general advice needed

[RazoRmedia]

Hi,

Can anyone help me answer these few points:

[list=1][*]I need to create a DVD from existing movie files etc, As I'm probably only going to use the software a number of times, I am reluctant to spend too much time on it. Does anyone know of any decent yet fairly reasonably priced DVD software that can create menus and help me to include a large variety of files?[*]I need to capture someone using a web site and export it to video, anyone know of any software for this?[*]I need to capture someon using Interactive TV and export that as movie files, any ideas?[/list=1]

I'm pretty new to DVD creation and web video in general so any generic advice about optimisation, resolutions, file types etc would be very much welcomed.

Thanks

[charlie_says]

1. Not so sure about, we had DVD studio pro (apple) but I never got around to using it, all I can tell you was it wasn't cheap.

2. & 3. the not so good solution is to get hold of a high end video camera (one which can be adjusted to remove the screen flicker) and literally just video off the screen.

2. & 3. the slightly better solution is to get hold of either a graphics card which has a video output, or to buy a vga/xga converter, which converts the monitor signal into something recordable to video.

Of couse, both these suggestions presume that you use video, and have access to some sort of capture and edit facility.
I'm guessing from the fact that you were looking for a software solution may mean that you only wanted to work within the confines of your system (i.e. the 'movies' would only exist as files.) There may be a software solution, but I never investigated that far.

[RazoRmedia]

thanks charlie_says.

anyone else ?

[bobbabcock]

RegaRDING THE SOFTWARE:
Didn't your DVD burner come with a basic DVD authoring software app?
if you're keeping it simple(no motion menus etc), you should be okay with whatever is right out of the box (mine came with Sonics (DVDit LE, which if you're a Flash maven, will make DVD creation seem insultingly simple compared to a Flash site).

Capturing Screen activity:
I use a combination of a tv card with an analog in on one computer and a VGA output device attached to the video port on another computer, I manipulate the screen on the second in the tv window of the first while capturing. Technically it works, however, due to pixel shape etc, sometimes the resulting video is pretty rough.

Capturing Interactive TV:
Try hooking a DV Cam into the RCA output of the Cable(InteractiveTV) Box, and hitting record while you do it.

Any questions, email me at [email protected] and I'll send my phone number to you.