Creating Family Videos on DVD (from DVD)

[Sylvain]

I would like to seek advice on the tools to use for editing my family videos and converting them to DVD.

My family videos have been already transferred to DVD using a Panasonic DMR E-30 DVD recorder. However, there was no editing nor any fancy menu done; just straight transfer. My goal is to edit them with better menus and stick them back on DVD.

I gathered from this web site that I should use DVD Decrypter to transfer my DVDs to hard disk and then Gordian Knot to have AVIs created (and then be able to edit).

Is Gordian Knot AVIs the best method to maintain the audio/video quality or should I use another format (or tool)?

Are there good free editing tools out there or should I stick with the copy of ShowBiz that came with my DVD Burner (HP DVD200i)?

Am I missing something or is this the way to go?

Thanks.

[Baldrick]

You can just copy the dvd to your hd. It isn't encrypted.

If you don't need any advanced editing, just cutting and make basic menus you can use tmpgenc dvd author. Just import the dvd video by clickin add dvd video and you can cut and make new menus.

[Baldrick]

If you want more advanced editing without reconverting you can also try MPEG Video Wizard .

[macleod]

as Baldrick mentioned, Tmpgenc dvd author IS the way to go for your menus and whatnot. I do, now professionally, what you are doing and I use the E30. Actually, what I do is use dvdram to record the vhs tape on the panny e30, then rip that down to my hard drive and use tmpgenc dvd author to make menus, chapters, cut out stuff, splice scenes from various vhs sources, etc.

they all look great.

[Sylvain]

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely check out Tmpgenc dvd author as it seems to be capable of doing exactly what I want to achieve.

At the risk of being a bit out of topic for this forum though, I have other (related) questions: as it appears that Gordian Knot will take about 13 hours to convert one DVD VOBs to AVIs (at 100% quality), is this the smart way to do it?

Is there a better way to convert the VOBs or, a better destination format? Would it better to convert to MPEG2 (instead of AVIs)? Will Tmpgenc DVD Author handle both AVI/MPEG formats?

Thanks again.