What seems to be the best all in one video tool?

[ozymango]

You can't really edit in ConvertX, you can just select chapters based on time, as many as you want, but for the menu screen you only get to enter menu text based on each AVI file. So if you just have one 70 minute file, you can put a choice on the main menu screen that says, "Play Game 5, Saturday 10/16" or whatever, and then you can have chapter stops that you can go to via your remote (direct enter chapter number), or by hitting the next or previous chapter button. But there won't be menus for each chapter, sorry, hope you don't need that.

If you do want menus for each chapter, or for certain chapters, then you just need to cut your original AVI into sections and drop them into ConvertX that way. Then you can put a title on each section, and ConvertX will play all your sections in order, so from the main menu you'll have direct access to each section ("chapter"), and when you play the DVD it'll automatically go to the next section/chapter. So that's a work around.

But if I read you correctly, for the initial DVD (fast creation) you just need a main menu choice for the entire game, and then chapter stops within that video, so that you can hit the "next chapter" button and go ahead or back X minutes. Am I close? If so, yeah, ConvertX will do this great, give you a quick and simple but good-looking DVD about as fast as possible.

As for Womble, what my thinking is that once you've got your DVD created, you may or may not decide that the quality is such that you can then use VOB files (on the DVD) as your editing source to make a "best of" DVD for later. If you're not happy with the quality for long-term use from ConvertX, but it's okay for quick DVD turnaround, you could then use Edius or Media Studio later on, when you have more time, to edit and convert the master AVI files (that you captured with WinDV), make a master MPG that way, and -- with Video Studio or Media Studio -- then burn to DVD using the authoring tools there. Should be good for basic work.

But if the ConvertX source VOBs (from your "quick and dirty" DVD creation) look decent enough for you, then Womble is an excellent editor for cutting VOB files. You get great speed and great quality, and you can cut out all the pieces you want to use in your master DVD, and then generate a simple DVD using Wombles built-in DVD authoring tools. They're not as cool as DVD Workshop but for your uses, simple menus, I bet it would work great for you.

There are a whole lot of options for how you might do this, and a big part is just finding the tools that suit your time and interest (and budget!). Womble's around $100, not too bad, and ConvertX is $30, I think, so not terribly expensive, and I'm pretty sure both have trial (free) versions that'll at least let you test 'em out, see how they'll work for you.

EDIT: If I were assigned your job, here's how I would do it --

For immediate video:

1) Capture with WinDV
2) Drop entire unedited file to ConvertX, make one main title for the game and put chapter stops every 3 minutes or so (in a 60 minute game).
3) Create DVD files and then burn to DVD using built-in burner in VSO (never barfed on me yet).

Watch DVD, see how it looks, entire process should take about an hour. If it looks good, burn more copies.

Depending on the response to this DVD (if people liked or didn't like the quality), then I would decide if it's worth re-editing/encoding the master AVI in my favorite editor, and then authoring the DVD using DVD workshop. But if you have to do this for a series of games ... and you have a life outside of editing video ... :P ...

I'd probably just load all the DVD VOB files into Womble, cut 'em quickly, make some simple menus, and blast 'em back to DVD for people. Unless I was getting paid $$$ for my work and/or I was trying to score points with a cheerleader or something.

FURTHER EDIT: I want to stress that I'm coming at this from the viewpoint that I'd be doing this myself, traveling around watching the game, needing to work on a laptop and maybe out of the back of a car, somewhere on the road, and needing to have watchable DVDs overnight, and I'm probably getting no sleep ... your time pressures and other pressures are serious factors (at least for me they would be!) and to keep sane, you'll need to strike a balance between quality and speed in this situation. Because you can do all this on one computer (ConvertX and WinDV), for "road use" this would be the way I'd go myself, based on my own personal experience and whatever I can do to make my life easier, I'll take!

[ingeborgdot]

Wow! Thanks for such a short reply. I realize about editing in ConverX just made a bad choice of words. That sounds like a winner for what I would need on the quick fix side. As for the menus you are right on. Just go ahead or back like that.
In the womble section you talk about "if the quality is such etc.", will there or should there be any degradation of the quality?

When I get to the point of making my highlights I do want to spend quality time working on it and want very quality work to show as many, many people will be watching this and getting it. I really want great quality if possible with neat menus and other affects. Thats where ulead might come into play with media studio. It will edit, author and burn right?

The one thing that I do have to find out is if media studio works with vista 64. When I do the final editing and such for the highlight it will be on my desktop. I will have vista 64 so I better check and see. I will have xp pro in virtual but really want to use vista 64.
Again thanks for taking up all your time to help me out.

[ingeborgdot]

I have looked and looked but nothing really says for sure of which ones are going to be able to work with vista 64. Most just say vista. Does anyone know???

[thecoalman]

DVDWS does not capture right? It is just an authoring tool if I understand right.

You can capture with DVDWS, but it really makes no difference what program you use if your're capturing DV.

You don't need anything except DVDWS to go from cam to DVD. Really depends on what you are doing if you need to work outside it.

[ingeborgdot]

How do I get any of these places to reply back to me. I have contacted almost all of the editing software places about vista 64 bit but I get no response. Is there nothing out there that works with vista 64?

[ingeborgdot]

Is there no way to get a response from these companies.

[edDV]

How do I get any of these places to reply back to me. I have contacted almost all of the editing software places about vista 64 bit but I get no response. Is there nothing out there that works with vista 64?

If you don't see AVID or Adobe pushing 64bit (both advocate single purpose workstations) then maybe there is no current benefit to 64 bit?

