>3. info on the time code that is included on video tape and how it is >used to synch video editing equipment and also to synch the addition of >music. >Thanks in advance This really requires a five thousand word answer so to be brief.. Timecode is just a reference code in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. You might like to think of it being like sprocket holes in film, except that every (say) four sprocket holes (frame), would have an absolute number. It can be generated by a black box or by, for example, a video camera and encoded on an available audio track, or "hidden" in a video track. It can be put down before, during or even after an image has been encoded. Essentially, it allows two or more tapes for example, to run in synch and be controlled by a central source e.g. computer, edit controller. A tape with continuous time code on it can also act as "master" or "slave", etc. etc. Try the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers for starters: http://www.smpte.org/ Also, do a seach for SMPTE. (This should will keep you off the streets for a few months!) As for interactive CD ROM authoring, this can be done in a "raw" programing language (e.g. "C"), or by using an authoring program such as Macromedia Authorware, of Macromedia Director (see Macromedia's web site.). People are also starting to use Netscape or that other unmentionable browser, as the user navigation interface. In this instance, a basic knowledge of HTML and an authoring program such as Claris Home page is all you need. Obviously, you also need Photoshop or another program to create graphics, plus other individual programs for creating text, sound and video. Sounds easy huh? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harry Kirchner tel: +61 3 9489 1552 (h) tel: +61 3 9479 3512 (w) fax: +61 3 9479 3638 (fax) http://www.latrobe.edu.au/www/screeningthepast/ an electronic journal of visual media & history http://www.latrobe.edu.au/www/artmedia/MediaHome.html La Trobe University Media Studies - Melbourne, Australia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.tcf.ua.edu/screensite