ADS USB Instant DVD-DV – Create your own Video DVDs or make streaming videos from Analog Video or from DV Video - by Mark Shapiro  

see review of new ADS Instant DVD 2.0

This is a very interesting product. The ADS Instant USB is a standalone multimedia device that converts analog video to MPEG 2 video, all in real time. For inexpensive consumer product like this, this is a neat trick. Creating full-frame 704x480 MPEG2 files from analog video and audio takes a lot of processing horsepower. Even more impressive, the Instant USB Device does it in real time – as you play your video, the converted MPEG2 video flows through the USB connection and gets stored on your computer’s hard drive.   

The ADS USB Instant DVD is designed to enable you to easily convert your old VHS and 8mm videos into a digital format and then burn them to a DVD disk.  It can work with any kind of analog video input, from a camcorder, VHS player, laser disk player or even a DVD player. You play the video and the USB Instant Video Device captures it in real time, converts it to MPEG 2 and then lays it down on your hard drive.

 You then use the bundled application software to transfer the captured video clips to a DVD burner. You can also create Video CDs (VCDs) and Super Video CDs (S-VCDS). However, some DVD players will not play VCDs. Most DVD players will not play S-VCDs.

 The bundled software includes 

	ADS Tech Capture Wizard  In just minutes, you can capture video in this easy-to-use capture and playback  software. With Capture Wizard, you can preview your video at up to 720 x 480 full screen, chose your bit rate  and use advanced settings to capture video.
	Ulead VideoStudio 7.0 DVD (SE) With VideoStudio 7.0, it's easy to transform rough video footage into memorable productions for your friends and family or the office. A friendly user interface guides you step-by-step as you capture clips, arrange them into a story, add Hollywood-style transitions, animate unlimited titles on-screen, add music from your favorite CDs or MP3s and record voiceover narration.
	DVD Movie Factory  (SE) Ulead® DVD MovieFactory™ 2 provides the easiest way to burn home movies onto DVDs or CDs. Produce professional-style DVDs to play on your home DVD player.
	muvee autoProducer DVD SE muvee autoProducer is the world's only smart automatic video editing software for the PC and everything that you need to make compelling videos automatically. All this happens in just 5 simple steps.

The new DV version adds DV capture as well so you can use this unit with almost any camcorder. The bundled software also allows you to remotely control your DV camcorder during the capture process.

 Edit the Video

 By using the bundled Ulead VideoStudio editing application, you can edit your videos – starting with the basic capturing and trimming of video clips. VideoStudio also enables you to add  titles, transitions and special effects, as well as new audio tracks, music and sound effects. The bundled version of VideoStudio includes over 30 customizable video filters and over 100 transitions. You can even do video or graphic layering to create video over video effects, you can do fade in and outs, you can add voice-over, and you can even fly your titles and around your movie.

 When the project is complete, you can burn it to a DVD in MPEG2 format, output it back to your camcorder or VCR for recording to tape, or export it as a MPEG1 file, Windows Media, Real Video or QuickTime file for streaming over the Internet.

Tthe VideoStudio software is a powerful editing application in its own right and works with a wide range of video input devices, not just the ADS Instant DVD. If your computer has a iLink, Firewire or 1394 connection, VideoStudio will work directly with your Digital Video camcorder.

 VideoStudio can remotely control your DV camcorder. You can also use VideoStudio’s Automatic Scene Detection Mode that recognizes where you had started and stopped your camcorder while shooting. It can automatically break the captured video down into individual clips to make it a lot easier to edit. 

 When using the ADS Instant USB device, you don’t have to edit your videos. If you are in a rush or just want to convert your raw video to disk, you can capture long video clips directly from your camcorder or VHS player, and then burn them directly to DVD or VCD. 

 Here are the details.

 The ADS Instant DVD-DV is a standalone device that connects to your computer via a USB cable. You don’t need to open up your computer and insert a computer card into an empty PCI slot. Just find an available USB jack on the front or back of your computer and plug it in.

  For capturing video and audio from a VCR or camcorder, simply connect the video and audio sources to the video and audio inputs. You have a choice of composite analog video (VHS) or S-video (Hi8mm or S-VHS). On the front of the Instant USB is an extra set of composite video and audio inputs. If you want to transfer your finished footage back to tape, there is a set of video and audio output connectors as well.

ADS Instant DVD-DV was originally for only Windows computers but now there is a Mac version as well. 

I was quite impressed with the quality of the MPEG-2 capture. Yes, you can see some MPEG compression artifacts. But, for the price, and for the ease of use, this is a great little product. This is not a pro product – and costs a heck of a lot less.

If you are using a digital video camcorder, you don’t need the ADS USB Instant DVD-DV. There are a bunch of very inexpensive software only products that will enable you to capture, edit and burn DV video to DVD. However, if you are still using a VHS or 8mm camcorder, or if you have a bunch of old VHS and 8mm tapes sitting around, the ADS USB Instant DVD-DV (or the new Instant DVD 2.0) is the product for you if you need an affordable and easy to master way to transfer videos from analog camcorder or VHS player to DVD.  

for more info…