Convert camcorder Video8 tape to DVD

rmcc89

Hi folks, using my son's account for a quick question.

I have a number of (around 12) Video8 Camcorder Tapes, from over the years with plenty good memories and I'm looking to get these updated and onto DVD Disc.

From what I've already gathered, I could do this using a DVD-RW Player and the actually Camcorder itself -> Hook both up, play and record. However, I don't have a DVD-RW Player. So I'd be looking for a cheap one if this were the case?

Any other ideas and tips?

Thanks.

bengalknights

PC with AV input can also do it

Backbiter

DVD recorder is the way I'd recommend. Very straightforward.

Pugwash69

Discs made with a DVD-RW machine should play back fine in a normal DVD player too.

Darren_G

If you don't want to do any editing afterwards (e.g. cropping or trimming any bits of noise between scenes etc), then the camcorder plugged straight in to a dvd recorder would be fine.

I had about 70 hours of footage to convert, so bought a second hand Canopus ADVC-100 for £50, which transcodes the analogue signal from the camcorder/VCR into a digital file (AVI) on your PC via a firewire connection. Don't be tempted by the cheap 'video grabbers' on ebay, as they are not really up the the job.

After recording each tape, I then used some open source software (Virtualdub) to cut out all the snowy bits between scenes and crop out the 'head noise' from the bottom of the picture. I then used another piece of freely available software (DVDFLICK) to make and burn DVDs.

rmcc89

Thanks for your help.

rmcc89

Update.

So, I've gotten all my Video8's copied onto DVD-R's using a DVD-Recorder.

Now, I've got 12 discs here, so the plan is too put them on to the computer, and put them into a project of say less DVD's with menus.
I've downloaded DVD-Flick to add menus and put video clips together, however what would be the best way to extract them onto the computer first? and Do you think I will get more than one onto one disc? Perhaps shrink the file? If so, using what?

Thanks.

WhiteChristmas

Handbrake to get them onto your computer

http://handbrake.fr/details.php

Or, if you want avi format then Gordian Knot, though it's more complicated.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gordianknot/

rmcc89

Cheers, that's done.

Got them on to the computer on AVI format, however some discs are in multiple files, for example, Disc 2 has Title 1 Title 2 and 3, So I'll want to be combining these files together to make them one. What do you suggest I use to do that?

Thanks again,

WhiteChristmas

You on a Windows machine?

If so, Windows Movie Maker will do the job.

Dead easy to use and there are loads of tutorials online but, basically, import files, stick them back-to-back on the timeline, trim out any bits you don't want, add titles/captions if you like then export in the best format for your purposes.

WhiteChristmas

If you want to stick to avi format, VirtualDub is the tool of choice, I believe. I've never used it, though.