Play Incorporated Snappy Video Snapshot 4.1


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is the quality of the images Snappy captures?

A: The following images are actual images taken with Snappy. With the right lighting conditions and a good video source, you can capture similar images.

Sample 1 / Sample 2 / Sample 3 / Sample 4
Q: What file formats does Snappy support?

A: All the standard ones, including: BMP, PCX, TIFF, TGA, JPEG, PNG, YUV and IFF.
Q: How big are the files that Snappy saves?

A: It depends on the resolution you set Snappy to and whether or not you use JPEG compression when saving. A 1500 x 1125 file is 5MB but that compresses down to well under 500K even with JPEG's highest quality setting.
Q: What kind of PC do I need to run Snappy?

A: Snappy's requirements are basically those of Windows itself, so any machine that can run Windows should be able to run Snappy. Here's what you need:

· PC with Windows 95/98 or NT (Intel)
· CD-ROM Drive
· 486, Pentium or better
· 16 MB RAM / 8 MB HD space minimum
· 640 x 480 256 color or better (VGA)
Q: What software does Snappy support?

A: Since Snappy uses the industry's standard file formats it supports virtually all programs. Further, Snappy has a TWAIN interface.This means that Snappy can emulate a scanner and put a picture directly into PhotoShop and many other programs without saving and loading.
Q: Does Snappy capture motion video?

A: Snappy captures FROM moving video but what Snappy captures is a single super high-quality still image from that moving video. The captured still can then be printed, faxed, e-mailed, databased, presented, or just admired on your screen. Snappy was designed to be the highest resolution image capture device ever created at any price. Coincidentally, Snappy is also the least expensive and easiest-to-use video capture device.
Q: So who uses Snappy?

A: Snappy is the hottest multimedia product in the country right now. It's breakthrough quality and price are helping Snappy sweep the industry. Snappy is being used by everyone from ABC Online and CNN to the FBI, Army, American Airlines, AT&T, Ford, Boeing, Frito-Lay, Pepsi, Chevron, Kodak, Polaroid, Xerox, USWest, MCI, Exxon, MCI, HP, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, McDonald's, GE, Westinghouse, and even the Wanumetonomy Golf Shop in Rhode Island (stop by and see them sometime).
Q: This seems too good to be true. Are those Snappy images really from video?

A: We know it's hard to believe because of the poor quality of video capture devices before Snappy, but all the Snappy demo images are actual unretouched Snappy grabs from a video camera, TV, or VCR. The Snappy brochure, ads and even it's box are desktop published on PC's right here at Play using images that we grab ourselves.
Q: Video is only 640x480, so how can Snappy get 1500 x 1125 resolution?

A: Actually, video ISN'T 640x480. This is a common misconception in the computer world. Fortunately the Emmy award-winning engineers on Team Snappy are true broadcast video gurus. Members of Team Snappy have been designing video capture devices since the early 80's including products designed for and sold by Apple and IBM. Play's research into Snappy yielded dozens of breakthroughs in the art of video image capture. The technical nitty-gritty is as follows: NTSC video is an analog signal with no fixed resolution. The more times you sample the signal the better your digital representation gets. Thanks to a fellow named Nyquist, we can calculate based on the bandwidth of video that the point of diminishing returns is reached around 1500 samples per line. To sample at this resolution, Play designed our own custom chip for Snappy. It's called the HD-1500 and it's a big part of why Snappy's images look so great.

The other secret is the advanced mathematics incorporated in the software. The time base correction, spatial and temporal filters, interpolation algorithms and more truly make Snappy's software a breakthrough. Because NTSC video is only 480 lines tall, Snappy interpolates the image vertically to maintain square pixels. This cool algorithm is called Third Order Polynomial Interpolation and was developed by Team Snappy in conjunction with Play's resident mathematicians.

Q: Do you have any tips for using Snappy?

A: Yes! If you want the best quality images, make sure you use "Highest Quality Still Image" mode, turn on the "HiDef" option, and set the resolution to 24-bit 1500x1125. With a little practice, you can capture images just like the ones in our samples.
Q: Does Snappy support PAL format?

A: Snappy is designed for NTSC. However, it is capable of capturing black and white images from PAL video sources.
Q: What's new in Snappy 4.1?

