Help! Picture quality problems from 8mm digital to DVD

[McQ]

My DVD's are coming out terrible ! So anyone who has any advise that may point me even close to the right direction would me appreciated more than you know.

I am new to DVD burning. I've burnt VCD with my old computer and were happy with there quality but these DVD's just aren't working!

I'm using a new Dell 4600, 80GB HD, 2.4 Gig processer, Graphic card is a 128mb DDR N Vidia Geforce Fx 5200.

Software is Dell Movie studio by Roxio and SonicMyDVD.

Problem: When the DVD is played it is extremely jittery and jerky looking. I notice when I’m transferring it from 8mm(Camcorder) to AVI it indicates that I’m dropping frames in the process. I suspect this may be the problem. Any fast motion is very jerky. This software allows me very few manual settings so there is no where I could even find to adjust anything.

Due to a problem I’m having with Roxio only putting about 2GB on the DVD then saying that its full, I use Roxio to capture and Sonic to burn the DVD’s. Sonics DVD capture ability I don’t like very well.

I’m fitting just a little over an hour of digital 8mm to one 4.7 GB DVD is this normal?

So if anyone has any suggestions I will surely follow them. I’ve spent 30 hours now trying to make this work and I’m at wits end. If I need to scrap this softeware and get something else that will work I’ll do it. I have almost 200 hours of 8mm and VHS I have to place on DVD so even though I have 10 hours of DVD recorded to this point, I’m willing to start over so I can correct this problem.

Thanks again.

McQ
mccue@grics.net

[macleod]

your computer speed is fine, your software sucks.

if you are wanting to capture using a capture card, use vdub or iuvcr (other apps are available) and cap avi and then convert with TMPGENC or CCE. Take a look at lordsmurf's guides on capturing (even though you dont have an ati card).

with 200 hours to cap, I would suggest buying a standalone unit (panasonic e20, for example). For a number if people, they will get "better than the original" using a dedicated standalone unit.

Another thing on hardware, make sure you have a dedicated drive for capturing. you may get problems simply because you are capping on the drive the the os and everthing else is using.

I have capped and done the e20 thing. Will never seriously go back to capping. Just the occassional tv show.