Novice DVD compiling

[JohnP]

I am using a Sony DVD-201 Handycam that records on mini-dvd. I would like to compile (edit) scenes from different mini dvd's onto a standard format dvd. What software is available and how is it accomplished.

[Nikosony]

Having never used a DVD-201, I will have to make a few assumptions about that particular camera. Does it have S-video out? If it does you can connect that to a DVD recorder (albeit getting a much lower quality picture that say DV). Or your alternative is to put your mini DVD discs into the computer, find the video files and convert them from whatever format they are (.VOB???) to something more easily edited such as .AVI or .MOV. Then open it in whatever editing programme you use and carry on from there.

[Hamilton]

I've tried importing in Premiere the .VOB files from a mini DVD with some video from a wedding (I didn't record that), but I can't say I have good news. The import process appeared to work well, but in the end I only found that the imported material can't be properly used/read by Premiere (too long to explain the problems here...). So my choise was to convert from .VOB to .AVI. I've tried different software with more or less success: poor image quality, sound de-syncronization. Finally I took the video track ONLY from the AVI with best image quality I got, then with Sound Forge I've recorded the sound and imported separatelly in Premiere. That's the best solution I could think of. It seems that the mini DVD camcorders don't record in a quite "compatible" DVD standard, or maybe I am wrong. I didn't have any problems importing .VOB files from DVDs I've created. Not to mention that a friend asked me at some stage to transfer the video from mini DVDs to normal DVD but I couldn't read them, either with the DVDs from my computers nor with a classic DVD player. My oppinion: mini DVD camcorders are not worthing the effort and money (for the moment at least). Or maybe I am wrong again. But I am convinced that someone, after working with the miniDV standard, could "go back" to mini DVD, or maybe even worse, video on memory cards (or whatever they are called). Just my oppinion.

[Marc Peters]

It's an opinion shared by many. Crazy thing is that they're actually selling rather well.

[Hamilton]

Well, it seems that lately they are not very popular in Ireland anymore. Did they realize they can't use them as they thought they would? In previuos Argos catalogue you could've found loads of models (well, don't take it literally, as there are not even loads of them being produced...), but in the last catalogue you can barelly find 3 of them, 2 Sony's and a Hitachi. Which was a surprise for me, for I thought only Sony produced miniDVD camcorders, but I think I was wrong. Anyway, the idea: not so popular anymore. But guess why? People are looking for camcorders with memory stick. I'm not sure it's the right term for naming them, I don't even bother to find out, all I know is that's even worse. Should I mention people taking video (on a wedding, as guests of course) on their camera phone? I couldn't stop laughing... honestly... People, take care what camcorder you're buying and don't be ashamed to ask for some advice first. Again, just my opinion. Good luck!

[Nikosony]

In terms of picture quality the Mini DVD is below that of Mini DV and cost wise the Mini DVD discs are much more expensive than a 60 Min Mini DV tape. Is it Sony who make you record for eight minutes before the actual footage is recorded onto the disc? I don't know if I've got that right or not but I certainly heard something similar to that a few months ago. What I would do is, put your Mini DVD disc in the drive and copy the .VOB files, there should be a large one and a much smaller one and transfer both of them onto the hard disk. Right mouse click on both of them and rename them. Give them some sensible names (he says) and change the file extension from .vob to .avi. You should see the icon changing from one file format to another. You may also need to run the smaller file first in order to get the much larger (the actual video file) working. Audio and video should both be in synch and the picture should also be fine.