G400 to DVD

[kleinbull]

I've owned a G400 w/RRG for a couple of years now and initially thought this combo was more trouble than it was worth. However, with the help of this site and forum, I have been stuck building my system around my Matrox Video combo, stuck with a video card combo that has more than made my trouble worth while for the system I had envisioned. I just don't have the time, money, or resources to fiddle with windows soft/hardware compatibilities to achieve my minds desires.

I'm finally able to capture, w/out dropped frames, some of the best MJPEG, AVI_IO, PicVideo, AVI files I've seen on any system. Now, I'm ready to go to the next level. I bought an NEC 1300A, dual format, DVD writer to complete the set. I tested it by writing a data DVD and a cheat DVD copy using Nero 5.5 on CompUSA DVD-R disks, both successfull.

So, my question is, what is the simplest, cheapest, simplest being priority, way to go from my TV, S-Video recordings on my Matrox RRG combo to considerably high quality DVD discs that I can enjoy on my DVD players?

I have taken the advise of this forum and tried several demo author/conversion programs, but am still thoroughly confused by all the different combos and qualities of final results. I've used TMPGenc, with Nero to burn, to make Apex readable VCD/SVCDs in the past, but have trouble with the latest TMPGEnc, as well as authoring to take it to DVD.

Once again, all opinions are encouraged.

J.Klein

[Brian Ellis]

Are you wanting to edit, as well?

If so, try Ulead MSP7. It comes with a simple DVD authoring app.

If not, DVD MovieFactory 2 is the cheap and easy way or DVD Workshop for more sophisticated effects. Either are good authoring proggies with quite a reasonable encoder.

The quality of either is excellent up to ~90 minutes of video and deteriorates slowly as you work up to 3 hours.

[kleinbull]

I tried Ulead Moviefactory demo, not 2, on the sumption of being able to capture DVD compliant video. I have not yet completed a DVD, and am unable to capture live TV, so far as I can tell.

If editing means simple cutting and simple effects, I haven't had luck doing either with the Ulead DVD MovieFactory, though it is demo. MovieFactory appears to be straight capture and assemble through RCA/S-video capture or existing compliant file.

Consider me dense, I would like to record anything A/V and assemble it to DVD format as simply and cheaply as possible. Maybe I should buy an Apple. Is TMPGEnc editing and DVD author a complete conversion and completion of a DVD solution, or are there simpler more complete solutions. Can MSP7 take me from anything G400 to DVD using Nero? or are there simpler, cheaper solutions that are near fool-proof.

Thanks

[bubu]

What I have: G400TV, U-lead VideoStudio 6. Win2000.

Capture video via VideoStudio into MPEG2 files. then go "finish" tab, click the video file and chose "export" to "DVD plug-in". The menu appears for plug-in for burning DVD onto your DVD-R. From there, a few mouse clicks for selecting chapter points, and setting up your DVD burner. It is all set, sit back until it's done.

I don't know other programs but this setup worked just fine with me, no hustles, no mess for a clean home made DVD disk.

... until I swapped a HDD, and cleaninstalled everything again. Now, I cannot record sound on my captured video via G400TV, and the frame drop rate went up to the level it bugs hell out of me.