Windows 7: DVD From Camcorder Output Question

Hello,
If this is a duplicate post, I apologize.
My last on this never seemed to have made it.

Have a new camcorder, the videos from which I wish to record on a DVD for posterity and sharing.

Apparently there are several modes that my PC asks about before making the DVD.

I read, somewhere, that for the "best" pix quality, you should tell it to make
a "Data Disk," and not one of the picture options.

Is this so ?
Why ?



Thanks,
Bob

The Question is: What do you intent to do with these DVDs (meaning how and where do you intent to watch those clips?

If you use some form of media player on the computer, it's OK to burn the clips as Data files.
But if you plan to watch them on a regular stand-alone DVD player, be prepared to convert the material to mpeg2 create a vob/ifo structure and burn the stuff as video DVD. (which requires re-encoding and therefor always comes with some loss of quality). Problem is that the average stand alone DVD player can't handle those data-DVDs. But for storage they're fine (even tho I personally prefer HDDs for long term storage.)
For more specific answers/recommendations I need to know a little more about your plans.

-DG

What is the recording format of your camcorder and the video resolution? If it is only DVD resolution, one may say that there will not be much loss in encoding it as a DVD Video.

If you want to preserve the quality of the video, no doubt writing them as data on DVD will be the option. But if you want to share it with others, you may never know whether the recepient will have the necessary codecs to play it on his/her PC.

The best course will be to try both and judge for yourself. With the insufficient information provided, you are only going to get such general replies rather than more specific suggestions.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply and info.; appreciate it.
Not too sharp with this stuff.

The Camcorder I have just bought is a new JVC unit, which apparently has the highest recordable resolution of any of them. I believe it is 1090 x something.

I wish to share the pictures I take via mailing a DVD that I have generated to others.

All of us, myself included, have only the "run-of-the-mill DVD players hooked up to our TV's.
No Blu-Ray, etc. Just relatively cheap DVD Players.
Everyone involved is "elderly," and not too good with PC options, etc.
They just want to stick it in their DVD player, and watch on their TV.

What would be the simplest, and most foolproof recording option, therefore, for me;
one that would preserve as "decent/highest" a resolution as possible?

Again, thanks for help,
Bob

So, I guess that I want to stay away from the "Data Disk" option, as you wrote.

Right...the Data DVD would be fine for storing your film clips. to create a "normal video DVD" you need to convert the material to some form of mpeg2, stuff it into a common vob/ifo structure and burn it to disk.

Let me pick out some favorable programs for that

Edit: Apparently JVC uses the MOD format which essentially is already MPEG2.... that makes it easier

Try DVD Flick...it's certainly not the fastest program out there but it does a decent job and its free

http://www.dvdflick.net/

You could also try the Video DVD maker (scroll about half way down there is the free version)

http://www.videodvdmaker.com/

Those are, what they call 3-click programs: throw the movie clips at it, set 2 or 3 parameter and burn the result after encoding to Disk.

When you're more comfortable with the process and those program outputs aren't good enough for you, we can talk about more professional programs (but I don't think they have free versions )
-DG

Hi,

Great.
Thanks so much for the hints.

BTW: is there anything built into Windows7 that will (also) do it well ?

Thanks again,
Bob

Mmm...there is something called Windows Live Movie Maker (for Vista/Windows 7)
But I'm not sure if those DVDs are "regular" meaning if they play on your average stand-alone DVD player
Movie Maker: Get started

If you're still on Windows XP...there should be a XP version out there but I have no idea if it's any good

-DG

I just had a look at various formats used by JVC (MOD,TOD and AVCHD) and I have to confess that I am a little bit confused.

Since you have mentioned 1090, I have to presume that it could be TOD or AVCHD, more likely the later. (MOD is only DVD resolution)

TOD may be HD MPEG2 video and AVCHD could be H264 both in M2TS stream.

If you could report the exact model of your JVC Camcorder, I may perhaps be able to look into it a little more deeply. (just for my own education }

Without confusing you any further, I would suggest that you download the Freemake Video Converter, drag your video files directly into it and try converting it to DVD,

Have a look at the little guide here for that. (In case it is a TOD file and the converter does not recognise it, rename the files .mpg , add the files to the converter and try.)

Please do report if it helped. Converting most video files into DVD is super simple with Freemake Video Converter. (Hmmm....you may also directly write it to a bluray disc preserving the HD quality - provided you have a BD writer)

You can burn a BluRay file system onto a DVD and play it on a BluRay player in full resolution.
here is a guide,
BD2DVD: Blu-ray to DVD guide - Club MyCE

yep, but the OP only wants to write his camcorder video on to a DVD so that when shared the recipients can play on the regular DVD player. ( I mentioned BD writing just to emphasize the built-in features ot the Freemake Video Converter.)