Movies from Sony HD camcorder to PC and DVD, workflow?

[Lee2014]

We have a Sony HD camcorder. Now I transfer the video's from the camera to the computer for editing and backup. Windows Movie maker gives me the message "create a movie in Photogalley", then the movie shows up in WMM and I can save it in MPEG4. This is a lot of work for a couple of hours video, but I'm also questioning if this is the right way to go? I want to make DVD's from our video's.
Should I use "Play memories home" (SOny software) or just go ahead with Win Movie Maker?

What do you guys with video's from a HD camcorder, what is your workflow?

[smrpix]

Play Memories Home should work just fine for the basic stuff. If you want to get a little more sophisticated take a look at Sony Vegas Movie Studio. You'll need the platinum version with DVD Architect to make DVDs.

Windows Movie Maker and mpeg4, in this situation, is a wrong path.

[Cornucopia]

Do yourself a favor and AVOID WMM for all but the simplest of "throwaway" projects.

+1 smrpix's suggestions. Note: You don't need DVDArchitect to make EXTREMELY BASIC DVDs, if that's all you want. It is possible to do an "extremely basic" dvd export direct from the Vegas timeline (well, V.Pro at least - I'm not so sure about V.M.S.). Plus, there are plenty of free- and share-ware DVD creation apps here if you wanted to forego buying DVDA and yet still needed some features & flexibility in authoring, though I recommend it (DVDA) as it is a really good app just like Vegas.

Scott

[Lee2014]

Thanks to both of you for your advice. But what format do you suggest? MPEG4 or can I keep it as it is, HD?
I think 600 dollars for software is a bit much, anybode experience with Photoshop Premiere Elements?
Sorry for my questions, but we are really new to video.

[LMotlow]

Did anyone say welcome to the forum? Welcome anyway.

Need a little clarification here:

We have a Sony HD camcorder.

What model SONY? Many HD camcorders shoot more than one version of "HD". What HD video format and frame rate are you shooting? If your webcam has several settings for video, which setting do you use?

Windows Movie maker gives me the message "create a movie in Photogalley", then the movie shows up in WMM and I can save it in MPEG4. This is a lot of work for a couple of hours video, but I'm also questioning if this is the right way to go? I want to make DVD's from our video's.

Is "DVD" a typo here? DVD can't be high definition. DVD can't be MPEG4, either. If what you're doing with WMM (which I wouldn't use for anything. Period) is downsampling and re-encoding to get "DVD", you're getting away easy with just a couple of hours to wait. I think you mean you're transferring your videos from the camera to AVCHD burned to DVD disc ?

What do you guys with video's from a HD camcorder, what is your workflow?

It depends. Few of "us" would use WMM. In any case you'll get improvements, in quality at least, with Sony Movie Studio Platinum. It sells discounted for less than $100, is likely better for smart-rendering than Premiere Elements, and doesn't cost anything near 600 bucks. You must be thinking of Vegas Pro. The Platinum version of Sony's software should more than suffice. MAny members here use the free tools suggested. Vegas Pro would be overkill on a vast scale. If you don't like waiting a couple of hours for a video transfer and conversion, then you won't like spending the next 6 months learning to use Vegas Pro.


Maybe you can confirm exactly what you're shooting and whether you want to get AVCHD burned to DVD disc, or if you really do want to go from HD down to to real "DVD".

[vkmast]

The OP should find Sony Movie Studio Platinum, which comes with the DVD Architect Studio BD and DVD authoring and burning software, for something like 60 $. The Vegas Pro, which is the big brother of SMS/P, list price may be near that 600 $. SMS Platinum does have the option of burning from the timeline as well.
You need to render your files with different settings for BD and DVD. SMS Platinum has the "Make Movie" wizard to help you.
As for HD content to DVD, this Sony software does not support the so-called AVCHD discs any more.
https://www.custcenter.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4415/kw/avchd%20disc

As for "smart rendering" in Vegas/MSP, see here
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/webhelp/moviestudioplatinum/13/enu/index.htm#Render.htm

[Baldrick]

I'm moving you to our dvd authoring section. The dvd ripping section is mainly for commercial movies.

[Lee2014]

Thanks LMotlow for your time.
The camera is HDR-PJ230, I can choose HD, MPEG4 or Std. The camera was in HD mode, frame rate? user guide says 60i.
And yes I'm transferring the videos to the PC, do some editing (put titles in it, delete unsharp pics. And then burn the videos to a DVD and keep a backup on a external harddisc. I'm searching for the best way to store it, in a format that is commonly used, and be able to watch them now and later, that is why I first preferred MPEG4.
And I'm more into photography, doing a lot with PE, that's already time consuming.

[Lee2014]

Thanks vkmast for your advice. I will have a look at Sony Movie Studio P.

