new hdv camera, new headaches...

[dvnoob]

Ok, so I had everything to do DV to PC to DVD...

Now with the advice of this board I bought cannon hvc30 with HDV. Now all those "old" DV programs don't work so more reading suggests that I use hdvsplit, so I get that and transfer my first HDV tape to pc...

and it creates m2t files? ok so i am reading and I have no idea how to make a DVD from them, let along even play them on the computer.

So what program/procedure should I follow to get me ever so closer to making that HDV dvd?

thanks

[Soopafresh]

You can play an M2T file with VLC . M2T is an MPEG2 file, so many apps will import them without having to convert them first.

If you want to make a standard (720x480) DVD out of your M2T files, just feed them into ConvertXtoDVD or FAVC


You'll like your camera a lot once you figure this stuff out

[zoobie]

heh heh...welcome aboard the HDV train

you simply need a HDV editor to handle your video and/or convert them to compliant mpeg2 for a regular DVD

for beginners, I'd recommend Ulead's Video Studio ($40 ebay)
for advanced, Sony Vegas Pro ($600)

HDV put on a DVD can only be played in Blu-ray...no if's, ands, or butts...with a HDTV highly recommended

[edDV]

So let me get this straight. You bought an HDV cam because you wanted an SD DVD?

Explain your though process please.

No worry though. Because the HV20/30 can output either 720x480 or 1440x1080 after recording HDV to tape.

The idea is to keep the taped 1440x1080 for future while recording to 720x480 DVD for now.

You didn't get that? How can we explain more clearly for the next guy?

[dun4cheap]

Guess we could have warned you .

Depending on how serious you are with editing you have quite a few options.

First, while the canon hv10, 20 and 30 use dv tapes, depending the mode you are in HD or DV determines the format that it saves on tape. HDV is mpeg2 with 2 channels of audio (Stereo), where DV is DV DVI with 12bit or 16bit audio.

m2t and m2v are considered elementry mpeg2 streams, meaning the audio is not muxed in to the the file. So really the first thing you need to consider is how serious are you with editing. Consumer or Pro.

For the consumer level you have a couple of inexensive choices:

Consumer Ideas:

Video Studio

Pinnacle Studio Ultimate ($69 from Fry's which is onsale quite often)
http://shop4.frys.com/product/5640571?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Pro Tools:

Sony Vegas (Pro Tool)

Pinnacle Liquid 7 Pro (Pro Tool)

Without getting in to a heavy debate, you may want to look around for some demo versions. What do you edit with now? Maybe there is a new version of the software you already like that will work with HDV. I know this you can export to dvd from the majority of these newer software packages right from your HDV timeline. Just be sure read the system requirements for the software before you buy them. If your system just meets the minimum requirements then expect it to be a little slow. With my Quad Core 6600 I am able to edit 4-6 layers of HDV in real time, but I am pushing 4 gig of DDR2 2 Terrabytes of Hard drive space and an ATI 4850.

[dvnoob]

i did not buy a hdv camera to make a sd dv, when I said I had everything to do sd dv, i meant I had all the software to transfer convert and make a dvd. now that I have this hdv cam, none of that software is worth a sh!T. all i want to do is transfer a hdv tape and burn a hd dvd, no editing what so ever. what can I use to just simply play these files? or better yet, what else is there to transfer hdv to some normal type mpeg or avi file that can be played? it really makes fantastic videos, just point and shoot on auto hdv.

[Soopafresh]

You can convert the files to plain HD resolution MPEG2 with HDTVtoMPEG2

https://www.videohelp.com/tools/HDTVtoMPEG2

You can play the files with VLC

[dvnoob]

I tried that, dropping the m2t file into hdtv... and it creates a mpg file that plays a blank black screen and no sound. when i play the m2t file with VLC there is sound, I thought the sound was not part of this file?

[zoobie]

try burning the m2t straight to the disc

[dvnoob]

zoobie, what do you use to author the disc directly from the m2t file? I did order the videowave ulead, now corel, from amzon, 79$