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General discussion

How to burn avchd format to dvd

Dec 18, 2010 5:32PM PST

I want to know that how to burn an avchd format video from a camcoder which is in my case sony hd camcoder to normal dvd fromat to be played in dvd players because i have an 80GB AVCHD format home video which i want to burn onto a dvd i want to do it quickly and easily can anyone please help me it will be much appreciated plus advance thanks to all those whom help thankyou i will be eagerly waiting for reply

Discussion is locked

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Which computer?
Dec 19, 2010 3:03AM PST

After the high definition AVCHD file is on the DVD as a standard definition video file, is there any expectation that the high definition video will ever bee needed later?

"Quickly and easily" will depend on you and your equipment... and expectations for the future.

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....
Dec 19, 2010 9:19PM PST

sorry buddy but i didnt understood ur point i just want to know that how to convert that avchd format to a dvd format so i can burn it on a dvd disc no matter how much discs it takes

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If all you want to do
Dec 19, 2010 10:48PM PST

is burn the MTS (or TOD) files to the blank DVDs, and your DVD player happens to be a Blu Ray, then just copy the files with the operating system of the computer.

is burn the MTS or TOD files to the blank DVDs and the DVD player is for standard definition (non Blu Ray), then the MTS (or TOD) files need to be converted (transcoded) to a standard definition video format that the DVD player can deal with. Most "regular DVD players" can only deal with VOB format files. The "best" way to do this is with a DVD authoring application that can do the conversion and render the VOB files. Since this converts the high definition files in the camcorder to standard definition video, there is a large video quality reduction.

What computer are you using?

Can the computer's DVD drive write to double layer DVDs?

What do you plan to do with the original high definition video currently in the camcorder after these standard definition discs are made?

Are you planning to do any editing of the video first - or just taking the raw video for VOB file conversion?

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Since we are here...
Dec 20, 2010 2:41AM PST

the standard definition, VOB format files, recording to the DVDs that are playable in a regular DVD player can have a "limitation".

On many blank DVDs, you will see "120 minutes" (single layer blanks) or "240 minutes" (double layer blanks) printed. This represents the *maximum* amount of standard def, VOB file video that can theoretically fit on the blank DVD. "Theoretically" because there are some limitations related to your needs...

For instance, if you use a DVD authoring utility to create a menu, have background graphics or video or audio with the menu, that uses space and reduces the 120 minutes or 240 minutes to something less. Also, using ALL the space available on the blank disc is not typical because file sizes vary and how you choose to pack things on the disc will result in unused space. This is not good or bad - it just is. And blank DVDs are inexpensive, so this is not a big deal...

THEN...
There is the case of what is exactly in your camcorder. At this point, all we know is that you have a consumer camcorder with a 80 gig internal drive. What we don't know is how much of that 80 gig internal drive is used and how much time we need to deal with from that recorded video.

Since we don't know which camcorder, we get to pick one. The Sony HDR-SR7 has a 60 gig internal hard drive. According to its manual, it can store up to
8 hours in its highest quality high definition mode
or
almost 23 hours in is lowest quality high definition mode.

This means the range of regular discs for video storage of VOB format files when "completely used" and no consideration for menuing or dividing up by topic or anything else to actually make them "useful" can be
8 hours... 4 or more single layer discs; 2 double layer discs
23 hours... 12 or more single layer discs; 6 double layer discs

I understand your camcorder has an 80 gig internal drive - use of this 60 gig is merely for example/illustration only. Refer to your camcorder's manual for record times on your camcorder using the video quality you selected.

*Most* of the discs I burn are edited video and of a single topic, only. Many of them have only 3-7 minutes of video on them. This makes finding a particular project easier.

And just to re-ask the question... If we assume your process is to get the video from the camcorder to the computer - or at least onto standard def, VOB file, standard def, regular DVD player usable discs, is it safe to assume that you will then be deleting the high definition files off the camcorder - so you can use it to capture more video. Now, lets fast-forward 5 years. How are you planning to watch any high definition video? It was deleted off the camcorder; the discs you made are standard definition. And you got a high definition camcorder because?

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confused
Dec 21, 2010 8:24PM PST

you people are just confusing me rather then helping just simply give me some software or tool name and procedure detail

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Then we both need to restart.
Dec 21, 2010 10:25PM PST

Information we need from you:

Are you expecting the DVDs to be playable in a regular DVD player?

Are you expecting to watch high definition video from the DVDs you burn?

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Yes
Dec 22, 2010 1:41AM PST

Yes i want to play those dvds in regular dvd players plus i want it on the dvds in a good quality if it is possible with it thankyou

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OK...
Dec 22, 2010 3:27AM PST

If you want to play the DVDs in a regular player then the high definition video you captured will no longer be high definition when it gets on the DVD. A regular DVD player cannot handle high definition video - A regular DVD player can only deal with standard definition video.

Do you want to edit the video or do you merely want to copy the contents of the camcorder to a DVD?

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got it
Dec 22, 2010 5:01PM PST

yes i will edit some scenes and then will try to burn it onto a dvd now can you give some detail procedure for how to do it plus any tool or software name

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A link I was sent today
Dec 22, 2010 5:04PM PST
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Getting there.
Dec 22, 2010 10:22PM PST

Now we know what you want to do with the video, so we walk though how you can do it.

Which video editor are you planning to use?

Which computer - manufacturer and model number, please - are you planning to use?

We can't see what you see.

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Sadly, can't be done.
Dec 19, 2010 3:17AM PST

"normal dvd fromat to be played in dvd players because i have an 80GB AVCHD format home video"

80 GB is too far away from your normal 4.7GB DVDs and even if we consider using dual layer we are still 10 times away from putting this on DVD.

HiDef content is big. You may have to reconsider your options.
Bob

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havent got my point
Dec 19, 2010 9:17PM PST

i actually wanted to say that how to convert it into a dvd format i will take 10 or 20 disc to fill it up i just want to know how to burn and convert that avchd format to dvd format easily and quickly so i can burn it up on 10 or 20 dvd discs

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That was not in your post.
Dec 19, 2010 11:02PM PST

But given that you'll need some AVCHD editor to chop it up into manageable chunks of say 2 hours each then see if that gets you the 4.7 or DL sizes to place on DVD (if you have a BD player.)

Be sure to supply ALL your requirements since I can't guess that 10 or 20 discs was the goal.

You are looking at a few weeks of work using the tools we have today.

Did you need to go over said tools and names or are you looking for something that is automated? If automated, are you able to write scripts and use the command line? Many want such things yet have not taken the time to learn simple computer skills.
Bob

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Yes going over the tools in detail would help
Jan 18, 2011 3:55PM PST

I have a similar situation with a Panasonic HDC-TM700 camcorder (shooting in HD but would like to burn standard DVDs that my parents can play on a standard DVD. It would help to know the basic workflow to piece together 2 to 5 minute clips without fancy editing (e.g. choose clips #2, #5, #6, #8, #13 out of 20 short clips). I can either use a SDHC card or USB to directly connect.

To start with, I'd like to know the basic tools one would use on a MacBook Pro. If possible, I'd like to use iMovie & iDVD as well as any free or low-cost software one might find on cnet downloads. However, if something pricier (e.g Final Cut or an Adobe program) would do this more efficiently & reliably, I'd be open to that.

Thanks in advance,
Steve

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WIthout getting fancy. We can do that.
Jan 18, 2011 4:05PM PST