Vidding discussion

A friend posted this on the Vidder Yahoogroups and I thought I'd share my post with the rest of the world

--- In vidder@yahoogroups.com, my friend wrote: "I hope to learn computer vidding this
> coming year, and would like advice on the best system for a PC.
> What's easiest to learn, offers good features, and doesn't cost the
> world? Thanks.

Heee! Welcome to the computer vidding world. While I vid on a Mac, I can chat a bit about the software I've seen PC vidders use. (I'll let others talk about hardware)

Windows Media Maker is a very basic program to start with before jumping to Adobe Premiere (which is like the Apple Final Cut Pro I've used). You can download it now and start playing with it: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx

Others swear by Ulead Video as a basic intermediary video editing software. Here is a basic tutorial: http://www.foolishpassion.org/Vidding-newbies-Videostudio/index.html

With any computer set-up you need to think 3 steps:

1. How will you video source get into your computer
2. What editing program will you use
3. How will your final vid get out of your computer.

To answer Step #1: there are two ways to get source onto your computer: a) pulling it in via a capture card from a stand alone DVD player or b) 'ripping' it from the DVD/online avi files sitting inside the computer.

If you go the first method, you will need recommendations on the capture card/PC setup (ex. vidders could offer suggestions as to what capture cards they use that is able to remove Macrovision).

As for the second method - - you just need to be able to load the DVD onto the computer and then use free ripping software to decode it. Then, depending on your video editing program, you need to put the ripped footage into a format your editing program can use. Once you pick an editing program (Step 2), we can give more targeted suggestions on how to get the ripped footage into the format needed for the video editing software you have selected.

To answer Step #3: if your plan is to put your vids out on DVD, you need to have a DVD burner. If your plan is to put your vids online, again that is something that most video editing software programs can handle.

So..tutorials

For Ulead, a basic step by step process
http://www.foolishpassion.org/Vidding-newbies-Videostudio/index.html

For Windows Movie Maker
http://www.windowsmoviemakers.net/PapaJohn/ (they have sections on #17 - Analog Capture using Dazzle DVC 80 and #19 - From DVD disc to Movie Maker etc)

and because I love visuals, here is a bare bones video tutorial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI-dhd_eHXs

and last, these sites offer very basic info on fanvids
http://www.foolishpassion.org/Vidding-newbies-Videostudio/index.html
http://permetaform.livejournal.com/166861.html