[WestsideJoe]

I'm new to editing. A happy coincidence brought together a new Dell laptop w/MyDVD:LE pre-installed and four 1 hour DV tapes of my recent vacation with a buddy. After viewing raw footage camera-to-TV I was looking forward to whitling-down the video to an hour of the most viewable footage.
My first attempt at capture via USB port was discouraging, quality wise, but with a little research here and elsewhere I quickly caught on to the Firewire plan, equipped my machine, and was happy with quality
of the sixteen 15-min AVI files in storage on harddrive (@3+ GB each). I test imported video, lopped off all but 5 min worth of one clip, then burned a DVD that played on my home player.
Followed up on the Upgrade offer built in to LE version and was pointed at MyDVD series of products. The
"Premier" version of MyDVD 8 had features galore for the simplistic task ahead and my machine"s strained resources met the system requirements. Installed and have spent the past 3 weeks learning the ropes and pleasantly paring the original 240 min down to 137 so far.

Two issues have eluded me though.

1. Is it possible in my edition (or any) to save a clip or series of clips for re-importation in a future movie? It seems deigned to output: only whole movie in .iso format (which I don't seem to be able to import), Save the project in .dmsd format, or burn project. No way to stash as AVI clip? Am I missing something here?
2. Is there no way to save encoded files created during a burn to save time next burn? 70 percent-ish of my burn time is encoding.

[ggrussell]

1) No, you can not output to file within MyDVD any version that I know. That feature is something that only Videowave can do.

2) Yes, instead of burning directly to disc, burn to ISO file or video folder. Either can be burned later with Disc Copier 8.

[sknis]

WestsideJoe, on Aug 7 2006, 09:46 PM, said:

I'm new to editing. A happy coincidence brought together a new Dell laptop w/MyDVD:LE pre-installed and four 1 hour DV tapes of my recent vacation with a buddy. After viewing raw footage camera-to-TV I was looking forward to whitling-down the video to an hour of the most viewable footage.
My first attempt at capture via USB port was discouraging, quality wise, but with a little research here and elsewhere I quickly caught on to the Firewire plan, equipped my machine, and was happy with quality
of the sixteen 15-min AVI files in storage on harddrive (@3+ GB each). I test imported video, lopped off all but 5 min worth of one clip, then burned a DVD that played on my home player.
Followed up on the Upgrade offer built in to LE version and was pointed at MyDVD series of products. The
"Premier" version of MyDVD 8 had features galore for the simplistic task ahead and my machine"s strained resources met the system requirements. Installed and have spent the past 3 weeks learning the ropes and pleasantly paring the original 240 min down to 137 so far.

Two issues have eluded me though.

1. Is it possible in my edition (or any) to save a clip or series of clips for re-importation in a future movie? It seems deigned to output: only whole movie in .iso format (which I don't seem to be able to import), Save the project in .dmsd format, or burn project. No way to stash as AVI clip? Am I missing something here?
2. Is there no way to save encoded files created during a burn to save time next burn? 70 percent-ish of my burn time is encoding.

Remember that when you are doing any video editing, all you are doing is creating a series of instructions for the computer to use when you go to burn or edit the project. The original file does not get edited UNLESS you overwrite it. That means that when you want to create a new project, you can start with the original files again. Editing goes easier the second and the third time around but the encoding is constant.

Also, if you have burned the project to a DVD RW disc and want to remove or add a movie, you should be able to do that. Go to the file menu in MyDVD and see if you have the option to Edit DVD. If you see it and it is not grayed out, then go to the help screen for details.

[WestsideJoe]

ggrussell, on Aug 7 2006, 08:07 PM, said:

1) No, you can not output to file within MyDVD any version that I know. That feature is something that only Videowave can do.

2) Yes, instead of burning directly to disc, burn to ISO file or video folder. Either can be burned later with Disc Copier 8.

Thanks for the info.

re:
1) What I wanted to do was take some of the edited sequences, set em aside and compile an "outtakes" dvd. Will Videowave let me cut edited clips from timeline or storybook mode and create a saveable AVI clip from original AVI file (while original remains unaltered)?

2) I couldn't find "Disc Copier 8" listed as seperate Roxio product. Is it a feature of videowave or MyDVD or a currently renamed product?

