Newbie needs advice/help

[Mimic]

Hi everyone, I'm glad I happened across this site. Y@Y!!

I tried skimming through alot of the other forum areas/topics but, in true newb style, it's all Greek to me so please forgive me for posting this question if it has been previously asked.

A little about me and my stuff....

Just got a Canon ZR80 miniDV camcorder, I'm in LOVE (well at least as much as I can be for $399). I have figured out how to use the firewire to upload the video to my desktop PC - and it usually gets loaded as a .wmv file or a Windows Movie Maker file. Both of these work fine when I view them with the Windows Media Player. I would like to be able to have them play in DVD player.

From what I've been reading (and please correct me if I am mistaken) I need to change the format to something that is playable in a DVD player.

I guess I'm wondering if there are any recommendations for software/proggies that are more suitable for beginners who basically want to get the video onto a DVD sans special effects, intros, etc. (At least until I get better at it). I have seen some things that look really nice (kinda pricey) but seem like they have more features than I really need at the moment. Probably like DVD making for Dummies would be good.....do they make that?

My desktop does not have a DVD burner but my laptop does. Would I need to convert the .wmv/windows movie maker file to something that the dvd burner would recognize or can a regular CD be made to play in a DVD player?

Sorry for the long"ish" post.

Thanks in advance for your time and attention.

Regards,
Mim

[setarip]

"I guess I'm wondering if there are any recommendations for software/proggies that are more suitable for beginners who basically want to get the video onto a DVD"

One set of procedures (other posters may/probably will suggest alternative methods) would be:

1) I believe you can use "TMPGEnc" (or "TMPGEncPlus") to convert the .WMV file to compliant MPEG2-for-DVD format - Use "TMPGEnc's" DVD wizard/template to accomplish this

2) Use "TMPGEnc DVD Author" (a different program than "TMPGEnc") to easily create the required additional DVD files and structure (and chapters and a menu, if you wish)


**If the combined filesize of the DVD "package" written to your hard drive is greater than 4.37Gb, use DVD Shrink (or similar) to compress


If your O/S is either Win2000 or WinXP, TMPGEnc DVD Author can also burn your DVD. Otherwise, use NERO to burn in "DVD-Video" mode
(As an alternative to "TMPGEnc DVD Author", you could use "DVDLab")


Let us know of your success ;>}