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Can
I record TV shows with a DVD-Video player?
No, DVD-Video players are just that--players.
They can only play back pre-recorded DVD-Video discs and audio CDs. To
record your own DVDs, you will need a standalone DVD
recorder, or a computer with a DVD recordable drive and DVD authoring
software package. Read our Recordable
DVD Tutorial, DVD Recorder Buying Guide,
and the FAQs that follow for more
information.
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Are
DVD recorders available yet?
Yes. The first consumer DVD recorders
were available as early as August 2000. As of early 2003, there
are a handful of standalone DVD recorders and their prices start around $500. Unfortunately, there are three major recordable DVD
formats competing to become the standard
recordable DVD format. Read our Recordable
DVD Tutorial and DVD Recorder Buying Guide for more
information.
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I
have heard that there are more than one recordable DVD format. Is
this true? Yes, there are three
major recordable DVD formats:
-
DVD-R/RW
format, with its
record-once DVD-R variant and its re-writable DVD-RW
variant
-
DVD+R/RW
format, with its
record-once
DVD+R variant and its re-writable DVD+RW variant
-
DVD-RAM re-writable
format
No one format has yet emerged as the
single recordable DVD standard. Read our Recordable
DVD Tutorial for more information.
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Which
is the best recordable DVD format? All
three formats have their advantages and disadvantages. Read our Recordable
DVD Tutorial for more information about each format. In the
tutorial, we pick our preferred format.
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Should
I buy a DVD recorder now?
If you are aware of the three competing recordable
DVD formats and still want to take the plunge and invest in a
DVD recorder to replace your aging VHS VCR, then by all means by
one. Read our Recordable
DVD Tutorial and DVD Recorder Buying Guide
for a
recommendation on what recordable DVD format is the best choice and which
DVD recorder to buy. Do realize of course that until a clear
recordable DVD format emerges, there is some risk with buying a DVD
recorder today.
Price-wise, DVD recorders are now (as of
April
2003) around $500. You can buy a good DVD recorder for about
$500-$800. Prices will continue to drop as the technology matures,
and manufacturers and formats compete. By the end of 2003, we think
prices will come down to the $400-$600 range.
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How do I “professionally” edit home video footage from
camcorder and author a professional-looking DVD for playback on any DVD-Video player or computer DVD-ROM drive?
If your primary goal is to edit your collection of home videos to make a “finished” home video on DVD, your best bet is to invest in a computer-based video editing
and DVD authoring system, which consists of the relatively new and powerful
computer (Pentium 4 processor or equivalent is recommended), with a DVD recordable drive, and a
video editing and DVD authoring software package. Sometimes, a DVD authoring software
package comes bundled with a computer system with DVD recordable drive.
Here are some candidate video editing and DVD authoring software packages to consider:
Candidate DVD authoring software
packages specifically for the Apple Computer platforms:
The type of computer configuration you will need will depend on the
video editing and DVD authoring software package that you choose.
Check the vendor web sites for details.
Alternatively, if you just want to transfer your camcorder footage to a DVD for archiving and viewing purposes, then a standalone DVD recorder should be adequate for your needs.
Editing functions with a standalone DVD recorder is limited, compared to a computer-based
video editing and DVD authoring system.
For additional information on video
editing and DVD authoring, check out these links (the following links open in a new browser window):
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Can I
transfer home video from my camcorder to DVD for viewing and sharing?
Yes. If you have a computer, a
recordable DVD drive, and a video editing and DVD authoring software
package (see our
answer to this FAQ for some typical DVD
authoring software packages), then you can transfer your your home video
from your camcorder to your computer and record it to a recordable DVD
disc. If you have an analog camcorder (8mm,
Hi-8, VHS, VHS-C), then you will also need an analog (video and audio) capture card for your
computer, to transfer your video from your camcorder to your computer via S-Video
(preferred) or composite video
cables. Dazzle
Multimedia offers some analog video capture cards,
such as:
For a comparison
chart of these products, click
here. If
you have a digital camcorder (miniDV, microDV, or Digital-8), then you
will need a IEEE 1394 "Firewire" interface (i.LINK or DV input)
to transfer the video in digital form. This preserves the pristine
digital picture, and requires a "Firewire" or i.LINK
cable. The camcorder may use a 4-pin connector, while your computer
may use a 6-pin connector. Look for these connections and buy the
right "Firewire" or i.LINK cable. You
can simply transfer the video to DVD, or your can perform some editing
before you record it to DVD. Follow the instructions of your DVD
authoring or video editing software package.
