Adding live video track to pre-prepared DVD, then finalizing

[ruach]

Goal: Prepare a DVD in advance of a live event, with an intro track, titles and some extras, then at the live event use a DVD Recorder to record a live video feed (from a camera or live switcher) onto the DVD. This video would play after the auto-play "intro" track, or would be the video associated with a menu item that was setup in advance. Then finalize at the event.

Tools: I currently use Vegas Pro 8 & DVDA, but have dabbled with other tools, Visual Communicator and other Adobe products as needed.

Question: Any ideas on how to accomplish this ? Any recommended DVD Recorders?

...probably 20 ways to skin this cat.. I'm all ears!

[filmboss80]

DVD recorders can only create rudimentary menus after the event is recorded to the disc. You cannot make complex navigational menus without authoring. My best suggestion is that you record the live event to tape. Hand out DVD order forms to audience members, edit the video and author the DVD so that you know the final product is error free, then ship discs out to people who have ordered them.

[ruach]

Thanks for the tip. You may have missed the part I wrote about preparing the disc ahead of time. It seems to me that with authoring tools like DVDA, you can have 90% of the disc pre-prepared and then just re-prepare the part that's "new" or "changed" (maybe as simple as copying over a VOB file) and voila, instant DVD ready to burn/finalize.

It seems there ought to be a way to pre-burn much of the DVD and just add the primary content at the end, then finalize.

OH yeah.. of course I'd have the tape for backup and could make it look pretty post-prod.

As an artist, I prefer shoot and author post-prod. On the practical side, there's something compelling about being able to avoid the post process entirely while also giving people the instant gratification of a DVD to take home.

More thoughts?

[jman98]

Don't know where ruach lives, but if he lives in the USA, he should be aware that this may be covered by a patent already. The live recording of concerts to CDs and then selling them immediately after the show is covered by a patent. That patent is currently in dispute, but for now it is in force. That patent might even cover this or perhaps someone has already patented this idea and is not using it. If this is some kind of thing where you're recording a high school play as a one time thing, you're not likely to get into trouble. However, if you think this is going to be the start of some kind of ongoing US based business that you can make real money at (ie. you're doing this for some sort of major musical artist), you may run into patent issues. Just be warned. If you live outside the USA, you may be OK as other countries generally aren't as inclined to let anything and everything be patented. If you do live in the USA and you discount my suggestion that the existing audio CD patent may somehow cover this, you don't know very much about US law. That patent might only cover the sound on your DVD, but can you sell a DVD without audio? Probably not.
Finally, you don't say you're looking to sell this, so if this is just for your own use, you might still be violating patents, but nobody would know.

[dadrab]

The problem lies in HOW you'll be filming. If you can figure a way to film directly to an MPEG2 format, you might be able to make it happen. In this instance, if it were me, I'd take a laptop with me to the show with my authoring application open and my intro tracks and extras already loaded. I'd shoot the film and drop it into the authoring software, auto create some chapters and burn.

Now, there are some flies in that ointment.

First off, I don't know how to film directly to MPEG2 (standard DVD format). I'm not saying it can't be done, but I don't know how to do it.

If you use a regular camcorder, or even a nicer rig than that, most cameras that I'm familiar with record to DV AVI. Before you can put that footage into a DVD, it'll have to be reencoded and that takes time.

I fret that, by the time the encode is finished and you get it all dumped into the authoring application, and get some discs burned, you'll be peddling DVDs to a big open space and an empty parking lot.

[filmboss80]

You used the term DVD Recorder, which left me to conclude that you'll record the event on a dedicated set-top unit. Although set-top recorders allow for rudimentary editing in the VR mode, there will likely be compatibility problems when buyers try to play their copies at home. If you are using a laptop, then authoring might be more feasible, although you would still need the time to create VOBs out of the MPEG-2 files. And if you simply try to replace one VOB with another on a pre-existing disc, it may not work with the IFO and BUP files already on the disc. On-the-fly DVD production would be more feasible if you simply made a straight recording of the event without a lot frills (multiple clips, menus, chapter points, etc.) on the disc. For all the things you plan to do, you will likely not end up with a widely compatible product. I have worked with people who record live conference DVDs on a set-top recorder, then make copies on-the-fly with a dedicated DVD duplicator. They just do a straight recording to keep things uncomplicated. Company logos and promotional info are simply printed on the outer disc label. Whether you like this advice or not, please know that I am simply trying to help you avoid disaster. As mentioned by jman98, you also face legal issues in securing permission to record and sell.