I can be pretty computer literate but this whole camcorder thing has my mind reeling.

I have a Panasonic PV-GS35 mini dv.
I connected via USB last night and ran Win movie maker. I then burned to a CD-R. It plays beautifully on the computer but not in any DVD players.

I know the Windows movie maker is in WMA format. I know I have to get it converted to another format.

Questions are:

Should I buy a cheap standalone DVD recorder to get these DVD movies from my camcorder made?

Should I upgrade to firewire.(I didnt notice the slowness of the USB probably because my sample movie was 3 minutes long)

What software do I need to convert to something that my DVD players will recognize?

Do I need a DVD writer? Right now I have a CDRW? Does that make a difference?

I havent even touched on the editing stuff yet.
I had taken video of a dance recital for a friend that was in the hospital having surgery that night. I just want to make a DVD so she can play it.

Thanks and sorry for sounding like a total newb!!

As you only have a CDRW on your computer, the simplest, quickest and cheapest way for you to get your short video playable on your friends DVD player is probably by creating a VCD with nero (version 6.something hopefully).

Open Nero express -- Choose "Videos/Pictures" then "Video CD" -- "Add" your wmv file -- "Next" -- "Burn" -- Done!

This will probably play on your friends DVD player, if not then it might require "unlocking" to play video CDs.

If you want to record to an actual DVD in future... then considering you don't have a DVD-R, and considering Home DVD recorders are apparently available in supermarkets for around £30 now, then you should probably take that route and save yourself a LOT of brain-pain by avoiding the whole mpeg2 encoding stuff.

DVD creating caaaaan be simple (sometimes) - with some programs like nero, AVI2DVD and TMPGENC (bit more advanced and very popular among rip-off movie downloaders) - but, there are usually irritating obstacles and unwanted results and much, much wasted time.

Anyway, long story short:

For a quick video clip now - make a VCD with Nero
To make Proper DVDs with no compatability problems - buy a DVD recorder

(imo)

[senu]

Originally Posted by pubjoe

If you want to record to an actual DVD in future... then considering you don't have a DVD-R, and considering Home DVD recorders are apparently available in supermarkets for around £30 now, then you should probably take that route and save yourself a LOT of brain-pain by avoiding the whole mpeg2 encoding stuff.

DVD creating caaaaan be simple (sometimes) - with some programs like nero, AVI2DVD and TMPGENC (bit more advanced and very popular among rip-off movie downloaders) - but, there are usually irritating obstacles and unwanted results and much, much wasted time

.

Pompom2,

Can I suggest you download This software
or just buy it or its version 4. It is easy to use and learn and gives good results. It doesnt assume any prior experience about capturing , encoding, authoring DVD ( which is what you are unwittingly asking ). All that stuff ( can be) boring and longwinded or great fun..depends on you

For the PC ( and best results with a suitable DVD recorder) firewire is the way to go: the usb route is not

I actually do not agree that buying a DVD recorder for £30 ( even they dont exist at that price point...yet) is such a good idea.
I saw a Liteon for £79 at a WH Smith only yesterday and wondered what cuts had been made to get that low
If you dont have a DVD/CD writer (£25 gets you even the "latest" Pioneer111D) and want to avoid the PC route for now....( and why ??) , get a more decent setop DVD recorder :expect to spend £100 upwards. I spent only £199 on a rather good LG model with 80G HDD and multiformat compatible ( +R/-R, DL).This may be OTT for you but if buy cheap you will end up going back
BTW I do have the hardware and software for "proper" video capture editing and creating DVDs but Im a firm believer in the simplest way to get results so Im quite deliberately not saying much about that
HTH