How to Copy a Video From SD Card & Burn to a DVD-R

By C. Taylor

DVD-R discs allow video archiving or creation of custom DVD movies.
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Secure Digital cards are common recording media for numerous video and digital cameras. Although most cameras can connect directly to your computer via a USB cable, an integrated card reader allows you to copy recorded videos from the SD card without peripheral connections. Once on your computer, the video can be archived or converted onto a blank DVD-R disc. Windows DVD Maker natively converts videos into a DVD-compatible format that is playable on most DVD players. However, for archival purposes or for playback on AVI-, MPG- and MP4-compatible DVD players, burning a data disc with Windows Explorer is a better option.

Copying Video

Step 1

Insert your SD card into your computer's SD card reader.

Step 2

Click "Open Folder to View Files" in the AutoPlay window. Alternatively, click the Start button, "Computer" and the SD card's drive letter.

Step 3

Locate the video you wish to copy and drag-and-drop the file into a folder of your choice. Alternatively, click the file, press "Ctrl-C," navigate to the save location and press "Ctrl-V." Wait until the video is finished copying.

Step 4

Right-click the SD card's drive letter and select "Eject." You can then safely remove the card.

Windows DVD Maker

Step 1

Insert a blank DVD-R disc into your DVD burner. If an AutoPlay window appears, close it.

Step 2

Click the Start button, "All Programs" and "Windows DVD Maker" to launch the program.

Step 3

Click "Add Items" from the top toolbar and double-click the saved video.

Step 4

Enter a title for your DVD in the DVD Title field.

Step 5

Click "Options" at the bottom of the screen to change default settings. One setting to consider for a single-video DVD is selecting "Play Video in a Continuous Loop." This omits the DVD menu and immediately plays the video, which is a convenient option if there are no other videos to choose from. Click "OK" when complete.

Step 6

Click "Next" and select your preferred menu options, if applicable. Click a menu style from the right-hand pane. Click "Menu Text" to change fonts and titles. Click "Customize Menu" to change scene button styles, audio, foreground video and background video.

Step 7

Click "Burn" to burn the DVD-R.

Windows Explorer

Step 1

Insert a blank DVD-R disc into your DVD burner.

Step 2

Click "Burn Files to Disc Using Windows Explorer" in the AutoPlay window. If this window does not appear, press "Win-E" and double-click your DVD burner.

Step 3

Type a title for your DVD in the Disc Title field.

Step 4

Click "With a CD/DVD Player" and click "Next" to use the Mastered format, which makes the DVD playable on a wider range of electronics.

Step 5

Locate the video you copied and drag-and-drop it on top of your DVD burner's drive letter. Alternatively, right-click the file, point to "Send To" and click your DVD burner.

Step 6

Click "Burn to Disk" to burn your DVD-R disc.

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