Re: Looking for DVD camcorder

Hi,
I've searched the features and technical spec of the cam you listed above
Sony DCR-DVD403 DVD
and cannot see any mention of it outputting dv-avi in any way at all.
It will record to the disc in Mpeg2. In order to output dv-avi it would need
to have a software converter inside the cam. It doesn't have firewire
connections, only USB2 and analogure/s-video, neither of which will output
dv-avi files, even if the cam did convert them on the fly.

Where did you read this?

Graham

--
Graham Hughes
MVP Digital Media
www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
www.dvds2treasure.com
www.simplydv.com


"Monte Comeau" <dag123@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23QY6BcZ2FHA.3244@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Graham,
> Thank you so much, thi si exactly the information I was seeking but could
> not find it in an understandable format anywhere on the web.
> You really have cleared up a few areas for me.
> As long as I cature the video to dv-avi (the camcorder I ordered allows
> this) I should get very good quality and full editing capabilities.
>
> Thanks again
>
> Monte Comeau
>
>
> "Graham Hughes" <graham.hughes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:OKAYPMW2FHA.2364@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> There are a few principles to get around first.
>> The video recorded to the minidv tape is dv, it is compressed at a ratio
>> of around 5.1.
>> If you capture as dv-avi - which is the dv signal wrapped in an avi
>> wrapper, then it will be identical to the video on the tape.
>> Every single frame in the dv-avi is an actual recording of what the cam
>> saw, so for PAL, you have 25 real frames every second.
>> As each of these frames is real, you can make an edit cut after frame 1
>> or frame 76895, or any inbetween,
>> If you save as dv-avi to your hard drive the video will still retain the
>> exact same quality.
>> If you add transitions to the edit cut points, then quality will be very,
>> very, very, very slightly lowered, but not at all noticeable even on
>> profesional quality monitors.
>> Mpeg is compressed to around 20.1. So you start with a much more
>> compressed video.
>> You can see this, by 1 hour of dv-avi consume 13gb of hdd. 1 hour of best
>> quality Mpeg consumes about 4gb.
>> Mpegs are made up of GOP's, group of frames. These frames are i, b, and
>> p. An i frame is an exact recording of the camcorder, the frames between
>> these i frames are made up, using the info on the i frame before it and
>> the i frame after.
>> GOP's can be from a few frames apart to many frames apart. This is one
>> way of making the video fit more on a disc, so the less that fits on a
>> disc, the smaller the GOP. A samll GOP may still be an i frame every 15
>> frames, so in fact you get less than two real frames every second (PAL).
>> When you edit, you can only make cuts at i frames. So if the action
>> changes mid GOP, you have to either cut to it before hand or cut to it
>> after it has started.
>> When you save this edited Mpeg, unless you have a programme which will
>> allow you to save compatible files, you will then end up recompressing a
>> compressed file.
>> If you have ever saved a jpeg still a few times you will notice each time
>> you save it it gets smaller in size, and gets lower quality. If you used
>> a still tiff/bitmap file and made changes and saved it, it will not
>> decrease in size and retains it's quality. This is the same for Mpeg and
>> AVI.
>> There is also this for mpeg editing.
>>
>> Mpeg2 files use programme time stamps to keep the audio and video in
>> sync. Therefore when making your edits to the mpeg file when you preview
>> in your editing programme or in the computer dvd player, before burning,
>> the audio and video always appear to be in sync.
>>
>> The problem comes along when the Mpeg2 files are authored to the dvd and
>> burning commences. In the authoring, the VOB files which are created,
>> discard the programme time stamp information and this can lead to very
>> small audio and video sync problems. The more edit points there are, the
>> greater the problem will become. Straight cuts are generally not as bad
>> as using transitions at edit points.
>>
>> On to Premiere elements.
>> I've not used it, but I use Premeire 6.5. It is a crakcing programme, and
>> by the reports I've read elements 2 is superb value for money.
>> It is right in that you can import mpeg files without loss of quality.
>> All you are doing is using the file from the dvd, or I found it best to
>> copy the Mpeg to the hdd first, much faster seeking times. The loss of
>> quality is in the recording of mpegs, when compared to avi.
>> The main problem will come in your authoring app, when you come to make
>> the vob files.
>>
>> I still believe if you want to edit, then use a minidv.
>> If your editing is minimal, then you could get away with a dvd cam.
>> If you don't want to do any editing and want to just play a dvd, then
>> they are great camcorders, as the dvd made is pretty darn good quality.
>>
>> I hope I've been clear in this, let me know if you don't understand
>> anything.
>>
>> --
>> Graham Hughes
>> MVP Digital Media
>> www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
>> www.dvds2treasure.com
>> www.simplydv.com
>>
>>
>> "Monte Comeau" <dag123@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:uBisvAN2FHA.924@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Thanks for the input Graham,
>>> Have you any thoughts on Adobe's new Premiere Elements 2.0 program?
>>> It claims that importing the files from DVD cams is seamless and no loss
>>> of quality.
>>> I am stillw aiting for delivery of my Sony DVD camcorder and if the loss
>>> of quality compared to a miniDV camera I will send it back in exchange
>>> for a Minidv model.
>>>
>>> "Graham Hughes" <graham.hughes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>> news:O1X%23A6L2FHA.2880@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> If you want to edit, choose a minidv camcorder.
>>>> Lots of reasons, higher quality file type, which won't degrade when
>>>> editing, easy to edit, at every frame, not so with mpeg files, every
>>>> editing app works with them, etc etc.
>>>> My review of the sony dvd cam is here, with my thoughts on editing at
>>>> the end.
>>>> http://www.myvideoproblems.com/ProductReviews/SonyDCRDVD92E.htm
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Graham Hughes
>>>> MVP Digital Media
>>>> www.myvideoproblems.co.uk
>>>> www.dvds2treasure.com
>>>> www.simplydv.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Monte" <mc@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>> news:O6faot$1FHA.3000@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>
>>>>> I was wondering if anyone here could suggest a good digital camcorder.
>>>>>
>>>>> I want something with very good quality that records right to a DVD
>>>>> for
>>>>> playback in computer for editing.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am cuurently looking at the Sony DCR-DVD403 and the Canon Alura
>>>>>
>>>>> Any comments on these two would be appreciated.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>


.

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