Help convert Sony camcorder dvd to computer

[cmcfalls]

I have a Sony DVD Camcorder and am copying the video to my computer so I can combine multiple 30 minute DVDs into 1 large DVD.

My question is this - Am I losing video quality by copying the files to the computer as MPEGs rather than DVD video files? The software I am using is the software that came with the camcorder (Sony Picture Package) rips the files from the mini DVDs to the computer in MPEG format. Woudl I be better off using DVD ripping software to rip the mini DVDs to the computer in ISO (or DVD) file format? If I will not lose much video quality by ripping it as MPEG files then I will not fool with the added steps and disk space to rip it as DVD files.

I think the DVD files are larger, but if the MPEG files are not much worse, I will stick with it. My plans are to combine multiple mini DVDs into a full length DVD with Vegas software package. They are just vacation home movies, not anything even semi professional, so a minor loss of video quality would not be too bad. But, since we have a big screen TV, any problems are magnified and enlarged.

Thanks for any assistance...

[Baldrick]

DVD is mpeg...but the sony picture may convert the video anyway. Does it take long to copy to mpeg format?

Or just use vob2mpeg, it doesn't reencode/convert the video. It just join all vob files to one mpg file.

Or join several mini dvds with Tmpgenc DVD author, select Add DVD-Video and choose the VIDEO_TS folder.