Thanks again.....................Joe

[ggrussell]

1) yes, but don't expect to click on a 'part' of a project to output. You will have to create a separate project for each 'out take' and output each project.

2) Disc Copier is a part of several Sonic/Roxio packages like Easy Media Creator Suites.

[WestsideJoe]

[quote name='ggrussell' date='Aug 8 2006, 11:23 AM' post='42543']
1) yes, but don't expect to click on a 'part' of a project to output. You will have to create a separate project for each 'out take' and output each project.

I could live with the multiple projects. But I don't have an output that the program will later input for compilation. .ISO or .DMSD to hard disk, or burned DVD are seemingly my only output choices. But program doesn't recognize .ISO or .DMSD as valid input formats.

I just want to string together portions from different edited projects. This seems like a basic no-brainer. I've got to be missing something here. I'll pop for the VideoWave if thats what it will take.

Thanks for the help
.............Joe

[james_hardin]

Joe: It is not a "no brainer"! You are dealing with a structured binary file not something from NotePad.

There are some programs that will do fast edits and little else. At least that would give you a series of clips you could then piece together.

Some of the regulars mentioned them one time but I did not take note of the names… Maybe they will post them again.

[Larry]

WestsideJoe, on Aug 9 2006, 10:41 AM, said:

.........I just want to string together portions from different edited projects. This seems like a basic no-brainer. I've got to be missing something here. I'll pop for the VideoWave if thats what it will take.................

It's not a "no-brainer" for the product you chose. You chose to get MyDVD (standalone) which is a DVD Authoring program, not a video editing program. It's purpose is to Author DVD projects and burn them to disc using already prepared video and/or photo files. While it does contain some editing functions, they are very basic in nature.

If some of what you want to do is actually video editing (which is what it sounds like), than yes you need a video editor, like VideoWave, or some other 3rd party application. If you do decide you need VideoWave, then I strongly recommend you look at getting the EMC 8 Deluxe Suite instead of the stand alone VideoWave, as it will contain the full version of it, plus the MyDVD version it includes offers even more optins than the version you currently have (plus a number of other usefull products & tools).

[WestsideJoe]

Larry, on Aug 9 2006, 02:00 PM, said:

It's not a "no-brainer" for the product you chose. You chose to get MyDVD (standalone) which is a DVD Authoring program, not a video editing program. It's purpose is to Author DVD projects and burn them to disc using already prepared video and/or photo files. While it does contain some editing functions, they are very basic in nature.

If some of what you want to do is actually video editing (which is what it sounds like), than yes you need a video editor, like VideoWave, or some other 3rd party application. If you do decide you need VideoWave, then I strongly recommend you look at getting the EMC 8 Deluxe Suite instead of the stand alone VideoWave, as it will contain the full version of it, plus the MyDVD version it includes offers even more optins than the version you currently have (plus a number of other usefull products & tools).

Thanks for the clarification between "Authoring" and "Editing". I don't recall the differentiation in the sales blurbs, but i could be wrong.
i certainly felt like I had been "editing" for the last three weeks.

[ggrussell]

ggrussell, on Aug 8 2006, 02:23 PM, said:

You will have to create a separate project for each 'out take' and output each project.

Sorry , I should have been more clear. Yes, you would also need Videowave soyou can output the 'out takes' to separate MPEG files which can then be used in MyDVD.

[anamcara]

WestsideJoe, on Aug 10 2006, 05:28 AM, said:

Thanks for the clarification between "Authoring" and "Editing". I don't recall the differentiation in the sales blurbs, but i could be wrong.
i certainly felt like I had been "editing" for the last three weeks.

Don't worry, you have been editing video. Your version, MyDVD8 Premiere, does allow you to do the things you want, provided your system, codecs, and mother nature and the DVD god feel like it on the day ;-)

I believe that everyone who has answered and given their good advice so far has other compilations of Roxio/Sonic software than you do. I started with MyDVD LE on a Dell and, like you, took the offered upgrade path to MyDVD8 Premiere version. I returned it after technical issues and ended up purchasing EMC8 Studio Deluxe. As a result, my list of issues has substantially decreased. BUT, as this forum so supremely demonstrates, each computer/software issue can be very device and configuration dependent so the GOOD news is that you may have no issues with your system and MyDVD8 Premiere!!!

