So many coasters, questions re: new computer?

[NoLaLady]

Finally I was able to create a DVD from edited mpeg (trimmed out section) which retains sound and didn't hang. Unfortunately I don't think I can retrace all my steps - some of which are: Don't use Videowave to edit and then import into My DVD, edit from within My DVD under Edit Movie instead. don't use DVD Epress, save file which must come out as .DSMD, remove discs from drive, burn image, put disc in drive, burn disc from image. But....I did uninstall and re-install EMC10 without doing any registry cleaning, etc. Before I consider that please look at my specs and tell me what would be the ideal computer under $1000 without monitor to run this thing efficiently. I have: XP Pro v. 2002 SP2, Dell Inspiron ME051, Intel® Pentium ® M, Processor: 1.73GHz, 1.7 GHz, .099 GB RAM, Physical Address Extension (?). 2 exterior drives, 1 is 500GB which is where I keep video files. Does it run better under Vista? Would it make sense to upgrade to Vista and re-initialize? I'm just looking for the best direction to go because - crazy as it makes me - I'm addicted to this kind of stuff (and I'm too cheap to send it all to the camera shop). Thanks for any and ll advice.

[Beerman]

You don not need Vista to do what you want and there's no guarantee it will do what you want any better than XP. Your computer should do most of what you want but it's not going to do so without some tugging. Keep the hard drive defragged, shut down background programs and don't get too fancy.

For video work, I suggest at 2gb of RAM and a dedicated video card of at least 128MB but 256 would be great worth it. If you want a Dell, take a look at their 530 series which should be in your price range and do what you want. Some can be purchased with XP and/or Vista. They may come with the OEM version of Roxio which you can remove completely before installing your version.

I don't think it's worth it to upgrade your system anymore but that's just my opinion.

[bimicher]

Along with other things, I'm just not very lucky. I followed your above instructions and everything was going along fine and I was about to burn the project when my D drive broke. I piece of plastic came off the middle. Soooo...But - when I get my new computer, should I still follow this method, avoiding saving anything as DMSM and creating a video file which is mpeg-2? What about if I have a video that is another format? - Another subject: Is it hard to replace a CD/DVD drive, could I do it myself??

 

Just a little clarification on "dmsm" and "mpeg2" files.

 

dmsm files are not video files at all but your video project files created when you select "save as". It simply creates a file containing the instruction on how to create the video - it contains the list of source files, editing instructions, etc. If you create your video project in Videowave you should always save as you go along - the saved file has the extension "dmsm"

 

If you want to create a mpeg2 (or other format) video file you should select "Output production .." and then select theoutput format you want.

 

If you are working with myDVD a similar project file is created when you do a Save except it has the extension "dmsd". This file only contains the instructions to create the DVD.

[NoLaLady]

That's very interesting. One of the things I was going to do was convert the mpeg (which comes from a Cannon mini-DVD camera) to mpeg-2 but it took so long and I had so little faith in what I was doing that I cancelled. What is ia proxy file? Do most people know about this method or is it for people having computer trouble? I don't know whether I will get around to testing this until next week at which time I may also have my new computer, but I will do it before I get all settled in with the new one plus setting up a network with the other 2 computers in my house.

[NoLaLady]

It is not hard to replace a burner. Are you going to keep this older computer? The reason I asked is there are USB connected burners available for a relatively low cost. If you buy one of those, you can use it on either computer so you would not replace the burner on the old computer. Of course internal drives are less expensive. Just follow the instructions packaged with the drive.

 

You may not have to go through the pre-encoding with the new computer, you'll just have to try it. I do it as a just in case I screwed up something in putting the project together. I have the mpg2 file that I can preview in WMP or other mpg2 player. It breaks up the work flow if you are trying to create several projects and then burn them to disc but I usually don't mind the break while the project encodes.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by other formats? Video Wave will take most of the formats (like AVI) as part of the project and encode them. You should not encode avi files or the like before using them in a Video Wave project.

 

What did you get for a new computer?

 

I am going to keep the old computer because it is a laptop and and I'm going to network it with the new one. But I won't do serious video work on it. New computer: Dell 530, Intel Core2 proessor Q6600 (2.4Ghs 1066FSB) w/Quad Core Technology and 8MB cashe, 3GB RAM, 800MHz, 256MB Radeon HD 2600 Xt, 320GB Serial ATA 2 Hard Drive. Other formats: I have an old device (Director's Cut) which allows me to import VHS (family stuff) into Windows Movie Maker and then save it in AVI and then import into My DVD. I have not done anything with this stuff in EMC10 but did a little with MY DVD 9 and it worked. MY DVD won't recognize this device, which is firewire and frankly, I forgot all about getting some kind of import-video card on the new one. Would be nice if it was just 'there'. But I do have firewire on the new one to accomdate my 2 existing external drives and this import device. I would like to think I could install a new drive on my old computer for any number of uses and not have to worry about carrying around any extra plug-ins so it could be used strictly as a mobile device.

