Basic editing: which Mac program for my DVD editing situation?

[Nuevonik]

I searched around the FAQs a bit, but I can't find quite the right answer.

That said, here's my situation: I'm using a JVC S-VHS/DVD recorder to digitize old random tape footage, it uses an MPEG-2 encoder and provides me with a (presumably std) DVD that plays in anything. It certainly plays in my computer (dual 2.5 G5/Tiger), and then I use MPEG Streamclip to separate the clips into their own files. At this point I have .vobs, MPEG-2, but the edit is coarse.

For now, all I'd like to do is edit these clips, mainly for color correction, contrast, hue etc..., and edit out unwanted footage. I have iDVD and iMovie that came with the computer, but I don't think this is enough. Plus they won't open the streams. Presumably I could convert using MPEG Streamclip, but I'd rather not have to convert if I don't have to, it's time-consuming and possibly lossy?

I don't think my needs are all that complicated, so I d'loaded the ZS4 Editor, but I'm not sure if that will save back into the MPEG-2 format.

What program could I use to accomplish my tasks? If I decide to make a DVD out of these clips it would be very very basic, so I don't need anything fancy, and free is better!

I am willing to pay for a program to accomplish this, so the solution needn't be free.

[redwudz]

You would likely get more answers in our Mac Forum. Moving you.

And welcome to our forums.

[Herve]

I'd like to do is edit these clips, mainly for color correction, contrast, hue etc..., and edit out unwanted footage.

This is a modification of the video, you can not modify video without reencoding.

First you trimed bad parts with Mpegstreamclip
second, you export (from MPSC) to .DV
give the .DV to iMovie, make your corrections
send from iMovie to iDVD (to re-encode to mpeg2)

easiest solution:
just trim the bad parts with MPSC, and save on hard disc the good parts: menu item "File">"Convert to mpeg"
make a dvd with theses mpeg (no re-encoding, so it's speed)

bye

[Nuevonik]

Thanks for the help.

I have now tried this, and it works. iMovie can make some simple corrections, probably all I need. The transition to iDVD is a bit problematic though, in that there's no way to control the re-encoding, so the file size ends up being double the original.

Is there any software that might allow me to make the color corrections etc and re-encode within itself? I really don't mind spending a few hundred dollars, I have lots and lots of footage to go thru, and if I decide to edit these clips into a DVD, I'd like to use a capable program.

[Herve]

If I well remember, BitVice does it (but I will never spend US$ 448.00 on it!!!)
I don't know what modifications you can do inside application Compressor (from FinalCut Studio)
bye