transferring video from dvd recorder to computer

[ducky83]

I was wondering if there was any way of transferring video files from my dvd recorder hard drive to my computer other than dubbing it onto a dvd first. Reason for this is that I want to keep my videos in standard definition for their quality but a dvd only allows about 1.5 hours in SD which isn't long enough for some of the programs I've recorded. Also I want to convert them to divx format so it's a reasonable file size.

Do i need a video capture card? or a tv tuner? If so, which ones are good and available in Australia?

How would I go about converting it to divx?

I'm a completely newbie at this so any help would be immensely appreciated. Oh yeah, my dvd recorder is an LG hdd/dvd recorder. model RH7926W with 250GB memory.

[Frobozz]

I hope you don't mind my correcting your terminology. All the recording settings are standard definition. I think you're referring to the SP mode which should fit about 2 hours to a disc.

You cannot copy directly from the hard drive to the computer without some kind of analog-to-digital capture device. The easier way is to divide your too-long recordings into two parts that each fit a single-layer disc. Burn each part to DVD-RW discs and use a PC application to extract the MPEG video from those discs. That application may also be able to convert those to Divx and burn your Divx disc. I have a Mac so I use Toast and don't know what to recommend for use on a PC.

[ducky83]

Hey thanks for the reply. I don't mind you correcting me at all. As you can see I have pretty much no idea what I'm talking about. I'm using Windows if that helps. So any ideas on the best program to extract MPEG files? Also if I burn it to a DVD-RW do I have to finalise the cd to read it on my computer? And if I finalise it, can I still wipe the info off it when I'm done? Probably really stupid questions but just checking.

[Frobozz]

TMPGEnc seems to be a popular PC application for this sort of thing, although that's just what I've read here.

You shouldn't need to finalize VR-mode DVD-RWs, but you will need to finalize video-mode DVD-RW. In any case, your DVD recorder will allow you to resuse the disc. My Pioneer recorder has an unfinalize option and then lets me delete titles. I use VR-mode because it saves me time but that is debated here by others who swear by video mode for everything.

[ducky83]

Awesome. Thanks so much frobozz for all your help. Will try it out.

[RabidDog]

Also if I burn it to a DVD-RW do I have to finalise the cd to read it on my computer? And if I finalise it, can I still wipe the info off it when I'm done? Probably really stupid questions but just checking.

You should really try these things out for yourself.. you might learn other things about your machine. You cant be q

I'm a completely newbie at this

if you even know about divx, and to consider converting your files means your a well informed newbie

try dvdshrink and autogk also fairuse4.0 self-explanatory softwares for your perusal.