Flip Video

The Flip Video is a camcorder for digital video created by Pure Digital Technologies, a company bought by Cisco Systems in March 2009. The Flip Video range was retired in April 2011 due to competition from camera phones.Currently made and sold variants include the UltraHD,> the MinoHD, and the SlideHD.

 

All Flip camcorders record at 1280 x 720 resolution using H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression and the MP4 file format as of September 20, 2010. The MinoHD and SlideHD models have an internal Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Battery included, and with the UltraHD 1 hr., a battery pack (the camera is capable of using 2 AA batteries), or with the 2 hr. UltraHD, a lithium ion battery (can use 3 AAA batteries). All models lack a memory card extension slot but the UltraHD 2 hr. has a storage solution via FlipPort, and all models can be connected to a computer with a pop-out USB connector, without the need for a cable. It is simple to use, providing automatic gain, digital zoom, monaural sound, and a very simple clip-navigation interface with a D-pad and two control buttons. The Flip UltraHD comes in 4GB (1 hour) and 8GB (2 hour) models for $149.99 and $199.99 respectively. The Flip UltraHD 1 hour is available in multiple colors of white, blue, pink, and also a custom design (for instance, you could make a green picture). The 2 hr. UltraHD can be bought in black, white, or a custom design. The UltraHD 1 hr. does not have Image Stabilization, whereas the 2 hr. UltraHD does. The UltraHD 2 hr. has a new feature called FlipPort. With FlipPort, you can plug in external accessories.

All Flip cameras include the required video player and 3ivx codec software in the camera itself rather than providing an external CD-ROM installer. FlipShare can be installed once it is connected. For all models as of September 20, 2010, a HDMI cable can be bought from their store for watching the HD videos on HDTV screens.

 

As of September 20, 2010, all Flip Video models can be customized. (This means users send them a picture which they "paint" on the front side of the camera.) Accessories for the Flip Video camera include an underwater case, a tripod, a bicycle helmet attachment, and a wool case (Mino camcorders) or soft pouch (Flip UltraHD), a rechargeable battery replacement for the UltraHD (1 hr. AA rechargeable, 2 hr. AAA rechargeable lithium ion) and also an extension cable to connect the camera in hard to reach places which comes in different colors.

Flip Video's accompanying software is called FlipShare. After the release of version 5.6, FlipShare no longer includes a function to convert video to WMV format. While this has been acknowledged by Cisco as a defect, a fix has yet to be announced. Furthermore, there is no way to revert to a previous version once the new software is installed.

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