Recommended software

Provides a brief overview on the software I use for adding date/time to video, editing it and producing client-ready DVDs.

Real life scenarios / questions

Scenarios covering most of the things you might want to do with your surveillance video.  I've given a brief answer to each question as an overview. 

Using AVS Video Converter

AVS Video Converter converts almost all types of video files to DVD or any other video file format.  It also can bring up date/time on MTS files and will combine multiple files types of different aspect ratios (16:9 and 4:3 file types) into one DVD with the correct aspect ratio throughout.

Demonstration videos are included.

Using SuperDvdate

SuperDvdate will add time/date to the following file types; MOD, MTS, M2TS, AVI, MP4, MOV, TOD.  It will also work with MP4 and 3GP, which have been taken on your mobile / cell phone.

Using AVS Video Remaker

AVS Remaker allows you to take multiple files of the same file type, edit them and then re-make them (without any re-encoding) thereby giving you no loss in quality.  Very accurate (by Key Frame) editing can be done, photos can be taken off the video and you can exclude audio on the DVD before burning. 

Demonstration videos are included.

Using AVS Disk Creator

Both AVS Video Converter and Remaker produce a full DVD structured file before giving you the option to burn a DVD.  That file is perfect for archiving your video on a PC.  AVS Disc Creator can then take that DVD file and re-burn additional DVD copies.

Using Freemake Video Converter

A quick, easy and free way to get date/time on your HiDef MTS video files and burn them to a DVD with no edits.

Includes a demonstration video.

Comments / Feedback

A place to leave your comments / feedback

Introduction

Tape based cameras / camcorders have been with us for over 30 years, but they are now being phased out in favour of camcorders that record video to built-in hard drives and flash media such as SD cards.  I think I can safely say the mini-DVD recording format is now pretty much dead in the water for camcorders.  

With tape based camcorders, there really was only one viable way of getting your standard definition (SD) video onto a VHS tape or later a DVD with date and time and that was to play the video on the camcorder with date and time showing and record that into another recording medium using analogue cables.  

The above method is probably still being used by many investigators.  However, as many current camcorders can record in high definition (HD) video, using a now very old analogue system to copy that video means that the HD video is being reduced back to SD quality.  

One of the biggest hurdles to date in maintaining the HD quality of your digital surveillance video has been incorporating the date and time into those digital files.  For surveillance work, having the date and time on the video is a must-have.  Fortunately, there are now quite a few options to do just that.

Purpose

I have put this information together for anyone needing help or advice on how best to get time and date into their surveillance video, as well as provide a few extra pointers on editing your videos (for example: getting video files with different aspect ratios to display correctly throughout the entire DVD) or how best to store your client video files on a PC so that additional DVDs can be produced easily and quickly.

Some of the programs I recommend are free, some aren't.  Of the ones that aren't free, you can try then first for free though.  If I've helped make your surveillance video work a little easier, that's great.  If you would like to provide feedback, please do so by emailing me at the following email address or click on the Comments / Feedback link.

video_feedback@jfabrisbane.com

I'll include them under a "Comments / Feedback" section (no identifying info will be listed), but will screen out spam and anything I thing is unsuitable.  I will include negative feedback, but only if it's doesn't contain inappropriate wording.   The negative stuff is always the most interesting to read.  

If you are happy doing what you do ...

If you are currently using a system to get your date and time onto your DVDs that works for you and is quick and easy, that's great.  I suggest you continue doing just that.  Seriously.  I'm not trying to convince anyone to change what they are currently doing if they are happy doing it that way.  But, if you are thinking "there must be a quicker, easier way to do this" then maybe the info here will help by giving you some other options.

If you need help

I've tried my best to make all the processes and techniques here as easy to understand and follow as possible.  I've provided screenshots (video demos are coming) to assist in that regard.  But, if anything is unclear and you still need assistance after having thoroughly read through all the info, just send me an email and I will do my best to help.  Email me at:

video_help@jfabrisbane.com

High definition (HD) camcorders are still more expensive than standard definition (SD) camcorders.  But, that price margin is decreasing.  If video quality matters to you, and you can afford the slight premium, my advice is to definitely go HD.  Other than getting generally better quality video, if you do have to go into digital zoom a little, the video will probably still look better than video from an SD camcorder.    

