Capturing for output to DVD and web with no editing

lsilver · Post by **lsilver** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:55 am

I've read through the recommended procedures but it seems like they are geared more toward someone who is doing editing of video. I am capturing VHS through an ADS Tech Pyro A/V Link converter using firewire. After capturing the video, I want to both 1) burn it to DVD; and 2) create a WMV file for the web. I do not need to add any titles, effects, overlays, etc.

My system is a Dell Inspiron 9200 w/ an Intel Pentium M 2.00GhZ Processor, 1GB RAM, 40 GB free hard drive space. I would greatly appreciate someone pointing me in the right direction on the best method of capturing and saving the video.

Should I follow the recommended procedures for AVI or MPEG? Should I select Upper Field First or Lower Field First (it's an analog recorder but being captured as DV)? Do I need to create a video file and convert to MPEG (presuming the original capture is AVI) or can I just use the original AVI file to burn to DVD and create a WMV file bypassing the "Create Video File Phase"? What WMV quality setting would you suggest that offers the best tradeoff between size and quality (I'll be storing all of these on an external 250GB HD)?

Thanks!

kebrinton · Post by **kebrinton** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:15 am

Hi lsilver --

You can of course put .AVI format on DVD but it takes up 3 times as much space as .MPEG2. And I don't have any idea if the DVD would play--kind of doubt it.

So--even if you're not doing ANY editing, you're going to have to go through all the steps we go through who add titles, background music, etc. That's in order to convert your .AVI to .MPEG2 and then to go through the proper steps to author your DVDs. First few times, it seems troublesome. Then it become near-automatic.

Read the information in the first post in this forum: Proper Procedures, etc. Good luck!

lsilver · Post by **lsilver** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 7:08 am

So if capture as AVI, and click on Create Disk, it doesn't automatically convert it to MPEG? Since you can select DVD as the output that doesn't make sense (which isn't to say that it's not the optimal way or that the software is counter-intuitive.

rwindeyer · Post by **rwindeyer** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 10:47 am

My 2c worth: If you are not going to worry about editing just capture it in mpeg format. Your hard disc space isn't that huge anyway, and DV capture would eat it up pretty quickly.
If you have just the one loooooong clip, there is no advantage in creating a video file; just burn to DVD (that's what you do anyway after rendering). If there are multiple clips in the timeline I ALWAYS recommend making a single video file before burning.
The wmv file - you would be better to try a few settings, and see for yourself what you are happy with.
Best of luck.

lsilver · Post by **lsilver** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 7:44 pm

I'm buying an external 250 GB HD to store my WMV files and use as a dedicated HD for video capture. Would that change your opinion of capturing in MPEG vs. DV? You are confirming my suspicion that the recommended procedures include an extra conversion step if all you are converting is a single video clip with no additions.

thanks.

rwindeyer · Post by **rwindeyer** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 11:36 pm

OK, I guess space isn't an issue. The choice then comes down to: capture in mpeg, then burn to DVD (if you use the same bitrate etc you save time here) and also convert to wmv, OR capture in DV, with subsequent conversion to both mpeg and wmv.
I don't think you will lose quality, and the former will be shorter.
Might be worth trying a couple of small files as trial runs, just to see how it turns out.

lsilver · Post by **lsilver** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 7:49 pm

Any other opinions would be appreciated.

Also, do I caputre using Upper or Lower Field First. It's an analog tape but being captured through a DV device.

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 11:23 pm

If the capture device produces DV, it should be Lower Field First.