Greets Folks,
Once upon a time... a long, long time ago... I actually managed to capture a movie from my Handycam and burn it to DVD in such a way that it played back onto TV... but I forgot what I did... and now I'm trying to recollect the process...
It seems there's a step-by-step progression... So I'll run through the step-by-step, as best I can recall it... Please critique areas where I may be off...
Step_1: Take a movie with your Handycam.
Step_2: Capture the movie segments into the computer.
Step_3: Edit and combine the segments into one movie.
Step_4: Encode the movie.
Step_5: Import the encoded movie into DVD Authorware.
Step_6: Build your menus for the movies.
Step_7: Burn your DVD.
I realize some technologies combine these steps or even handle all that at once, but I like to go between various applications at times... And this is the most flexible breakdown I can surmise... My questions occur from the end of Step_3 to the end of Step_6...
1.) I can handle NTSC 720x480 captures okay, but, when I go to render the final movie (or segments of the final movie), what format should I be using to get them to the encoding step? I read a tutorial that recommended exporting to mpeg-2, and they said Windows Movie Maker would handle it, but I couldnt figure out how to get Movie Maker to export mpeg-2 files. I'm still not completely convinced mpeg-2 files are even all that necessary because some DVD burning packages seem to be able to handle AVI's and other forms of mpegs. So what format should I be using for final renderings of edited segments and clips?
2.) The "Encoding" step confuses me because I dont see the point to it. Are the files supposed to end up as VOB's in this step? Also, it seems like VOB's are the result here, but then can one DVD have many, many VOB's on it? And is that multiplicity what creates the different Chapters on the DVD, where each VOB is a chapter on the disc?
3.) I cannot exactly recall how to make the menus for the Chapters, probably because the software I used to use to do it did it all for me. I know several programs perform this task, but does anyone know of any coding tutorials on how this process is done? The software tends to blindside me on this issue.
4.) Will MyDVD Studio Deluxe or TMPGEnc DVD Author build menus any better than DVD Styler? DVD Styler wont import my files (again, I cant tell if it is looking for mpeg-2's or VOB's), so I'm not sure what I am missing. Or if I shoudl just purchase some higher end software?
Thanks,
Will
This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 27. January 2006 @ 16:10
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