[LMotlow]

Thanks LMotlow for your time.
The camera is HDR-PJ230, I can choose HD, MPEG4 or Std. The camera was in HD mode, frame rate? user guide says 60i.
And yes I'm transferring the videos to the PC, do some editing (put titles in it, delete unsharp pics. And then burn the videos to a DVD and keep a backup on a external harddisc. I'm searching for the best way to store it, in a format that is commonly used, and be able to watch them now and later, that is why I first preferred MPEG4.
And I'm more into photography, doing a lot with PE, that's already time consuming.

Thanks for the info.

First, we have to discriminate between a blank 4.7 DVD disc which can contain various data forms including video files, and the DVD format. The DVD format involves specific standards. The format cannot accept MPEG4 or h264 encoding, nor can it accept high definition frame sizes. The DVD format that we're all most familiar with is encoded as MPEG2, which is both a file type and a codec. The usual frame size is 720x480, usually interlaced or telecined, playing at 29.97 interlaced frames per second (OK, you can round that to 30fps), and for wide screen the playback display aspect ratio is 16:9. The only other aspect ratio accepted in the DVD format is 4:3.

AVCHD is a format with specific frame size, frame structure, and frame rate specs. You are recording at an acceptable frame size of 1920x1080, encoded with h264 as interlaced MPEG4 video playing at "60i". Stating the frame rate as 60i really means that it plays back at 60 de-interlaced fields per second. That can be confusing, I know. DVD and AVCHD can both be encoded as (rounded) 30 interlaced frames per second, or stated as 60 de-interlaced fields per second on playback. They both mean the same thing. The only accepted display aspect ratio for 1920x1080 AVCHD is 16:9.

Basically you have two ways of getting AVCHD onto a DVD disc.

First, AVCHD MPEG4 video can be edited and authored as the original AVCHD format, then burned to a 4.7GB or 8.5GB dual-layer DVD disc. That won't give you a DVD format that can be played on a DVD player. It gives you the AVCHD format on a DVD disc. You need a BluRay player to play that disc. Some BluRay players will accept AVCHD burned to DVD disc, some won't. DVD-only players won't play it. Another method for handling, storing and playing the AVCHD format is to store it to a hard drive or an external media player, or burn it to BluRay disc. Some editing apps will do all that for you, but some won't burn AVCHD to a DVD disc.

The second way to do it is more involved. The AVCHD MPEG4 interlaced video is first decoded (decompressed), then deinterlaced, then resized to 720x480, then re-interlaced, then re-encoded with the MPEG2 codec into an MPEG2 file for the DVD format, then authored and burned to a DVD disc. The DVD format can't be encoded as MPEG4. This is obviously more time-consuming than just burning an edited copy of an AVCHD video to a DVD disc.

Which of these methods or formats are you trying to get to?

[vkmast]

One might also note that the OP seems to be in Australia, where the standard DVD is PAL (Region 4).

[LMotlow]

oops. Yep, thanks for catching that one. But the O.P. states he's recording 60i, not 50i. So must be working with NTSC. If the O.P. wants PAL, things get a whole lot more complicated.

[Lee2014]

Thanks to both of you for your advice and time.
Let me first apologize for my lack of knowledge of video, we bought this camera for our holiday, and were told it was easy to edit and view to movies.
Well there is much more involved in it, as I said before I'm more into photography. I did a workshop video and was told that MPEG4 was the right one.
Seems to be wrong (for us). And sorry, but I didn't know about frame rate, the manual said 60i, but we have PAL and I suppose it is not 60i.

What I want to do is transfer the movies to the PC, do some basis editing and make backups, so we can watch the movies on a PC and/or TV. And I prefer a common system. The reason for that is that years ago we had a videocamera with the small tapes, which we had transferred to the PC and DVD, then we bought a digital camcorder with the small discs, which are now old fashioned. I did hope that with this camera the movies (on a SD card) would be more timeless and useful.

I suppose next time we better set the camera to Standard and not to HD, is that right? I understand from LMotlow that HD is not the right choice for us. We don't have a BluRay player, only a DVD player.

So what is the way to go, maybe use Sony Movie Studio to transfer and edit/view? Or is that not sufficient?

[LMotlow]

According to the marketing specs for your camera. if you shoot PAL standard dfinition video the camera would shoot 720x576 16:9 video encoded to MPEG2 at 25fps interlaced (which I guess SONY likes to call "50i"). That would be valid for the PAL DVD format. Movie Studio Platinum is well regarded among budget editors, so it should fulfill your needs. If you're new to video, DVD will be easier to work with than HD, which requires a PC with a little more muscle than the average computer.

IMO it would be easier to use your camera maker's software for transfer to a PC. Then let Movie Studio take it from there.

[Lee2014]

Thanks LMotlow for your advice. I'm going use the Sony software for now and in the future use Standard Definition. I've learned a lot in 24 hrs. Thanks again. Have a good weekend.