Transferring video files to DVD

[alan]

I have recently purchased a Canon HG10, which has a AVCHD recoding system.
I am using Video Studio 11+ to edit the files and burn them onto a DVD.

Some of the project files last between 5 to 20 minutes in duration, and could easily fit onto a DVD.

When I have "burnt" one file using Video Studio, I cannot add another to the DVD.

I have tried copying one project onto a re write DVD, and then copying it back onto the computer hard drive.

I have done this with several files. I then used Nero 6 and "DVD Video " burn it will only allow me to add one file, an not the other two files.

Does this mean for every 5 minute edited video I have to use an individual DVD ?

Or is there a way around this problem?

[Ken Berry]

With video DVDs, there is no multiple burning. You only get one go at a +R or -R blank, and indeed +/-RW disc, though with that you can burn new projects many times, but only one project each burn. Then the RW disc is wiped totally clean for the next burn.

You have to accumulate enough projects to make it worthwhile burning a disc. Thus, if you have a single layer DVD blank, and in your video projects you used high quality settings (e.g. bitrate of 8000 kbps for a standard definition DVD), then you could fit around 12 of your 5 minute projects onto a single DVD. And when you open the burning module of Video Studio ( Share > Create Disc) you insert all those projects one after the other into the burning timeline. Each will then show up in the main menu as a separate video title but all on one disc.

You don't actually say, though, whether you are trying to burn a standard definition DVD or a hybrid disc. The latter allows you to burn high definition AVCHD files in their original format to a standard DVD (Share > Create Disc > AVCHD) which can then be played back in a rated Blu-Ray player, which includes the Sony PlayStation 3 if you have one of those. (You also need a high definition TV and a HDMI cable to connect the Blu-Ray/PlayStation to the TV, of course.)

But because AVCHD uses more than twice the bitrate of a high quality standard definition video file, you can only fit around 30 to 40 minutes on a single layer DVD. And to repeat, such discs can only be played back on a Blu-Ray player rated to 'see' the AVCHD files on the disc and play them. Such discs will NOT play in a standard DVD player.

[alan]

Hi Ken,
Many thanks for your reply.

I am "burning" my projects on standard DVD disks. I will think about saving some of the projects on the camcorder hard drive, and then editing a few at a time, so I will be able to store more on the DVD.

Again, thanks for your help.

[Ken Berry]

Why save them on the camcorder? That is valuable real estate! Don't you have enough hard disk space on your computer? Each single layer DVD will hold up to 4.3 GB. Buying an external hard drive or fitting a new one into your computer is also cheap these days and a far more cost effective way of saving your projects than wasting camcorder space.

[alan]

Yes, of course you are correct.