 

[NoLaLady]

You don not need Vista to do what you want and there's no guarantee it will do what you want any better than XP. Your computer should do most of what you want but it's not going to do so without some tugging. Keep the hard drive defragged, shut down background programs and don't get too fancy.

For video work, I suggest at 2gb of RAM and a dedicated video card of at least 128MB but 256 would be great worth it. If you want a Dell, take a look at their 530 series which should be in your price range and do what you want. Some can be purchased with XP and/or Vista. They may come with the OEM version of Roxio which you can remove completely before installing your version.

I don't think it's worth it to upgrade your system anymore but that's just my opinion.

 

Thanks so much for the very sensible advice. I am now investigating....

[bimicher]

Don't use Videowave to edit and then import into My DVD, edit from within My DVD under Edit Movie instead. .

 

I disagree with that statement and I believe so will most users of EMC 10. Videowave is the program designed for editing and myDVD is designed for menu creation and burning.

[NoLaLady]

I disagree with that statement and I believe so will most users of EMC 10. Videowave is the program designed for editing and myDVD is designed for menu creation and burning.

 

It probably is designed with that purpose in mind. But after three days of editing with Videowave and then attempting to create DVD by using DVD Express from within Videowave and having the result be either a hanging burn or a completed DVD with no sound, doing it the other way (selecting Edit Video from within My DVD, and, after making the change, burning an image first and then burning the image to disc separately) worked for me. I Maybe it wouldn't work again. Yesterday I ordered a new more powerful computer - giving up my dream of buying a nice new big TV (sigh) - and when it arrives I will see if the program does what it is supposed to.

[NoLaLady]

Just a little clarification on "dmsm" and "mpeg2" files.

 

dmsm files are not video files at all but your video project files created when you select "save as". It simply creates a file containing the instruction on how to create the video - it contains the list of source files, editing instructions, etc. If you create your video project in Videowave you should always save as you go along - the saved file has the extension "dmsm"

 

If you want to create a mpeg2 (or other format) video file you should select "Output production .." and then select theoutput format you want.

 

If you are working with myDVD a similar project file is created when you do a Save except it has the extension "dmsd". This file only contains the instructions to create the DVD.

 

In other words, if I am editing an existing mpg file I should always do as I did in the example in the previous message - create a new video which is an MPG-2 which I then import into MY DVD? Videowave always asks you if you want to 'save' and I have always said 'yes' and let it go at that assuming that my changes to the original video were picked up in the result, which was 'dmsm'. Then I imported this thing into MY DVD and had problems. I don't know if I am stating this well but - what will happen if I import an AVI file into Videowave? Is the process different? Or, with a more powerful computer, will the steps towards a finished product just go along intuitively within MY DVD instead of editing and saving in Videowave? In MY DVD, what does the button labeled 'Edit Movie' mean? Isn't it a link to Videowave? The screens are the same as Videowave. Hoping to sort out my confusion but definitely fell I am making progress.....

[sknis]

It probably is designed with that purpose in mind. But after three days of editing with Videowave and then attempting to create DVD by using DVD Express from within Videowave and having the result be either a hanging burn or a completed DVD with no sound, doing it the other way (selecting Edit Video from within My DVD, and, after making the change, burning an image first and then burning the image to disc separately) worked for me. I Maybe it wouldn't work again. Yesterday I ordered a new more powerful computer - giving up my dream of buying a nice new big TV (sigh) - and when it arrives I will see if the program does what it is supposed to.

 

The issue probably wasn't Video Wave; it was probably My DVD Express. Save your VideoWave project, close Video Wave, open My DVD and add the project to My DVD as a movie.

[lynn98109]

One way is to get an external drive enclosure, and put your drive in that - it then works like an external drive. It should be pretty easy, altho one of the less-technical Gurus did that, and it turned out the case was defective, so it took a while.

 

Another option is a USB - IDE cable, which allows you to plug in a drive. It is more for benchwork, and not recommended for long-term setups, but that's what I've used on my DVD burner, which I use less than once a month. To put it in the WinXP tower would cause hassles with the OEM Version Nero, which can recognize the two drives (CD-RW drive and Combo drive) there now (thanks to the place where I got the computer) but would not be likely to find anything else - Nero hobbles their OEM software by making it only apply to the drive with which it ships (that's where the computer store came in - altho each of the drives came with an OEM Nero.)

