Is this the best workflow for converting HDV to SD for regular DVDs?
 

I'll try to give as much information as a can. I shoot my footage with Sony FX1s, 1/60th shutter speed. I use CapDVHS to captures the files to my computer (first I hope that this is an appropriate program for capturing the footage, the files are .mpg and each about 12gb for a 60 minute tape) Now I believe the footage is 60i and 1440 X 1080. I pass it through DVFilmmaker and convert & deinterlace it to 23.976 using the cineform codec, keyframe every 15 checked. After that's done I import the video clips to Sony Vegas 8 on a project setting of NTSC DV 24p (720X480, 23.976).....as opposed to an HD project, (which I have a feeling might yield a better picture), and I have blend fields selected, and gaussian for the blur method. I edit there. I render sometimes in 32bit, sometimes in 8bit settings depending on time constraints. I render to an MPEG2 using the included mainconcept codec using the setting for DVD Architect 24p NTSC widescreen video stream, using the BEST setting. Is there anything here that stands out as me doing very wrong, or something that I could definitely do differently? The only thing I haven't tried is to use an HD project setting, yet render out to DV. The couple times I tried this Vegas seemed to have rendered an HD file anyway, which was really strange. But, going back to the point, any advice would be appreciated.

I don't think it needs to be that complicated. I use a 1440x1080 template in Vegas and set it to interpolate the fields, and then capture in Vegas. Pull the media in and edit like usual. Then after all is said and done, render to MPEG2 for DVD and then all other formats for other ways you want to do as well. I don't know which is better but it sure takes me only the capture time to get started with my editing.

CAPDVHS is an ancient program developed for capturing digital VHS tapes. If I'm not mistaking, capturing to mpg will strip the video from all metadata. Use HDV Split instead (if you prefer capturing outside your NLE), to capture the native format m2t from the tape, plus break up the video into individual clips automatically.

For highest quality, always edit at native resolution and frame rate, no matter what your planned output is. Downconvert only after your edit is final in your NLE.

This is a regular workflow of mine. I always capture, edit, and archive at native resolution and just output to SD mpeg2 (or an uncompressed format for external encoding) as neccesary. Doing anything else would eliminate the possibility of outputting the material in HD in the future if called for, which it has been a couple times now from content initially spec'd for SD.

Why not use Vegas 8 to capture the footage from the FX1, then pull the native M2T's onto an HDV timeline. If your originally shot 60i set up the project as a 60i HDV timeline. Vegas has a preset project for that. Do all your edits in the HDV project then render then render as a DVD compliant mpeg2.

If you're goal is a 24P final output you would be better shooting in 24P than shooting 60i then later converting to 24. Usually if I start with 60i I output a 60i DVD. Usually I shoot either 24p or 30p so the end product will be progressive without the deint. step.