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June 30, 2006
Dear CNET members,
Happy Friday, folks! It's a few days early, but since we will not deliver a Community Hot topic to you next Tuesday, I just want to wish those in the United States a safe and happy Fourth of July! Those of you throwing that big barbeque for the upcoming holiday or, for that matter, any great family/friend event may be planning to film it on your camcorder. You might also be seeking advice on the compatibility of recordable DVD media, recommendations on authoring/copying/editing software for your videos, and information on the differences between using the A/V or FireWire output from the camcorder to your PC--if so, this week's topic is for you. We received many helpful member submissions, and I'd like to start you off with the winning answer by Floyd. There are many more wonderful suggestions that can be found in the honorable mentions, as well as other recommendations by our members, so Mark and all members--check them out. For seasoned veterans on this week's topic, join us in this week's discussion and share your expertise. Many of us--including myself--are always looking to get an edge on making the best home-shot videos on DVDs for all our family and friends to enjoy! Have a great weekend and thank you for your participation!
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Member Question of the Week
We have a family reunion coming up, and we will be taping the main get-together. I have been volunteered to get the video duplicated and distributed to the attendees. Rather than sending out tapes of the event, I want to send out DVDs so that people can play them on their TVs. Being new to this whole thing, I am looking for some advice on the type of software and media I should be using to get the task completed quickly and that will allow the family to drop a disc into their DVD player and watch it on their TV rather than their computer. The DVD burner I bought will handle DVD+R and DVD-R (as well as the RW version of both). It comes with a Nero bundle that is supposed to allow copying, editing, burning, and so on. My questions are:
1. Which media should I get that is most compatible with a home-theater DVD player?
2. What authoring/copying/editing software has worked best for you to produce professional DVDs?
3. Is there a major quality or time difference between using the camcorder A/V output to my PC or the FireWire output? (If the latter is preferred, will I need to get a FireWire port and cable for the PC?)
Thanks for the help and advice!
Submitted by:
Mark R.
To start with, there's no really easy answer for the format compatibility question. Newer DVD players will play almost anything you put in them, older ones may have trouble with one or the other (+ or - format). I do a lot of the same type of thing you are wanting to do, and I've found that DVD- seems to have the best rate of success. Actually, I've found that so far no one has NOT been able to view a DVD I've created using DVD- media (knock on wood). On the flip side of that coin, I have DVD players in my own house that won't play DVD+ media. I have heard that DVD- is the most supported of the DVD media types, but I really don't know if that's accurate. It's been good for me so far, however. BIG tip here: get good DVDs. Don't skimp on quality. Go for good, name-brand DVDs. The price difference isn't that great, and it will save you potential troubles down the road. Fuji, Memorex, and Sony have all been good brands for me so far.
Submitted by:
Floyd N.
For
Floyd's
efforts, we're sending him his choice of any
Help.com Learning CD.
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Check out next week's question:
Hi CNETers, I am changing jobs soon and want to leave my computer as clean as possible. Since I have been periodically deleting my cookies and temp files, I have found that Windows stores things in multiple and confusing locations. I don't know how many different folders I have found just TMP files in; it is time consuming to sift through them all.
So I want to know: after I delete all my personal fluff, what is the best strategy for deleting the redundant backup files that Windows saves, Internet cookies, and so on without massive destruction? It is not my computer, so reformatting is not an option. I have nothing illegal, incriminating, or even embarrassing, and my replacement will need most of the files that are on my computer, including most of my Internet bookmarks. What they will not need are things like confidential work I have done for the HR department, my babbling notes to self, or Internet search history when I check my personal e-mail. When I started data mining on this PC, I found the person I replaced left a lot of non-work-related fodder to sift though, so I don't want to do the same. Thanks!
--Submitted by:
Lorraine W. of Lafayette, California
If you have the answer,
e-mail us at messageboards@cnet.com.
If we choose your response, you'll get a
free Help.com CD.
Have a question?
• Multimedia
• Internet Security
• Digital Cameras
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• PC Upgrading
• PC Troubleshooting
• Digital Music
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| Member Profile of the Week |
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User name: punterjoe
Location: North of Boston
Member since:
December 21, 2003
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About me:Been a tech junkie shortly after the universe created silicon. My home & life is a shrine to obsolete technology...
(read more)
Each week we feature a CNET member who contributes to our community. Fill out your profile to get a chance to be featured in our newsletter and win a CNET t-shirt!
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