The history of the modern digital video started back in the 70s and 80s when the analog video input was digitized by means of time base connectors and digital video effects units. The signal, effects and manipulation of the video improved considerably afterwards. Bosch also created digital video equipments in the 70s but they remained lab research only until 1986 when the first digital video was created with Sony D-1.

In the first forms of digital video, the analog source remained essential because it served for the digitized encoding that could be read by computers. Little by little, the passage from analog to digital signal became predominant with television transmissions adopting the digital video standards. Yet, another element that completed the digital video revolution for good was the appearance of the non-linear video systems. High definition television would not be possible without it.

All the communication devices designed and manufactured today included a digital video camera, not to mention that almost every family has such a piece of electronics in the household. There is hardly any mobile phone model that does not incorporate a digital video camera. The more popular concept of camcorder (a device that combines the recorder and the camera) is winning the market as our society depends on the quick quality access to information more than ever. A digital video can be stored and copied without any degradation of the information; the clarity of the sound and image remains high quality if it was filmed properly.

Besides the combined use with mobile phones, digital video has lots of applications with video conferencing systems as well as with communications on the Internet. The editing process for the applications has been simplified to a very large extent and there is an avalanche of programs, softwares and tools that make editing possible. The most common format for editing a digital video with Internet applications is Windows Media while MPEG2 is exclusively used for DVDs.

One can hardly express the full number of applications and the usage extent of free digital video technology nowadays. From corporate business use to home applications, digital technology has become not only relevant but characteristic of our society. And more evolved forms are expected to appear. Digital video technology can still surprise us!