A: Snappy 4.1 has:
  • Better Windows XP Compatibility.
  • Improved TWAIN support.
  • Midas theme RGB feedback corrected.
  • E-mail support problem experienced by some corrected.
  • Adjustment settings now remain set.
  • Problem with some 24 bit BMPs corrected.
  • Bug crashing Snap Pad now fixed.
    • Q: Does Snappy really do what you're claiming?

    A: Don't take our word for it. Read these reviews:


    "Snappy is one of the truly Cool Tools - it delivers the highest-res video captures ever - one of the great bargains in PC-dom."
    --- PC Magazine
    Play's Snappy simply grabs the best video stills - outperforms a digital camera."
    --- New Media Magazine
    "Snappy is a must - you just won't find anything better at what it does."
    --- Computer Currents
    "Currently the best-selling peripheral - and now used in a reported 250,000 homes and offices."
    --- Washington Post
    "Snappy produces superb results."
    ---Home Computing and Entertainment
    "This little gadget is what many PC usersneed instead of an expensive graphics scanner."
    --- CNN
    "Seldom does a new product live up to its advance billing. I've owned four other video digitizers and this one offers the best performance of them all. In fact, we have a more expensive video capture device here at the newspaper. You guessed it. Snappy kicks its tail."
    --- Mobile Alabama Register
    "Snappy is a wild success story - one of the most popular technology products of 1995 and an unbelievable value."
    --- PC Graphics & Video
    "Snappy can actually do a better job than any of the self-contained digital camera's - a must-have item."
    --- Toronto Globe & Mail
    "the most popular video frame grabber on the market."
    --- Family Computing
    "(Snappy) has all but blown the socks of this writer - in fact if I were mayor, I'd have it installed on every city-owned PC in town."
    --- Chicago Tribune
    "It's remarkably easy and the crisp images open all sorts of new possibilities."
    --- Home PC
    "The closest thing I can find to Snappy for the Mac is $470 - looks like Snappy is another reason to get a PC."
    --- New Media Magazine
    "The captured images are stunning - twice the resolution of other capture hardware and many digital cameras."
    --- Presentations Magazine
    "The high-resolution quality of the stills rivals photos- Snappy is currently the No. 1 best-selling multimedia
    --- PC Guide
    "compares favorably to a $2,000 to $20,000 digital camera or a $5,000 to $50,000 slide digitizer- it's hard to beat Snappy's high quality, low cost and ease of use."
    --- New Media Magazine
    "Snappy is one of the coolest computer toys and a state-of-the-art consumer tool- Snappy's unique video capture technology digitizes twice as sharp a picture as any rival at any price. (upwards of $2,000)"
    --- Newsday
    "The very best in technology, price, convenience and performance."
    --- VideoMaker
    "Snappy delivers much better performance with the best quality images and a polished user interface. Snappy is the clear winner in this competition."
    --- Boot Magazine
    "The Snappy Video Snapshot is the only way to go"
    --- Windows Sources
    "You would need a full production studio to do this six months ago, now you can do it at home."
    --- CBS News
    "A product that everyone with a PC and a camcorder simply has to have."
    --- PC Graphics & Video
    "Run (don't walk) to your nearest computer hangout and buy Snappy—you'll be amazed at the results. Snappy is a technological and economic wonder. I don't know of any product on the market that does so much for so little."
    --- Database Advisor
    "Nothing outperforms the Snappy."
    --- PC Magazine
    "Snappy's ease of use and excellent software make it a winner."
    --- HiTech Review
    "It's hard to find a process that's easier and more affordable than using the Snappy."
    --- FamilyPC
    "Snappy captures images at the highest resolution I've seen."
    --- Kansas Journal-World
    "The resolution is better than that of the input device, a seeming contradiction."
    --- PC Week
    "I must say Snappy is quite remarkable."
    --- KUSA. TV
    "It doesn't get much easier than this."
    --- PC World
    "Snappy works great."
    --- Houston Chronicle
    "Outsells all digital cameras."
    --- Sacramento Bee
    "Snappy is a fun and inexpensive way to capture your favorite movies and moments into your computer."
    --- America Online Pick of the Week
    "Snappy is still in a class by itself." --- Computer Shopper
    "A very useful widget." --- Business Week
    "The unit is amazing." --- PC Photo
    "Snappy definitely produced the highest-quality stills." --- Camcorder and Computer Video
    "If you need a quick way to turn your favorite videos into digital snapshots, Snappy is for you." --- PC Computing
    "Capture video images at resolutions up to 1500 x 1125." --- Wired
    "Our favorite video capture device." --- Family PC
