MPEG2 Format for Long-term storage of DV Clips?

[pp05629]

After researching and experimenting with VCD the last few days, I have decided to wait until DVD burner's come down a little more in price and go in the DVD direction.

Now I am presented with a problem of what to do with my DV camcorder tapes? I really do not want to collect numereous DV camcorder tapes with my videos on them. If I capture them to DV AVI files via my Firewire card, can I encode them in MPEG2 format with TMPGenc and later use those files as my source for DVD burning? Any suggestions of TMPGenc DVD templates?

Any direction would be appreciated.

what encoder should I use (TMPGenc? DVSoft?, etc)?

[Faceman101]

Personally I use TMPGEnc's DVD (just started using CCE this week) template to get the basis down. Change the bitrate to CBR set at 6000kps, DC Component Precision at 10bits, Motion Search Precision at Highest Quality (matters alot). Then in advanced set the ratio to 4:3 NTSC (not the 704x480 one that pops up usually) or 16:9 if I used widescreen. Then encode all my clips over night, combine in MPEG Tools (usually in 10min pieces anything over that I lose sync around 17min) and export to TV with the DVC II. The quality is exact to the DV original. In your case of storage for later DVD burning I would wait b.c of the file sizes you will make. They will be more than your DV original and then you will have a collection of CDs rather than tapes. Also depends on the length of your DV clips. I'm sure others have different methods, but this works for me and I suggest you wait on the MPEG2 conversion.

[pp05629]

FaceMan101...Thanks for your advice.