Why do you think 64 bit is important for editing?

The one thing you find in hobbyist video work is you need access to any piece of software that solves your immediate problem. Few of these programs will run in a 64bit environment. Why reboot?

[ingeborgdot]

Speed. Memory. 4GB of memory will outperform 2GB which will increase speed. People complain about vista but only the people that don't have good, fast machines. Vista does take more power, that is a given but give it the power and you have a beast. Using 64 bit will only add to the beast.
Just because Adobe and Avid haven't gone to it does not mean it is gospel that vista 64 bit it not the answer. It is called money and marketing. The typical consumer doesn't know anything about computers and don't know the benefits so they don't ask for it. It will be the norm to run 64 bit before the middle of 2009.
Also, I finally did find that Ulead has a product that works with 64bit. Yea!!!!!!!!

[lordsmurf]

More RAM does not necessarily increase speed.

[ingeborgdot]

You are right but when you get into extensive programs like video editing the more memory you have does make a difference. Maybe not hours worth but in minutes. Many minutes eventually add up to hours.

[lordsmurf]

It still won't make much difference. CPU and hard drive speeds are the primary limiting factors to video, not RAM.

[ingeborgdot]

As you said not much difference. True. On an hour or so video a couple of minutes maybe. On many 1 hour ones like I said minutes add up to hours.

[zoobie]

I am not finding any for $30.

Sorry...it's $24.99

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310004643273

VS11+ came bundled with DVD Copy5 or somesuch
but if you have edius pro & the adobe suite...
posted mostly for others who search

[ingeborgdot]

Well, most of the companies are now vista compatible. I have talked to all the techs and they tell me that they will work. If you were to choose what seems to have the best reviews.
Ulead video studio 11 plus
Pinnacle studio 11 ultimate - the reviews I have seen say the freezing problem is fixed??
Vegas® 8 + DVD Production Suite - I know a lot more money but....?
MPEG video wizard DVD
All are for vista 64 bit
I will be dual booting so I will be able to use some that work with xp pro.
What about Ulead Media Studio Pro?
Or is there just one that I am totally missing? I have looked through the list but don't see any more worthwhile.
I already have edius pro 3.6.

I did work with powerdirector 6 and it was ok. I do like the all in one that it has. Or does ulead dvd workshop sound like my best bet? I would need another program to go with that though because I don't think you can edit with it.

[ingeborgdot]

Anyone care to comment? Just one more time I promise. I just want some closure before I decide. Thanks.

[ingeborgdot]

It is now 8 months later and I was wondering if anyone has stumbled on to the perfect utility yet? Has anything new popped up that I may have missed? Thanks.

[ingeborgdot]

ozymango is convertx even better than when we talked last? What about windvd or mpeg video wizard. Are they better? I have quit using Edius and am looking for any all in one also. I need something that will work with xp sp3 and vista 64 sp1.
If I do use WinDv to capture can I save it to my desktop and use any program later to edit and author with?

[ozymango]

ozymango is convertx even better than when we talked last?

Zzzzzz ... ... uh ... I'm awake! It's just been eight months, I'm a bit rusty!

Okay, I read back over this whole thread to see just what the heck we were talking about ... and while there are still a whole bunch of solutions to your somewhat complex situation, in a pinch, if you just need to get some DV footage onto DVD with some reasonably decent titles, maybe a few chapter stops, then yes, ConvertX is even better than before.

It's version 3.something now, and the menu system and chapters are much improved, you can make a pretty decent DVD pretty quickly. The conversion image, considering the speed and the cost, is good, though a lot depends on your DV source -- put your camera on a tripod, otherwise count on more macroblocks.

But for getting your tape onto DVD as speedy as possible, with as good a quality as possible, I'll definitely recommend ConvertX 3. Hope that helps!

[ingeborgdot]

You are the man. Thanks.

[ingeborgdot]

ozymango, what about the nights that we do not travel and I do have more time to work? And about editing and authoring when I make the final highlight DVD. What would you recommend now? I can't use edius any more because I use vista ultimate 64bit (which I love by the way). I have these options of Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 which I have, ulead video studio 11 not 11.5 yet but will shortly maybe, roxio easy media creator 10, windows movie maker, sony vegas movie studio platinum and sony vegas pro 8 but studio architect 4.5 does not work with my vista 64 bit with what I have and I got the disc from my friend that got something else and I can't get SA 5.0 to be legal so I am stuck and would have to buy the pro 8 version. I do like the sony pro and when the trial version of 5 worked it was also nice.
What would you use? I like your ideas, that is why I ask again. Has something gotten better? I will buy anything you suggest me to use. Thanks again for your time and responses.

[ingeborgdot]

Or do I even need studio architect to author from sony vegas pro 8?? If not, what woud be the best authoring tool? Love you guys.

[ingeborgdot]

I am such a wishy washy guy. I am going to make my final decision this week on what I am going to do and use. ozymango you have been a great help. I believe I know what I am going to do on the long road trips with a shorter amount of time and only the power of a two year old laptop. I will capture with WinDv, use ConvertX to make titles etc., create dvd files and then burn using ? What is VSO. I have heard good things about imgburn or whatever the name is. What about that?

On the nights that we are home and I have more time what about those items mentioned in my other post of the software I have. Or another I just read about that people like called DVD-lab PRO 2.0 ES. Or are the best things just to use WinDV, ConvertX.

And when I am making the final DVD of the year and editing the highlight DVD what would you recommend? Thanks. I love you guys for your help.