The most common reason a person wants to make DVD’s and use an analog to digital converter as a component in the process, is to convert VCR tapes to DVD. While having an Analog to Digital converter will get you one step closer to your end goal, it is not the only thing you need.
What you need
• A computer with an available firewire port.
• A DVD burner (external or internal)
• Blank DVDs
• An Analog to Digital Converter (like the ADVC 110 or
DAC 200)
• A Firewire Cable
• A set of RCA male to male cables
• An analog video player, like a VCR or Camcorder
• Software to capture
Digital Video
• Software to Burn (Author) Video DVDs
Typical Hardware Set up
The most common way to use an Analog to digital converter, like the DAC
200 or ADVC 110 , is to send the output signal from your playback device through the converter and into your computer. To do this:
• Plug your RCA cables into the output on your analog playback device (VCR, Camcorder, etc)
• Plug the other end of the RCA cables into the analog to digital converter’s input ports.
• Attach a firewire cable into the back of your analog to digital converter’s output signal.
• Plug the other end of your firewire cable into an available firewire port on your computer.
Capturing Video
With your computer, VCR and converter on, Launch your Software program used to capture Digital Video. Programs like
Adobe Premiere Pro or Grass Valley Edius Pro are great at capturing digital video. Your Non-Linear Editing Software will detect the Analog Video running into the Converter as Digital Video. To send a video signal through the converter, all you have to do is press play on your VCR. You should see your VHS tape contents playing on your computer in the digital video capture window. Use your computer to record the video signal by activating the capture window in your Video Capture Program. Your computer will capture the video signal coming from your VCR through a converter onto your hard drive. To get the best quality capture, have your NLE capture the digital video in .avi format.
Edit and Burn to DVD
Once the desired video is captured into your Digital Video Editing Program, you can perform simple edits and even add effects, titles, and music. With your edited program, you can either make a very simple burn to DVD, or import your finished video into a DVD authoring program, like
Adobe Encore. This will allow you to add more complex menus, chapter points, and even additional features like a photo gallery. It will bring your finished product into equal ground with professional DVDs on the market today.
Definition of Terms
When ever you pioneer into a new field of learning, there are often uncommon terms used to describe things we may already know about. And, of course, new terms will be presented for things we’ve never heard of before. Analog Video is the “old way” of capturing video. Film and tape are common ways to record analog video. Some common analog video formats are Betamax, VHS, Hi-8 and Film. Digital Video (DV) is the “new way” to record video. But just like old computers starting using tape to record “data” instead of sound or video, some digital video recorders also use tape to record a digital computer data signal. Some common Digital Video tapes are “Digital 8” format or “Mini DV”. Many newer digital video cameras record directly to an internal hard drive or a removable disk. Your converter box takes an analog signal like VHS and turns it into data a computer can interpret and understand. While a DVD is one way to play Digital Video, it must be encoded and converted into a special type of digital video that
DVD players can handle. You can’t just take your digital video and copy it to a DVD and expect it to play on everyone’s DVD player. It’s a lot like trying to get a vinyl record to play in a tape deck player. There are many different File Formats that digital video can be presented in. Standalone DVD players play Mpeg2 format, hidden within files called VOB files. You need a DVD Authoring Program, like
Adobe Encore, to change standard DV into a file format that works on standard video DVDs. The content on data DVDs are very different from the content on Video DVDs and therefore just dragging and dropping your captured Digital Video (DV) will not ensure playability on standalone video DVD players.
Summary
Now that we’ve complicated the process by explaining every iota about it, I’ll take it back around to the start and make it simple.
• Press play on your VCR and record on your computer.
• Use your Video Converter as an interpreter to make the VCR talk to the computer.
• Use your computer to take what you’ve recorded and burn DVDs.
It’s really that simple. Feel free to give us a call so we can make sure you have everything you need to get the ball rolling. Whether for a budding business or personal use, transferring old video formats into new video formats is a growing necessity. Don’t be left behind. The train of technology is ever increasing in speed, and it’s worth catching a ride.
