Pinnacle 8 Deluxe, I’m falling off it.

[Bonedoc]

Help.
OS is Win2K SP4. Machine is dedicated Raid0 setup for data storage now "cleaned" to operate with Pinnacle 8 (all patches to 8.12.X) Deluxe. Has 2GBs RAM, and 500Gbs of space on system.

Converted MiniDV off camcorder into AVI and then saved project. Have rendered it to MPEG2 with 'make movie' selection under Studio Deluxe 8...

When I try to make DVD (using early Sony 2X DVD burner), the 'rendering' process begins (and I usually let it go as it moves across the 400mb mpeg [about 22 minutes or so maybe a bit longer of movie time in Windows Media Player - which does play both the mpeg and avi perfectly] slowly) - well, when I return Pinnacle has closed and is off the screen, the DVD is NOT ejected (as I understand the finalizing procedure is supposed to do) and there is nothing that I can see (either thru Explore the drive, or playing on a Sony DVD player hooked up to my TV) on the DVD. BTW, 'make DVD' is set in Pinnacle to 'burn disc' directly.

What AM I doing wrong?

Many thanks,

[admin]

Where to start....

Windows 2000 is usually regarded as a stable operating system, but I have found it quirky when working with various video softwares. I abandoned both my Windows 2000 and Windows ME setups, both which I very much liked, in favor of Windows XP Pro. This was back in 2004 for one system, 2005 for the other. You can probably keep 2000, but do keep what I've said in mind.

RAID 0 is playing with fire, as far as I'm concerned. That sort of array was never intended for video work, nor for large files. It was intended for speed, usually with small files in mind, with no typical RAID redundancy requirement needed. The fragmented nature of RAID can prove difficult for unwieldy video files. Standard IDE/UltraATA and SATA 7200rpm drives are plenty fast. Be careful of Maxtor brand hard drives, they're made pretty poorly, crash easily.

Those were just some comments on your setup, it may or may not be causing your problem.

MiniDV to DVD should be a somewhat easy process. The suggested method of transferring files from a camera to the AVI container is to use the free software WinDV. That dumps the file on your drive. Then open that files in your favorite editor, edit as needed, and then export an MPEG file for the DVD. Then author (create menus) and burn the disc.

Now the problem I see here is you're trying to use on of those "all at once" sort of software, where it wasnts to import the DV stream, edit, author and burn all in one swoop. That is a mistake. These processes are all unique operations, and software that attempts to cram it into a single action tend to do it very poorly. Pinnacle is very unstable software, and it is infamous for it's crashing, loss of a/v sync, and other obnoxious errors.

I'm sure at this point, you're not liking what you hear. And I hate to tell people to buy something else. But in this case, it's highly advisable over suffering through the toils of Pinnacle-induced video hell.

If you were using Windows XP, I would suggest you download the Adobe Premiere Elements trial. And then I would have suggest using Tsunami DVD Author to make menus and burn.

Being on Windows, I would suggest Sony's Vegas+DVD solution, integrated consumer versions of the professional Sony Vegas Video and Sony DVD Architect. See http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/pro...product.asp?PI D=977&FeatureID=8305. Download the free 30-day trial at
http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/download/step2.asp?did=613

Regardless of you editing/authoring methods, I highly suggest the free tool WinDV be used to transfer the video file off the camera and onto the computer. I would not use an editor for importing the file, too many problems. Download from http://windv.mourek.cz/

In essence, you've done nothing wrong. The software you're using (Pinnacle) is the culprit.

Also be sure you're using good quality blank media, especially with an older/picky burner like a 2x Sony unit. See http://www.nomorecoaters.com

[Bonedoc]

Hmm, okay...
Well, I don't want to make an Oscar contender, I just want to put some video (VHS as well as the MiniDV) onto a DVD for longevity.
I have used the Pinnnacle software and have an MPEG2 as well as an AVI. I've been doing some reading and, while I will MOST definitely take a look at the software you mention (one of my clients uses the Sony Vegas program, that is WAY over the cost to needs ratio this idea - oops, okay, see the 'home version' is less than $100, that's more like it)..
But I am thinking that I DO NOT know how to create a MENU within Pinnacle and I am believing that might be a big stumbling block.
So, have MPEGs and AVI already rendered of ALMOST all the stuff I want to burn to CD...

Oh, the RAID 0 setup was there because I had used this a couple of years ago as a main workstation. It is off a well known dedicated CARD with RAM... runs nicely.

Will WinDV work with the 'Pinnacle capture' card and external port connections? I'll check to, but wondered. Hate to have to put a new Video card in this when I can create AVI and MPEGs pretty well (as mentioned, already have) -

Will go download the 'Sony' - ahhh, rootkit? Naw...

What do you think about the "menu" issue? Could that be (the fact I have not created one) an problem in Pinnacle? Thanks.

[admin]

Well, it has less to do with video/audio quality as much as it has to do with workflow and stability of the software.

Regarding WinDV software, I was under the impression you're importing DV footage off of a camera. Is that not correct?

Sony rootkit is (was) something that the music side of Sony put onto some CD-Audio discs. Sony's software division is unrelated to that.

It's impossible to create a DVD without a menu (or at very least, specify no menu, but I doubt Pinnacle has that ability). Trying to avoid creating a menu could be the problem, but I don't know how the software would function or how that step could be avoided to begin with.

[Bonedoc]

I already did import off the Camcorder (MiniDV) and it is already converted to both .avi and .mpeg - the issue
for me is "NOW" making a DVD and I had wanted to do so
from within the dang Pinnacle softare (which is not really intuitive - and hey, I can configure a Cisco router so I'm not that bad). I have a good burner (and now have a second on a new machine) even though it is 1X (Sony - hate to try anything with their stuff lately) and I have the whole thing laid out. I mentioned the MENU 'cuz I was wondering if (initially) not having one set up could stop the creation of the DVD (or the 'burn' of the data to the DVD media) - now I'm trying to figure out "how" to make a menu from within Pinnacle and have it there for the 'DVD' creation??? Help. Thanks.

[admin]

It's always going to come back to how quirky Pinnacle software is laid out, and how badly it crashes and otherwise has problems.

With this sort of "all in one" software, you basically author the disc at the same time you edit and encode. This can make for a confusing mess, as well as a low quality performance and output.

If you still insist on trying to make Pinnacle work for you, there are some other sites online that have user-made guides for it:
http://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=206741
http://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=206949

Most people have a miserable experience and feel severa limitations using Pinnacle software, but I wish you luck, all the same. Maybe it'll cooperate with you.

[Bonedoc]

Thanks Admin...
I am still looking at the applications you provided in your first response.
I also own Nero 7 Deluxe. I've heard that it will also
burn a DVD.
Any ideas on that application as it seems both simple yet
basically functional.
Many thanks.

Doc

[admin]

Nero 7 is going to be part of that same category of "simplistic all in one" software, but it tends to work decently and is stable compared to most of the others. It will not look any better, but you should at least be able to get there.

Does your specific package of Nero include the applet "NeroVision" or "NeroVision Express" by chance? That is the menu/authoring portion of the Nero package, but each Nero package differs. They have all these silly names now for software, misleading euphamisms, so I'm not sure which of the "Deluxe" or "Premium" or "Ultra" Nero 7 packages does or does not come with it.

MaximumPC wrote an article about NeroVision Express 3, probably more of a how-to guide, something you may want to look at.

Just let me know where you are, and ask questions if you have any, I'll be here.