I own a Sony DCR-HC96 (NTSC version) and now that I have taped some home movies I would like to transfer them to my computer and then burn them to a DVD for viewing and storage.

This is where the problem starts. I captured the video to my computer using Ulead VideoStudio 8 (which came with the firewire I purchased). At this point I didn't know what to do next so I converted the file into an mpeg 1 and then burned it to a DVD using Nero Vision Express. When I played it on my DVD player the picture quality was terrible. It is also important to note that while burning the files I also converted them to PAL as that is the local video type and I do not have a multi system DVD.

So, what am I doing wrong and what is the best way to capture and burn DV video?

Thanks to anybody who can help me.

This topic has been covered many times on the forum, you'll get lots of info by doing a search.

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Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick any day...

I'm in a learning mode myself - my experience has a couple of assumptions.

Are you using Video Studio 8 to control the capture? Is you source material analog or digital like miniDV?

What capture setting are you using for the video capture? Are you capturing, for example, as AVI or MPEG2?

ULead Video Studio is a good consumer editing program - IMO.

Since I use three different versions of VStudio I can suggest that you first capture at whatever file format appropriate and then open the file in the ULead video timeline. If you are going to do any editing now is the time to do it.

If no editing then selec the Create Video File option and select a file of 720X480 MPEG2 NTSC and then render the file. MPEG2 is format for standard definition DVD.

Once the file is rendered you can open it in a DVD creation program and create chapter/scene menu and etc. and then burn the DVD - I like using Sonic's DVDitPE for creation of the DVD.
OR
You just let ULead video studio create your DVD and in that case you would select "create DVD" and then follow the ULead prompts.

ULead makes a nice little consumer Video Studio program.
GoodLuck