Want to edit home videos but need advice

[ZeroG]

Thank you all for your replies. Wow. I had no clue how complicated it would be to make a DVD from a new Sony camera. Lets drop this for now.

My original reason for posting is to make DVD's from the VOB files on DVD. I want to edit those videos for different audiences. I have VOB converted to MPG now I'm looking for an editor for that task. Ideas / suggestions please.

[LMotlow]

The TMPGenc MPEG Smart Renderer line has been the best smart rendering editor around. There are others, but quality of the results is lower. Handles MPEG, h264n (as mp4, mkv, flv, .m4v, .m4a, .mov, or .264 files), h265 (as .mp4, mkv, .hevc, .265, or .h265 files),DVD-Video, DVD-VR, Blu-ray (BDAV/BDMV as m2t, m2ts, or .ts program streams), AVCHD and AVCHD-3D, many VDR-S recording files, Microsoft TV recording files (as .dvr-ms or .wtv files), Everio movie file (.mod files), FLV (H.264), MOV (H.264), PGMX (as .pgmx or .mkv files), and MXF.

Outputs DVD Standard MPEG, .ts program streams as h264 or mpeg2, General MPEG, MP4, MKV, Blu-ray(BDAV) Standard, Blu-ray(BDMV) Standard, MPEG/h264.ACV File for AVCHD HDD/Memory Media, MPEG File for AVCHD, MPEG File for AVCHD Progressive Devices, HDV Standard MPEG.

Handles audio formats: MPEG-1 Audio Layer Ⅱ(.mp2), MPEG-1 Audio Layer Ⅲ(.mp3), Dolby Digital (.ac3), Dolby Digital Plus (.ec3 (E-AC-3)), Linear PCM (.wav uncompressed, or with the appropriate Codec correctly installed supports extensible PCM format), Advanced Audio Coding (.AAC), High-Efficiency Advanced Audio Coding(HE-AAC as .aac files), and FLAC (.flac, .fla)

[ZeroG]

Thanks LMotlow!!!! Pegasus (TMPGenc MPEG Smart Renderer) Company sure sounds familiar. This is the first I heard of the TMPGenc product. I downloaded the trial version. It installed no prob and I have brought up my first video clip to experiment on. Thanks again to you all for your assistance with this project.

[lingyi]

Delete - Dup Post

[lingyi]

Jumping ahead of your progress, but posting this so you don't waste time and money when you're ready to create your new Video DVDs!

1) Use Imgburn to burn your DVDs. The most highly and only recommended DVD burning program on this forum. Plus, it's FREE! Just be aware and opt out of any Ad-ware options that may be offered at install.

2) Use Verbatim AZO Datalife DVDs (DVD-R or DVD+R). Again, this is the only recommended DVD on this site. The easiest place to get them is on Amazon. They're either in the purple wrapper (DVD+R) or orange wrapper (DVD-R). Any other DVDs, including Vertbatim's "Life Series" (white wrapper) or "Valueline" are known to have problems with burning and playback compatibility.

Using Imgburn and Verbatim Datalife DVDs will solve the majority of issues you may have with your new DVDs.

3) Backup your transfer DVDs either to Verbatim Datalife and/or a HDD(s). This is especially important if the DVDs you've received are anything other than Verbatim Datalife. As stated earlier, unlike commercial DVDs, the videos on these are your property to do what you want. You've already transferred some of all the contents to an editable Mpeg2 format, but it's a good idea to have them backed up as Video DVDs or .iso on your HDD for future playback compatibility.

Hang in there and be patient! You're on a new and exciting journey that will become easier the more you work with it!

[jgg]

Dear people who have spent time replying to the OP,

Please don't "bomb" me for this, I'm only trying to help. Furthermore, I have no relationship whatsoever with the product I'm going to mention, other than the fact that I use it - among other tools - for simple video projects.

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Dear ZeroG, please take a look at this video, which explains a bit about making DVDs using a commercial product called Corel VideoStudio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPUe4TgEfKw
The latest version of this program (10.5 Ultimate) is available online in the US for around $50.

Here is the related page from the videohelp.com website:
https://www.videohelp.com/software/Ulead-Videostudio

And this page, related to an older version of VideoStudio, might also be helpful.
https://support.corel.com/hc/en-us/articles/216742838-How-to-import-video-clips-from-a-DVD-disc-

Anyway, VideoStudio is only one of many "home-user" products; others are Premiere Elements, Pinnacle Studio, PowerDirector, and Vegas Movie Studio. Each has its fans and detractors. They vary in price from about 50 to 100 dollars.

These are "Swiss-army-knife-type" products that purport to do anything and everything you need to "create" various types of video output, including DVDs. Of course I can't vouch for the ease of using any of them or the quality of the output in regard to what you're trying to achieve.

In closing, I've gone in a very different direction from the kind people who have replied to you so far. I don't want to add to your confusion; I just wanted to point out some alternatives that don't seem to have been mentioned so far.

Hmmmm, coincidentally, this just showed up on the forum.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/387717-Free-alternative-to-Corel-VideoStudio-for-simple-tasks

[ZeroG]

Thank you for your insights lingyi and jgg. I plan to report back once I've moved along to making DVD's.

And one more question: What is the difference between DVD-R or DVD+R? Which is preferred?

