looking for info on DV camera

[Tim]

I'm planning on buying a DV camera and want to know the basics on what to look for, the most important features. If anyone can help with some info I'd really appreciate it. Thanx

[Batman]

Try a search on google.com

[nerd1701]

Originally posted by Batman
Try a search on google.com

Gee that's a nice helpful response. This is after all a "Digital Video Forum". Oh yeah, I forgot the only thing discussed here is how to pirate, oops I mean backup DVD's.

Seriously, you need to look at a few things.

1. CCD size. 350K used to be the standard, but that has been replaced by 680K. Megapixel is available now also.

2. Zoom - Don't be fooled by the "400X zoom" claims. That includes the digital zoom which is really crappy. Take a look at the optical zoom. Also look at the zoom range. I have been unhappy with cameras that did not go wide enough in their widest setting. Trust me, you will use the wide angle more than the telephoto.

3. A/V in. - This allows you to use the camera as a capture card. You input analog A/V in and digital comes out the firewire port.

4. Stabilization - Make sure you get stabilization. I didn't on my 1st 8mm camera several years ago and regretted it until I got my next one. Some cameras (such as Panasonic) will actually stabilize video on playback.

[The Edge]

@nerd1701

that was a bit of a vicious first post. Welcome non the less.

Edge

[Batman]

Originally posted by nerd1701
Gee that's a nice helpful response. This is after all a "Digital Video Forum". Oh yeah, I forgot the only thing discussed here is how to pirate, oops I mean backup DVD's.

Yes it is a helpful response. More often than not, google.com can provide you with links to valuable information.

@tim
check out these links:

http://www.consumerdvreviews.com/

http://www4.tomshardware.com/video/20000831/

You should be aware there are many users who produce personal copies of dvd's from their own dvd's that they have legally purchased.

[nerd1701]

Originally posted by The Edge
@nerd1701

that was a bit of a vicious first post. Welcome non the less.

Edge

I will agree there, but the first response given to a newbie looking for help was basically to go look elsewhere.

After reading that, why would they every want to come back here for help?

I've been looking for a place on the web where people are talking about making DVD's from home videos, etc.

However, all I find is how to copy DVD's. It dominates every discussion.

Gets me a little ticked off.

[Batman]

You should "Search" this forum.

The doom9.org forum is also a great site "where people are talking about making DVD's from home videos, etc." Search some posts there. And of course there's always a google search

[nerd1701]

Originally posted by Batman
You should "Search" this forum.

The doom9.org forum is also a great site "where people are talking about making DVD's from home videos, etc." Search some posts there. And of course there's always a google search

Been there. Here's some of the topics:

How to split a DVD9 onto 2 DVD-Rs
Recreating original menus on mini-DVD
Removing FBI warnings and alternate audio tracks


I rest my case. It's another copy site.

[The Edge]

No. Not another copy site.

http://www.doom9.org/mpg/tmpg-dvdencoding.htm

Just one of the guides I found in the 2 sec it took me to find it. The forum is even more helpful. I will say most of the site is about backing up DVDs though.

Been there. Here's some of the topics:

Exactly....some. Amazing that you found just the dvd backup guides.

Edge

[nerd1701]

Originally posted by The Edge
No. Not another copy site.

http://www.doom9.org/mpg/tmpg-dvdencoding.htm

Just one of the guides I found in the 2 sec it took me to find it. The forum is even more helpful. I will say most of the site is about backing up DVDs though.




Exactly....some. Amazing that you found just the dvd backup guides.

Edge

I know that there is SOME information out there. However as I said, it dominates the forums. When someone asks a legitimate question about real DV work (not just copying some else's), they are quickly squelched or shooed away.

Come on, let's be real. Most people are "backing up" the copies from Blockbuster, not their own collection.

[The Edge]

The number of people ripping DVDs FAR outweighs the number of people creating their own content. This is reflected in the forums.
This cannot be helped.
I mean, someone asked how to put Lord of the Rings: TTT they downloaded onto one DVDr. They were quickly told where to go.


Edge

[Batman]

nerd1701

What type of capture card and hardware (PC) you have?

[nerd1701]

I have 2 systems I use for capture / editing.

1 PIII 1 Ghz 512 MB RAM Matrox Marvel G-200

1 P4 2 Ghz 1 GB RAM w/ MSI Ti4200 w/VIVO.

I also have IEEE-1394 thru my SB Audigy Platinum.

This is a far cry from my piece of @#$@# Iomega BUZ that I started with 4 years ago.

[Batman]

Good hardware

You might want to take a look at the capturing guides at vcdhelp.com

Or using the Huffyuv or MJPEG codec (search doom9.org forums for more details) in Virtualdub (www.virtualdub.org) capture the video from your vhs tapes. NOTE: This requires massive amounts of hdd space, and most likely you will require an OS such as Windows XP that supports larger file sizes.

Take the resultant video, use the TMPGEnc/CCE (doom9.org guides) and create a proper dvd mpeg-2 stream. Use NERO, or any other dvd burning software to burn to dvd (provided you have a dvd writer).

[nerd1701]

Been thru all that.

I'm using a Sony DRU-500A DVD burner.

Now I'm facing more difficult questions like why when I encode one video does it always have color switches on and off at the same point which don't show up on the PC, but do on 2 separate DVD players, but only on this video. This is not a commercial video, but one that I have shot.

Final solution was worked out by de-interlacing into a progressive format (DivX) and then encoding to MPEG-2 or frameserving directly into TMPGEnc from Premiere. It was an interlacing issue.