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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.

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.

Using AVS Disc 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.

Comments / Feedback

A place to leave your comments / feedback

AVS Video ReMaker download link  - download a fully functional version of the program to trial.  Note: a watermark is placed on your video until you register the program.  

Some caveats

AVS Video Remaker uses a lossless re-encoding system for your video files, meaning there is no loss in quality from the original files to the finished product.  Plus, it works extremely fast when producing the final video.  For me, it has the perfect number of must-have features and has a simple, uncomplicated layout. 

However, Remaker will only work on the same kind of files.  You cannot, for example, combine different file types or the same files types but with different bitrate settings.   DVD files produced by AVS Video Converter and the same files edited and produced in AVS Remaker can be combined in AVS Remaker.

Note 1:  When adding *.VOB files into AVS Remaker, it is only necessary to add the first *.VOB file (even if there are multiple *.VOB files in a folder). 

Note: 2.  If there is more than one *.VOB file on a DVD or DVD file folder, the first *.VOB file will be over 1GB in size.  It takes time for the entire list of *.VOB files to load into the program.  Be patient.  Once fully loaded, you will be able to move forward and backwards through the video smoothly and easily.

Layout and basic controls/features

Screenshot 1 shows the AVS Video Remaker program with two VOB files included.

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1.    Click the "Add File" button or simply drag and drop you video files into the program.

2.    Item 2 shows two VOB files which have been added to the program.  You will note they both end with:  "Disc1\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.VOB".  However, because they come from different folders, that's no problem.  A second Item 2 is located towards the bottom of the screenshot and refers to the video timeline.

3.    Item 3 shows the preview screen.

4.    Item 4 shows two sets of numbers in HRS:MIN:SEC to three decimal places.  The first set of numbers shows you where in the video you currently are as you play or move through the video.  The second set of numbers shows the total length of the video.  In the example here, there is a total of 38.400 seconds of video.

5.    There are two ways to quickly move through the video.  The first Item 5 slider control is just underneath the preview screen.  That will let you move very quickly forwards or backwards.

The second Item 5 slider is to the left lower part of the screen.  Depending on the amount of Zoom selected, this allows you accurately get to very precise parts of the video.

6.    Item 6 indicates where the two video files join together on the timeline.  Splitting the video at any point (Item 11) produces the same break indicator.

7.    Play and Stop buttons.

8.    Frame by frame forward or back controls moving you approximately .040 seconds in either direction.  This control is really only viable when taking photos (Item 15).  Video can only be split on Key Frame points (Item 9), so they must be used if you need accurate splits in the video.

9.    Item 9 refers to the Key Frame forward and backward controls.  Key Frames are approximately .600 of a second apart and you will need to use these if you want truly accurate splits in your video.    

10.    The Zoom slider control allows for a shrunken or expanded view of the time line videos.  If you make two splits in the video very close together, you will likely need to slide your zoom control to the right to get an expanded view and be able to select that small section of video for deletion.

11.    The "Split" button will split the video at the point whether your slider control is.  For total accuracy, use your Key Frame controls (Item 9). 

12.    Click on a section of video (it will be highlighted), then use the "Delete" button to remove it.   Although there is a "Trim" button (further to the right), it doesn't give me Key Frame accuracy and I prefer to use the split & delete method to edit out unwanted video.

13.    Remaker gives you multiple Undo and Redo options.  Any mistakes can be quickly corrected.

14.    This slider adjusts the playing speed of your video both forward and backwards. 

15.    Clicking the camera icon gets you a good quality photo (in your choice of formats) of any part of the video.  Adjust the sliders (Items 5) and frame forward/backward buttons (Item 8) to get a frame-accurate still shot.  

16.    Item 16 is the slider for the video timeline.

17.    The add/create "Chapters" button - covered in more detail below.

18.     "Disc Menu" options - covered in more detail below.

19.    After you have completed all your editing, select "Remake Now!"  Also covered in more detail below.

Adding Chapters

Inserting chapters to your surveillance video can be extremely beneficial for the person/s viewing the finished DVD. 

Chapters allow the viewer to move quickly forward and backward through the video at pre-defined points.  Those points might include the being of each video surveillance day, or in the case when I have obtained a large amount of video, I might set chapter points just before the surveillance subject does something particularly noteworthy.  

As an example:  The subject is sitting in a chair at an outdoor cafe.  As it would be particularly helpful to my client to get video of them standing from a seated position, I will continue to get continuous video to make sure I don't miss that action.  They might stay seated for half an hour, but if a chapter is set in the video say, a few second before they stand up, the person viewing the DVD can go straight to that point. 

Screenshot 2 (below) shows AVS Remaker after the "Chapters" button has been activated (Item 1).

1.    Click on the "Chapters" button to bring up your chapter options.

2.    After positioning your slider exactly where you want to insert a chapter (the first chapter should be at the beginning) press the "Add Chapter" button.  Repeat as necessary. 

3.    Adding a chapter brings up the chapter list, as well as adding a green diamond marker in your timeline. 

4.    Highlight a particular chapter, then click on "Rename Chapter" to rename it.  This might be the date at the beginning of a new surveillance day, or a particular activity - e.g. "Standing after being seated".

5.    Chapters can also be Auto Set.

6.    All the chapters can be removed by clicking on "Remove All", or each chapter in the chapter list can be right-clicked for individual removal. 

Click on File List to move back to the previous layout.

Adding a Menu

A DVD Menu can be helpful in providing a subtle graphic promotion of your business, quickly identify all the video on the disc as well as helping the viewer move between chapters in a esay to navigate visual manner.

_1.    The above screenshot shows the various options available once the "Disc Menu" button is used.

2.    The Disc Menu can be enabled or disabled by clicking this icon.

3.    Item 3 shows a plain Disc Menu layout page where you can use any of your own photos to fill the screen menu screen.

4.    Here you have two photo options, one for the Main Menu page and the second for the Chapters page.  With multiple chapters, a third page option opens up.  I've chosen the same graphic for both screens.  If you are going to add a Menu to your DVD, you might as well include some corporate branding.

5.    Item 5 shows the Disc menu Title option.  I've added "SMITH, John" as the surveillance subject's name.

The red arrow indicates this is what you see on the Main Page.   See the next screenshot (4) for the Chapters page.

_The above screenshot shows the Chapters page.  I'd renamed Chapters 1 & 2 to "17 Dec 2011" and "Sample Text" so this is what is displayed under each chapter image.

Remake Now!

Okay.  Everything has been done and you are all set to hit that "Remake Now!" button to make a DVD file and burn a DVD.  Once you hit that button, the following screenshot is what you will see.

All very straight forward.  If you are going to store the DVD file folder somewhere on your PC, be sure to give it a relevant name.  Select a relevant output folder path, chose DVD under the "Video" option and select whether to include audio or not.

One more step.  You need to hit "Remake Now!" one more time.

Your DVD folder will be created (you will be surprised at just how quickly - it takes a tad longer is you have added a Menu) and you will then be given the option to burn a DVD - see Screenshot 6 below.

Using AVS Video ReMaker videos

The following video gives you a quick overview of how to move around your video in the time line, take still photos, split the video at Key Frame points, delete a section of video and the Undo / Redo functions.

The following video provides an overview on setting Chapter points and creating a DVD Menu.