Advice Media

I have > 25 mini DV tapes shot with JVC camcorder. It broke down. I have now SD-800 of Panasonic HD quality. All files on are on external HD.

The mini DV tapes I have processed which Batch Import function of Adobe Premiere CS1.5 and 2.0 into >800 AVI files which have DV Avi codec. The shots are mainly of our children from small lifehood during 11 years. I did this because I did'n't have know how on video world. I made notes of times on mini DV tape and made an Excel files which enabled me to make the Batch import.

I have made several projects on DVD, but I noticed it's tough to find a specific shot on a DVD. As I have >800 DV AVI, I thought of following:

Intention is to look to a shot or shots whenever I feel like it.
A media player could play this role. You can see with a directory structure and a preview possibiliy. Then select some and play on TV.

I would have a choice to buy a media player who is best in this and getting the files from external HD. So preview and directory structure and able to select more then one secen. Then I understood that the mediaplayers are not able to play DV AVI codec. So then I need to convert all the DV AVI to other Codec.

Who can advice a good program which can process these 800 DV AVI files in fast way?? And to which CODEC?? Are there free programs which can do this??

I heard in mean time other solution. Why not using a Labtop and make link with HDMI cable to HD TV? It would save money to invest in MEdiaplayer and also saves room in living room. I understood VLC player could play this role. Possibility to play DV AVI, select files and have a preview. So additional plus would be I would not need to invest time to convert the files.

Please note it's not only for the DV AVI , but also for the M2TS files of PAnasonic camera which I like to scroll and look up in directory and play.

Would VLC player be best, or better an even other DVD program like Power DVD. I am willing to invest in quality.

Intention is that I can play best possible quality for DV AVI and M2TS with easy look up with directory and preview system.


As I have intention to make new investment of HD Tv I can make best possible choice. Then I heard another possibility. Why not plug in the external HD with the files and connect to HD TV!! I will buy a new HD TV so I can have a look what would be best. I am wondering if there are already TV's who can play DV AVI or this also needs to be converted? THis would cost me a lot of time as metnioned with 800 files. Also I don't know if these TV's can scroll through the directories and have a preview possibility. This is for me key!!


I am interested to know what opinions are of you experts.

All the best to you.

New comer

Arnaud from Holland

i would use vidcoder to convert the 800 dvavi files to x264 .mp4 videos. they can be played by most devices these days and would take up a lot less space. vidcoder has a batch function so you can convert as many at a time as you want.

What about quality?

Don't you loose much quality in comparison to AVI ?? Quality is for me key. Storage is of minor importance.


I am curious in general reply of my vision? Or is this website more to real video freaks and less to practical people?

BR

Arnaud