creating mov files from mini dv and beta sp tapes

[bruceinva]

Sorry if I am wording this incorrectly but I am a newbie and just don't know any better.

I have about 1000 mini dv tapes which need to be digitized into mov. files relatively quickly (multiple decks, player?).

Is there a deck that will do this for me automatically or do I have to import the data into my computer via camcorder / deck, create the mov file, and burn it to DVD.

Thanks for the help

Bruce

[Krispy Kritter]

You will need to import each tape into your PC or playback into a DVD recorder. Are you really wanting them all converted to mov format or is your final use DVD format? If DVD (playable in standalone players) is the final format, then you would simply input the video to your PC and then convert straight to DVD.

[JohnnyMalaria]

I agree that the standalone DVD recorder is the best (only?) option. DV can only be transfered at 1:1 speed (unless you have $1000s for a deck that can play at double speed and the software to go with it). 1000 x 1hr tapes will take 6 weeks @ 24hrs a day just to transfer to the computer! Or 4 months @ 8hrs a day. Then you have to do the conversion....

Standalone recorders are cheap. If you can get a handful of cheap DV camcorders then you can perhaps get the job done in a month (assuming 8hrs a day).

Also, I would use one DVD-R for each tape to mimimize quality loss during the conversion.

ON THE OTHER HAND...

If you do want Apple Quicktime .mov files then you need to do something different. I'd recommend capturing as raw DV streams (these can be viewed on Windows and Mac). If you can get more than one camcorder then it is possible to capture from more than one at the same time (I've done up to four). Capture to external USB2.0 drives and when you've captured one set of tapes, plug the drives into a different computer to convert/burn the files. Hopefully, you'll have software that can be executed from a batch file to automate the conversion. Meanwhile use a second set of drives to capture the next set. This is really the only viable way to set up a production line to capture/process multiple tapes at a time.

It would help to know what your overall objective is.

[bruceinva]

Thank you all for the input. I will check to see how flexible my client is regarding format. They asked for MOV files but from what I gather I will save a step and time if I transfer directly to a standalone DVD recorder.

If I connect the camcorder to a standalone DVD recorder what type of format (file) is created?

Thank you again for the quick tutorial.

Bruce

[Krispy Kritter]

If you connect them to a DVD recorder, then you will recording straight to DVD. The files are converted to DVD spec, so the DVD's can then be played on any DVD player.

[minidv2dvd]

even with a dvd recorder you still have to play the tape at normal speed. it's going to take forever no matter how you do it. if they want an editable computer format, i'd suggest you transfer via firewire to DVavi and send them that. large - 13GB per hour of tape but the most useful format on most computers. hope you have multiple camcorders to play the tapes and computers/recorders to send them too.