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How
can I transfer my home videos on VHS tapes to DVD?
You can either do it
yourself or send it out to a third-party vendor who will
professionally transfer your VHS home videos to DVD. To do it
yourself, you
will need either:
-
a standalone DVD recorder, or
-
a computer with a
recordable DVD drive, and a video editing and DVD authoring software
package
Of course, in either case, you will need a
VHS VCR. With a standalone DVD
recorder, connect your VHS VCR to your DVD recorder using S-Video
(preferred) or composite video
connection. For audio, use an analog stereo RCA connection.
Then synchronize the playback of your home video on the VHS VCR and the
recording of your DVD recorder. Make sure the recordable DVD disc
can record the entire duration of your VHS video tape. To maximize
the recording time on the recordable DVD disc, choose one of the slower recording
speeds (that yields longer recording times). The resultant lower
video quality should be sufficient to match the VHS video quality of your
original home video. With a computer-based
system, you can get really professional-looking results. You will need
a recordable DVD drive and a DVD authoring software package (see our
answer to this FAQ for analog capture
cards, and this FAQ for some typical video
editing and DVD
authoring software packages). If you want to send it out
to have it done professionally, check your local phone book for video transfer
services or try these internet-based professional video transfer
services: (No endorsement by TimeForDVD.com is expressed or implied with these
links. These serve as examples for our readers only.)
Remember to have a backup copy of any home
video VHS tape that you send out for professional transfer. In case
it gets lost or damaged, you would still have a copy of your precious home
video.
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How do I archive video footage
(.MPEG) files downloaded from the web and play them back on my DVD-Video player or computer DVD-ROM drive? If you want to archive video footage from the web or make them playable on your DVD-Video player or computer DVD-ROM drive, some computer-based video editing and
DVD authoring software packages will allow you to make
Video CD (VCD) discs that are playable on most DVD-Video players and computer DVD-ROM drives.
Make sure your DVD-Video player or computer DVD-ROM drive is compatible with the
Video CD format. To make Video CD discs, you will need a computer with a CD-R burner/drive and some blank CD-R discs. If
your DVD-Video player can play back Super Video CD
(SVCD) discs, then this is a better choice since it offers better video and
audio quality. To make Super Video CD discs, you will also need a computer with a CD-R burner/drive and some blank CD-R discs. Check out these software packages:
Editor’s Note: Please, respect the copyright owner’s legal rights. Do not make illegal copies of any copyrighted materials for unlawful distribution. Alternatively, you can also burn recordable DVD discs, but this
the more expensive approach given the higher prices of blank recordable
DVD discs. Additionally, the picture quality of internet-downloaded
video is usually inferior to that which DVD can provide, so it is also
considered overkill for this purpose. This more expensive approach should only be used if your DVD-Video player or computer DVD-ROM drive cannot play back the
Video CD format.
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Can I use my
computer's CD-R/RW drive to create DVDs? No.
Your computer's CD-R/RW drive or "burner" can only make CD-R and CD-RW
discs. They cannot possibly create any of the recordable DVD discs. To create recordable DVD discs, you will need a dedicated DVD drive for the
appropriate recordable DVD format (e.g.,
DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW,
or DVD-RAM).
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Can I use my computer's CD-R/RW drive to create Video
CDs that can be viewed on my DVD-Video player?
Yes, you can use your computer's CD-R/RW
drive in conjunction with a DVD authoring software package that supports output to
CD-R media, formatted as Video CDs. Check out these video editing software packages:
Editor’s Note: Please, respect the copyright owner’s legal rights. Do not make illegal copies of any copyrighted materials for unlawful distribution.
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How can I
view video clips that I have downloaded from the internet on my DVD-Video
player?
You can use your computer's CD-R/RW
drive to create a Video CD with the video clip. Read our answer
to the previous FAQ. Using the Video CD
format takes advantage of the relatively cheap CD-R blank disc.
The video clip has to be transcoded (converted) to the MPEG-1 format, if not
already in that format (such video clips have the file extension of
".mpg" or ".mpeg"), so make sure the video editing
software package has this capability. Additionally, make sure
that your DVD player can play back Video CDs.
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How can
I use recordable DVD as a data storage medium?
Yes, you can buy a recordable DVD drive
for your computer. Make sure the drive is compatible with your
computer in terms minimum hardware/system requirements. If you
are buying a new computer, you can buy a system with a pre-packaged recordable DVD
drive. Read our Recordable
DVD Tutorial for more information on the different recordable DVD
formats.
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