I've changed my equipment since my last post, so I thought I'd post what I have now. I'm trying to convert tv movies, etc., to DVD's. I like to cut out the commercials (which I have plenty of software to do). I now have a Sabrent tv tuner attahced to my computer so I can record to my harddrive. I believe the format it saves as is "movie clip". I can click on "customized" under the record feature and there are lots of choices: NTSC DVD (1/2 And 1/4), NTSC VCD, and NTSC PC MPEG, NTSC PC MPEG 1/4, and NTSC 1/2 DVD Hi-Q. These all save as "movie clip". Here's my example: I taped a 2 hour movie. I cut the commercials making the movie about 90 minutes. When I try to burn it to the DVD, I have to burn it at the lowest quality possible to fit my DVD. I would like to burn it at the best quality and fit the DVD. So, is there a way to do this with what I have? The software I'm using is Roxio. I also have DVD Shrink, but that probably won't work here? If someone has a step-by-step process for me to accomplish this, I'd sure appreciate it--even if it requires special software. I'd sure like to keep it as inexpensive as possible, though. Thanks!
TMPGEnc DVD Author accepts most video formats and converts to DVD. Save to the best format and see if TMPG will open it. If it does, save the DVD. It will save the video files in a VIDEO_TS folder. Open that folder with DVD Shrink and compress as needed. That should ensure the highest quality possible. Here's a link to TMPGEnc DVD Author 1.6. It is fully functioning in all respects. The newest version is not. http://tmpgenc.pegasys-inc.com/en/download/tda16.html Here's some guides: http://www.dvd-guides.com/content/view/53/59/ http://www.doom9.org/index.html?/mpg/tmpg-dvdauthor.htm http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/tmpgenc_dvd_author_guide.cfm I would also think that if you save the recording in one of the DVD formats, DVD Shrink might open it. Do the DVD formats generate vob files within a folder. If so, DVD Shrink should be able to open the files. If not, the above approach should work. Also your Roxio DVD authoring software should be able to output an ISO image file or a VIDEO_TS folder that DVD Shrink could then compress.
I downloaded the program, and it won't open my files. I tried to "open existing project file". Nothing was showing so I changed the "files of type" to "all files". I then clicked on a couple of different formats (Roxio completed and the original from the tuner before I edited it). I got the message "illegal project file". Any other ideas (included a software that might take me from start to finish to accomplish what I want)? Thanks for the response. Another question: What is this "movie clip" file extension? I was thinking maybe a converter program to make it "mpeg" would work? Am I on the right track? Thanks!
First off, this capture card or whatever aint so great. The best settings possible looks like NTSC 1/2 DVD Hi-Q. Maybe NTSC DVD (1/2 & 1/4) would have some uses, but I've to tell you it doesn't look very impressive. DVD Author might open these files if the NTSC 1/2 DVD choice creates DVD compatibile files. Who knows for sure til you try it. Laddyboy is right, you need to start a new project and then add your video files to that project. Opening an existing project is what you use to open a previously saved DVD that you have already started creating.
What software are you using for editing out commercials and burning to the DVD? Does this software offer an option to create an ISO image file or video files? Also does it have a DVD9 option. If it will output an ISO for a DVD9 or video files for a DVD9, then DVD Shrink and other programs can surely open it.
You aren't exactly doing this right if high quality video is your goal. Your capturing resolution is low already, and then you are editing that with Roxio and coverting it agian to low quality DVD. It's got to look horrible. I'd really try capturing the video some other way. Try capturing with virtual VCR or virtual dub. One or the other will probably work with your card, unless it's complete garbage. Either will capture your video to AVI however you want. Once you have the AVI you can edit with virtualdub, and then frameserve it to your encoder, which shouldn't be Roxio BTW. To avoid capturing andconverting anything into anything, just get a DVD recorder for $50-75. Record shows on DVDRW, edit with whatever you like, I use TMPGEnc DVD Author more often than not, and then burn the final compiled and edited disc. Saves you hours of learning and many, many, MANY hours of converting video.
The computer I put the tv tuner on has a pretty good video card (I think). I can't remember the name, but it was about $450 and was bought with gaming in mind. I'm pretty sure it has tv tuner capabilities, but didn't know how to do it. Thus the Sabrent TV Tuner (which was easy and has a remote control). I also own a VCR/DVD recorder. That's where my first post started. I wanted to burn shows to DVD-rw, edit them, and then burn them back to dvd on the computer. I didn't have much luck with that. So ideally, with the equipment/software I have (or even purchasing more), what is the best way to accomplish this? Thanks for the patience and the response.
I do all my recording these days right on DVD. Maybe RW if I really care that much about editing. After the disc is complete you can simply open each track in TMPGEnc DVD Author and edit out the commericals. The editing ability is good, though not frame accurate. Complex edits are tricky to pull off, but editing out commericals is easy. After the editing is done you create a menu, add or change chapters, output the new video_ts folder, and then burn. DVD Author will even burn your discs, but you can also burn with Nero or something else. This way you don't convert anything, and your video is not re-encoded when the edit is made.
I'll try that the next time I record something off of TV. I downloaded the trial version. By doing this process, you don't lose much quality? Thanks so much.
Since the video isn't re-encoded the process is lossless. The final disc will look as good as the original, except it'll be edited.
If you want to try the not-so-cheap-but-the-highest-quality-I've-ever-seen lazy way, you can go to Walgreens and give them your video tape and wait a couple of days. The last time I was there, it was $25 for two (what a f*c*i*g ripoff!), but it was a buy one get one free offer. I think every drugstore has this option. It really doesn't matter if you get the buy one get one free because you can just go home and copy it! Hope this helps to anyone not wanting to go through the hassle of capturing, editing and burning of the VHS.
Thanks so much for all the information. I think I'm on the right track now. I'll post back and let you know how it turns out when I get a chance to try out the new program.
I don't think this TMPGEnc program is going to work for me. I think I'd have to pay for the program and then I'd also have to pay for the Dolby sound thingy. Since I can cut the commercials tediously while watching the movies/program for free, I can't justify spending all the money it would take to do it on the computer. I just thought it would be simple--tape off the tv to DVD-rw, pop it in the computer, edit out the commercials, and burn to DVD. If anyone's heard of something new, please let me know. Thanks!
I've been thinking some more--dangerous. Anyway, this is what I came up with. I can record a program on a DVD-RW on my recorder attached to the TV. I then take that dvd-rw and capture and edit on my computer. I then burn the newly edited DVD to a DVD-RW DOUBLE LAYER (which holds about 8G, right?) THEN, I "copy" the DVD using DVD Shrink to make it fit on a regular (less expensive) DVD. Also, my DVD burner in my computer is a NEC DVD_RW ND-3550A. Will that burn double layer DVD's? I know this is a lot of work just to get commercials off, but I don't do that many--just the ones I really want to keep. Please tell me if this will work. Thanks!
If you edit the video and then use Roxio to produce an ISO file or VIDEO_TS folder, there is no reason DVD Shrink can't open that ISO file and then shrink that to fit a DVD5. I do this all the time. I record first on a DVR. When I have time, I record with the DVD recorder on a RW disk what was recorded on the DVR. I then edit the commercials with TMPGEnc Author and create a VIDEO_TS folder which I open with DVD Shrink and compress as necessary to fit a DVD5.
Finally, success! I just hope I remembered what I did. The "trick" was to burn the movie to "iso" instead of a disk. A lot of work, but the movie came out good with no commercials. Thanks for the help.
