I am taping a speaker with a slide show with a Canon XH A1. The group would like to be able to distribute a DVD that can be viewed on a TV (distributed to the group) as well as be played on a computer and projected using a standard (read cheap) projector.
So: Shoot HDV (probably a big yes here)? 30p, 60i ?
Output one DVD as Mpeg-2 DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen(standard tempate) (720x480) and another with a WMV and QT files?(if so size suggestions please)

Hi Roy.

If you are distributing to a group, I would consider simply making a single SD DVD, which should also play fine on any computer that is being used with a projector. I'm guessing the computer being used would have a DVD player.

If the computer doesn't have DVD, then yes a Quicktime or WMV (3mps template) would be fine, though obviously not the quality of a DVD.

Nice camera you've got there. I'm sure it will look great.

Maybe someone else will have some input.

Coincidentally today I had to take crash course on non-DVD video, and I ended up doing the following with excellent results.

To make a super video cd (svcd) which is much higher quality than regular vcd, and has the capability of menus, etc., I rendered to windows wmv 3mps then used Nero 8 to make the SVCD with menu.

As an aside, the animated 3d and 2d menu templates with Nero are pretty nice. I especially like the the Glossy Black template...simple, elegant, no-nonsense and very cool. Most of them are cheesy, but a couple are quite impressive. I can't even imagine DVDA ever going the direction of having some cool animated templates, but I sure wish they would.