Video making questions
 

OK guys, I finally have some "budget" to get myself a decent video camera or recorder. My needs are mainly to capture videos that can be saved in wmv format and edit them, and of course still pics in jpg format. I need some inputs here to help me make a better decision:

1) Is it better to get a digital camera with video capability OR to get a digital video recorder with still pics capability ?

2) Can Sony cameras and recorders save videos in wmv ? I have an older Fuji finepix digital camera that only saves in avi video format.

3) What is a good and easy-to-use video editing software ? Is there any that can be downloaded free ? What are some "tricks" that can be done with the software ?

Thanks guys !

RE: Video making questions
 

My friend and I use his Sony DV camera. It can take digital still pictures and also has a place for a memory stick. If you download the videos directly from the computer, I cannot remember which format it is. Most cameras can use usb or firewire.

However, we prefer to download from the DV tape to the memory stick. This is in mpeg mode and seems to be higher quality, than the USB method at least. No firewire on my PC. Using this method, you can also take digital still pictures from the video. THere is a lot you can do with it, and probably a lot more than we do with it.

RE: Video making questions
 

I don't know of a camera that stores directly in WMV format. WMV has many parameters based on your intended use. I use a DV camera that transfers to the computer in AVI format via Firewire (IEEE1394) and I convert to WMV with Microsoft's Windows Media Encoder. (free download)

RE: Video making questions
 

If you want video, I would get a Digital Camcorder, either DV or Digital 8. You will need one with analog input. A lot of camcorders out there no longer offer this. I would also look at one with either a firewire connection or USB. A firewire card doesnt cost much. The Sony TRV-120 Digital 8 camcorder I use uploads thru firewire. It can either store the video in MPEG or AVI. I prefer AVI as it is the prefered format for Studio 9 which is the software I use. Studio 9 is a decently priced program that does some pretty impressive stuff and is pretty easy to learn. All my website videos are edited with it. I have sprung for some of the extra Hollywood FX plug-ins but the included effects are pretty neat.
Probably the most effects loaded video I have is:
[link=http://fubar1.net/movies/wireless/No%20Escape.wmv]No Escape[/link]
Unfortunately, the wireless system itself was going bye bye so the quality was a lot less than I usually have.

RE: Video making questions
 

Thanks guys ! How do I add my favourite music from a CD to the video using windows movie maker ? Is there a need to change format ?

RE: Video making questions
 

Copy the song, or whole CD, to your computer using WMP. Then you can import the song into MM.

Jason

RE: Video making questions
 

Thanks Jason ! I tried that and it works great with WMM

RE: Video making questions
 

Fubar, Good long "tifs", (time in frames).....not easy to do unless running in a pylon race....

RE: Video making questions
 

Thanks!
He isnt the easiest guy to follow around either. For somebody that wants to see video of his plane in flight, my Dad seems to do his best to make it difficult.[:-]

RE: Video making questions
 

Also, quick question. How long should it take to "render" when converting from hi8 to DVD if you have tried it? I have Studio 8 and it took almost 8 hours to do 35 minutes of tape and it still didn't look as good as when played from the camcorder! Thanks.....

RE: Video making questions
 

Honestly couldnt say but it takes a while. I have been trying to render my better clips to DVD content and the 6 or 7 minute clips take the better part of an hour or more. I fire up the render than bail out to the garage or boobtube.

RE: Video making questions
 

Ouch!! I didn't want to hear that! I guess I'm doing as bad as I thought. I was all ready to go out and buy a P4 3.5G just to do DVD's!!!

RE: Video making questions
 

Im running an Athlon XP 2400+ (1.9ghz) with 512 megs of 2700 DDR RAM. Blinding fast compared to my HP 800mhz 256megs RAM. Built the new one using Ebay purchases!

RE: Video making questions
 

[quote]ORIGINAL: Fubar-One

Im running an Athlon XP 2400+ (1.9ghz) with 512 megs of 2700 DDR RAM. Blinding fast compared to my HP 800mhz 256megs RAM. Built the new one using Ebay purchases!

Mine is an Athlon 1800+, 512 2700 DDR so I ain't that much slower!! Guess I'll just have to get used to it!
Thanks....