[newbie geek]

Hi, the better half gave me this sony handycam dcr dvd 505 as a gift of recent date. I used to have a sony video hi 8 tape camera and the sony equipment to do edits, and did several quite successfully with their equipment I must say.

I quit using the camera after the kids were grown and now have the grand kids and thus my husband thought this a good item to buy.
He was looking at the 405 model but decided the LCD screen being larger was a better choice plus a couple of other features not to mention the 4 mp camera.

However, I am a Noob to mini dvd's and so I thought that I should post.
First, I have had negative responses about doing any editing with this camera indicating that mpeg will make the subject especially moving objects unclear mixing mpeg edits with the digital source from the camera.

First off, before I start doing editing I planned on setting a side mini dvd's for each of our 5 grandchildren and our visits etc. and then burn them on our external BenQ I burner as I totally fill up a 30 minute mini dvd.
Not doing any editing at all just burning the first dvd's 30 minute contents and then the second 30 minute mini dvd contents onto the 4.75 dvd that I would put away for editing later so that I would have an hour of a 4.75 R+ which BenQ recommends as media for the external burner with 60 minutes of content per family.
Just to start out, since I am not familiar with this mini dvd concept.

With my old Hi 8, I used to add titles and music and comments at the end via my Sony edit equipment.
One forum that I was in indicated that I will mess up the 4.75 dvd by trying to mix formats mpeg etc. with digital source movie from the camcorder.
I am new to all of this as I mentioned and wondered am I not going to be able to add titles, music and text at the end fo the 4.75 dvd without making it look messy?

I asked about a program to do this and got no response except that I should get rid of this Mini DVD camcorder and stick to a film camcorder.

Then I may as well go back to my old Hi 8 which I often had to chase film for or decent batteries.

I would like the following from experienced members:

1. opinion on the Sony 505 mini dvd camcorder?

2. recommended program that is user friendly to add music, titles etc. (Windows Movie Maker) was mentioned however if there is a more user friendly purchase program I would buy it.

3. can I burn one 30 minute mini dvd to the 4.75 and then add a second 30 minute dvd after it or will I get an error message?

4. is this a wrong time to look at camcorders b/c of potential poor quality edits b/c of digital and mpeg mixing, though my edits would be minor.

5. is there a discussion on camcorders in this forum and programs suggested.

6. This is the Link for the 505 that the better half bought here in Canada for $1049 at the Future Shop

My Webpage

We don't want to be wasting money on this mini dvd camcorder even though the better half purchased it at a not bad price or $1,049 if we can't buy a user friendly program to add music, titles and text at the end.

We want to buy an easy program to do this so the end product is going to be good. We did this for each of our children with the Sony Hi 8, however the Edit equipment was a little pricey but did the job well.

We would really appreciate experienced comments from Mini DVD Camcorder users.

Thanking you in advance.

Best Regards.

(Right now we are really confused as we went to the Sony store and can't use their Vegas software as it is fire wire and none of our Toshiba notebooks are and they are new models XP sp2, one with 512 RAM and the other with 1gig expandable to 2 gigs. ( We don't want a camcorder to burn to the HDD)

We really hope someone can respond soon as we have not even taken this camcorder out of the box.
The extended plan cost the bucks, $269 and we were advised by friends to get this because of the touch LCD screen which is relatively new and that the 3 year extra coverage may likely be worth it.

Edited by newbie geek, 06 June 2006 - 09:31 AM.

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Hi, this forum is my last resort and so i really hope that someone can help me here as no one seems to know much about mini dvd camcorders and the ability to edit.

I am really desperate for some responses and can't seem to get responses>>>>> !!!

My prior post explains it all, so please get back to me any member who may know anything on this topic.

Thankyou.

Cheers.

[newbie geek]

Hi, this forum is my last resort and so i really hope that someone can help me here as no one seems to know much about mini dvd camcorders and the ability to edit.

I am really desperate for some responses and can't seem to get responses>>>>> !!!

My prior post explains it all, so please get back to me any member who may know anything on this topic.

Thankyou.

Cheers.

[newbie geek]

Well here I am again, it has been recommended that I use Adobe Premier or Pinnacle Studio 10.5 the latest version.

I can't believe nor can all of the video camcorder stores who are watching this thread that there is no one that has any suggestions.

From the local coffee shop next door in the core of this city with computers; I had them cruise the Net and they got recommendations that either of the above programs would do the job OK and that my video forums that I posted in came up with no ideas!!


I want the most "User friendly " program that adds music, titles and some ending and does not need to add in from other dvd's etc. (pretty basic are my needs).

