In recent years, one type of file conversion has become more and more popular as the use of digital video cameras has gotten more prevalent: AVI to DVD conversions. Recording the video is easy, but many people get stuck there, with no clear idea of how to get that footage onto a computer or a DVD. Here are a few choices.
Edit Your Movie
Once you transfer that AVI file to your computer, you will in all likelihood want to edit it. There are plenty of good software packages available to assist with this job, and they run anywhere from $50 to $500, depending on the features of the software. For most home movie needs, you can find a very capable editor in the $70 to $100 range.
This type of software will enable you to cut your original footage into clips that you can then mark up as you wish. For example, you can add transitions like fade effects, pixelation; you can add track titles or captions; you can even create an entire menu system with custom or supplied graphics.
Burn to DVD and Watch on a Television
There are a fair number of simple conversion tools available that will enable you to convert that AVI file into the structure required for DVD movies. Once you have that structure, you can use a DVD burning program like ImgBurn or DV to DVD converter to burn your DVD.
Play Your Movie on a Portable Device
While standard DVD players are most commonly used for watching movies, a new generation of portable players exists that is capable of playing video, provided it’s in the proper format. So you can convert that footage into something that can be played on portal media players like the iPod, Zune, and PSP. That’s another thing to keep in mind as you learn how to convert AVI to DVD format.
There is no such thing as the perfect software for these tasks. The fact is that what is right for me might not be right for you. To determine the best software for you, first determine exactly what your goals are for your software, and choose accordingly. As a guideline, video editing software is large and requires substantial processing power. The more you want your software to do, the more complex you can expect it to be. Conversely, simple utility programs, while not particularly versatile, are simple and inexpensive to use.
[ by Joe Fission via Computer Advice ]
