How to record direct to DVD from DV Camcorder?

johnmeyer wrote on 12/14/2007, 1:19 PM

The high school basketball team coach wants a game DVD immediately at the finish of the game. We've used disc-based camcorders, but they can't hold enough to fit onto one disc.

I can record from my DV camcorder, via Firewire, direct to MPEG-2 on my laptop, using the MainConcept MPEG-2 external capture application. Beautiful results. However, I still have to author and burn the DVD, and while that is quick, the team is packed an gone by the time I'm finished.

So, what I'm looking for is a way to use PVR software on a laptop that can record direct from the live DV camera, via Firewire to my laptop's DVD. It needs to be able to start and stop so I can pause during timeouts, and other game stoppages. For these starts/stops, I can live with having to press keys on the laptop.

I thought that some of you who record church services might have come up with an approach that would do something like this. Any help would be appreciated.

Comments

megabit wrote on 12/14/2007, 1:44 PM

If I remember correctly from my pre-Vegas, pre-HD days, lower-end NLEs (like Ulead VideoStudio) do have option to capture DV straight onto DVD. Not sure whether they encode into MPEG2 on the fly, but I'd guess they do - creating full DVD structure, with VOBs etc. No real menus, but playlists are also supported.

johnmeyer wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:17 PM

Not sure whether they encode into MPEG2 on the fly, but I'd guess they do - creating full DVD structure, with VOBs etc. No real menus, but playlists are also supported.

Yes, that's exactly what I am looking for. I own many of the Ulead products and looked at their site earlier today, but was looking at Moviefactory. I'll now check VideoStudio. Thanks.

J_Mac wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:20 PM

I understand the Sony DVD Direct machine will do this. John

J_Mac wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:20 PM

But I haven't tried it. John

farss wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:21 PM

There's plenty of STB DVD recorders that'll go from firewire direct to DVD, that's the simplest solution. No menus although I believe some of the better ones let you load your own 'menu' background.

For more money there's some professional recorders around that are quite sophisticated, also I'm pretty certain Datavideo do one that doesn't cost the nation debt with a few less bells and whistles.

Bob.

farss wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:22 PM

We do have one of those, very cheap, small and does work.

Bob.

johnmeyer wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:26 PM

the Sony DVD Direct machine will do this

I don't want to purchase anything (other than software). I want to use my laptop (because this has to work in the field, away from power sources).

Back to the VideoStudio:

WOW! This product has about a dozen features that I have been asking Sony to add to Vegas for five years. These people clearly understand what I've been saying for years: If there is something on the tape, then I have every right to be able to effortlessly use it in my production. Date, EXIF, time, directly to subtitles. This is great stuff, and easy to do (from an engineering standpoint).

I don't know if VideoStudio will solve my immediate problem, but I am definitely going to be using it in the future for all these other neat features.

johnmeyer wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:39 PM

Well, it looks like VideoStudio is close, but I don't think it actually burns the DVD as the video is coming in from the camcorder, but instead stores it on the hard drive and then later authors (automatically) and then burns the disc. This might work, but it will add 10-15 minutes after the game is over. Could be a little tight if the team bus is leaving.

farss wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:48 PM

There's some little USB dongle units that do the mpeg-2 for DVD encoding for you. That still doesn't eliminate the authoring and burning time.
The only thing I've seen that'll do all that in one go are the STB recorders and yes they work pretty well in the field, one of my clients competitors covers sports exactly that way with a van full of them.

If you need it really mobile that Sony recorder runs off a 12V plug pack, should be easy enough to get it to run off a battery and they are very cheap, we paid under AUD 300 for one.

Bob.

farss wrote on 12/14/2007, 2:53 PM

John,
here's a link to our website for the unit I'm talking about.
There's an older model without the AVCHD capability we've also got that you can get very cheaply:

http://www.digihire.com.au/sony-vrd-mc5.htm

Bob.

johnmeyer wrote on 12/14/2007, 3:23 PM

It looks like that unit requires the USB input. As I mentioned, I'd rather not deal with USB, since that involves one more conversion (from DV to something else, and then to MPEG-2). I know that DV can be converted directly to MPEG-2, since I can already do this with the MainConcept MPEG-2 external encoder, which has a real-time capture module. However, it doesn't author in real time, and it doesn't record direct to DVD, which are the two missing ingredients. The VideoStudio product does the real time authoring to hard drive, but you then have to wait for the burn, which is a second process.

