Hi, all,

I was wondering what the advantage of the dvd cam is over a mini dv if you want to copy to your computer and edit before writing out to a full size dvd anyway?

Also, if you have a dvd cam, is it faster to trasfer data via usb or to finalize the disc, move it into your computer's drive, then read it from there?

Thanks,

-Sam

I probably shouldn't venture a reply because I don't have a DVDcamcorder. I have never used one and I haven't even seen one. But from what I have read, if you intend to also use a computer, they don't have any advantages? The advantage is that you can record a DVD and not even have access to a computer. It is to camcorders like WebTV is to computers. If you have both a computer and WebTV, your WebTV won't get much use.

Dave

This is correct. There are no realistic advantages of the DVD camcorders over the minidv cams. I think there are more disadvantages than advantages.

T-1000

The advantage of a DVD camcorder is having immediate MPEG2 video clips done with hardware encoding on a very transferable DVD medium. I switched from a DV to a DVD camcorder to avoid the lengthy capturing and encoding process that DV required, all to end up with an MPEG2 file on my PC that I can get instantly with a DVD camcorder. It's completely changed (for the better) how I transfer and store my videos on my PC.

Of course, you do need an AC3-compliant MPEG2 editor (I use Womble's MPEG Video Wizard) to edit and combine the video clips, and to read VOB files off a finalized DVD and save them as MPEG2 files (if you finalize, which you don't have to do if you transfer your video clips with USB2).

Hey Penguin-
My 8mm camcorder died and I'm looking at getting a replacement. I'm considering the DVD format because I want my movies on DVD and don't want to have to spend the time to transfer to my PC and then burn a DVD (plus I don't have a DVD burner and my current PC is 6 years old!). Have you found any problems with the DVD camcorder? Does it take longer to begin filming as opposed to tape? Has it ever skipped while tapping? Can you do anything with the DVD prior to finalizing? How is the resolution - does it look as good as tape?
Thanks for any help you can give-
Dub

Penguin,

I have had my Sony DCR-DVD300 since Nov '03 and I LOVE using the mini-DVDs to record and then transfer to my computer... I HATE the Pixela ImageMixer software though. Unfortunately I have yet to create a DVD for my home DVD player with the quality that I want (yes that's from Nov '03 to Apr '04). Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!!

I had Pinnacle's Studio 8 for analog captured movies and it worked great. I am EXTREMELY frustrated that Pinnacle doesn't bother to support AC-3/Dobly Digital.

I then tried Sonic's MyDVD 5, but am having problems importing more than one MPG file. Their tech support said it was my computer.

I then tried Roxio's Easy Media Creator 7 and cannot hear the audio. I am assuming that it is a decoder issue, but don't know how to determine if it is or not.

I saw in your message you mentioned Womble's MPEG Video Wizard. Where can I find more info about it and where is it available.

I really don't want to be forced to return my camcorder and get a Mini-DV camcorder.

Thanks in advance!
SP

Dub,

The new line of Sony DVD camcorders starts very quickly - much faster than the older line. Not quite up to DV speed, but certainly usable. I missed shots with the DCR-DVD200 while it got the disc up to speed, but the DCR-DVD201 starts recording immediately. I think the 201 keeps the disc spinning longer than the 200 because it's so much smaller and uses much less battery power. I have never had any problem recording with either the 200 or 201 - no skipping, no missing frames, etc. And the quality is the same as DV converted to MPEG2 with TMPGEnc Plus (an excellent PC MPEG2 encoder), which is exactly what I was looking for.

Slpatters,

Womble MPEG Video Wizard is for editing/combining only and is at www.womble.com. But it sounds like you need an editor and DVD creator - I also use Ulead DVD Movie Factory 3.0 Disc Creator and TMPGEnc DVD Author with AC3 plug-in, both of which support the Sony's AC3 audio and allow you to make perfect full-size DVD's with no re-encoding of the Sony MPEG2 files. If you're losing quality with a DVD authoring program, it has to be re-encoding your Sony files and thereby lowering the quality before it writes them to full-size DVD.

Penguin,

Thanks for the info. Now to show my novice-ness... (this whole DVD making world is so new to me)

What's the difference between Ulead DVD Movie Factory 3.0 Disc Creator and TMPGEnc DVD Author with AC3 plug-in?

Am I correct to assume that TMPGEnc DVD Author with AC3 plug-in is the editor and you use Movie Factory to actually burn your disc?

What do you mean by "re-encoding your Sony files"? What is re-encoding?

Thanks!
SP

Slpatters,

Each of those programs is a DVD authoring program, like the ones you used. Both will allow simple editting of video clips, menu building, and then writing to DVD. I have both because each works with AC3 and offers different menu options so I can choose which to use for any particular DVD I make.

Re-encoding is re-converting a Sony DVD MPEG2 (a compressed video format that is the standard file format for all DVD's, including movie DVD's you buy or rent) video file into another MPEG2 video file with different characteristics. If a DVD authoring program takes hours to build a DVD, it's most likely re-encoding your Sony DVD camcorder files, which it should not have to do. Without re-encoding, a DVD authoring program should write the Sony files to a DVD+-R or DVD+-RW exactly as they were made in the camera, without any loss of quality.

Penguin,

Another question...

Will editing the video or adding transitions cause the movie to be re-encoded? Therefore degrading my video quality.

Is there another way to get the MPGs off of the mini-discs without using ImageMixer? Do I have to finalize the disc to do so? I am using RW discs. Does this matter? Can they be reused.

SP

slpatters,

I thought I'd chime in with what I do with Imagemixer and Sonic MyDVD to burn to DVD that seems to work for me.

I capture segments off a finalized mini via ImageMixer. Right click on those segments in Imagemixer to convert to MPEG2. Then I goto Sonic MyDVD to Get Movies where the converted files are on my C drive and create an album. Not done yet. Then I have to click on each segment hit "Add to Storyboard", then be sure to click OK on the bottom (need to maximize window on my screen). Then hit burn, and away it goes. 60 min of footage takes about 4+ hrs on my computer.

Then I take that "original" and use Roxio Disc Copier to burn exact duplicates in about 45min.

I've made a few coasters along the way and this was the only way I found to work (playback successful in PC and DVD players)

Hope that helps.

ereyesee

any chance you could give me an brief description of your PC spec?

alicat,
i'm not that tech but here is a brief spec.

Windows XP Pro
2.66 Ghz
224 MB RAM

Sony DCRDVD100
Sony DU530A DVD burner
Imagemixer
Roxio Disc Creator 6

I should mention that I had problems with Maxell DVD-R discs. Burner couldn't recogmize. No problems with Sony DVD-R or RW discs.

I also used no name generic mini -R discs off E-bay (3 out of 10 failed when put in camcorder, others worked fine). The ones that worked, able to make full DVDs as mentioned above, then made duplicates using Roxio with generic Comp USA DVD-R discs with no problem.

All video format, video quality, and capture-to-computer differences aside... the most obvious advantage of DVD is that you don't have to put up with your camcorder eating tapes with valuable footage! (Like my Canon Optura PI miniDV camera eats tapes).

I've never had a video camera eat a tape in over 15 years of using tape on various machines. I've seen a few posts from people losing all their data on a DVD. Of course everyone's results may vary.

I don't consider it a factor in deciding unless some real actual data predicting failure rates is established. (Which I have never seen)


Rich

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