Today one of our designers was going back and forth with a third party print company one of our clients decided to use for some large format printing. They had requested the logo we designed for them in a certain format, either EPS or AI files, which are common standards in the industry. The person from the print shop wrote back to us saying the logo format was unusable and incorrect, and through some back and forth, it was discovered that they were using some alternative software that simply couldn’t properly read the files.

Here at DDA, we use industry standard, professional design software for any graphic design project - be it website design, logos, brochures, or other graphics. As we work with our own print house, who also uses the same industry standard software, I don’t believe we have ever run into this issue before. It is quite strange to me that a professional print studio of any kind would opt to use a different software than the one 99% of designers use on a daily basis. Sure, there may be other software that is quicker or easier for people, or maybe one software offers something the other doesn’t, but that alternative software should be just that - alternative, not primary.

Just imagine, for instance, that you buy a video - only instead of a DVD, you really get a VHS tape. Sure, you can probably still use it after finding a cheap player at some yard sale, but that’s definitely not ideal. DDA does not use this kind of practice. For everything we do, from graphic design to video production to programming, we work with industry standards so that you never find yourself stuck in an awkward situation like this. In fact, we are also working with premiering technologies to stay ahead of industry standards, such as HD video on Blu-ray disc.

DDA has a full in-house digital photography studio. In fact, DDA was the first digital photography studio established in Pennsylvania, and continues to set the bar for photography. Today we had two product photography shoots - one for manufactured brass parts (I’m not sure what the function is for them) and another for cookie jars that talk and play songs when you open them. In many cases, digital photography done at DDA is just step one of a larger process. Our digital photographs are typically used to build websites, design brochures and print materials, or integrate with eLearning platforms - all of course done in house.

Our studio can also be brought to you. All of our equipment is (fairly) light and portable and can be set up just about anywhere - from inside your warehouse or medical office to exterior shots of landscaping. Still shots, models, products, and just about anything you can imagine to capture with a digital camera can be done anywhere you need.

I never thought I would be excited to say it, but who needs cable TV anymore? Computer equipment is becoming more and more advanced, and the possibilities of the Internet are growing at an alarming rate. Five years ago, I was still using a VCR to record shows that I missed. For about a year or two, I had a DVD recorder that would record TV shows on DVD. Then two years ago I finally got a DVR that automatically records everything for me. But suddenly, all this seems obsolete. Most broadcasting companies are now streaming shows online, and major outlets like YouTube, Hulu, and Netflix have given online video streaming a huge boost. Add the fact that computers are now becoming household entertainment stations that can hook up to HD TVs (or stream content to TVs), there is almost no need for cable anymore.

While DDA is not (yet) streaming full length movies or television shows as the major TV stations are, we have been taking advantage of streaming video for years. We have always known that providing video in an on-demand format online is the way to go - and it’s clear that streaming video is the future. Whether you are broadcasting a live medical webcast or providing video presentations in a streaming format, DDA has got you covered. What’s more, our video studio is formatted to broadcast live in-studio shoots so that clients anywhere around the world can tune-in and provide immediate feedback. While we still offer DVD and CD-ROM development and production for all your video production and distribution needs, streaming video and on-demand services are clearly taking over.