File sizes in VS9

[jeh]

Using VS9 I need to transfer to DVD the contents of a 60 min Digital tape from a Sony Handycam DCR-PC350E. Editing is needed en-route (no problem with that process). I'm using a Dell laptop, 1.6 GHz, 504 MB Ram, 60 GHz HDD and this is my first use of VS or similar software.
My first try generated 320 x 240 clips leading to a 9 GB avi file, which reduced to a 3.8 GB iso file. Copied that to a DVD. Playing the DVD gave a lousy image on our 88 cm TV. Connecting the camcorder directly to the TV with the same tape produces a far better than the one from the DVD. Scrap one coaster!
I then found the 640x480 switch amongst the caption options, set it, cleared all the old files off the HDD and attempted a new capture. The resultant avi file reached 33 GB about 20 sec before the end of the camcorder tape, hit the avaialble space limit on the HDD and gave a run-time error. I was unable to open the avi file, which I've since scrapped.
Q1. Am I heading in the right direction, and why do I get such a large avi file? Everything I've seen in the Forum suggests that it should have been about 13 GB.
Q2. (An ancillary qn). How can one play iso files directly on the laptop, without having first to burn a DVD?
TIA
John

[grant99]

when capturing from camcorder, set the input to dv not avi you will find it a much smaller file, also set the size to 720 x 576 16:9 widescreen thats pal not ntsc
hope this helps
cheers grant

[jeh]

Thanks Grant. However:
1. Although I can select DV the system reverts to AVI within a few seconds.
2. 640 x 480 is the largest choice available (and it is 16 bit).
Are either of these to do with camcorder settings rather than Videostudio?
The camcorder is 20 months old and the tape was filmed at 4:3.
cheers John

[sjj1805]

Please view:
From camcorder to DVD with VideoStudio

[Ken Berry]

Jeh -- your camera is a mini-DV one. As such, you MUST, repeat MUST capture using Firewire. On your camera, the manual will call it iLink. If your computer does not have a Firewire card, then buy one. They are cheap now in Australia -- I recently bought one for $18 at a computer fair, and that included, believe it or not, a copy of the full version of VS8 AND the relevant cable. Easy to install too.

Please see a post I made on exactly this subject just a few hours ago: http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... 245#113245

[sjj1805]

The steps for installing an IEEE1394 iLink card are shown here:
Connecting the Camcorder to the Computer
and optimising the computer for video Editing.

[jeh]

Thanks sjj1805 and Ken. I'd assumed, on local advice but obviously incorrectly, that I could get away with transfer using USB2.0. I'll try to get a Firewire cable tomorrow.
John