CD listening. Is there a problem?
The 'actual' product tracks should sound much better on your own system-but will vary from one audio setup to the next. We used very little reverb or 'space' in producing the tracks because reverb and other 'sweetening' treatments are not something you can remove. However, each track is still usable (right out of the box!) yet very flexible in terms of adding more reverb and effects. Basically, we opted to make our products as 'dry' as possible so that they are as malleable a resource for your productions as possible. Also, we always recommend working with a copy of the source file, so that you can go back to square-one, should you need to. Our products always give you the important option of easily getting back to square-one.
6. Can you recommend an effective approach to using your music tracks?
This can be difficult to answer because there are as many effective methods to use as there are creative, innovative people to try them. Perhaps the most important thing is to realize the many possibilities you have with each track. Many people have experience with multi-tracking various loops in order to 'build' a workable audio layer. With our music tracks you have any number of basic, ready-made cues available from each track.
Next, for reverb sweetening and other effects, you need some good, basic wave and multi-track editing capability. Here, we can only comment on what we have used in our own studios. Researching what works best for your own specialized needs will ultimately determine what you require. That said, in general, we recommend a wave/multi-track program like Adobe Audition or Cubase. Also, most NLE systems have built-in audio track editing & mixing tools that might be all you need. Programs like Adobe Audition have an excellent set of built-in reverbs and effects that many in the industry use.
For specialized reverb work, we can suggest a number of products: Altiverb from AudioEase, IR1 or IRL from Waves (both Alitiverb & Waves-IR include many halls and spaces that provide superb realism). The SIR series includes a free version (SIR-1) and a more advanced product. Voxengo is an excellent source for a quality reverb program (without the ‘spaces’), and many other audio-mixing tools. We provide direct access to some of these on our Links page. Of course, there are many other excellent solutions that we don't have the space to include here. Any suggestions we do make are tailored to our own specific workflows and may not work for you.
7. In your Technical Info section, you mention the music has a 'light reverb' treatment. Can you recommend any methods or workflow pointers for using reverbs and other effects?
We can offer these simple guidelines: If you are at all new to working with audio, you might find it surprising to learn how easy and effective working with music layers (within a video project) can actually be. You can learn a great by simple experimentation. First off though, always work with a copy of the source music track. Since we provide a very malleable product, the number of possibilities for its uses is quite high. If you work from a copy of your download (or purchased the Collection CD), you can always go back to the source file and start over with a new creative idea or direction. In this way you can experiment with just about any type of treatment and/or effect imaginable. Eventually, you’ll get just the particular audio layer you want!
Contact us directly via phone or email to discuss these and other options you might have questions on.
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