    "Snappy could do serious mischief." --- London Times
    "An ingenious device - the least expensive way to transform your camcorder into a digital camera." --- Computer Life
    "The easiest-to-install desktop video product available." --- ShutterBug
    "One of the most interesting new digital technologies on view was Play, Inc.'s Snappy." --- Discount Store News
    "Beautifully vivid images that will impress any professional." --- New Technology Showcase
    "Snappy puts your family and friends are at the mercy of your sense of humor - right where you want them." --- Maximize
    "The Peripheral of the Month has to be a strange and wonderful little box called Snappy." --- TV Technology
    "Produces terrific video stills - the best we've seen" --- Windows Sources
    "The quality is very good - extremely high resolution" --- New York Post
    "Snappy is the latest must-have PC peripheral" --- PC Magazine
    "Brings sharp, network-quality stills to PC owners" --- Video Magazine
    "An impressive product - with resolutions as high as 1500 x 1125 (higher than any other board, including ones that sell for thousands of dollars)" --- Photo News
    "Snappy is a #1 seller nationwide - it's extraordinary!" --- KCRA TV
    "I'm astounded by how well it works- the results are astonishing. Get one you. ll love it." --- PC Magazine
    "The easiest, cheapest device I've seen for grabbing video images- beats a $2,000 card." --- Imaging Magazine
    "Makes video easy for Windows users." --- USA Today
    "amazingly simple - for the first time you can get print-quality images from video." --- Camcorder
    "Snappy lets you convert a camcorder into a digital camera."
    --- Popular Photography
    "Yields results that range from quite good to stunning." --- Los Angeles Times
    "This little package of plastic and chips is nothing less than the bridge between PCs as we have known them up till now and computers as we're going to know them from now on out." --- San Jose Mercury News
    "You might get sweaty palms just thinking about the digital sleight of hand you can perform with Snappy." --- Rolling Stone
    "Snappy has given me plastic surgery, a dye job, and changed my eye color all in a matter of minutes!" --- KOVR - TV
    "Images captured with Snappy are superior to those produced by entry-level digital cameras." --- Home Computing and Entertainment
    "Snappy actually does some electronic magic to increase resolution." --- Photographic Magazine
    "With Snappy you'll soon find yourself doing the kinds of things in your rec room that they used to do only in the most sophisticated television studios." --- Seattle Times
    "A breeze to install- Snappy really shines in the field of digital photography producing an incredible 1500 x 1125 image." --- Maximize
    "Snappy not only makes it affordable to capture true-color images on my PC it also makes it simple and fun." --- Computer Life
    "Look no further than Play, Inc.. s Snappy Video Snapshot." --- Photo Marketing
    "Snappy's neatest trick is the ability to produce a very high resolution, publication-quality image." --- Digital Video Magazine
    "It is with great pleasure that we report that Snappy is one of the simplest computer peripherals available- very cool indeed."
    --- Computer Shopper
    "It takes a video snapshot that becomes computer enhanced to an extremely high resolution." --- NorthWest Airlines WorldTraveller
    "Sets new standards for plug-and-play simplicity." --- PC Today
    "Does a very good job at capturing the video signal - one of the most user friendly packages I have experienced - an impressive product" --- Digital Output Magazine
    "Installation was easy and fast - the performance was impressive" --- Windows Magazine
    "In the old days, you needed three things to capture digital images from video: a degree in computer science, a small fortune, and the patience of Job. But you don't need any of these if you've got Snappy." --- PC World
    "This is the first affordable device that can convert video into a digital still frame. Using Snappy, you'll find a picture is no longer worth a thousand words, rather it's nearly beyond words. And loads of fun." --- Philadelphia Inquirer
    "Grabs still frames at twice the resolution of any other PC-capture device." --- Information Week
    "With Snappy all you need to become a virtual voyeur is a PC."
    --- Home PC
    "Surpasses existing boards that cost far more." --- Rangefinder
    "Snappy is a revelation - the results are stunning. Snappy is an unbeatable deal." --- PC Graphics & Video
    "Snappy offers impressive creative power at a very reasonable price."
    --- Videomaker
    "Snappy performs some heavy-duty calculations to deliver resolution far beyond standard video quality - the images are staggering."
    --- Home Computing and Entertainment
    "One of the biggest hardware hits this year is that little frame grabber, the Snappy Video Snapshot." --- PC Magazine
    "Snappy has attracted a lot of attention due to its exceptional image quality." --- Infoworld
