new at converting...need the best help

[odiedog]

Ok i was reading all night because i had to wait a day to post. i really need some good advice. i just got a bunch of my old home 8mm put onto dvd...now i'm trying to convert them in a way so i can edit on sony screenblast.
i don't know if i convert them to avi or mpeg1 or 2...i want the best quality or to keep the same quality that is on the dvd. i got so confused reading all the converting methods. i need a good program...preferably freeware. thanks for any help. odie

[thecoalman]

Well this is a new twist on "The Best" thread.... My help sux but here goes....


I'm assuming they are in MPEG2 format (if they play in a standalaone then they are), Use DVD Decrypter to rip the files off the disc. Follow the link to download, then follow the guides below on how to use it.

That will rip the videos "as is", you don't want to convert them to anything if yor doing simple edits such as trimming etc. That should keep you busy for a while.....

[odiedog]

all that i want to do is edit them up into chapters and things like that...also laydown some music.
i also don't want to lose any quality in the conversion. i really don't want to mess with aspect ratios and frame rates...bla bla

[Shadowmistress]

Same principle, different method. What you want to do is reauthor then if you don't plan on touching a single frame of the movie itself (as in cutting out or adding to.)

But if you plan on laying down music behind the existing audio you have to do it the way the coalman suggests and then demux the audio to work with.


I like Dvdlab Pro as you can import straight from dvd disks (30 day free trial available) but it's not the simplest program to learn. Total authoring flexibility.

Tutorial here

[ZippyP.]

Ok i was reading all night because i had to wait a day to post.

That's the idea.

Here's a link for editting a DVD: https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=224833

I suggest DVD Decrypter as well, use file mode and be sure to set file splitting to "none" so you get one big VOB which will contain your audio and video. I would then use Womble Mpeg Video Wizard to edit the VOB, adding audio, transitions, titles as desired. MVW will output an mpeg which you can then re-author using something like TMPGEnc DVD Author.