Any benefits of coverting AVI to MPEG using 2 Hard Drives?

[wild4trv30]

Until recently, I've been plugging away with creating VCDs adn SVCDs. I just upgraded my system to include a second hard drive and a DVD-/+RW DL burner. In preparation for my first DVD creation, I am converting my original AVIs to Mpeg2. I have read where it is recommended to capture video to a second HD to reduce frame drops, but is there any benefit of having the AVI and converter (TMpeg) on one HD and outputting the MPEG2 to the second drive?

Thanks.

P.S. I bought my burner OEM and plan on sampling DVDLab-Pro for my authoring. If it works I plan to purchase.

[Nelson37]

Yes, by reducing traffic on each drive you will get a definite speed improvement.

[wild4trv30]

Wow, that was quick...Thanks! I thought it would, but wasn't sure. Well off to convert (and wait, and wait..)

BTW, If I were to buy an inexpensive tabletop DVD recorder with a firewire connection for my mini dv camera, would the mpeg generated on the DVD-R be usable for an authoring program on my PC such as DVDLab or would I have to reconvert/edit again?

[jagabo]

is there any benefit of having the AVI and converter (TMpeg) on one HD and outputting the MPEG2 to the second drive?

You'll save a few seconds here and there.

[edDV]

CPU power is the dominent issue for encoding.

[mikiem]

"BTW, If I were to buy an inexpensive tabletop DVD recorder with a firewire connection for my mini dv camera, would the mpeg generated on the DVD-R be usable for an authoring program on my PC such as DVDLab or would I have to reconvert/edit again?"

1st off, DV is transferred via firewire, not normally re-encoded. You'd be using your camera as a tape deck to feed analog video (same as to TV) to be recorded in mpg2. Using your PC, you'd transfer DV vid to your hard drive, and later convert it to mpg2.

DVD recorders have a *new toy* aspect, and can save you from giving up your PC during the time it takes to encode. They don't have the options available that you'll find encoding on your PC. But you are recording a DVD, so the video should be in DVD spec. You shouldn't have to re-encode, but you will have to do a little work (depending on software & method) before re-burning. The biggest deciding factor is if you *Ever* want to edit, skip the box.

[wild4trv30]

"1st off, DV is transferred via firewire, not normally re-encoded. You'd be using your camera as a tape deck to feed analog video (same as to TV) to be recorded in mpg2. Using your PC, you'd transfer DV vid to your hard drive, and later convert it to mpg2. "

The box I saw had a firewire connection on the front which I assume is DV input from a DV source (e.g., mini-DV camera). So, wouldn't the box be recording DV to mgeg2 (i.e., no analog)?

It definitely doesn't replace the PC process, but I wondered if this was a viable option to get raw footage to DVD.

This prompts another question (which may be getting off topic of this forum). What are people doing with their min-DV raw footage? Mine is still on the original tapes, but I assume in 10 years or so, the tapes will start to deteriorate like VHS (albeit different deterioration). I assume before that time BR or HD DVD or "HD flash" (I made that one up) or whatever will be able to simply output DV from tape to a more archival medium? The clock is ticking...

Thanks.

[edDV]

The box I saw had a firewire connection on the front which I assume is DV input from a DV source (e.g., mini-DV camera). So, wouldn't the box be recording DV to mgeg2 (i.e., no analog)?

It definitely doesn't replace the PC process, but I wondered if this was a viable option to get raw footage to DVD.

You can get a direct encode this way but editing and re-encoding the resulting MPeg2 will degrade end quality vs. DV transfer to the computer, editing in DV format and then encoding.

This prompts another question (which may be getting off topic of this forum). What are people doing with their min-DV raw footage? Mine is still on the original tapes, but I assume in 10 years or so, the tapes will start to deteriorate like VHS (albeit different deterioration). I assume before that time BR or HD DVD or "HD flash" (I made that one up) or whatever will be able to simply output DV from tape to a more archival medium? The clock is ticking...

I keep camera masters and final edit masters on DV tape. Others dub DV files in 20min segments to DVDR as data.

Within a few months to years we'll have higher capacity DVD media (e.g. BluRay and HD). At that time I'll dub the tapes in full quality for DVDR backup.

[mikiem]

"The box I saw had a firewire connection on the front which I assume is DV input from a DV source (e.g., mini-DV camera). So, wouldn't the box be recording DV to mgeg2 (i.e., no analog)? "

Sorry... worded my post poorly. As it is I'm having a hard time figuring out how to word it.

DV is a digital format, in that the video's stored in 1's & 0's, same as mpg2 on DVD and so on. Transferring DV via firewire you copy data from one place to another, as the words I'm typing travel via the network. Once you open the page with this reply, the analog phase has started -- you're reading it (hopefully ) which is very analog, & then it's a matter for others to argue if the process from your eyes to your brain is more analog or digital.

So, mention firewire and folks tend to think digital copies rather then USB alternative. And often when folks think firewire they think of that transfer, rather then what happens after. Converting to mpg2 the DV video is decoded & that picture sampled, in a DVD recorder probably using a combination of analog signals and digital electronics. Blurring the issue a bit, often the digital electronics are performing or mimicing analog processes, digitally.

The way *I* look at it, which is by no means gospel in any sense ... Using a firewire cable between camera & DVDR versus transfering footage to your PC's HD, the 1st way you are using your camera more like a VCR. Giving the DVDR a perfect copy of your video, which is a plus, internally it's still going to sample the picture, & at some point all the input paths are going to merge.

[edDV]

DV is higher quality and more easily edited than DVD MPeg2 so you will get better results editing in DV format and then encoding the edited result to MPeg2.