MiniDV to DVD Workflow

[Jason Vince]

If I want to start from miniDV content and want to produce DVDs, I assume the following forkflow.

1. Transfer MiniDV content to PC via FireWire.
2. Edit the content.
3. Encode final clips to mpeg2.
4. Author DVD.
5. Burn DVD.

My questions:
1. Can I, or should I switch #2 and #3 in the workflow? Should I encode first, and then edit?
2. If I want to show the final clips to the customer via web (before authoring and burning the DVD), and if I want to use H.264 for that, should I start with H.264 in the first place, or should I transcode to H.264 after the final mpeg2 videos are ready?

Does the following make more sense?
1. Transfer MiniDV content to PC via FireWire.
2. Encode to H.264
3. Edit videos.
4. Publish via web, get customer approval.
5. Transcode to MPEG2.
6. Author DVD.
7. Burn DVD.

Thanks.
<jason:vince/>

[Kevin Lewis]

I've heard some people say that delivering a final product via mpeg2 or h.264 is fine, but that editing with these formats is not the ideal situation. I have experimented a littl witht his and it seems that I can edit an mpeg and the re-render with any viabale loss in quailty. I should note that when doing this I was doing very simple editing. I have heard some say that mpeg will not hold up past a few renders if there is heavy color correction involved. I see that you are new here, so welcome aboard. It will probably only be a matter of time before some with more experience in this area chime in.

[Bruce Phung]

Originally Posted by Jason Vince

If I want to start from miniDV content and want to produce DVDs, I assume the following forkflow.

1. Transfer MiniDV content to PC via FireWire.
2. Edit the content.
3. Encode final clips to mpeg2.
4. Author DVD.
5. Burn DVD.

My questions:
1. Can I, or should I switch #2 and #3 in the workflow? Should I encode first, and then edit?
2. If I want to show the final clips to the customer via web (before authoring and burning the DVD), and if I want to use H.264 for that, should I start with H.264 in the first place, or should I transcode to H.264 after the final mpeg2 videos are ready?

Does the following make more sense?
1. Transfer MiniDV content to PC via FireWire.
2. Encode to H.264
3. Edit videos.
4. Publish via web, get customer approval.
5. Transcode to MPEG2.
6. Author DVD.
7. Burn DVD.

Thanks.
<jason:vince/>

Here is what I think is best. Transfer your content to the PC and make your edit. When you are finished and happy with the editing. Render your work to Mpeg2 for DVD. Now if you want to publish to a web, you would need to render the same project to WMV? or anything that is smaller in file size and host it.

[Shaun Roemich]

Capture and edit in DV. Then do your exports. MPEG-2 and h.264.

[Greg Andrews]

Jason:
Depends on what you are trying to do...

If you want to simply rip miniDV onto a DVD, I ask the following : what's the purpose of the output?

** If the answer is to simply rip it off the tape to the DVD media, so that kids, wife, family, etc. can easily watch it, then I hook the camera up to the DVD recorder and rip a disc. Have camera play the full tape, have the recorder setup either to create an auto-chapter either at every stop on the tape or every 5/10 minutes.

** If the answer is to quickly rip the tape (multiple tapes, say of the kids basketball games) to DVDs, then I once again hook up to the DVD recorder and let it go, so I can swap tapes and discs when its done, without tying up the computer.

** If the answer is that I need to edit this for final output, add title screens, transitions, credits, and possibly make the output available in multiple formats... then I hookup the camera to the computer via FireWire. Sony miniDV camera and using Sony Vegas Movie Studio. I simply go into the import media option and have it pull the whole tape. Save the project file. Edit whatever I need to, then output whatever format I need to, whether its DVD, Video CD, iPod, PSP, etc.