can I use mpeg2

[LBcork]

Hope this is the right forum.
I'm continually confused at what I'm doing

I want a simple simple card to capture lots of home movies from VCR hoping to capture directly to mpeg 2. (saving time)

But I want to be able to cut these mpeg2 videos and put them in different chapters and menus. I don't have time to capture avi and encode to mpeg 2, but I want there to be many different clips I can go right to from the menu?

How to do this.
Right now I only have a firewire card.
I need some analog capture.
I have video studio 4 I capture with to avi and encode with tmpeg.
*These are my camcorder videos*
These are the only programs I have.
I tested dvd movie factory, and the menu chapter part doesn't seem to fit my needs, but I could be doing it wrong, because I couldn't figure out how to render my captured avi file *from video studio* to mpeg 2 and burn it. Always said uncompliant or something.

I'm a real newbie, hope this makes sense.
Thanks
Lisa

[rhuala2]

<---I would first start by reading some of the guides on the left. Also check out Doom9

Personally I think editing MPEG2 is a pain, I always run into audio sync or some other issues, but if that's the way u really want to go...

Look into WinDVR2, good MPEG2 capture program and WinProducer 3 for editing MPEG (same company as WinDVR so compatible). THe other popular choice, which I like less, is PowerVCR2 which captures and edit MPEG2, but I find can cause audio sync problems. Read, learn, experiment...

I also find it useful that when u test vid quality to get another player like Radlight or Div Player 2 (comes with DivX 5.03). That way u can play 2 samples side by side to compare quality. But be aware I find a difference even playing the same file from 2 different players so first try to find 2 players that will play the same file and look the same.

As for authoring, I like DVD Maestro the best, bit harder to learn but I think it's worth it...

Good luck!

rhuala