 

Edit: link to picture & description of USB - IDE cable

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=USB2IDE-N

 

Lynn

[NoLaLady]

In Video Wave, after you have created a project but while it is still open, go to the top menu and select Tools>Options> Clear Proxy files. Wait a minute or two and then use the film reel icon above the preview to output the project to a "mpg2 best quality" file. Name and select the folder location for that mpg2 file. The file will encode. As you know this is the slow part of the process.

 

Once the file is encoded, preview it in the window or use something like WMP to watch and listen to it. If the mpg2 file is correct, then you can add that file (and others) to the my DVD project as a movie (title). Those files will not encode again unless you are trying to put more than one hour of movies on a DVD. There is no way you can lose the audio for that title unless your burn process is screwed up.

 

Let us know if you have success with this.

 

Along with other things, I'm just not very lucky. I followed your above instructions and everything was going along fine and I was about to burn the project when my D drive broke. I piece of plastic came off the middle. Soooo...But - when I get my new computer, should I still follow this method, avoiding saving anything as DMSM and creating a video file which is mpeg-2? What about if I have a video that is another format? - Another subject: Is it hard to replace a CD/DVD drive, could I do it myself??

 

[NoLaLady]

The issue probably wasn't Video Wave; it was probably My DVD Express. Save your VideoWave project, close Video Wave, open My DVD and add the project to My DVD as a movie.

 

I did that. Several times. And I got a fine DVD with NO SOUND. Thru searching, I found someone on this forum who had the same problem with sound disappearing from an edited DVD. Then the problem cleared up. So, following her example, I kept trying. I tell you, I tried over and over and only when I used what must be a link inside My DVD, a button labeled 'Edit Video' and then edited the orieingal mpeg and saved as an image did I get a successful burn to disc. When I saved the edited Videowave file it was DMSM and saved from My DVD it was DMSD. DMSM hung when imported into My DVD. Weird. If I have success with the new computer, I'll post a message saying all is well and maybe it was all some video card problem (I did keep getting messages that my video driver needing upgrading but Windows and then Dell said no.) I have tried to reconstruct all this as best I could but nobody's perfect.

 

[sknis]

Along with other things, I'm just not very lucky. I followed your above instructions and everything was going along fine and I was about to burn the project when my D drive broke. I piece of plastic came off the middle. Soooo...But - when I get my new computer, should I still follow this method, avoiding saving anything as DMSM and creating a video file which is mpeg-2? What about if I have a video that is another format? - Another subject: Is it hard to replace a CD/DVD drive, could I do it myself??

 

It is not hard to replace a burner. Are you going to keep this older computer? The reason I asked is there are USB connected burners available for a relatively low cost. If you buy one of those, you can use it on either computer so you would not replace the burner on the old computer. Of course internal drives are less expensive. Just follow the instructions packaged with the drive.

 

You may not have to go through the pre-encoding with the new computer, you'll just have to try it. I do it as a just in case I screwed up something in putting the project together. I have the mpg2 file that I can preview in WMP or other mpg2 player. It breaks up the work flow if you are trying to create several projects and then burn them to disc but I usually don't mind the break while the project encodes.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by other formats? Video Wave will take most of the formats (like AVI) as part of the project and encode them. You should not encode avi files or the like before using them in a Video Wave project.

 

What did you get for a new computer?

[sknis]

I did that. Several times. And I got a fine DVD with NO SOUND. Thru searching, I found someone on this forum who had the same problem with sound disappearing from an edited DVD. Then the problem cleared up. So, following her example, I kept trying. I tell you, I tried over and over and only when I used what must be a link inside My DVD, a button labeled 'Edit Video' and then edited the orieingal mpeg and saved as an image did I get a successful burn to disc. When I saved the edited Videowave file it was DMSM and saved from My DVD it was DMSD. DMSM hung when imported into My DVD. Weird. If I have success with the new computer, I'll post a message saying all is well and maybe it was all some video card problem (I did keep getting messages that my video driver needing upgrading but Windows and then Dell said no.) I have tried to reconstruct all this as best I could but nobody's perfect.

 

In Video Wave, after you have created a project but while it is still open, go to the top menu and select Tools>Options> Clear Proxy files. Wait a minute or two and then use the film reel icon above the preview to output the project to a "mpg2 best quality" file. Name and select the folder location for that mpg2 file. The file will encode. As you know this is the slow part of the process.

 

Once the file is encoded, preview it in the window or use something like WMP to watch and listen to it. If the mpg2 file is correct, then you can add that file (and others) to the my DVD project as a movie (title). Those files will not encode again unless you are trying to put more than one hour of movies on a DVD. There is no way you can lose the audio for that title unless your burn process is screwed up.

 

Let us know if you have success with this.