Video Capture Questions???

[bmossman]

I'm trying to capture video from my camcorder using Windows Movie Maker, which creates WMV file. When I convert this to DVD format it's not very clear.

1. What format gives the best quality for playback in a DVD player?

2. What software should I use to capture video from camcorder?

3. Am I losing quality by capturing to WMV format?

[jagabo]

Capture in WMM as DV AVI.

You're using the firewire port right? If you are using USB you probably won't get good quality. Most camcorders only send a low resolution picture via USB 1.1.

For a simple foolproof DV AVI capture program try DVIO.

[edDV]

With MM2, it is also important that you export in DV-AVI format (found under "other formats" under "save to my computer"). Then import the DV-AVI file into your DVD authoring program.

You can save much time by using a DVD authoring program like ULead MovieFactory 5 that will import directly from the camcorder. If you are looking for more editing features, consider one of these.

Adobe Premiere Elements
Sony Vegas Movie Studio
ULead Video Studio

[bmossman]

Yeah, I'm using the firewire port for capturing.
I'll try you suggestions & see if that helps out.

Also, I noticed when I convert from WMV format to DVD using AVI2DVD it loses the sound after approximately 10-15 seconds....any ideas why?

Thanks for your help!

[jagabo]

WMV is pretty much a final product sort of format. Not much software aside from media players deal well with it.

[bmossman]

With MM2, it is also important that you export in DV-AVI format (found under "other formats" under "save to my computer")."


MM2 doesn't give me an option to change to other format under save to my computer

[jagabo]

MM2 doesn't give me an option to change to other format under save to my computer

Microsoft does everything they can to lock you into Windows. Hence the lack of formats to convert to.

[edDV]

With MM2, it is also important that you export in DV-AVI format (found under "other formats" under "save to my computer")."


MM2 doesn't give me an option to change to other format under save to my computer

1. Under "Finish Movie", "Save to My Computer"
2. Name File, next
3. "Show More Choices"
4. "Other Settings"
5. down arrow, DV-AVI

As Douglas Adams wrote in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy ...

Something like ... "It was in plain sight under the stairs in the lower basement".

[jagabo]

Oh, I thought he was asking if there was something other than DV AVI and WMV. Like MPEG 2.

[bmossman]

Thanks for the iall the input....it worked alot better without the loss of quality!