Can WMM2 upload from DVD for editing?

[Guest]

Can WMM2 upload from DVD (from my DVD-ROM drive) for editing

I have a Sony DCR-TRV9 (mini-DV) and am able to upload the tape content to the computer with ease. I would like, however, to create a "Master" DVD from each tape (so I can re-use the tapes for other recordings--these tapes are expensive!). I know it can be done (if not with WMM2, then with Sonic) and that is not my question. My question is this: Can I then upload again from the DVDs? I can't seem to find this information anywhere in the "help" file of WMM2

I have many different mini-DV tapes, all with multiple subjects (I'd look for tapes with any room left to record a birthday party, and therefore that subject may be on several different tapes). My computer's hard drive isn't large enough to load all the mini-DV tapes onto it (in DV-AVI format for best quality, I don't want to use less) so I can select the snippets/scenes from each file. I'd like to create a DVD for each kid, and separate DVDs for subjects like Birthdays, individual Holidays, Extended Family movies, and more. These snippets/scenes will be duplicated on many of the DVDs, so I need access to them in order to edit them into the several different Projects I want to work on. I am assuming it would be faster to copy a snippet "file" from a DVD than to have to load the snippets in again from the camera in "real time.

Will WMM2 accept input from my recorded DVDs (if so, how do I do this)? And also, will WMM2 register & record the individual "snippets/scenes" onto the DVD the same way it does onto the computer? I really like that feature and I think I would like it to be on the Master DVDs as well. It would also make adding the individual clips to my Project file easier, I'd think.

 

[John Kelly]

Hi there,

If your DVD's are for want of another way of describing them Regular DVD's
that you would play in any commercial player then the answer is No.

If you have used the DVD's as a straight forward storage system of files
from your computer then the answer is maybe...it depends what format you
used.

As I suspect your DVD's fall into the first category then you will have to
acquire software to "rip" the DVD's back to your hard drive, or, as you
seem to have the original DV-tapes use them to create new Video's as
desired. You would then use whatever DVD mastering software you have to
create new DVD's. Once you have achieved that you can then re-use your
DV-tapes.

 

[MrMoke]

The short answer is Yes. The rest is, if you have enough hard drive space to
capture an entire tape in the original DV-AVI format that is native to DV
camcorders, then you can simply copy that AVI file to any storage device
that you wish to use. Long-term DVD+/-R. Short-term DVD+/-RW. Leaving it in
AVI format gives you the most flexibility. To edit from DVD, use import.

 

[John Kelly]

Hi there,

I thought he wanted to capture video from a DVD using Movie Maker. You
can't do that.

 

[Graham Hughes, MVP Digital Media]

I think you are both right and he isn't really clear on his question.
If he wants to archive his footage for later use, it'd be better to save it
as an avi file. At 13+gb per hour he would need 4 dvd discs for each hour of
tape, and surely this would then be more costly than minidv tapes. I archive
my footage to minidv.
It could be saved as a dvd movie, but mpeg2 files are, hard to edit, due to
the i frame being the place to edit at, and these can be many frames apart,
already compressed and opening and resaving will mean continual degradation
of the quality of the movie.
Graham

 

[Guest]

I have about 14 DVD's on which a service has created AVI files of about 6,000 ft of 8mm/Super 8mm film! If I understand you correctly, I must first download the AVI files to my hard drive (I have 160 GB altogether) and then I can edit these files in Movie Maker 2 . I want to add sound and video intro's using clips from my digital camcorder (Sony Digital 8 tapes) Tell me, please, that I can do all this!!!

 

[Guest]

I would appreciate your input on my problem - I have arranged for my old 8mm/Super 8mm film from the 60's and 70's - nearly 6,000 ft - to be loaded onto about 14 DVD's in AVI format. I will need to edit these files, deleting a lot of substandard footage and adding clips from my camcorder (Sony Digital 8) and reorganizing the material - then adding voice over and music. I would like to be certain I can accomplish this with Movie Maker 2 . . . could I save the final movies onto DVD's in MPEG format? My computer is new, AMD 2.4 mgz, 160 GB hard drive with a DVD burner. I have never done anything like this before and expect it to take me years! Question is, can it be done?
--
Alanki

I think you are both right and he isn't really clear on his question.
If he wants to archive his footage for later use, it'd be better to save it
as an avi file. At 13+gb per hour he would need 4 dvd discs for each hour of
tape, and surely this would then be more costly than minidv tapes. I archive
my footage to minidv.
It could be saved as a dvd movie, but mpeg2 files are, hard to edit, due to
the i frame being the place to edit at, and these can be many frames apart,
already compressed and opening and resaving will mean continual degradation
of the quality of the movie.
Graham

 

[PapaJohn]

Yes it can be done... Movie Maker can handle the DV-AVI file editing and the
added footage/audio you give it, and let you do the editing.

But you'll have to supplement Movie Maker with other software when it's time
to convert the finished movies to MPEG2 format as the next step toward
DVDs.... and use something else to author and burn the DVDs.

To make sure you're going down the right path, and do some learning, I
suggest a small pilot program.... going from one end of the process to
another.
--
PapaJohn
Movie Maker 2: www.papajohn.org
PhotoStory 2: www.photostory.papajohn.org
..
..

I would appreciate your input on my problem - I have arranged for my old

8mm/Super 8mm film from the 60's and 70's - nearly 6,000 ft - to be loaded
onto about 14 DVD's in AVI format. I will need to edit these files,
deleting a lot of substandard footage and adding clips from my camcorder
(Sony Digital 8) and reorganizing the material - then adding voice over and
music. I would like to be certain I can accomplish this with Movie Maker 2
.. . . could I save the final movies onto DVD's in MPEG format? My computer
is new, AMD 2.4 mgz, 160 GB hard drive with a DVD burner. I have never done
anything like this before and expect it to take me years! Question is, can
it be done?