CONVERTING miniDV's to DVD

  TO  

I looked and looked for an easy way to convert my home video recordings on my Sony Handycam Trv33 miniDV to DVD's for playback in our DVD player.  I was told many different ways, but here is the easiest and best way that I found possible:

1.  Connect the miniDV Cam to your computer and start up Window's Movie Maker.  If you do not have the program, it is free on microsoft's homepage.  Window's Movie Maker will quickly prompt you on how to record the movie off of the miniDV Cam.  I use the highest possible quality as possible.  At this setting, ONE HOUR of miniDV tape will entirely fill ONE DVD Disk.  This works out perfectly.

2.  The Window's Movie Maker converts the file to an .AVI file.  You can now use a DVD authoring program - I found the easiest to be Nerovision Express 2.  You use Nerovision to open the .AVI file and you can create chapters, edit the video, and even make a Menu screen for the DVD.  Nerovision will also easily walk you through each individual step.  Nerovision then allows you to burn the video to DVD.

It's really quite easy!  This process usually takes me 20 minutes up until the beginning of burning the DVD.

Some extra, but VERY important TIPs I've learned:

1. Connect to the computer via a FIREWIRE cable.  Using USB 2.0 will produce very poor quality files.
2. Only record 61 minutes of the 63 available on the miniDV.  I've found when converting to DVD the 61 minutes will fill it entirely, but if I have the full 63 minutes, it is slightly too big.  It's tough sometimes to find 2 minutes of video worth taking out for the DVD. 
3. Burn to High quality DVD's.  The disks that are virtually "free" at retail stores are not worth saving your precious memories on.  The disks can degrade and your home videos may not play in a few years.  I like SONY DVD-r disk that are Made in JAPAN - yeah, where they're made makes a big difference.  Don't buy those made in Taiwan.  I don't know why, but I've been told by DVD "experts" that this is very important.  I guess just much better quality with these Disks.
4. Buy a quality DVD case to store your disks.  The worst place to keep them is on the DVD Tower.
5. Cheap DVD players are actually the best.  I have a $$$ Sanyo DVD player that won't play very many DVD's that I make at home.  My cheap generic DVD player plays them all.

Well, I hope that this miniDV to DVD guide can be of some assistance to you.  If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message through eBay.  Good luck and God Bless.

**IF You have found my GUIDE to be helpful, PLEASE give me a click on the YES Button Below, THANKS!**