What format would be the best for future authoring?

[quickpick]

I have a few 3/4" video tapes that I'd like to have professionally converted. (Any suggestions on a reputable place would be appreciated).

But my first question is that ultimately I'd like them on DVD, but I'd prefer to do the authoring at a later date. It seems the places I've looked up on the internet give you every conceivable option on what media to choose, but I'm assuming if I ask for a DVD, I'd have to then rip it down the road in order to add my own menus, etc.. Is there another format I can ask for that would make my future plan easier?

Thanks!

[reboot]

Mpeg-2 @ dvd spec.

[quickpick]

Thank you for the info reboot.

I called a few places yesterday armed with this new information and one was suggesting that I go with DV. Forgive my ignorance, but is MPEG2 what you get from a DVD recorder and DV from a camcorder, and would both be equally acceptable in authoring software?

Thanks...

[quickpick]

Bump...

[guns1inger]

if you want to edit any of this footage first, then DV would be preferable just because mpeg-2 is a) more difficult to edit than DV, and b) suffer from quality loss more rapidly through re-encoding.

It is possible to edit mpeg-2 source, and to do it with little or no re-encoding, however the software that does this tends to be less feature packed than DV editing software. If your needs are modest, and you don't intend to be too creative, then mpeg-2 is probably OK.

If, on the otherhand, you intend to edit sunstantially, add fades and titles, colour matching anf\d grading and all the other things that digital affords, DV is a much more sensible choice.

[kisrum]

Since I have a DV camcorder, posters here as well as the guy who transferred my 8mm film convinced me to go to DV tape. From there I could file transfer to my computer as an AVI for substantial editing, as described by gunslinger, or to mpg for quick chopping and titling. This also provides some future flexibility as processes improve, tech changes, etc. Of course you need to own or borrow a DV camcorder. Doesn't have to be high end for file transfer, as long as it works.

Yes, if you get a final authored dvd product from your vendor and want to do your own menus, etc later then you'll have to rip it to an editor, and then re-encode which would cost you some image quality on your own final DVD.

If they give you raw unauthored mpgs on a DVD data disk then you don't have to rip, just copy the file over. This is fine unless you want to do the substantial editing described above in AVI.

Many paths to the same destination.

[dun4cheap]

To Retain the best quality before and after edits, I would keep it in DV Avi format. This will also help you avoid audio sync problems that a lot of editing software have when editing mpeg video.