VARS-8.1 has been released. It can be downloaded from
https://sourceforge.net/projects/vars/files/vars/VARS-8/.
The videofile support has been improved; it is recommended that you use mp4/h.264 videos. In addition,
several new scripts have been added to support metadata management including a simple method for merging position and CTD data from CSV files. The included database is backwards compatible with all VARS releases through version 6. If you have an existing VARS database, you can used the version with it.
Under the hood, VARS has been modified so that additional methods of video playback can just easily integrated. MBARI is prepping to switch from using video tape as our primary video storage to videofiles. I expect rapid changes to VARS in the near future as we enhance video codec support.
Cheers
Brian