What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

I really despise these "instant" DVDs and swore I would never get involved with them, but I am being forced to at least research the process.

Assuming I were to use a single camera to shoot an event (such as a cheer competition) or provide my single wide shot to a director of different event for next day critiquing of their performance, what do I need to have on hand to provide this? The camera I would be getting the feed from is a Sony NX70U.

I've seen other companies do this through multi-cam switchers or from a single cam, but I am unsure of the workflow and required equipment involved to pull it off.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

I'd say the fastest way (lowest cost as well) would be to record directly to the computer. Using that process in mind, personally if I was only concerned with the time saving aspect I would pre-assemble an intro/outro. Record using a simple program such as QuickTime Pro. Use a simple dvd program such as Toast Titanium or Nero. Drag the files in playing order into the software. Burn the master, and have a duplicator tower ready to copy the master.

You could make it a little more professional by prepping the dvds with labels, but thats up to you.

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

The fastest way would be a dvd recorder. Hit record, stop, then finalize. That's it!

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

I've done the same thing as Warren, took a feed from the camera ( component out) and fed it into a DVD recorder.. ideal for quick and simple DVDs. not the best quality but if its required then its the easiest.

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

Thanks for your input, gentlemen. Much will depend on timing. It's a cheer competition - 3-4 minutes per routine, but I am unsure of the delay time between performances to be able to produce a master.

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

In that case, get 2 dvd recorders. I think you can get them for about $100 now. Alternate them, record on 1 and finalize, then switch unit to record the next performance.

Another not so instant way would be to record every cheer with 1 recorder, change dvd after every performance. When competition is done, finalize them one at a time and distribute.

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

Great idea, Warren.
Does anyone have any recommendations of specific DVD recorders? Are we talking home units that you can find at any big box retailer or external USB drives?

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

New question! :)

Do you guys/gals print your own discs for these types of events or outsource them?

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

Ive done Cheer comps in the past using cheap and cheerful LG burners but I also had a couple of Toshiba's. Pretty much any consumer unit will do although some finalise faster than others. If you have access to a distribution amp that will help you feed two burners the same signal and use one while the other is finalising.

Steve

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

I just ordered a couple of Toshiba consumer units. I'm hoping that they'll be what I need. I had planned on testing the workflow using a simple A/B switch between the two burners. Record one performance, start to finalize, switch to the second burner to record the next performance, etc.

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

I've been using an obsolete Pioneer dvd recorder, originally it cost over $2000, but is very fast.

I was searching the Toshiba recorder, but came across a review that said it took 9 minutes to finalize a 4 minute video, which probably is too slow for your requirements.

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

I'm trying to avoid using DVDs now.
If the client doesn't need the footage until the following day why not just do a quick basic edit back at your studio. You can output it as an MP4 and put it on a USB thumb, or upload it online. Your client will be able to easily view it, your footage will be seen in HD and look its best, and you could add some simple edits and graphics to make it look more professional. Put your company name and contact info at the end and anyone viewing it can get in touch with you for similar jobs. Good luck!

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

Just as follow-up:

We ended up with three Toshiba DVD recorders. One was with me, connected to the camera, recording each routine. After each three minute routine was done, one of my children would take the DVD to our sales table where my wife would use one of the other two machines to finalize the disc (8:30 per disc) and then use our duplicator to make copies from it. Aside from an occasional bottleneck at the duplicator, this process served us very well to provide "bare bones" DVDs for parents to take home, but many opted for our "deluxe" version, which was priced slightly higher, but came with a menu, graphics, case and artwork. These are being mailed directly to the customer.

Thanks to everyone who weighed in on this. between the great people in this forum, some research and good ol' trial and error, our first live production event went as smooth as we could have hoped. Especially when we only had a few weeks to put it all together. Now, I just have to pay my children.

Re: What Equipment is Needed to Provide Instant DVDs of a Live Event?
 

I have a couple of small cheap DVD recorders bought from the local supermarket that I use for this kind of thing - set max record length, hit record. Stop at the end then finalise and that is that. The quality is not the same as doing it our usual way, but perfectly adequate for this kind of thing, I often do two in parallel, then while the client is looking through one, the other is in the duplicator burning a few more as required.