"Bill" <ftlosm@comcastnospam.net> wrote in message

news:_0K5c.25687$JL2.284773@attbi_s03...

> I have a canon zr70 dv camcorder and a firewire

> port on my pc, the pc is a 2.4 ghz with 1 gig of

> 2700 ram and a ati 8500dv AIW video card, I also

> have a pioneer a105 dvd-r burner.

>

> What I want to do is take home movies on my DV

> camcorder and input them thru firewire to the pc,

> then take that content from the pc and put it onto

> dvd-r media for storage and to be able to just

> play it in my living room setup.

>

> I have used a few programs for creating dvd

> backups and such and my dvd player plays dvd-r's

> fine and such, but the whole camcorder dv thru

> firewire into the pc, then somehow creating the

> structure and such to burn it to a dvd (I use nero

> and prassi btw to burn dvd-rs), is somewhat cloudy

> and a new frontier to me.

>

> Was hoping with the experience here that you all

> might have you can direct me to what software to

> check out. The easier or cheaper (as long as it

> works) the better, anything that has a wizard or a

> good walkthru would be helpful too! But I don't

> even know what direction to start to be honest,

> and I probably don't need a full $800 editing

> suite type deal, just something to capture the dv

> thru firewire, then pop it onto a dvd-r. I don't

> even have to get into fancy menus or even a menu

> at all, (play when you insert it), just looking

> for the simplest, easy to use, hopefully not too

> much $$ program to do this..

>

> Thank you for any and all suggestions as to where

> or what to try, as I started searching google and

> yahoo for video editing software I found so many

> choices and products that looked beyond what I

> needed (and expensive) that I figured asking here

> and telling you all what I was looking for (a no

> frills no bells and whistles basic capture and

> convert to dvd-r program) might be my best first

> step..

>

> The wife was not happy with the camcorder purchase

> (price was a sore subject) but I know once I get

> some software and start making a few dvd-r's of

> family events and such she will be alot happier...

Storage is best done on the original tape (or

FireWire copies). Masters of edits are best stored

the same way, too (better quality, more reliable

playback). Rather than go to the trouble of

writing DVDs, it is MUCH simpler to leave an

"S" cable for the video visuals and a stereo RCA

cable (connected to the TV) left out ready to

connect to the camera for playback. Why

complicate an easy connection except if you

want to edit (and the master tape is easily played

the same way). For handing out, DVDs are

fine (though not always playable...), and you

have more than enough gear to do what you

want (adding a second hard-drive is useful,

though, for video file storage). Simple editing

programs are cheap these days, too - but

making DVDs is still not always easy or

trouble-free...

--

David Ruether

d_ruether@hotmail.com

http://www.David-Ruether-Photography.com