How to transfer from Mini DV to DVD, thanks

[Adrian1]

Hi there,
I’ve been given the enviable task of transferring some holiday footage for someone. My hope and aim if possible is to transfer the footage onto my hard drive and then edit a small piece off the end.

Hopefully then burn direct onto a DVD disc. I want if possible to be able to do the transfer onto my hard drive without any compression or loss of quality. The footage is only 30-35 minutes in length maximum.

The camera is a Sony Mini DV, DCR-HC18E PAL and has USB Streaming capability.

I have Nero StartSmart which has DVD burning capabilities.

I would ever so appreciate any advice.


Many thanks

Ad ;

[daamon]

Hi Adrian1,

This thread:

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=245356

...and the links in it contain everything you need to know, and more. You'll have to do some sifting to find what you want but it should be just the ticket...

I've recently tried out WinDV for capture from a DV cam - worked beautifully. All I'll say is to have the tape running before the stuff you want to capture, then click "Capture" in WinDV. It avoids dropped frames.

WinDV will capture to (Type 2) DV AVI - this is exactly what you need for what you want to do and achieve.

To trim a bit off the end, it's a simple case of load the captured DV AVI file into VirtualDub. There are guides on how to trim. But it's fairly intuitive.

Just remember to set a DV codec for compression before saving the trimmed footage, otherwise you'll end up with a monster of an uncompressed file.

Feel free to post back with any questions when you get stuck, and you can't find the answer in the guides or forums.

[Richard_G]

Alternatively, do it the easy way. Do not transfer using USB but get yourself a cheap Firewire card and a copy of Ulead DVD Factory (or DVD Workshop, trial downloads of both available).

Connect camcorder to Firewire port, start software, transfer footage, trim off any unwanted bits, add any menus (if you want) and allow the software to transcode, author and burn the files to DVD.

It may be frowned upon by those that want total control over every part of the process but it will achieve the desired result. It's much like cooking a meal if you think about it, you can either spend hours preparing every individual ingredient or you can buy it ready made and bung it in the microwave! The purists will frown on the latter method, but both ways will stop you from starving.....

[lordsmurf]

4 easy steps:

- Capture with WinDV.
- Edit in editor (Premiere, Vegas, for example)
- Export from the editor to MPEG encoder (MainConcept, encoder that comes with editor, for example).
- Author MPEGs in authoring software (TDA, DVD Workshop, for example).

Now decide on software and find guides to how to use it.

[Richard_G]

Can someone please explain why there seems to be an obsession with using numerous bits of software when one will do it all? The original question only asked how to transfer 35 minutes of footage from DV camcorder and burn it to DVD. It doesn't appear that he wants, or has any need to get involved in the finer points of encoding, editing and authoring, he simply wants to make a DVD! I will be amongst the first to admit that there is a place for experimentation, filtering and fine tuning to get the last bit of quality out of a bit of dubious quality footage, but that wasn't what was asked.

I might spend weeks on some projects to get a result I am happy with, but if I'm asked to make a DVD from a MiniDV tape, that is exactly what I do. For 35 minutes worth of footage, it takes 35 minutes to transfer, about 15 minutes to trim off any rubbish and create a menu and then I leave the pc to get on with it. Within a hour or so, I've got a DVD.

To quote from a very old joke, "How do some of you guys make love? Standing up in a hammock?"

[daamon]

It's horses for courses...

Some want to be / enjoy being fastidious about using separate tools with each one dedicated to the task that's required at each stage and believe that, because it allows them greater control at each step, that the final result is of a better quality.

Whereas others aren't so obsessed / interested in the final quality or don't have the knowledge / time / dedication / inclination to get stuck into separate tools and are happy to use the "all-in-ones".

Neither approach is right or wrong - it's whatever the individual is happy with...

[Adrian1]

Hi to you all,
I just wanted to say a huge thankyou to you all for your help and advise. The job has been completed with sucess and without any problems I'm happy to say.


There is one more task I have and thats to produce a photo slide show. The person I'm doing this for can't play back cd's on their DVD player but DVD'rs work fine for some reason.

I need to therefore create a photo slide show on a DVD-R. Does anyone know of a good freeware programme that can do this that has a high quality output and also if possible can add audio to the background.

I've tried Nero express and for some reason the quality of the pictures were terrible and the cd didn't even playback on my player. I tested on my PC instead.

I really need a good programme that is freeware as well as I found that the free trial ones seem to put a watermark on the image until you purchase.

Thanks again for any advise and all the help received so far. I'm very much learning and need all the help I can get.

Thanks everyone.


Best wishes

Ad

[daamon]

No problem - Glad you got results you were happy with.

Slide Show Movie Maker - Loads of regularly good comments and recommendations. Will save to an AVI file. Then encode to MPEG2 as you normally do...

Not sure if it does sound, but you can take the AVI and dub in audio in VirtualDub.

[tim6661234]

DVD Picture Show (ULEAD). Not free but I think it will do all you need. Check out the trial version I think its time limited rather than overlays your video.

Of course you could do one as follows

Create slideshow in Adobe Premier
Export to MPEG
Author

But we don't want to upset Richard

[Adrian1]

Hi there,
Thanks for reply. I followed the link to the download but there was no download and a page cannot be displayed came up. Do you know of another link atall. Thanks ever so much for your help.


Thanks

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[daamon]

Clicking on Slide Show Movie Maker takes me here:



Under where it says "Type" as a column heading, it says "Freeware" and a "Download" link to:

www.joern-thiemann.de/subpage/index.htm?/tools/ssmm/

[Adrian1]

Hi thanks, it was the www.joern-thiemann.de/subpage/index.htm?/tools/ssmm/

link page that when I clicked the download page all of the downloads failed.?

Thanks

Ad

[daamon]

Works for me - I've just done it...

I've uploaded here for you to download (it's only 626Kb):

ssmm37.zip

[jimmalenko]

Can someone please explain why there seems to be an obsession with using numerous bits of software when one will do it all?

Some want to be / enjoy being fastidious about using separate tools with each one dedicated to the task that's required at each stage and believe that, because it allows them greater control at each step, that the final result is of a better quality.

Whereas others aren't so obsessed / interested in the final quality or don't have the knowledge / time / dedication / inclination to get stuck into separate tools and are happy to use the "all-in-ones".

Neither approach is right or wrong - it's whatever the individual is happy with...

Spot on, D

All-in-ones are typically "jack of all trades, master of none" softwares IMO. Dedicated tools give you options and flexibility.

[Adrian1]

Hi there and thanks ever so much for the download. Its much appreciated.

I will see what I can do with the software and let you know how I get on.

Thanks again.


Best wishes

Ad

[daamon]

No problem. I'd be interested to see what you think - as people rarely post back with their thoughts / results...