[LMotlow]

http://www.digitalfaq.com/guides/media/dvd-formats.htm

This old can of worms again? DVD-R is the universal standard, playable on anything. DVD+R, maybe 95% compatible. I don't believe you'll find the official "DVD" logo on DVD+R discs, unless something has changed over the years. You pays yer money, you takes yer chances. Always recommended: Verbatim official "AZO" recordable discs. If the container doesn't say "AZO" somewhere, run the other way.

[Bernix]

Have read that different companies support different DVD -/+.
https://www.lifewire.com/different-types-of-dvd-recorders-2482957
At least this article was updated half year ago. So probably still actual.

Bernix

[ZeroG]

Thanks

[LMotlow]

Have read that different companies support different DVD -/+.
https://www.lifewire.com/different-types-of-dvd-recorders-2482957
At least this article was updated half year ago. So probably still actual.

Bernix

Yep. People have been suckered by that kind of talk for a long time.
Best wishes.

[KarMa]

And one more question: What is the difference between DVD-R or DVD+R? Which is preferred?

DVD+R is arguably better. DVD+R has better error correction built into the disc along with better tracking systems built into the disc for more accurate and faster burns. Along with more accurate seeking on the disc. But as DVD+R came a year after DVD-R and was not officially recognized until 2008, you are going to have compatibility issues with early 2000s and 1990s equipment trying to run it. I personally archive on DVD+R (or have in the past before moving to Blu-ray) but if you are trying to have the maximum amount of compatibility then DVD-R is the way to go.

[Nelson37]

I would like to give to the OP an emphatic recommendation. You have history in your hands. 50 years from now, no one will be impressed by your editing skills and cinematic effects. CUT NOTHING.

Some time ago, I had the experience of rendering to DVD some vids my father took in the 1940's and 1950's. Among the scenes that most people would have cut out, because they weren't "stylish" or "useful" - what turned out to be the only existing images of my son's great-great grandfather, first known member of our family name. The shot included proof of who he was, because he sat next to my great-great grandmother, who lived to be 103, and he had his hand on her thigh. Shots of people walking on the street, with nearly all the men wearing hats. Cars with wooden bumpers. My father's tripod, made of wood, which fell over exactly the same way mine did, 60 years later. A phone with a strange round thing on the front.

Also, there was a blurry, very short, panned over shot which included a public drinking fountain. I remarked casually that there was no sign, in the 40's, in the South, and the discussion following my son's questioning that was absolutely enlightening and priceless. I was quite pleased to realize that he just could not grasp the concept.

Cut NOTHING.

[SpectateSwamp]

I would like to give to the OP an emphatic recommendation. You have history in your hands. 50 years from now, no one will be impressed by your editing skills and cinematic effects. CUT NOTHING.

Some time ago, I had the experience of rendering to DVD some vids my father took in the 1940's and 1950's. Among the scenes that most people would have cut out, because they weren't "stylish" or "useful" - what turned out to be the only existing images of my son's great-great grandfather, first known member of our family name. The shot included proof of who he was, because he sat next to my great-great grandmother, who lived to be 103, and he had his hand on her thigh. Shots of people walking on the street, with nearly all the men wearing hats. Cars with wooden bumpers. My father's tripod, made of wood, which fell over exactly the same way mine did, 60 years later. A phone with a strange round thing on the front.

Also, there was a blurry, very short, panned over shot which included a public drinking fountain. I remarked casually that there was no sign, in the 40's, in the South, and the discussion following my son's questioning that was absolutely enlightening and priceless. I was quite pleased to realize that he just could not grasp the concept.

Cut NOTHING.

Shoot lots and lots and never cut anything I say...

We scanned in the family album around 2000. Everything got scanned even those poorly exposed.
If I were to do it again... Id video them in, close up along with some verbal descriptions of the people and location

With timeline playback you don't need to cut anything.

Also I keep my clips to 3 minutes or less.
The random video select with random segment feature took too much time when past 3 minutes in was selected.
So I hard coded it to not allow points beyond 3 minutes in.

[lingyi]

The OP stated in his original post: "After watching them I want to slice and dice them up for our kids, and brothers and sister." and I'm in agreement with that perspective. Edit to suit your target audience, but keep the uncut original as an archive (and offer that as an additional disc) for those who may want to explore further.

I acknowledge that I'm not a sentimental person (especially in regards to my immediate family), but when we had a family gathering after my mother's passing, I took five photos (from my earliest years) out of the hundreds we had (my oldest sister is storing the rest). And I suspect once away from the social gathering, many others will put away the majority of the photos they've gathered and openly display or keep ready for display a small number of the photos they walked away with.

The next time you go to a family event that has video presentation, listen to the audience. You'll hear different levels of laughter, sighs or gasps (from individuals or families) when they or their family comes on-screen. Almost everyone will praise the video and ask for copy, then go home and re-watch only that section related to their interest.

[Cornucopia]

+1

Memories in and of themselves are still prime. "Recording" is nice, and enhancing those memories, but not paramount.

Cutting has to do with focus, attention. NO ONE wants unbridled, amorphous, unrelentless history-replay-vomiting. Cutting is almost always good & necessary. When you dream and remember, you encounter all kinds of cutting, transitions and transformations. Montage, if you will.

I've seen Warhol's "Empire", once. Mainly to be able to say I'd seen it and as a videographer's growth exercise, and as a young man's dare & lark. But I wouldn't waste my lifetime seeing it again. And that, at least, had a stated intention.

Sergie Eisenstein was a genius and needs to be revisited by the current generation.

Scott

[ZeroG]

Great insights guys. Thank you all for taking the time to share your thoughts. I'm listening and learning.