VHS>Panasonic NV-GS230>DVD

[Pothole]

Hi there.

Digital video is pretty new to me.

I just need to know, as I'm looking at buying a new MiniDV DV Cam. I was looking at the GS230.

What I want to be able to do is plug the cam into my VHS and upload from VHS to the Camera (miniDV) then burn to DVD (using MPEG4 maybe?)

Can anyone answer a few questions for me.

- VHS to DV camera (using MiniDV) - is this possible?

- if so, can the NV-GS230 do this and via what sort of connection as I can't work out whether you can connect Composite (or S-Video) to the GS230 camera.

- Converting from MiniDV to DVD, what is the best format to use (MPEG4?)?

[dadrab]

You’re leaving a pretty wide wake here.

In the last 18 months, I’ve learned a whole bunch about digital video, but the one thing I’ve learned that is always true is that “nothing is as easy as it seems.”

To do what you want to do with your VHS tapes, you’ll need to look for a camera with pass-through. It does not appear the model you’ve picked out has it, but I could be wrong. The review I looked at did not mention it, nor did it have photos of the input-output cluster to check for S-video input. Look for one that accepts input from an S-video cable and outputs to firewire. The more you look at specs. for the different cameras, the more you’ll learn.

Provided you choose the right camera, you should be able to patch your VCR (if it’s SVHS and has S-video output) into your camera. The camera will output the signal as DV into your computer. Go to the “Capture” section of the forum and read away about how that’s done.

Now, you’ll also need to go to the “Newbie Conversion” section of the forum and read about converting DV to MPEG2 (DVD compliant). That’s where you want to be.

MPEG4 is not DVD compliant. It’s just another compression tool to shrink video and make file sizes smaller. Think of it in the same vein as Divx and Xvid.

Cheers.

[Pothole]

Thanks. I understand it's a lot more complicated than what one would assume.

However, what you've posted does cover what I need to know to research what and from where.

Much appreciated and thank you for taking the time to respond.

regards

Gez