Techniques and tools for digitizing analog video for use in CD-ROM-based health education programs

This presentation is designed to familiarize medical educators with the techniques and tools for converting analog video into digital video for use in CD-ROM based multimedia programs. Recent advances in computer processing, CD-ROM storage, and digital video enable personal computers to be used for creating and presenting digital adaptations of videodisc and videotape based instructional programs. These digital multimedia programs are being used for training health care providers, for patient and family health education, and for health information kiosks. Repurposing existing analog video is a cost effective approach for creating high quality multimedia instructional programs. The presentation will cover the process of digitally capturing and manipulating video segments for playback from CD-ROM. Procedures from initial digital capture to transcoding will be discussed and illustrated. Strengths and limitations of alternative procedures will be discussed. Two CD-ROM development projects, the digital conversion of The Anatomy Project videodiscs and the creation of a patient education program on spinal cord injury, will be used as examples of techniques.