How to Copy a Video From SD Card & Burn to a DVD-R
By C. Taylor
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.
References
Writer Bio
C. Taylor embarked on a professional writing career in 2009 and frequently writes about technology, science, business, finance, martial arts and the great outdoors. He writes for both online and offline publications, including the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Samsung, Radio Shack, Motley Fool, Chron, Synonym and more. He received a Master of Science degree in wildlife biology from Clemson University and a Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences at College of Charleston. He also holds minors in statistics, physics and visual arts.