Let's look at the three types of DVDs you can create, and talk about the software tools you'll need to get the job done.
Creating Data DVDsData DVDs can be created using Windows XP, without the need to buy additional software. In general, XP supports the capability to copy files to a recordable DVD disc so that you can access them on another PC. DVDs recorded in this way will not allow you to pop them into a standard DVD video player, however, because they contain only computer data. The main benefit of using a DVD in this manner, versus using a recordable CD, is the size: A typical DVD-R disc will hold 4.7GB of data, compared to the measly 700MB capacity of a CD-R disc. If you want to store large files, or even lots and lots of small ones, there's no contest. To create a data DVD using Windows XP, do the following:
Creating a DVD from Video FilesTo create a basic video DVD disc that can be played back on a PC or in a typical video DVD player, you'll need some specialized DVD editing software and recording software. Check and see whether your Media Center PC came with any bundled DVD authoring software. Some typical ones that PC manufacturers bundle include the following:
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There are many others as well. Most of these programs allow you to edit your video, create a DVD menu system, and record the video to a DVD disc. Another software package you may want to considerprimarily because at the time of this writing, it is being offered freeis Microsoft's Windows Movie Maker. This program may come already installed on your Media Center Machine. If you need to download a copy, visit the Web site www.microsoft.com/windowsXP/moviemaker and look for the "Download Windows Movie Maker 2" link (see Figure 12.2). Figure 12.2. This section of the Movie Maker home page contains two links to download the free software: one at the center of the screen and one to the right.
Windows Movie Maker has one major drawback, at least as far as this chapter is concerned : It does not support recording your finished movie to a DVD disc. Instead, you can choose to create a Video CD (VCD), which provides many features similar to a true DVD disc. But because it records using a blank CD instead of a DVD, the finished disc is limited in terms of the quality and size of the video you can store. In addition, the interactivity features you can add for use in a DVD player device are limited.
Creating a DVD from Recorded TV ProgramsThis is probably the most interesting, and least supported, DVD recording project available to owners of Media Center PCs. As of this writing, the only company that fully supports the capability to create DVDs from programs and movies you recorded from your TV signal in Media Center is Sonic. The company offers two products with this capability: MyDVD and PrimeTime. MyDVDSonic's MyDVD was the first DVD recorder software to support Microsoft's proprietary DVR-MS file format. This allows Media Center users to create DVDs from shows they have recorded on their Media Center, providing one of the easiest methods for transferring TV content onto a removable disc. The discs you create can be played not only in a PC, but also in most consumer DVD players. To create a DVD from TV shows you recorded in My TV, follow these steps:
PrimeTimeFor Media Center users, PrimeTime takes the DVD burning experience one step further by actually integrating it within the Media Center My TV interface. Instead of making you exit Media Center and mouse around in a completely separate desktop software application, PrimeTime enables you to record programs onto removable DVD discs with remote-control ease. To use PrimeTime, install it from the CD in Windows XP. Reboot your machine and launch Media Center. PrimeTime will have been added to your Media Center main menu (see Figure 12.6). Figure 12.6. The Create DVD option has been added to the Media Center main menu, indicating that PrimeTime has been installed.
Recording a DVD with PrimeTime is simple. Select the Create DVD option from the Media Center menu to launch PrimeTime. After a setup screen is displayed, while PrimeTime identifies your DVD recording device, the main PrimeTime screen will be displayed (see Figure 12.7). From here you can choose the recorded program you want to use and then select Burn DVD to complete the process. Figure 12.7. A feature of PrimeTime is that the interface has been designed to preserve the Media Center look and feel.
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