Favorite Analog Video to DVD Setup

Archived from groups: rec.video.production,rec.video.desktop (More info?)

ALR wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I am researching a new setup for video conversion and editing. My
> goal: A prosumer hardware/software package that will allow me to
> capture analog and digital video from tapes to hard drive, edit it
> efficiently and author it to DVD. I will be working with home video
> and stills from family and friends, creating custom DVDs for them. I
> may do some work for $$ eventually in the local market. I have maxed
> out what I can do with my Ulead VideoStudio 9.0 and want to make a big
> jump.
>
> Some of the features that are key to me:
> -Automatic scene detection during and after capture (optical detection
> in particular)
> -Good toolset for working with stills, including flexible pan, zoom and
> rotate
> -Solid sound editing capability, including the ability to multi-trim
> audio files and loop them
> -Solid titling and menu creation
>
> I'd love to get your picks for:
> -CPU (Mac or Windows OK)
> -HD storage
> -Monitors (How many, setup?)
> -Aftermarket cards (I/O and/or acceleration)
> -Main software/bundle
> -Add on software
> -Anything else (jog shuttles, custom keyboards...)
>
> Budget $5000-10,000
>
> Any help much appreciated, ALR
>

Considering that places like Walgreens will take a tape and slap it on a
DVD for about $20, I think your seting yourself up for an expensive
dissapointment if you wanna plunk down $5K or more to set yourself up as
a conversion house. Heck, nowadays, somone can buy a DVD recorder for
under $200 and just connect the cables and press a couple buttons. And
what guy is NOT going to use that excuse to buy a new DVD recorder eh?
"But honey, we need it to convert the baby videos to DVD or else they
will fade away!"