MiniDV camcorder on the way....What now!

[gNOMEintheRedHat]

Hey folks!
I've got a MiniDV Camcorder on the way & I'm shoping for a 1394 PCI card.....

I've been into PCs for years and I am usualy the one evrybody else asks for computer advice....

This time I'm the one with questions.

Where can I find good info on editing software and HOW to edit well

I'll be using the Analog INPUT on the camera to record SOME stuff off of satellite. (ST:Enterprise) and I'll want to make VCDs of them. Where are the BASIC howtos on this brave new world?

[hitechjunkie]

aw, man! you've got analog input on your miniDV cam? i wish i had waited and spent a little more on my miniDV cam purchase. i picked up the panasonic pvdv400 but it's got no analog input on the thang!

my understanding is that analog-in out thru the firewire nets you a real c-l-e-a-n capture (technically a transfer) of the audio/video material after it's been converted to digital.

as for howtos, here's a list of links you may want to start looking at...

[Tommy]

So what camera did you get?

The video editing is often dependent on what program you are going to use. Many people that know have picked up firewire cards not only by the specs on the card but by the programs they come with. I picked up a pinnicle card that came with this program studio dv. Its a very simple program that can't do as much as adobe, but the program really doesn't require the mannual its so easy to use. I guess it depends on what you are planning to do, I personally started simple and expanded when the program couldn't do what I wanted it to do. But I guess thats up to you.

As far as a how to is concerned what did you need help in? The analog pass though should be explained in the camcorder manual.

Just remember that the quality is not going to be better than the original. So if you record to a vhs and then pass that though the quality will be at vhs. I find that you can get almost the same quality if you use a capture card such as the AIW or similar, its just that the camcorder is easier to use and never drops a frame. Also remember that if your capturing in full DV your only going to be able to bring in about 18 minutes of video if your not using windows 2k, NT, or XP.

[gNOMEintheRedHat]

WOW! I LOVE THIS PLACE!

I've been reading everything around here.

I've ordered the Panasonic PV-DV601, I played with the 400 & 401 a Best Buy and LOVED it and almost bought it. Then I started thinking about editing video on the PC and, since I've never been sucessful at capturing clean video on a PC, that having ANALOG inputs will be great.

I got it for $699 at ZeroDelivery.com

They have the Korean model for $609 if you are comfortable not READING the buttons and menus (or can read Korean)

They are in Manhattan so they are a little slow right now.

hitechjunkie:
funny that you were the first reply to my post, I had just registered and that name was taken, I AM the true HiTechJunkie!

Tommy:
I have not bought a 1394 card yet, I'm still smoothing THIS purchase over with the wife
I'm looking at the new Audigy Soundcard from Creative Labs and just a generic PCI card @ Best Buy or CompUSA.

I'll have the Analog IN connected directly to the S-video and audio L&R outputs from a Satellite dish, or a VCR from OTA. I may even buy a nice antenna to get a CLEAN picture.

It's a lot to go through for Star Trek buy I'm a geek and proud of it.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: gNOMEintheRedHat on 2001-09-19 12:04:01 ]</font>

[hitechjunkie]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-09-19 12:01:53, gNOMEintheRedHat wrote:
It's a lot to go through for Star Trek buy I'm a geek and proud of it.
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

u gotta be somewhat of a geek anyway to get into this hobby...

[hitechjunkie]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2001-09-18 17:57:27, Tommy wrote:
The video editing is often dependent on what program you are going to use. Many people that know have picked up firewire cards not only by the specs on the card but by the programs they come with. I picked up a pinnicle card that came with this program studio dv. Its a very simple program that can't do as much as adobe, but the program really doesn't require the mannual its so easy to use. I guess it depends on what you are planning to do, I personally started simple and expanded when the program couldn't do what I wanted it to do. But I guess thats up to you.
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR size=1 color=black></TD></TR></TABLE>

i couldn't agree with you more, tommy!

i picked up a firewire card bundled with ulead videostudio 4.0 and find videostudio much easier to use than adobe premiere. i've only started transferring DV audio/video to my PC 2 weeks ago, and managed to create a really "cool" 3 minute video on a VCD of my son doing tricks on his scooter. i used only the crossfade effect (the others were too gimmicky) and a music soundtrack i captured from one of his Xtreme Skateboarding playstation games, and used virtualdub to export certain clips at 10fps for slo-mo effects. worked out really well! my son and his friends were impressed! hey - he's happy, i'm happy!