Camcorder to Digital

If you get a TV/Video card that accepts a composite input, you should be able to capture a digital movie file to your PC by recording the analogue playback. You can probably send the tapes off to a company if you don't want to do it yourself, but it is fairly straight forward if you can get a TV card with good software.
 
The Dazzle device with Pinnacle capture/editing software is rather good, that's what I'm using at the moment.

There are three versions, I bought the middle one, priced at 50 quid which gives you Pinnacle Studio Ten lite and a device that plugs into a USB port which interfaces with three phono/RCA sockets, one for video, two for audio.

The software has everything I need, as well as the usual conversion to mpeg files will also convert to DivX.

You will need a processor of at least 1.6Ghz and a lot of hard disk space, btw.

Once captured in digital format, I use Nero to burn to DVD though I believe Pinnacle Studio Ten also has the ability to burn disks.
 
Hi.

I don`t know if this is the right place to ask,but here goes.

I use MicroSoft Movie Maker as my digital editing program.
When I am filming I,of course,get all the ambient sound being recorded.
So when I come to edit I don`t want all that background noice,I want to
add music or voice over. But how does one do it in Moviemaker. I`ve tried
using a microphone, for voice over, but that failed.Also music.Do I put a cd in the
cd player and down load from that? I`ve even done that but with no results.
One other thing. On my camcorder there is a mic socket.If I plug in a mini plug
with no wire attached,will it act as a off switch so that no sound is picked up?
Many thanks for any replys,but please make it simple.Ta.
All the best
Historian
 
I've never used Microsoft Movie Maker so can't offer any advice there I'm afraid. With Pinnacle's software I can overdub straight from a CD or from stored music files in WAV & mp3 formats.

As for the camcorder microphone, all I can say is try it :)

Some camcorders will have the internal mic disabled by means of switched contacts on the mic socket input, others will disable the internal mic electronically when detecting audio signals on the microphone socket.

So, really, the only way to find out is suck it and see.

Or RTFM :D

No, I mustn't say that....... erm, take a look in the manual, it may tell you there :)
 
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