Editting DVD's after transferring from VHS tapes

[btruff]

I am new to recording & editing DVD's. Just bought the Panasonic DMR-ES30 DVD recorder so I can transfer all my old movies (they were previously tranferred to tapes) and other tapes from my Camcorder. The transfer seems simple enough but I would like to remove and edit areas that are poor (especially from the old 8mm movies) The terminology is driving me crazy. My computer does not have a DVD burner. What is the best way to edit? What do I have to add to my computer and what software is needed to do the editting as simply as possible. Somebody told me that. athough I have Windows XP-2 the best program is one from Apple that can be used on Windows. Any SIMPLE help would be appreciated.

[ranchhand]

I have been "climbing the learning stairs" myself. What you want is generically termed a "video editing" software package. There are tons of them out there, from Adobe Premier (the epitome/best and pricey) to Pinnacle to Ulead Video Studio. There is no need to go to Apple for a PC product, it won't do any better that what is available for PC. There is a barebones video editor that comes with XP which many decry, but if you are looking for very simple frame cutting (you know, nuking the shakey shots and great shots of the living room rug for 3 minutes ) that will do it.

If you want to burn to DVD, you will need what is called a converter, something that will take your old analog codec and convert it into MPEG2. After that it may be burned to DVD, but you will need a DVD burner and a good burner program such as Nero or Roxio. Some of the above video editing packages claim to do that, but I have had a lot of problems getting them to actually do it until I purchased a small hardware card that specializes in that.

If you are fortunate to own a modern camcorder that records in digital already, you are on easy street because there is no converting from older analog needed. Unfortunately, all my precious famile tapes are on the older analog camcorder, so the conversion is necessary. And it's a pain.
Hope this helps!

[presto]

Check your owners manual on your DVD recorder. With most you can edit out bad parts and make small menu changes if you record in the correct format.

You don't need what the previous poster called a "converter". Just transfer VHS to DVD using your recorder as you have been doing.

If you need to do fancier editing, then you will need a DVD burner and some editing software but you don't have to recapture your VHS videos. Just take the DVD's you maed and put them in your computer and go from there.

[gshelley61]

All you need to do is install a DVD burner in your PC (check out NewEgg.com for that) and then download and install TMPGEnc DVD Author.

You would record your VHS tapes to DVD-RW using your Panasonic DMR-ES30V, then edit and re-author the DVD-RW on your computer with TMPGEnc DVD Author in order to make a finished DVD-R.

[trhouse]

The above suggestion is good. I have used the ES30 and tried that route. An alternative is to capture to dvd-ram which allows the ES30 to edit on the recorder, then take the dvd-ram put it in your computer and use DVD Author to create some nice menus and burn to dvd-video. I find editing on the recorder faster; I can locate the cut positions faster than on my computer.

[ranchhand]

Thanks guys, you were right... I jumped to analog camcorder tapes instead of what he has which are VHS tapes. Thanks for the correction.

[FulciLives]

As stated before if you get a DVD burner for your computer then you can easily do the editing on the computer.

TMPGEnc DVD Author is a simple easy-to-use yet well working DVD Authoring program. You can import your DVD-RW or even DVD-RAM into it and create chapter points and a menu and most importantly you can use it to edit as well.

Beware though ... the editing in TMPGEnc DVD Author is GOP editing only meaning you can only edit on "I" frames and with MPEG-2 video you only get an "I" frame about once every 15 frames. So you do not have frame accurate editing but it is 1/2 a second accurate (based on 30 frames per second with an "I" frame about once every 15 frames).

There is a new PRO version of TMPGEnc DVD Author which is called TSUNAMI MPEG DVD AUTHOR PRO and this version (from what I have heard) can do an edit on ANY frame. If the edit points are NOT on "I" frames then re-compression is needed but this is only done at the "edit" point.

Another option is to use VideoRedo or MPEG-VCR ... both are MPEG editors that will allow you to edit at ANY frame. Again if the edit points are NOT on "I" frames then re-compression is neded but this is only done at the "edit" points. The "benefit" of using VideoRedo or MPEG-VCR is that once you are done editing you can use any DVD authoring program you want .... however having said that you will find the two I mentioned above more than enough for the average user (some very advanced features are missing but for the most part they are not needed).

