Dig Camera to a DVD to play at home - HOW?

[famreeks]

Hi all,

I have spent hours reading and getting confused about how to make a DVD from my digital video camera.

I gather I need to capture, encode to dvavi maybe edit and then encode to mpeg2 and then burn.

I have captured using WMM ( is that in WMV or the davi format ? do I need to encode it?)

What software do I need to get all this done.

I have XP and a DVD burner and ieee connection and cable.

Please help greatly apprecaited - very frustrated and confused.

Mike

[guns1inger]

Over to your left is a menu. In it is a How To section, and in that is Convert option. Using the Convert From To drop down you can get a list of DV to DVD guides, like this https://www.videohelp.com/guides.php?tools=&madeby=&formatconversionselect=DV+to+DVD&ho...or+List+Guides

They cover a wide range of software, from easy and quick, to more complex operations.

First, you need to think about that you want to do. Do you

1. Just want to convert DV to DVD without editing or worrying ? If so, buy a DVD recorder. Seriously.

2. Simple editing then burn

3. Complex editing from one or more tapes, simple DVD

4. Complex menus on the DVD.

The answers to these questions will determine how much software you will have to learn, and how much time you will have to invest.

Very quick, no menu conversion - DivxtoDVD.

[Zen of Encoding]

Hi all,

I have spent hours reading and getting confused about how to make a DVD from my digital video camera.

I gather I need to capture, encode to dvavi maybe edit and then encode to mpeg2 and then burn.

I have captured using WMM ( is that in WMV or the davi format ? do I need to encode it?)

What software do I need to get all this done.

I have XP and a DVD burner and ieee connection and cable.

Please help greatly apprecaited - very frustrated and confused.

Mike

"DVDworkshop 2" by Ulead software is a good one stop application for converting
Digi-camcorder footage into DVD's with menus, but it's a little bit expensive.

[famreeks]

Thanks to both - that is very helpful. I want to do basic DV to DVD no menus etc but perhaps later take the DVD I have made and then put back to the PC to edit and make menus - I gues that will mean that the quality will reduce each time though. I will read the sites suggested and look into the software.

Thanks for you time and advice

Cheers
Mike

[guns1inger]

If you want to edit, use the original DV source. Mpeg2 - the format for DVD - is not designed for editing, and is a poor choice where re-encoding is required.

[famreeks]

So I would be best to make a copy of the dig video into dv format on a dvd or HDD and then later when ready edit and copy to mpeg2 format on a DVD right?
Mike

[guns1inger]

Keep your DV mastersm Make a DVD copy of the raw footage now, so you have something to watch. When you have the time to do the editing, get the tapes out again and re-transfer.

[ktnwin]

For starters, it's always very confusing to read the guides as there are so many of them. You have to capture in DV format (file extension is AVI), then optionally edit the video to cut the bad section, add transitions title, chapters, etc.... then encode, author and burn a DVD.
What the newbees need is: connect the digital camcorder to something that records to DVD disc, just simple as that, no techno words.

The simplest solution is to get a stand alone DVD recorder.

The next simpler PC / software solution is (one of them)
1) get a 1394 adapter card (about 10$)
2) a software to capture and convert / burn to DVD (transparent to user)
There are combo package that offers both.
I know NeoDVD software (~50$) can do this so easily for the newbee. It captures/converts and burn to DVD in a single step. Learning time is less than 4 hours, could be just one hour.

The next level would be to get a package that does the same thing plus video editing capabilities . Pinnacle Studio (~100$) is the most user friendly package. Learning time could be a few days to a week but it's worth it. You can make DVD with very professional look (fancy menus, motion menu, Hollywood style transitions, video overlays, ...)

[famreeks]

Thanks ktnwin and gunslinger,

I want to be able to get back my small camera tapes and resuse instaed of buying new ones, so I reckon I will have to either copy them onto my HDD to retain the same form and quality as I understand it or drop in qualitya bit to a DVD and later learn the editing side.

It is confusing as so much is written and seems to assume a bit of knowlwedge already. A newbie like me needs each step explained preferrably with pictures - damn its sad to be so thick!

Thanks for the advice and I am now on my way to getting the job done.

I actually have a DVD palyer/ recorder for my home TV and now realise thanks to you guys that I could probably plug my camera in direct and record!!