Uploading Video from my Sony Handycam to Windows via Firewire

[jsegovia]

I imagine this is a very common topic here but I searched and couldn't find much exactly on point.

I have lots of MiniDV tapes recorded with my Sony Handycam. I'm uploading them to my Windows PC via Firewire cable so I can eventually import them into DVD authoring software and make DVDs with menus, chapters, etc. First I need to make sure I'm uploading the video into my computer at the best possible resolution.

Windows Movie Maker gives me two options that I'm considering:

1) avi files which will be huge. WMM tells me they may be about 12 GB in size.

2) NTSC High Quality wmv files which are much smaller but apparently the same screen size as the avi files.

WMM Help seems to say the only reason to import as the larger avi format is if I want to edit and then export them back to MiniDV tape, which I do not. But I do want to make sure I get the best quality video from all my tapes.

So which is the recommended method of importing the video files? And by the way, I'm considering buying Adobe Premiere to do all my DVD editing and I believe that supports all major video formats.

Thanks very much in advance.

Jesse

[edDV]

Hard disks are cheap.

If you want DV quality that will make a spec DVD you will capture DV-AVI and export DV-AVI (under WMM other formats).

Windows Movie Maker is structured to pull you into WMV (640x480, deinterlaced and heavily compressed). Not what you want for a quality DVD.

Best to avoid WMM but it can be used. Any processing will be at 640x480.

I like to capture with WinDV and edit a proper 720x480i/29.97 project which is perfect for DVD authoring.

[Abas-Avara]

Capture at the large DV AVI format. Keep the original DV AVI on your hard-disk for archive. And burn a DVD.

I know it takes a lot HD place, that's what I also thought first, but it's worth it. I had to buy a new HD for DV captures.