I've been filming shows and synching up external audio in post for a few years now. My usual video camera is (one of?) the first Sony hard drive cameras, which films in .mpg format. As a result, I've always rendered in .avi format for DVDs, first in Vegas 5.0 and more recently in Vegas Studio Platinum 9.0.
Last year, I bought a Lumix FZ48 bridge camera, which I keep as my default as AVCHD FSH 1920 x 1080, and which saves in .MTS format. I've used this for additional camera angles when the other camera is tripod mounted, or even as the principal camera for some shows. My query is this: bearing in mind, I will usually bring in an external soundtrack, which format should I render the whole set in, in order to maintain picture quality for any DVD I author (in DVD Architect, usually)? The same question might also apply for rendering for upload to youtube.
I should also add that I use A PC, not Mac, that I can't curently afford to upgrade my camera or software and that I really haven't a clue what all the formats mean when saving to some of the, what I perceive to be, HD formats in Vegas. (Yes, I really need help!
)
TIA