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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

Program 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.  

The program

Below is a screenshot of the AVS Videa Converter program open with three MTS files, an original MOD file (with no time/date) and the same MOD file, which has been run through SuperDvdate to add date/time and is now an MPEG file.

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1.    "To DVD" is highlighted, which brings up the various DVD options in Item 6.

2.    Shows the list of files in the program.  The window expands for up to ten files before a scroll bar appears.

3.    You can add files by drag and drop or select the "Browse" or "+" button to add files.  To delete a file, select it and use the minus (-) button.

4.    The Up and Down arrows allow you to move a highlighted file up or down in order.  If you have one or more files out of sequence, this is the way to fix that. 

5.    This "Browse" button allows you to select where the finished DVD files will go.

6.    Gives you the various final file type options.  I always chose the "High Quality" setting, which will provide a bitrate of 9400, as opposed to "Good" at 6200, "Standard" at 4600 or "Long" at 2150.

7.    The "Edit" button allows for some minor editing, but Key Frame edit points are not accommodated and I prefer to use AVS Video Remaker for all my editing.   But, these option might work well enough for you to by-pass the AVS Remaker phase.

8.    The "Menu" button includes or excludes a DVD Menu.  If you are going to use AVS Remaker, then this setting won't matter.

9.    The "Setting" button brings up some settings option.  Feel free to explore those, but you can disregard the various Subtitle options as changing anything here has no impact.

10.    The "Advanced" button adds some additional settings, which are critical to adding date/time on your MTS files and correcting any aspect ratio problems.

Getting time/date on your MTS files

The following screenshot shows the "Advanced" tab selection options. 

Highlight your first MTS file, select the "Conversion Options" tab, then the "Subpicture" options and finally select the "1. Track" option.  Doing this will add the date/time to the video.

Note:  Is you select a file type other than MTS, the "Subpicture" option is not available to you.

Screenshot 3 (below) shows the Aspect Correction tab open.  As you can see, the date/time has been included.

You will need to do this for each individual MTS file.  Unfortunately, a somewhat tedious procedure if you have a lot of files.

TIP:  To double check you have set the date/time on all your video files, open the Aspect Correction tab (see screenshot 3) and then click on all the individual files one by one.  If the time/date doesn't appear on the video image, no will know you missed one.

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How-to Video (AVS Video Converter - Part 1)

The following video provides a demonstration on how to add and delete files, plus get date and time on your MTS video files. 

_Fixing Aspect Ratio problems

Screenshot 4 shows the "Aspect Correction" tab open on an MTS file.

_1.    The Input Video Aspect accurately shows the video is 16:9 and the "Original" button has been selected.  Note:  the top and bottom dark grey bars will NOT appear on your video.

2.    The Output Video Aspect is set at 16:9.  NOTE:  Once you set this, it will apply for ALL your video files, regardless of what their original Video Aspect settings are.  I suggest you set this to whatever is the correct setting for the majority of the video files you are converting.    

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Screenshot 5 below shows an original 4:3 video (640 x 480) with an Output Aspect of 16:9.  There are solid black bars on both sides of the video, which will be there once the DVD is produced.  The dark grey bars top and bottom will NOT be there.  This way, the 4:3 aspect ratio is maintained whilst watching the entire video in 16:9.

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Screenshot 6 below shows how a 16:9 video will display on an Output Aspect setting of 4:3.  The solid black bars on the top and bottom will be there when the video is played in 4:3 aspect ratio.  This way, the correct 16:9 aspect ratio is maintained whilst watching the entire DVD video in 4:3.

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How-to Video (AVS Video Converter - Part 2)

The following video provides a demonstration on how to correct any Aspect Ratio problems you might incur when you are combining both 16:9 and 4:3 video.

Producing a DVD file structure and/or burning to a DVD

Once you have all your video files in AVS Video Converter and have made all your adjustments, simply click the "Convert now" button. 

A full DVD file structure will be created under whatever folder you nominated in the "Output file name" - see Item 5 on screenshot 7.

You will then being given the option to burn a DVD.  If you intend doing any editing in AVS Remaker, just select "Close"

The folder structure inside the "Output file name" you nominated will be:

Disc1 > AUDIO_TS & VIDEO_TS. 

Within the VIDEO_TS folder you will find a number of *.BUP, *.IFO and *.VOB files.  The VTS_01_*.VOB files contain all the video.

NOTE:  a VOB files called "VIDEO_TS.VOB" is the menu.

How-to Video (AVS Video Converter - Part 3)

The following video provides a demonstration on how to finalise the conversion process, produce a file structure and burn a DVD.