I think what you have is a work flow issue. It sounds to me like you have done what I also inadvertently did on my very first project and backed yourself into the same corner! You have started from 'Home' and chosen one of the menu tasks like 'Create a new DVD project with your movies'. That took you to MyDVD and then you added captured movies etc and chose the menu item EDIT VIDEO from within MyDVD . This approach is only OK if you want only a DVD burn. You won't get the option to output as mpeg or avi or back to dv-avi. That is because only a subset of the Videowave8 features are available when you do it this way as the program - designed for DVD menu creation and burning - assumes you are only doing a few small last minute video edits or titles.

So while you are stuck for this project relative to your first question, you can still accomplish your second question for this project which was

2. Is there no way to save encoded files created during a burn to save time next burn? 70 percent-ish of my burn time is encoding.

To do that, when you choose to burn the project, instead of burning to a DVD simply burn as an .iso (image) file which will save to your hard drive and can be burned later as many times as you want. NOTE, if I remember correctly, MyDVD8 Premiere doesn't let you load and view the iso file or burn it. But if you still have the Sonic MyDVD LE on your computer or you have the Dell CD and reinstall, you can burn the iso from there as that 'lite' version software actually has a few features not in MyDVD8 Premiere related to Copy and Record Now functions. In this scenario, to 'mount' and view the iso if you don't want to go to EMC8 Suite Deluxe, you need other software like Alcohol which will let you mount, view and burn that iso. If you burn/save instead to a Folder Set on your computer, Cineplayer (also included in your current compilation) will play it. Cineplayer won't play the iso.

The above MyDVD8 Premiere and Alcohol 120% combo works a treat with the iso files from my experience as I had downloaded the trial software, but with the added cost of eventually purchasing a license for it, you might as well call Roxio directly since you bought the MyDVD8 Premiere directly from them and tell them you want to return that download and buy the EMC8 Suite Deluxe. You can return any Roxio software purchased from them or their electronic agents like Digital River within 30 days of your purchase. From some older forum posts, if you are wanting to go to another compilation like EMC8 Suite or EMC8 Suite Deluxe (i.e. spend even more money), they may accommodate you outside the 30 day limit a bit. But don't submit a return request via any of the web site avenues to do so, they are dead ends in my experience, so call the phone number!

Now, for future projects like your outtakes dvd, START IN VIDEOWAVE8. When the software's Home opens, choose to open the Applications list and choose Videowave8 from there instead of choosing from one of the task based choices (i.e. create dvd, edit video, etc). Bring in your avi file, edit down to your selected outtakes, add any text etc, and then you will be able to any/all of the following:
a) Save that as a project (note no edited video is actually saved and if you ever move or rename one of the included video clips or photo files your project will be 'broken' when you open it next).
Output as 'mpeg2, best quality' so it is 'dvd ready' and when you take it to MyDVD8 it will not have to render that video again.
c) Output as avi so your now permanently edited video clip is available for future use in an 'editable' form.
d) Output as dv-avi and send back to a tape in your camera. I do this (or, right now, I should say I desire to do this... as it is one of my issues) so you can take those lovely small tapes and the TV connection cord with you when you will have your camera and be confident that you can connect to anyone's TV and play it with great quality. You won't have to worry if their DVD player will like the disc you burned.

Sorry this is long, but I wanted you to know that you can do just about everything in MyDVD8 Premiere in the applications that are included as you can do with those same applications in EMC8 Suite. It is just that the Suite and, especially, the EMC8 Suite Deluxe add a lot of other very good utilities for burning via Disc Copier as well as being able to mount your saved iso files etc.

The trick is the work flow. Start everything in Videowave8. Save any output types you want. (You will also have access to some of the setting that were greyed out when you were editing from within MyDVD!) Then take your rendered mpeg2 to MyDVD8 to burn as iso and/or to disc.

Good luck!
Amy

This post has been edited by anamcara: 11 August 2006 - 08:12 PM

[WestsideJoe]

anamcara, on Aug 11 2006, 08:46 PM, said:

Good luck!
Amy

thanks for the info. You and I have traveled similar paths. I will reread your post in detail again when I get home (at work now). Haven't tried the "folder" option, but i seem to recall trying and it would auto-uncheck the ISO option when I checked the "folder" box. I stopped there and didn't experiment further.

New things to try,
Thanks again.....................Joe