My unit that I have is:

My Webpage

You will have to fill in the "Search" area "Sony camcorder 505 ", and it will bring up the details of my model. I tried to get the immediate description to you but apparently I can't. I would appreciate again your review and replies.

I hope that someone can look at this and can give suggestions. I want a user friendly program and I am a little leary of Adobe and lean more to Pinnacle Studio 10.5 the latest version. My only reason for a slight fear of Adobe is b/c my better half had to take a course in Adobe CS for his work when it was first introduced into the market and even after the course that was long the proggy was not an easy use and thus I tend to look at Pinnacle Studio 10.5; however I maybe wrong and would appreciate comments.

Since I have never had a camcorder that uses "mini dvd" to record I simply don't know what to use to do mionor edits to preserve the grandkids over the ensuing years.

I hope to get a response as soon as possible so that I can purchase the program, thankyou.

I realize that not many use camcorders, however even in the video forums there is no reply???

Best Regards.

Edited by newbie geek, 07 June 2006 - 12:40 AM.

[Retired Tech]

Have a look at the trial of Nero 7

http://www.filehippo...nero_7_premium/

You should be able to use a firewire card to transfer the video from the camera to the PC, not essential but easiest

You would write the content of a mini dvd to its own folder on the drive and then use Nero to compile a DVD Video when you have folders which have a combined total of 4.38 GB of content

You could look at the options, particularly Vision express 7 and Nero Vision 4 before installing the trial

http://www.nero.com/...ser_Guides.html

You could also consider the options outlined here

http://www.geekstogo...ndpost&p=693174

[newbie geek]

Does this suggestion of Nero mean that Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0 nor Pinnacle Studio V. 10.5 Titanium edition will not be able to do an edit?
I think I mentioned that i was told that Adobe Premiere Elements could do the job.

Or are you saying that both Adobe and Pinnacle Studio are simply difficult programs to operate?

BTW, I noticed in one of the other posts a question about whether the format for mini-dvd's on camcorders is MPEG 2 or not, does anyone know?

I look forward to replies thankyou

[Retired Tech]

With regard to Nero, it has the advantage of being available as a no cost month trial

You could see if it is suitable, if not, you know to look at Adobe or Pinnacle

[newbie geek]

Thx for the replies, and I appreciate very much the suggestion on "nero" with the free trial. This forum indeed has been the best for having any ideas about the camcorder edit programs. I have posted in actual video forums and they indicated to me that there was nothing any good i.e. that the Editors operated in MPEG2 and that the source (the camcorder) was digital hence my end product would not turn out well using the editor.

Do you know if these Camcorders format on the mini dvd discs is MPEG 2?

Also if the Nero does not work out do you know the user friendliness of the Adobe Premiere Elements 2 as compared to the Pinnacle Studio V 10.5 Titanium Edition?
I understand with the latter that this program has tutorials in it and also a "drag n drop use" which I am not to overly excitied about.

I look forward to comments, thankyou once again for your time.
Cheers

[Retired Tech]

Nero has Vision Express which works with MPEG-2 and Nero Recode which works with MPEG-4

[attachment=8887:attachment]

I haven't used the others

[newbie geek]

Thx for the fast reply, I phoned the Sony store and found out that the model of camcorder the 505 using the mini-dvd's format is MPEG 2.
They also advised me that I might want to look at their editing software VEGASMSDVD6 made specifically for their camcorders and has Tutorials included in it.
Have you heard anything about this program or has any other member?

Comments appreciated.
Best Regards.

[newbie geek]

Sony Customer Support in Ontario phoned me today after I left a message and advised that I look at purchasing their Vegas Movie Studio.
They indicated that they had purchased out the former software company for the very reason of the compression issue so that the editing etc. would be done in a propritery manner like VOB and an acceptable quality bitstream so that there would be no loss of quality in editing the MPEG 2 mini dvd's.

I have 30 days to play with it and can return it if unhappy with the results. I have used it on a practice run here and the results are great!

If I did want to go back and get a AVI tape camcorder the one that the customer service recommended was the DCR - HC 96 that sells for $949 up here in the north.

I am definitely keeping this camera and software and going down to get a microphone that won't pick up all of the clatter that I don't want and it will fit on the hot shoe and the store will sell it to me for $79 instead of the usual $100.
On the right track now and a happy camper. Gave the DVD to my granddaughter, as it was her soccer game and she was thrilled.

Just thought that I would add this to the thread so other members can see it.

Best Regards and Cheers

Edited by newbie geek, 07 June 2006 - 08:51 PM.

[Retired Tech]

Thank You for the update