Free DME & DFIR Resources

Photographers using the newer high-end flash memory format now have another supplier besides Sony for the cards. Also: a big, fast SDXC card for a big, fat price.

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Despite our efforts to educate everyone in the digital evidence chain on the proper way to label and care for CDs, DVDs, and BDs (see CD and DVD Care and Handling: Stop Destroying Your Evidence!), read errors still happen...a lot. Here are two of my favorite tools for repairing and recovering data from disc-based media.

Back in August I announced we'd be launching DMEpod, and I later stated that I hoped to have the first episode out in October.  Well, that ain't happening so get over it...'cause we've got LIVE streaming coming your way baby!!!

Media-Geek TV will be streaming forensic multimedia news and training content 24/7, and DMEpod episodes will be cut from the channel and distributed via podcast monthly (or so).  All of the behind the scenes stuff is going to take some time to get worked out, so I'm personally setting January as our official launch date, but we're already loading and broadcasting content, and periodically running LIVE test events.

I've got to tell you, the testing is just plain fun, and I'm really excited to get others on board and contributing.   While the channel will predominantly feature pre-recorded content (and a growing on-demand library), the possibilities related to the LIVE event streaming are endless!  Think association, working group, or committee meetings...round table discussions...LIVE training with multiple instructors...LIVE interviews with industry vendors, engineers, and analysts...and so on. Geek or not, that is just plain cool.

 Maybe I'm a bit naive, but I'm sticking to the all volunteer concept, and hope you'll consider participating.

It's a hot topic, maybe not for the general public, but certainly for many of my peers lately. I have yet to meet a Digital Evidence Technician or Analyst who has complained about having too much, hi-speed, secure, expandable & redundant shared storage.  Just sayin'.  😎

Storage & workflow optimization go hand-in-hand when it comes to Digital & Multimedia Evidence. 

By Casey Johnston

A group of researchers have developed a way to identify pirated movies by reducing the original to a signature genetic code. The system can match even videos that have been altered or had their colors changed to the source, an area where many video piracy mechanisms fall short.

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Medical experts, accident reconstruction experts, and other types of experts are frequently asked to interpret data from images that were obtained from video evidence. When these experts have no training or background in processing multimedia evidence, and/or make no effort to consult someone who does, bad things generally happen. Really bad things, like having all of their evidence thrown out of court, for one.

This week the SWGDE released a couple of new DRAFT documents for public comment relating to DME acquisition. The links below are directly to the related PDF documents. For more information please visit www.swgde.org:

• SWGDE Best Practices for Data Acquisition from Digital Video Recorders
• SWGDE Best Practices for Digital and Multimedia Evidence Video Acquisition from Cloud Storage

Dept: 2233F

Position: Advanced Specialist 1 – Forensics (FOR) (TS6NP)

Title: Audio-Video Examiner

Specific Responsibilities:

Candidate will work within a fast-paced dynamic audio-video exploitation laboratory environment serving customers in the military, law enforcement, and intelligence community.

The position will be responsible for the forensic examination of audio and video, including the exploitation and enhancement of audio, video, and still images. The position will be responsible for providing results in finished products or detailed analytical reports. The position will require attendance at meetings and collaboration with internal and external resources to remain knowledgeable on rapidly evolving digital media technology.  The position will collaborate with software engineers to research, evaluate, test, and validate new audio and video forensic products.

If you believe what Apple is saying about the dying media format that is the CD/DVD (hence the lack of optical drives on the MacBook Air and the latest refresh of the Mac Mini), then you have to wonder why would a company still attempt to innovate the CD despite reports of its declining status. However, if you believe that optical media is still the best way to back up your data then perhaps the M-Disc might be something you could be interested in.

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This year the Consumer Electronics Show, in early January, is shaping up to be the year of the tablet. Yet the most (some would say “only”) successful tablet to date is the one that won’t be at CES. Apple sold 7.5 million iPads in the first six months and no doubt millions more this holiday season. Its shadow will hangs over the show, forcing a wide range of companies–chipmakers, computer hardware and consumer electronics companies, software developers and wireless carriers–to announce plans for tablets. Here’s what I’m expecting to see.

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Also, the MPEG Industry Forum closes up, its mission to promote a standards-based solution a success.

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Want to know what to encode with for great H.264 files? Robert Reinhardt, founder of VideoRx.com, is happy to tell you. One minute into his recent Streaming Media West presentation on how to evaluate H.264 encoders he gave the big reveal: FFmpeg is the best choice around.

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POSITION INFORMATION -  Positions allocable to this class perform specialized photographic work for the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS -Takes photographs in various formats (e.g., still, digital, and black and white)
utilizing video and/or photographic equipment in order to assist deputy district attorneys with specific case needs.
Develops and prints photographs using the Noritsu photographic and film processing system for use as evidence in criminal prosecution.

For further information log-in to see the attached PDF file or contact Jack Nadelle.