So, thanks to everyone, I'm getting close, but still don't quite have something that will let me hand a disc to the coach within five minutes or less of the end of the game.

farss wrote on 12/14/2007, 3:33 PM

No, that unit and the older / cheaper model record direct from DV.
We use it for doing quick dubs with burnt in TC etc.

The smaller dongle mpeg-2 encoders use USB for the data transfer, no conversion to anything else. Tazio from here bought one for someone else to do heaps of VHS to DVD transfers, worked a treat he said.

AtomicGreymon wrote on 12/14/2007, 4:02 PM

The Lite-On DVD recorder I bought to for my grandfather to replace his VCR has a 4-pin i.Link input for plugging in a miniDV camera and recording straight to DVD. This would probably be the easiest solution.

johnmeyer wrote on 12/14/2007, 4:34 PM

The Lite-On DVD recorder I bought to for my grandfather to replace his VCR has a 4-pin i.Link input for plugging in a miniDV camera and recording straight to DVD.

Thanks, I'll check that out. I had read, in other forums, about a vague reference to Lite-On, but didn't realize that it didn't require a PC. Not sure how that works. Also not sure it will work in the field. I'll take a look ...

Laurence wrote on 12/14/2007, 6:08 PM

My recommendation is the http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665185948DVDirect MC5 Multi-Function DVD Recorder[/link]. It does what you are looking for and so much more. It also burns photo discs directly from still camera memory cards and Blu-ray compatible AVCHD discs directly from Sony AVCHD cameras.

As a regular DVD burner it has one really big advantage: you can see what you're burning on the small screen. This is really cool since it saves you having to carry around a TV. Buy one. You'll be glad you did.

johnmeyer wrote on 12/14/2007, 10:01 PM

This appears to be the same unit Bob was recommending. It is not portable, I don't think, but Bob says it can be powered from a 12V source.

Chienworks wrote on 12/15/2007, 5:47 AM

At the lower end of the scale ... I was just chatting with a friend of mine who bought a $55 combo VCR/DVD recorder a few days ago. She said the quality is amazingly good even at a full 2 hours on a disc. It records in real time and the finalize step only takes about a minute. Absolutely no effort involved at all. Pop in a blank disc, hit the record button, then finalize at the end. Heck, that's 5 times faster than rewinding a tape! You'd probably have the DVD ready before the players have left the court.

True, it does need AC power. Doesn't seem like this would be too difficult to arrange since i'm sure you're probably pretty stationary with the camera anyway. I would imagine it wouldn't have to be right next to you. SD video holds up pretty well even through a 100 foot cable.

craftech wrote on 12/15/2007, 6:27 AM

John,

How about a few reviews of the Sony VRD-MC5:

One

Two

Amazon Customer Reviews

John

craftech wrote on 12/15/2007, 6:31 AM

I was just chatting with a friend of mine who bought a $55 combo VCR/DVD recorder a few days ago. She said the quality is amazingly good even at a full 2 hours on a disc.
================
Kelly,

$55 ??

What is the model of the recorder?

John

Chienworks wrote on 12/15/2007, 2:12 PM

craftech wrote on 12/15/2007, 3:36 PM

It was a Magnavox something or other, home unit. I'll ask for the specific model next time i talk to her.

I was in Walmart this afternoon and took a look. I found a DVD recorder only model (no VCR) for $59 but it had no DV input. You could use either S-video or composite though. The cheapest one i saw with DV in was about $90. The cheapest combo unit i saw was about 130 and it did include DV in.

It's possible she got a clearence item. On the other hand, the $59 unit would accomplish what you need to do.
=================
Thanks Kelly,

I take it hers didn't have a DV input, but if it works really well I would like to look into it. I guess I never knew those home units worked well or I just figured they didn't. Thanks for asking her and looking in Walmart. Amazon may actually have the unit.

John