VHS to DVD Editing/Authoring help/software

[BazG]

I'm a complete newbie at this video stuff & the more I read both here & elsewhere on the web the more confused I become.

I would really appreciate it if I could get some assistance to determine what software I need, etc.

I have 2 HDD/DVD recorders ... a Sony RDR-HX710 & a Panasonic DMR-EH55. Both have "useability" issues of 1 sort or another. For example, the A-B or partial delete function of the Sony doesn't really work aOK, particularly for divided files. When I create a DVD I see portions of the bits that I had deleted ... which I don't see when I play the files from the HDD. Also the Sony shows a 4.7gb DVD-R as 4.6gb & when I add a file to the burn list the file size is bigger than what it shows for the same file in the HDD list, eg. if a file in the HDD list shows 2.1gb, it shows 2.2gb when added to the burn list.

The divide and partial delete functions on the Pana works AOK. I'm not sure whether it has a size issue as well, since the Pana only shows the file size in the burn list.

The menus, particularly for the Pana, are terrible.

Anyway, I have 30 or so VHS tapes that I would like to convert to DVD; mostly 1hr documentaries that I have recorded from the TV over the years.

What I would like to do is:

* Copy the VHS tapes using 1 of the above recorders in SP (2hr) mode,
* Divide into individual episodes,
* Burn to DVD-RW's.

On my PC:

* Copy or import the DVD's,
* Edit the video files to remove ads &/or other junk,
* Create my own SIMPLE but better looking menu with a link to each episode on the DVD plus maybe a "PLayAll",
* Create a 4.7gb DVD containing 3 or 4 episodes (if necessary, author to HDD & use DVD Shrink to make them fit onto a 4.7gb DVD).

The ability to RE-combine or join a divided video into 1 file would be nice ... assuming I needed to divide a single title to fit onto the DVD-RW.

I don't intend to create any fancy menus, just a menu with the DVD title at the top & links to each episode with maybe a thumbnail (not essential).

I would prefer, if possible, a single software solution but don't mind if I have to use separate editor & author pgms.

Which WinXP software pgm(s) would you recommend to achieve the above? (Free and/or Buy).

Lastly, both recorders can create DVD's in either DVD-Video or DVD-VR format. Which format would be best to use? Note. The final DVD would be in DVD-Video format so I can play the DVD's on older players that don't support DVD-VR.

Cheers & TIA for your assistance
Bazza...

PS. I'm not really keen on TDA v2 due to it's need to constantly dialhome to remain active.

[Bjs]

"Lastly, both recorders can create DVD's in either DVD-Video or DVD-VR format"

Stick with dvd-video , simpler .

Then come the tools :

Ulead videostudio 8se or 9se will do almost all you need , and can be picked up cheap in ebay ... dosent handle ac3 audio .

Or :

Virtualdub , bbmpeg , avisynth + dll's , gimp , vobedit , ifoedit , pgcedit , wax2 , besweet , batchdemux , dvdauthorgui , visualsubsync , srt2sup , subtitleworkshop , dvd decrypter or imgtools , folder2iso , blender , xnview , muxman , audiocity , dvdshrink , vcdgear ... with this collection of tool's , you are not restricted ... anything is possible , and only cost's the time to download the tools and some basic learning ... if help required with pgcedit , just pm us .

Some of these tools help get around authoring those half d1 res title's that most authoring tool's wont touch without retranscoding ... even 1/4 d1 (352x288 pal or 352x240 nstc) .

What can be done :

Virtualdub : Audio extraction as wav , frameserving to bbmpeg , some filter effect's ... help with cell location .
Bbmpeg : Can encode into any mpeg2 required size ... even hd .
Avisynth + dll's : Motion menu's / chapters , and much more .
Gimp : Menu backgound design , and handles png with alpha's (avisynth) .
Vobedit : Strip video / audio stream from vob's , join or split vobs .
Ifoedit : Basic dvd authoring and patching , correction .
Pgcedit : Basic authoring , navigational command editing , menu replacement .
Wax2 : Motion menu's and more .
Besweet : Audio conversion (wav to ac3) , and more .
Batchdemux : Strip audio / video stream from mpeg2 .
Dvdauthorgui : Basic dvd authoring with menu editor .
Visualsubsync : Should you want to create subtitle's or retime an existing subtitle .
Srt2sup : For conversion of subtitles in srt format to sup format as required by ifoedit .
Subtitleworkshop : More subtitle conversion , editing .
Dvd decrypter or imgtools : Handy to transfer your data from the home dvd's to pc , and burn to dvd .
Folder2iso : Incase you use dvdauthorgui to output to folder , rather than iso .
Blender : For generating 3d scene's for menu's .
Xnview : To convert gimp generated dvd menu buttons to 4 bit bitmaps .
Muxman : Can handle muxing into hd .
Audiocity : For basic fixups in audio ... scratch's , ect .
Dvdshrink : For knocking project title down to fit media .
Vcdgear : For pulling mpeg from dat .

While this might seem extreme ... as I mentioned before , it's completely unrestricted ... and many guides can be found here in the forum .

[BazG]

Bjs,

Thanks for your reply. I'll take a further look at the tools you mentioned.

Cheers...