Xacti CG-65: how to make DVDs from the h.264 files? (Post mo

[Setter Dog]

What is Streamclip, guys? I need to hear more about this when you get a chance. By the way, Caelum, welcome back. We've been saving your place at the front of the class.

[Caelum]

Setter Dog wrote:

What is Streamclip, guys?[...]

Basically it's like having an enhanced version of Quicktime Pro without having to pay for it. It makes use of Quicktime's (or Quicktime alternative) engine to enable simple editing (cut/join), extraction and conversion of video files. It's a simple but useful software.

[oxboxx]

After a couple of weeks with the CG65, I'm still happy with the camera.

But now I have a bunch of video files I need to get to DVD. I don't want to use a DVD recorder because that means going from digital to analog back to digital.

I've been reading about Streamclip, Super, and Virtual Dub, but I don't know the shortest distance from the CG65 to DVD, with the fewest conversions.

Ideally, I'd like to take the H.264 files and convert them directly to MPEG2, and then burn it to DVD. Is this possible using the above software? Or do I have to go through an extra conversion to AVI before going to DVD? Should I be using Premiere, that can ingest H.264, and convert to DVD.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[oxboxx]

Bump.

[xactic6]

Super should make an MPEG-2. Mediacoder, too.

Import into ULEAD DVD making program. If you edit in ULEAD, it will transcode into another MPEG-2, reducing quality. Otherwise, the MPEG-2 file will be neatly placed into VOB format. One transcode into MPEG-2, nice and tidy.

[oxboxx]

I downloaded Super and tried several conversions from H.264 to MPEG2, and using the highest bitrate, the results were terrible. There were lots of macroblocking and pixelation problems making the video look really bad. Maybe I'm missing something.

I'm open for suggestions. Has anyone tried Priemere Elements?

[oxboxx]

Has anyone tried Premiere Elements for conversion to MPEG2, and then burning to DVD?

I reread many of the posts and I still don't know the best way to get from the CG65 to DVD.

[Caelum]

oxboxx wrote:

Has anyone tried Premiere Elements for conversion to MPEG2, and then burning to DVD?

I reread many of the posts and I still don't know the best way to get from the CG65 to DVD.

You can try Premiere Elements 3.0yourself. Did you try the software that came with the camera (Ulead DVD MovieFactory 5.0 SE)? If yousimply want to convert the MP4 to MPEG2 for later burning with your Video DVD writing software, then there are a number of combinations of free tools to choose from, but not many"Easy buttons". You may want to try AVIDemux, it allows basic video editing, it'scurrent, supports most file formats,and can convert fromAVC+AACto MPEG2 (see Converting to DVD in wiki).

[brachiopod]

One thing, if you do try Premere Elements, be aware that it will only run on a CPU with the SSE2 instruction set (Pentium 4). It will not run on many AMD CPUs. I found out the hard way which was very annoying.

It will run on my laptop, but Sony Vegas turned out to be a much nicer program. I don't know if Vegas will work with H.264 files though.

[Caelum]

brachiopod wrote:

One thing, if you do try Premere Elements, be aware that it will only run on a CPU with the SSE2 instruction set (Pentium 4). It will not run on many AMD CPUs. I found out the hard way which was very annoying.

It will run on my laptop, but Sony Vegas turned out to be a much nicer program. I don't know if Vegas will work with H.264 files though.

Interesting,all AMD Athlon 64 and X2 and most Sempron (sockets 754, 939 & AM2)processors as well asIntel Core (2) Duo andrecent Celeron processors support SSE2, I thinkmost, if not all,processorsbuilt after 2005do.

Sony Vegas 6.0d and higher does fully support AVC/H.264. That is my preferred tool as well.