Ripping from a DVD and combing with DV

[Cromulent]

Is it possible to rip a DVD (legally) and then to add in some custom DV footage within a small window?

What I mean in while the DVD main feature is playing have a very small sub window open with some DV footage added in? Would Final Cut Express be able to manage this?

I'm just waiting for my Mac Pro to arrive and want to know what software I need (be it FCE or FCS).

Any help greatly appreciated .

 

[Artofilm]

Hey,

What you would like to do on Final Cut Express is definately possible. If you have never used Final Cut b4, you can ask a lot of ppl or search tutorials for how to create a multi-layer video to create picture in picture effect. On the other hand if you would like to "rip" DVD videos you can simple download a program such as "HandBrake" online to do that job, then import that footage into FC for editing.

As for the legal issue, it really depends on what its used for. If you plan on doing this work to sell it or make a profit, it is not legal. If you are just doing this for some fun and something to do, I wouldn't think there's anything wrong with that!

Also, if you are wondering what version of Final Cut you should get, in your case, I would get Final Cut Studio.
Some ppl think that FCS is way more expensive than FCE but if you follow a certain path you can get it cheap:

- buy a used copy of the Soundtrack Pro Upgrade, from a friend, Ebay, or a editing studio. Price should be around $120
- go to this page, http://www.apple.com/universal/crossgrade/
select the product you have (soundtrack Pro) and download the crossgrade application.
- send out your copy of soundtrack pro upgrade along with $199, wait about 1 -2 weeks.
- you now have a version of FCS at approx. $320

I just thot i should mention it because I did the same!

Have fun with your Mac Pro!

 

[Cromulent]

Thanks for the info .

I will be doing it legally as I plan to get permission from the copyright holders before I do it (and expect to pay a lot of money but that's another story). Anyway it is great to hear that you can get FCS so cheaply, I'll have to look into that.

 

[Artofilm]

I hope it helps you out!
The only reason why I have FCS, myself, is because of the system I have told you about.
Tkae advantage of it if you can!

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Hi,

with FCE it is possible and in fact very easy. Just rip the DVD with handbrake and drop the QT into FCE. You have 99 videotracks that you can run in parallel. On the second track drop the video you want to run in parallel and size it the way you want.

But - to become a good video editor in FCE will take some time. It is not as easy as iMovie but once you know how to use it is a lot of fun.

Cheers
LaForge

 

[Bibulous]

This $49 iMovie plug in from GeeThree may be what you need -

http://www.geethree.com/slick/V_04.html

Have not used it myself but thought I would post the link.

 

[ZballZ]

basically you want to import the dvd and dv material to FC. Then put your DVD material in video track 1 - and the DV-material in video track two. Now you will only be able to see the DV-footage; but then resize it down and reposition it, and the DVD-footage will be vissible underneath.

 

[Cromulent]

Excellent, thank you all for the replies it has helped a great deal.

 

[Smack7]

OK but what about using a dvr with FCEHD?

I use FCEHD. I dont like using my dv camera to mark in and out points. Don't want to wear out my camera winding back and forth. I want to down load the dv tape to a dvr, then search through my footage and then import from the DVR, Is that possible? Or is there a better way.

And since I am a newbie, how do I start a new thread.

 

[Artofilm]

use FCEHD. I dont like using my dv camera to mark in and out points. Don't want to wear out my camera winding back and forth. I want to down load the dv tape to a dvr, then search through my footage and then import from the DVR, Is that possible? Or is there a better way.

You can do what you wanna do, but it requires a lot of money.
Using a DVR to import the files would take a lot of extra time, and would most likely compress the video past what most ppl want.
There are a few other choices you can take...

- Use your camera, but do all your ins and outs in-order
- Open FCE's capture window and select "Capture Now". Rewind your tape to the beginning and follow FCE's guide. This will record all of the video you have on the tape, so you can go thru it and choose wat you want when you edit.
- Buy a VTR to playback your tape and import it, but it is expensive. The cheapest is a couple JVC "all-in-one" players.

My recommendation:
- Go out to wal-mart, and find the most inexpensive reliable camera of your tape format that you can find.
You can then use the inexpensive camera to do all the import work, where your actual camera will be used for what its meant to be used for.
If you don't want to set in & outs still. Simply, use the Capture Now option i noted before.

 

[ChrisA]

Thanks for the info .

I will be doing it legally as I plan to get permission from the copyright holders before I do it (and expect to pay a lot of money but that's another story). Anyway it is great to hear that you can get FCS so cheaply, I'll have to look into that.

If you are going to talk to the copyright holder see if you ca get a better format DVD is not as good as DV. They may be able to give you a DV tape so you could avoid the generational loss of going mpeg2 -> DV -> mpeg2.
You never know until you ask. Avoid ripping the DVD if you can.