I pulled out my camcorder (Sony MiniDV) and started messing around with putting the files on my computer. After spending a few hours with this I'm still at a loss as to which file format to save it as.

I'm just using Windows Movie Maker and the main 2 options are WMV & AVI.
The options I'm considering are:

- WMV: 720x480, VBR (variable bit rate), 30 frames per second
- AVI: 720x480, 30 MBPS, 30 frames per second

My main goal of this is to store the files on my computer. At some point in the future I may put on DVD and do very minor editing.

I'm leaning towards WMV since the file size is so much smaller and looking at the same 2 videos with each setting they look identical. However, if AVI is a lot better quality I'll do that since hard drive space is so cheap.

Any input?

I've found WMV to be very unreliable - on too many occasions it's hung or created movies that aren't "quite right".

It actually caused me to buy a MacBook and I haven't looked back.

In your case use whatever you can that requires the least Windows input to get it on your HDD, and AVI is an industry standard - and storage is sooooo cheap nowadays.

I've just been through a similar exercise.
There are some great forums on DVD and video capture, just google and you'll find what you need (though likely, more than you need!)
I plug my camcorder into a video capture card, and record onto my PC via Nero, as an mpeg. AVI is fine, except for the large file size, hence I use mpeg. AFAIK mpeg quality is essentialy the same as a DVD. I would not use WMV, it locks you into a format which is not as common as mpeg or avi.
When reviewing formats, I suggest playback on a big screen to see quality differences.
I burnt several test DVD's to get what made me happy.

Videohelp.com has a great reference section.

If I were you, I wouldn't use WMV or Windows MovieMaker.

Yes, but remember that an mpeg is like a jpeg, a compressed file. Each time you open it, manipulate it (like editing), and resave it, information is thrown away. I've had clients who take my files, fool around with them again and again, and then complain that they look really bad. I'm not an expert on video, but for the first save to the hard drive I'd go for some type of uncompressed (or minimally compressed) file.

That's exactly what I wanted to make sure I do. Is AVI an uncompressed file? Is there a better uncompressed file type?