Help past the capturing

[astrodude]

I have been using the steps to capture vhs to my computer provided by digitalfaq.com for my ATI AIW 8500 card. I am capturing into 352 x 480 resolution for mpeg2 using a huffyuv codec. I have DVDworkshop 1.3 and have succesfully burned this trial 10 minute video to dvd+rw. I am trying to figure out if I now take the captured mpeg2 video into workshop or premiere and cut parts of it out, add chapters and all, will it need to reauthor it? When I burned before, it didn't reauthor, as the settings were the same as the capture, so I saved some time there. Also, if I am capturing vhs-c and animated videos at this resolution, what length of video will fit onto a dvd? Does this have anything to do with the bitrate? Also, in workshop, when I added the chapters, it left my main video file and then added the chapters underneath it, so when I tried to access them on the menu, they weren't there. I want it to have the chapters, but play from start to finish too, any suggestions? I don't really understand the process of all this once I get past the capture, so if I could get someone out there who wouldn't mind explaining the processes of what I'm trying to do, I would sure appreciate it.

[Capmaster]

You're off to a good start. You're using a good codec and a DVD-compliant resolution.

First the basics:
1) The analog capture yields an MPEG2 file. This step is "capturing".
2) The next step, if you go this route and you aren't required to, is to change the video clip by removing commercials, trimming the end. etc. This is called "editing".
3) The third step, which is required, is called "authoring". This is the step that takes your finished MPEG file and generates DVD files - .VOB, .IFO and .BUP, and puts them in the VIDEO_TS folder. You can also combine this step with burning the disc, or you can review it with a software DVD player like PowerDVD before committing to a burn.
4) The last step is actually "burning" the disc using Nero, Roxio, etc.

Now that we are on the same page with terminology, the editing steps you refer to as "re-authoring" will require the changes be incorporated into the MPEG prior to authoring. This is a time-consuming step. There is only one app I've tried that can sometimes sidestep this with certain files and that app is Video Redo. You can sometimes get away with cutting and trimming without having to wait hours for it to save the changes.

The length of video that you can fit onto one DVD is dependent on the bitrate. Use the Bitrate Calculator. Remember that you're using 1/2D1 res. Full DVD res is 704x480 or 720x480.

For the DVD Workshop-specific issues you need to get advice from someone who uses it, since I don't.

[indolikaa]

Editing and trimming of MPEG-2 files can also be done with MPEG2-VCR. There is a trialware version you can demo with no limitations.

[Roderz]

using a huffyuv codec

Isn't this avi he's capturing?
better to edit that, then encode to mpeg2.

[Capmaster]

using a huffyuv codec

Isn't this avi he's capturing?
better to edit that, then encode to mpeg2.

Quite right. Much better results to edit an AVI than an MPEG.