Polaroid DVD recorder question

What model Sony player?

The discs don't play in your computer but you can see them in order to use dvd decrypter? Strange. What DVD player are you using in your computer?

You shouldn't need DVD Decrypter, just drag/drop the VIDEO_TS folder off of the DVD and onto your PC's hard drive.

Unless you want to bring it in as an ISO file.

You can also use it to bring all the VOBs in as one long VOB file.

Indeed. ISO files have the advantage of exactly preserving the layout of the files on the disc. So if you're worried that your burning application won't lay them out right on the target disc, using ISO files would be a way to alleviate that concern. In my experience I've never had such a layout problem, and in fact have never resorted to ISO files to copy discs (or any other reason for that matter). But others no doubt have different experiences.

I would be curious to know how he deterimined that the copies (burned by Nero) are exactly the same as the originals (burned by the Polaroid). Beyond of course just assuming that to be the case since the were created by copying.

pikeshadow - strange question but are you positive you have finalized the disc on the Polaroid?

Strange question I know because you can see it on your computer but I have been able to move unfinalized Polaroid discs to other drives.

You will lose chapter/menu information that way though.

He does say that he finalized it or I would have asked that question too.

Lack of finalization would easily explain not being able to see the disc on PC. Whether DVD Decrypter could see it anyway I can't say, having never used it.

Yes all of it. But it is a good way to bring in video you may want to author on the PC. This way you are not joining the files on the PC. Doesn't really apply here but dvd decrpter does a lot of great things beyond what its name implies.

You're using the exact same kind of disc (media ID) for both burns (Polaroid and Nero)? The Taiyo Yuden's I assume?

And the Polaroid disc is finalized?

Lots of parallel posting at the moment.

If the same discs were used for both burns I'm having a hard time explaining your symptoms. "It should work!"

EDIT: Just saw your affirmative response. I have no explanation for your problem unfortunately. Exact copies on the same brand/etc. of media should be equally playable barring some one-off media problem. A repeat of the experiment is called for.

It sounds like the circa 2000 Sony may not like the +VR format that the Polaroid burns with. I'm going to check with an older Proscan player I have to see if I can get the same results.

Does Nero do anything different when it burns?

But wouldn't an exact copy of the +VR disc also be a +VR disc and therefore also not play if that's the reason the original doesn't play?

Agreed. Strange. A variable here is the burner. Could the Sony not like the way the Polaroid burner burns a disc. But is ok with how the disc is physically burned with the NEC? No idea. Strange indeed.

That could be the explanation. It burns the same files but perhaps in a differently-named folder.

Each of the two discs could be copied to PC and examined for minor discrepancies.

Another approach would be to use an ISO copy. It would rule out burner differences if both discs are equally unplayable that way.

Yes. Id look to see if that video_rm folder is on the computer burned disc.

bobkart - your ISO comment makes perfect sense in order to rule out or rule in the burner.

This tells me that Nero is converting the +VR Polaroid format to Video Mode. Your Sony does not like the +VR format. Your options are limited. You might try a +R disc and see if the Sony likes +VR on a +R disc. Even try RW discs which you should use anyways if it turns out you have to reburn under Nero.

The circa 2000 I think may come into play with the +VR format.

Nero may just be losing the VIDEO_RM folder, which could be what it confusing the Sony player.

If you just consider what's in the VIDEO_TS folders on each disc, are they the same (names of files and sizes for example). Because a format conversion of that content is not within what I would expect Nero just copying the disc to do.

Good point. A Sony made in 2000 probably is as compliant as it gets to the DVD Video standard. Just the presence of the video_rm folder alone may be enough to make playback fail.

I run Motorola Moxi HD-DVR-> component->Polaroid->component->monitor and DVR-> analog R+W->Polaroid->SPDIF->Denon AVR. No audio problems. Maybe its your cable or Polaroid??

Or possibly, the lack of the AUDIO_TS folder... I had an old 1998 Sony DVD player that wouldn't play a disc if it didn't have the AUDIO_TS folder (even if it was empty)