If I were you I would get a DVD burner (I suggest Pioneer brand) and then TSUNAMI MPEG DVD AUTHOR PRO and bingo you got all you need to import, edit, re-author, and burn out to a final DVD-R disc. As for the transfer over I would just use DVD-RW discs and after the transfer just ERASE for the next round.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[BobK]

Beware though ... the editing in TMPGEnc DVD Author is GOP editing only meaning you can only edit on "I" frames and with MPEG-2 video you only get an "I" frame about once every 15 frames. So you do not have frame accurate editing but it is 1/2 a second accurate (based on 30 frames per second with an "I" frame about once every 15 frames).

There is a new PRO version of TMPGEnc DVD Author which is called TSUNAMI MPEG DVD AUTHOR PRO and this version (from what I have heard) can do an edit on ANY frame. If the edit points are NOT on "I" frames then re-compression is needed but this is only done at the "edit" point.

That's true. I just started using DVD Author Pro and it will edit at any frame.

[Dr Tinnitus]

Hello.

I have a similar problem that I need some help and advice on.

I have a lot of stuff on S-VHS tapes that I want to save on DVD to save space and quicker access when searching for specific parts. So far there's no big problem, I have a Sony HDR910 DVD player/burner. The only thing I wonder here is what quality to save it in on the DVD discs to avoid losing quality or use to much space!?

But then I also whan't to edit the material and fix clips that I can put on internet. And I wonder how I can do that in a easy way, and get files with decent sizes and with good picture quality and size on the screen when viewing.

Im have a normal PC with a DVD burner and Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 installed. But it's so compicated to know which formate to use so the aspect ratio and quality will be right.

I also have a lot on DV tapes and want to do the same thing with that material.

I have searched this site for info but it's to much to search and read so it's a risk make misstakes.

Can anyone help me out a bit in this?


Dr Tinnitus

[FulciLives]

Hello.

I have a similar problem that I need some help and advice on.

I have a lot of stuff on S-VHS tapes that I want to save on DVD to save space and quicker access when searching for specific parts. So far there's no big problem, I have a Sony HDR910 DVD player/burner. The only thing I wonder here is what quality to save it in on the DVD discs to avoid losing quality or use to much space!?

But then I also whan't to edit the material and fix clips that I can put on internet. And I wonder how I can do that in a easy way, and get files with decent sizes and with good picture quality and size on the screen when viewing.

Im have a normal PC with a DVD burner and Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 installed. But it's so compicated to know which formate to use so the aspect ratio and quality will be right.

I also have a lot on DV tapes and want to do the same thing with that material.

I have searched this site for info but it's to much to search and read so it's a risk make misstakes.

Can anyone help me out a bit in this?


Dr Tinnitus

It would be best if you started your own thread ... once you do post here with a link to it.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[trhouse]

I tested an ES30 to see if it can do frame accurate edits on dvd-ram. There are two ways to do it. One is to use the option to shorten the title which has a screen to set the start and end point of the material to be removed. The other way is to make a chapter out of the material to be removed, erase that chapter then combine the remaining adjacent chapters.

It appears that neither way is frame accurate although during either method you can step through each frame and select a frame at which to cut. Stepping through the final result looks like the cuts are made at a slightly different position. Probably GOP level accuracy.

[seattlejoe]

I am new to recording & editing DVD's. Just bought the Panasonic DMR-ES30 DVD recorder so I can transfer all my old movies (they were previously tranferred to tapes) and other tapes from my Camcorder. The transfer seems simple enough but I would like to remove and edit areas that are poor (especially from the old 8mm movies) ..........

Hi btruff ..... I have the same recorder! I think we're in the same boat, trying to achieve the same thing. I've copied some old TV shows on VHS over to DVD, and also copied some shows off of my TiVo to DVD.

If you want to record a DVD using this recorder, and then be able to view the DVD in a standard player (in DVD-R or DVD+R format), the only "editing" you can do is to assign a Name and a Thumbnail to each "Title". (Hint: if recording multiple TV shows on one DVD, record each show individually ... the STOP ends that particular recording session, and sets that show up as a "Title")

The ES-30 will automatically add chapter breaks every 5 minutes or so when you Finalize the disc. If you want to edit the chapter breaks, you have to do so in a format that only the ES30 can read (if I understand the terminology).

I'm also trying to find out what's needed to edit stuff recorded onto a DVD, add my own chapter breaks, edit out commercials, and then reburn the DVD. I have a new LaCie burner plugged into my Mac, but still have no clue how to accomplish the task.