I appreciate not everyone cares a great deal about getting the very best video quality possible.  A lot of people think it's the video subject matter that takes priority, not the technical quality of the video.  I would have to agree with that if I had to pick just one option.  But, having both is certainly ideal.

For anyone who hasn't seen a side-by-side comparison between really good HD video and SD video, the difference is quite remarkable.  One of the biggest problems has been the use of the analogue-in method for getting time/date on your video - that's covered in more detail below.  But, if you start with really good video quality, even the down sampling that happens when you use an analogue cable produces far better results.  

You might even have a HD camcorder, but record your video in a lower grade HD format so you can get more recording time on your hard drive and/or SD camcorder.  My personal preference is - take the best quality video possible.  That means choosing the highest quality video setting to record your video.  On my Panasonic HD camcorder, my options are:  HA / HG / HX / HE.  HA is the highest setting and HE the lowest.  I only use the HA setting and a DVD produced with the methods I outline here really does look so much better.

Good HD video might just get you that vehicle's registration number where SD video won't.  It also just might make it just a little easier for a treating medical professional to comment of how a claimant is able to use his hands (or whatever) for certain tasks. 

Using analogue video-in with date & time

I suspect the majority of surveillance personnel are currently getting the date/time into their DVDs by playing their camcorder video with the date/time showing and using the analogue leads (the yellow, red and white one) to feed the video into either a PC (using a device like the Pinnacle Dazzle), or a standalone hard drive recorder with a DVD burner.  

There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing it that way - I did it that way for quite a few years.  What started me seriously looking for alternative ways of doing things were a few difficulties I was having.  These were:-

1.    Whilst feeding high quality video via analogue leads still produced a reasonably good quality DVD, there was a noticeable reduction in video quality.

2.    If I had six hours of video to convert, it took me six hours + to get that video onto a DVD.  I had video files on my camcorder that would take only a fraction of that time to copy to a PC, but getting the time/date onto that video was the major stumbling block.

3.    I was often combining video with a 16:9 aspect ratio with video that had a 4:3 aspect ratio.  I still have and use older tape-based camcorders that record in 4:3 and various covert cameras (pen cams, keychain cams, etc.) record in 4:3 as well.  My hard drive / SD camcorders recorded in 16:9.  If I chose to burn the DVD at 16:9, the 4:3 video would be stretched sideways and vice versa.  I overcame the problem, but it was it was quite time-consuming.

4.    Keeping a backup of the video meant burning an additional DVD or creating an ISO image of the finished DVD for PC storage.

How much quicker is it getting date/time onto video via software?  Well, let says the editing of your video and the actual burning to a DVD disc are the same.  So, it comes down to how long it takes to copy the video files to a PC from a camcorder (not long at all) and then convert them to a DVD format with date and time (this takes the longest).  I have a reasonably fast PC (i7 with 16GB of ram) and my guess is it is around a 30-40% time saving.  On top of the time saving, I get much better video quality on my DVDs, which is a big plus for me, as well as being able to solve all the other above-mentioned problems - i.e. different aspect ratios, PC video file storage.

Working with HD AVCHD (MTS) & (SD) video files

A lot of the current Sony, Panasonic and Canon camcorders record their HiDef video in an *.MTS video file format.  Other camcorders record their standard definition (SD) video in an AVI, MOD or other file format.  Those video files do contain the date and time information; it's just that almost all media players won't display that data when the files are played. 

Critical Information:  If you are going to use any of the methods described here for adding date/time to either SD or HD video, it is critical those video files not be edited in any way whatsoever.  Even copying them and then re-copying them could alter their "date/time modified" settings, which will affect your ability to get the correct date and time onto a DVD. 

If you have your video files on your camcorder's hard drive, connect the camera to you PC and copy your video files to your Desktop or some other location you will remember.  Then add them to either AVS Video converter, Freemake Video Converter or SuperDvdate.  If your video is on an SD card, do the same with that. 

On my HD Panasonic camcorder, I get to the MTS video files via the following file paths:-

Hard drive:  [Camera Drive]  >  AVCHD  >  BDMV  >  STREAM
SD card:  [Removable Disc]  >  PRIVATE  >  AVCHD  >  BDMV  >  STREAM

Please check your camcorder manual if you are uncertain how to access your video files.