Best VHS to DVD software? / Future HD Editing

[bozobytes]

The Best VHS to DVD software? / Future HD Editing

I have an old 1997 JVC Analog Camcorder and about fifty VHS-C tapes I would like to copy, edit, burn, so my family can view these on their own CD or DVD disk players. I realize this would be all real time editing. I might even invest in another 500GB WD External HD, or one Terabyte (1000GB) because my present HD is half full, and I will need lots of video storage.
That’s Old technology, and I am thinking for the future, to get a onboard Hard Drive High Definition Video camera, so I wanted to know if I would have to purchase tow separate software items.
1) For backing up old VHS tapes to disks, and 2) To burn HD 1080i or 1080p HD to DVD to play on the HDTV display. (I don’t know if people are even using regular CD’s for this, or only DVD’S...and not all my friends even have a bluRay player, and certainly don’t have a Blu-Ray burner on my computer…yet)
I also have Nero Ultra7, which I burn audio mp3’s to cda/wav files, so I need to know if all I need is a video capture card to use with Nero, and forget about buying anything else except the HD Video editing software.
Since I already have the Nero7, I don’t want to buy anything that would conflict with the Nero, like maybe the ROXIO VHS to DVD. I was told by someone at Fry’s electronics, that I would first have to remove the Nero to install the Roxio. He also told me that Tape like Mini-DV is always better for editing that the new Hard Drive Video cameras.
I was also looking at the following software and wondered if anyone has used them:
MAGIX’s “Rescue Your Video”,
MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 14 plus..
(maybe for the HD editing, when I decide on a camera)
HONESTECH’s VHS to DVD v4.0,
Or PINNACLE STUDIO PLUS v.12 software.

As you may have guessed, I am totally confused on these issues. When I do burn the files, what format? MPEG2,.MOV, AVI?
I would like to be able to edit by fading in/out the snowy, bad areas of the old camcorder tapes and maybe even add mp3 music as background for the non-voice areas of the VHS. (not a biggie)
I’d hate to think that on the Mini-DV, this is better suited to easier edit tape than the newer built in hard drive cameras. To me, it’s like stepping back a few steps in technology than going forward, I just don’t know.
Thanks tons!

[Harpmaker]

Hi Jimbo,

Sorry for the late reply, I've been away.

You have asked a bunch of questions, each of which should probably have their own thread, but we'll see how things go.

Your first problem is to convert from VHS-C to DVD or VCD. You are correct that digitizing your VHS-C tapes will be a real-time process. If you have a 30 minute tape it will take 30 minutes to digitize it.

There are basically two ways to do the digitizing. One is to use your computer to do everything and the other is to use a set-top DVD recorder (many of which are VCR combo units) to make files that your computer can then edit. Which method you use is usually determined by what hardware you already have.

Many years ago I used a device called the Iomega Buz to digitize from VHS to files I could play on my computer, but that device is long gone. I hooked my video source (a VHS player) to the box and it sent that video to my PC and recorded it in a digital format. I have no experience using the "black boxes" that are the modern equivalent. I now use a set-top DVD recorder (mine is a LiteOn HD5045, a unit that records to a built-in hard drive as well as blank DVD media).

Please note that if you try to copy any commercial VHS tapes you may own that most of these devices will choke on them and not work due to copy protection on the tapes.

Sorry, but I have no experience with hard drive based camcorders or converting or editing High Definition material. If I understand one of your questions right, I would assume that any editing software that would edit Hi-Def material would also edit standard def stuff. I also assume that a BluRay burner can also burn standard DVD and VCD discs.

To the best of my knowledge, Nero and Roxio fight each other, so don't try to use both of them on the same computer at the same time.

I have used none of the software you have listed, but I have older versions of audio and video editing software from Magix and they have worked fine for me.

When converting VHS or VHS-C tapes it is feasible to use VCD's (just my opinion), but when you start using High Definition material you will have to use DVD's, and even then you should use BluRay discs and a BR burner to capture all the resolution in the original recording. VHS/VHS-C is so low-res that VCD can handle those, but unless you NEED to use CD's I would recommend using DVD's. You can't simply copy your digitized VHS tapes to a DVD (unless you only want to be able to play them back on a PC), it must be authored using special software, but I believe Nero will do this. The advantage of authoring a DVD is that you gain the ability of creating chapters and custom backgrounds for your discs just like commercial DVD's have.

DVD and VCD have their own formats that they demand be used for the discs to play correctly in a set-top DVD player. If you simply create a data disc and burn non-DVD or VCD files to these media, only a PC can play those files. The exception is that some set-top DVD players will now read and play Divx and Xvid files; some even play other formats - but only DVD and VCD are standard.

DVD's must use MPEG2 files (the authoring software will turn these into VOB files for you).

VCD's must use MPEG1 files. I forget if programs such as Nero will convert from other files types for you.

All other video file formats, such as AVI and MOV (called "wrappers" these days) can only be depended to play on a PC, but this is slowly changing.