Copying from Video Camera to DVD via PC

Yes, you should capture in DV-AVI through a Firewire connection. If you use WMM, read http://www.digitalvideoclub.com/tutorials/moviemakermistakes.php

Encoding for DVD is to MPEG-2. This is what TMPGEnc does, just make sure you use the right settings. Templates for DVD(NTSC or PAL) are provided with the program.

I am not sure, but I think that if you import MPEG-2 files in Nero VisionExpress for authoring a DVD, it recognizes that it is already DVD compliant and it does not re-encode by default.

 

Thanks again TPFKAS, I will let you know how I get on.

If Im in the UK should I be selecting PAL as my bet option?

Any tips on TGMPEnc to save me posting later !?

Can you plse just confirm what file extension mpeg2 files have , so I can check this is working ok

 

Yep, UK is still part of Europe, right? ;-)
So you should be selecting PAL.
When using TMPGEnc, load the template called "DVD (PAL).mcf".
Here's an article that contains some valuable info: http://www.digitalvideoclub.com/reviews/tmpgenc.php

Most important feature however is the bitrate. I would recommend the highest bitrate possible that still allows you to put the movie on one DVD. A bitrate of around 8000kb/s is pretty decent.

File extension will be .mpg

 

Thanks again for that. Much appreciated.

Hopefully I will have a blast at this over the weekend.

 

I wonder if your are trying to do the same as me. I want to simply archive what is in my Sony DV camera to DVD disk so i can work (edit and author) from the puter at a later date. I just posted in the Newbies section (DVR+) questioning some suggestions i got here back in May to use WINDV to transfer (NOT CAPTURE) to puter HD, then burn to DVD as data files. Also asked about diff between capture and transfer and guide for WINDV app. Anxiously waiting fot replies and thought this might interest you also. Yrnehbad

 

Not sure if that is AmiNutall's goal, but let me adress your questions.
If the only thing you want to do is archive your original material to DVD, that is very simple. One hour of DV is 13GB, so you need about 4 DVD's for each one hour tape. So, just transfer in segments of 15 minutes, plus a little extra so that you have a little overlap. Next, burn it as a data file on DVD's.

Let me explain the difference between transfer and capturing. Transfer is getting digital video from tape directly from tape to your hard drive, without any (re)compressing. This is what happens when you connect a miniDV camcorder through a Firewire connection and you make sure that the application that you use does not do anything to it.
Capturing is grabbing analog video frame by frame, digitize and compress them and put them in a file. You have to do this with analog video and it will also happen if you connect a digital camcorder using the analog output.
Note: this distinction is not always made in manuals and tutorials; very often the term capturing is also used for transfer.

Anyway, if you use any of the free "capturing" utilities (like WinDV) and you use a Firewire connection it will always transfer.
What do you want to know about WinDV. There is no manual for it because it is so simple to use... But OK, if you go to http://windv.mourek.cz/ there is a screenshot. If you hover your mouse over it you will see tooltip help.

 

Thank you TPFKAS for the informative reply. I use Pinnacle and Nero . I connect my DV Sony camcorder by firewire. Pinnacle refers to this as capture (I ask for DV, full quality) and it gives me an avi file plus an additional file (cant remember what its called or what its for as i am not at home right now). I just captured (transferred ???) several clips this way to a folder on my desktop and then burned to DVD using Nero. Havnt had a chance to see if i can use this DVD to bring my clips back into Pinnacle to author. Now some questions please:
1.Is the above using Pinnacle to capture (transfer ??) the same as what WinDV would do ?
2. I notice that Nero has the option to (forget what its called, dont ever get old) put the files from the DVcamcorder directly onto my puter HD. Will that do the same as either of the above ?
3. Will i always get the 2 files when i capture (transfer ???)as describd above and do i need both of these ?
Also would appreciate any suggestions as to the best way to achieve my archiving. In the meantime i will look at the link for using WinDV. Thank you for your much appreciatrd patience with me. Yrnehbad

 

Oops, sorry i dont know how to edit but i just realized that i may be stealing the thread. I thought my questions might also be useful to the originator. So please put me in my place if necessary, I'm very thick skinned and it wont bother me to be told off. Thanks, Yrnehbad

 

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. The second file that Pinnacle Studio creates is a .scn file which containds info about detected scenes in the clip. It is not required for any other program.You don't even have to archive it, because when you import the AVI file in Studio again and the .scn file is not there, it will be created again.
Nero VisionExpress can also be used to trnafer (and capture) video. Just make sure that you use the right settings. They also have their own format called "Nero Digital" which they are trying to push.

 

Yeh , get off my thread yrnehbad ! (only joking ).

From what the guys on here have told me, the most imprtant part of the Mini DV to DVD movement is the 'encoding'. Which comes between 'transfering' and 'burning'.

I am 'transfering' from my Mini DV to my Computer using a firewire and WMM (Windows Movie Maker), which is free and probably already on your pc. Ensuring you save it as a .AVI file.
I then burned the data to my DVD, using Nero.
The quality when viewed on my TV is okay, but I reckon it can be better.
To improve this , the guys recommend transferring via WMM, but then using another software tool to encode it (as this is the most important step) , then burning using Nero.
I am hoping to test this soon.

If Im wrong about the above (eg is there any diff between what sofware you use to transfer) , then please let me know.

Hope that helps (or it may be blind leading the blind as they say !)

 

Well, you don't look like a blind person to me...
Be interesting anyway, a blind person with video editing as a hobby ;-)

 

Thank you all for putting up with me. TPFKS, I was going to ask about the .scn but your post has answered perfectly. I know i should learn to do a better search but most searches only frustrate a 71 year old fart like me. Now i will start a new thread for one more simple question. Thanks again. Yrnehbad

 

Downloaded the trial TMPGEnc, but unfortunately the results are no better than I already have. :-( (and I followed all the recommended settings on here).

I guess I have 3 choices ...

1 - Stick with what I have - which is ok.
2 - Get a company to convert my excellent quality video to DVD (to hopefully near match results )
3 - Try a package like Pinnacle ? Though Im not sure they will be any better.

 

This thread has become cluttered a little, but reading it back I think you're just trying to get miniDV footage on DVD, right.

Well, if you just do a digital transfer over Firewire and encoded it with a decent bitrate an appropriate settings, you should get quality that will not differ much from the original tape. Only if you watch it on a big screen HD TV, you will notice quality degradation. Maybe, you just became to picky. Have someone else have a look at the difference between your original and the DVD and let them decide if they see quality difference... ;-)

Looks like you did eveything that you need to do to get the best quality (have you used a bitrate of around 8000kb/s?). If you did, this is the best that you can get and going to a professional service will not get you much further. Use of Pinnacle will not result in further improvement.

 

TPFKAS - apologies , we do seem to have side-tracked here.
My initial post was trying to copy from my 'new' Mini DV. But Im also trying to copy old footage from my 8mm camcorder.
So , the current position is this ..

New Mini DV - I can copy from this to DVD. The quality is not as good as going straight from the camera to VHS , but its is good.

Old Camcorder - I can now copy from this thru a Mini DV to my pc .
The quality again is ok. (though for some reason Windows Movie Maker kept freezing on me yesterday doing this ?). This is a one off job.

In trying to improve the quality of the DVD I have tried using TMPGenc, but the quality was worse (I did select 8000 - tho I will try again, and will try and use the template).
I will also try another free-trial encoder.

If that fails , for a on-off for my old tape , I may try getting one recommended company to burn a DVD from my VHS tape , as they only charge about £10.
Im happy to keep plugging away at this as the ability to edit stuff to burn to DCVD will be really useful.
I will let you know how I get on.