    "With every video you take, now there'll be an album of images you can take advantage of - in a snap." --- Family PC
    "There's a reason they call it Snappy - it's a bargain, especially with its razor-sharp 1500 by 1125 resolution." --- Multimedia World
    "Every once in a while, we see a product so impressive that it makes us rethink an entire category. That was certainly the case with Play Inc.'s Snappy Video Snapshot. It produces images so good you'd think they came from a very expensive digital capture board. - astonishingly good capture results-better than those from a desktop scanner." --- PC Magazine
    "Remarkably sharp images, good enough for the most demanding applications - Snappy's a hit." --- Internet Life
    "The quality is outstanding." --- Daily Transcript Newspaper
    "I was amazed at what I saw on the screen; a near 'photographic quality' image! Am I impressed with Snappy? You bet I am!"
    --- Midnight Engineering
    "You can produce pictures that look like a one-in-a-million shot."
    --- PC Novice
    "Snappy may be the first computer video add-on that crosses the threshold to become a household word." --- Florida Times-Union
    "Play Inc.'s Snappy Video Snapshot has garnered numerous awards for its ability to capture high-quality images from video." --- Orange County Register
    "There's really nothing that comes close to what the Snappy can do." --- Popular Electronics
    "This little piece of hardware is a lot of fun and offers some incredible results for its very low price. If you own both a camcorder and computer, seriously consider this magic box." --- PC Photo
    "Enormously popular, Play, Inc.'s Snappy is a cool little device." --- Portable Computing
    "They took the concept of the frame grabber and hit a home run." --- Multimedia Week
    "It offers the highest resolution, best quality video stills you can get."
    --- Photographic
    "Making this seemingly daunting task almost child's play, Play's Snappy Video Snapshot has skyrocketed to stardom-it's no wonder this innovative product is so popular." --- Computer Shopper
    "The perfect business tool." --- Washington Times
    "Snappy, an under $200 video-capturing wonder from Play, Inc. that now is one the hottest items in the computer stores of America." --- Chicago Tribune
    "Makes grabbing video your PC, ahem, a snap." --- Associated Press
    "It's cute, it's small, it's affordable, and it works by pressing one button." --- Photo Industry Reporter
    "Play's Snappy is a shining example of the potential of the home video and imaging market." --- PC Graphics & Video
    "Snappy works exactly as advertised." --- Wall Street Journal
    "Perfect for every PC application from multimedia to desktop publishing." --- Computer Times
    "Snappy brings something new to the computer world. It's easy to use, interesting, fun, inexpensive, and reliable. If you can't think of uses for Snappy, I don't think I want to know you. Highly recommended." --- Byte Magazine
    "Snappy turns out to be an excellent device for digital photography." --- PC Magazine
    "This amazing piece of gear is no bigger than a box of playing cards - It captures excellent images." --- Outdoor Photographer
    "This is truly one of the most exciting desktop video products - thanks to Snappy, a camcorder can out-perform the latest $2,000 to $3,000 digital still cameras - the results are nothing short of spectacular. This is without doubt the easiest and most efficient way of getting video into a PC ever." --- VideoCamera Magazine
    "A big hit at last year's Comdex - it's darned nice." --- 3D Design
    "The Snappy video capture unit is small but mighty - it may prove to be the one device you can't live without." --- Personal Systems
    "The right device at the moment, and right popular, too, is Snappy from Play, Inc." --- Kansas City Star
    "Catch the perfect shot - it's as easy as any point-and-shoot camera." --- PC Computing
    "Still the best-selling video grabber - and for good reason." --- Atlanta Journal Constitution
    "The Snappy Video Snapshot from Play Inc. is one the least expensive video grabbers for the PC, but it is also one of the best." --- TV Technology
    "A unique gadget." --- USA Today
    "Snappy is simple to hook up and use but is extremely sophisticated." --- Family Life
    "A nifty pocket-sized device." --- Business Week
    "Installation is a breeze." --- Online Access
    "Play, Inc. has developed a killer application called Snappy. The quality of the images we captured proved to be as good or better than those produced by the digital cameras selling for hundreds of dollars more." --- InfoWorld
    "That little Snappy is just one whiz-bang thing." --- News Review
    "Among the most popular computer accessories is an item called Snappy, created by Play, Inc." --- Sun Chronicle
    "Super-popular - it can take very high resolution images." --- Miami Herald
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