/ Mike Goldfein's Tech Files

08/07/2003

Tech Files are video reports examining popular topics about technology and the Internet. Links to helpful Web sites are listed. Mike Goldfein reports from the Belo Washington bureau.

STORY
If it seems like Hollywood movies these days are way too long, then technology may have the solution. What if you could speed things up a bit — but not miss any of the action?

Here's Mike Goldfein:

Also Online

Watch the video InterVideo.com

It's a hurry-up world we live in — fast food, instant messaging, overnight delivery.

And now comes breakneck movies.

WinDVD 5 — movie-playing software for your computer — has a TimeSlider that lets you watch movies at up to twice normal speed, without making the actors sound like munchkins.

Here's a scene at regular speed.

1.3 speed...

1.5 speed...

OK, they sound like they've had too much caffeine, but it is watchable. And over the course of a whole movie, a time saver.

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones normally runs 2 hours, 22 minutes. But played 50 percent faster, you can watch it in about an hour and a half.

It works because InterVideo, the company behind WinDVD, has patented audio technology.

"The audio is pitch-corrected to sound like a normal level of voice." — Barbara Finn, InterVideo

One caution: Don't try watching something at twice its normal speed. The actors sound like they've been sucking helium.

The $70 movie player has other neat features, like video effects that let you change the look of a film.

And you can zoom and pan. Why, I'm not sure.

But it is the TimeSlider that makes this unique — especially if you have a two-hour film, and an hour and a half of patience.

On the Web for Belo Interactive, I'm Mike Goldfein.

LEARN MORE
You can download a free demo of WinDVD 5 at www.intervideo.com.