[warp9]

I have some MPEG2 ATI video card captures on my PC that has a Pacific Digital DVD-R/RAM burner (it's a repackaged Panasonic LF-D311 DVD burner drive) that I'd like to transfer over to my Panasonic DMR-HS2 using DVD-RAM discs. These videos were captured on my PC before I bought the excellent HS2 unit to archive my favorite shows. I'd like to get them over to the HS2 to keep the same look and feel of its menus (limited features but quite functional).


I really prefer the easy commercial removal and quicker speed of the overall dubbing process to DVD-R on the DMR-HS2 unit from its hard drive versus the long time required on the PC to edit out commercials (I use TMPG's MPEG tools), demux the edited Mpeg2's using DVD2AVI into separate video and audio tracks, clean up the video noise with TMPG by re-encoding them, author them into VOB format using IFOEdit, and then finally burn to DVD-R with Nero.


This can get frustrating with the audio out-of-sync issues if you're not careful doing the demux/remux. (DVD2AVI works best for me). I've tried several other video editing packages such as Ulead, NeoStandard, MyDVD, etc... with lower quality results compared to the above process.


Anyway, I've yet to find any freeware or low-cost software that can work the backward direction: MPEG2-on-PC to VRO-for-DMR HS2 on DVD-RAM. Does anyone know of PC software for transferring videos this way? Thanks!

 

[oferlaor]

probably your best solution is to either get a DVD-RAM drive, or a display card that can output component (that you can record into your HS2).


Either way, it'll be a costly proposition.

 

[warp9]

Quote:

Originally posted by oferlaor probably your best solution is to either get a DVD-RAM drive, or a display card that can output component (that you can record into your HS2). Either way, it'll be a costly proposition.

Thanks- I already have a DVD-RAM drive on the PC and have been able to import VRO recordings into my PC from the DMR-HS2 unit using DVD2AVI software to read the DVD-RAM discs.


However, I'd actually like to go the other way around: PC MPEG2 format TO the DMR-HS2 unit for quicker and easier editing and dubbing over to DVD-R discs. Its commercial skip key advances one minute at a time thru recordings and the Shorten Segment function makes editing a one-hour show about 3 minutes worth of work. Then dubbing over to a DVD-R is in real time at about 41 or 42 minutes for most hour long shows.


Otherwise, it takes an entire day to demux the MPEG2 file, cut and merge segments to remove commercials, then reencode on the PC with TMPGEnc software to reduce video noise in the MPEG2 captures. I then use IFOEdit's simple DVD authoring function to create VOB files that auto-play upon disc insertion (no menu) prior to burning with Nero. This works Ok, but the time and work factor is way above what it takes to do this on the DMR-HS2 unit. I'll not have the benefit of cleaning up the video noise with a simple import over to the HS2 via DVD-RAM disc (if possible at all), but the time saved would be worth it I think.

 

[jbablak]



Originally posted by warp9

Thanks- I already have a DVD-RAM drive on the PC and have been able to import VRO recordings into my PC from the DMR-HS2 unit using DVD2AVI software to read the DVD-RAM discs.


warp9 -

Could you explain how you do this? I have been trying to read a RAM disc created by my HS2 on my PC so I can edit it and add better transistions. I have gotten spotty results, depending on what programs I use (no audio, audio out of sync, video motion issues). It would be a big help to see how someone else has done it successfully.


Thanks

 

[btokars]

I've been trying to find a way to create a DVD-RAM disc on my computer(s) using the Panasonic LF-D311 HS2 reads the disk as unformatted. I've tried formatting the RAM disk on the HS2 and writing on it on the burner but that doesn't work either. I'm beginning to think that the HS2 formatting of the DVD-RAM is incompatable with the Panasonic DVD-R/RAM external writer/burner. Does anyone here have any thoughts on this. Ideally, if it's at all possible, I want to put some video on the DVD-RAM, dub it to the HS2 and then, using the variable speed option on the HS2, burn longer videos (2-3 hours) on one DVD-R. Can this be done?

 

[warp9]



Originally posted by jbablak


Quote:

Originally posted by warp9 Thanks- I already have a DVD-RAM drive on the PC and have been able to import VRO recordings into my PC from the DMR-HS2 unit using DVD2AVI software to read the DVD-RAM discs. warp9 - Could you explain how you do this? I have been trying to read a RAM disc created by my HS2 on my PC so I can edit it and add better transistions. I have gotten spotty results, depending on what programs I use (no audio, audio out of sync, video motion issues). It would be a big help to see how someone else has done it successfully. Thanks

Visit VCDHELP.com for some excellent guides that explain the below steps in more detail. The method below works for VRO's with just one segment, but I've never tried it with multi-segments:


1. Get TMPGenc freeware from vcdhelp.com.

2. TMPGenc->File->Mpeg Tools...

3. Select Simple Demux tab and input your VRO file name.

4. TMPGenc will demux the VRO into .mv2 video and .ac3 or .wav audio files for import into your authoring program.

5. I use DVDMaestro for authoring, which has an audio track sync function that really works well in making sure the audio syncs with the video. I've had troubles with everything else including Ulead Videostudio, MyDVD, NeoDVD, etc.

Good Luck!

 

[warp9]

Quote:

Originally posted by btokars I've been trying to find a way to create a DVD-RAM disc on my computer(s) using the Panasonic LF-D311 HS2 reads the disk as unformatted. I've tried formatting the RAM disk on the HS2 and writing on it on the burner but that doesn't work either. I'm beginning to think that the HS2 formatting of the DVD-RAM is incompatable with the Panasonic DVD-R/RAM external writer/burner. Does anyone here have any thoughts on this. Ideally, if it's at all possible, I want to put some video on the DVD-RAM, dub it to the HS2 and then, using the variable speed option on the HS2, burn longer videos (2-3 hours) on one DVD-R. Can this be done?

That's similar to what I'd like to do too, but no luck so far for going in this transfer direction...

 

[vferrari]

For authoring DVD-R from vro, DVD Workshop can take the vro directly (just change extension from vro to mpg) without the need to demux. Will burn a DVD-R with chapter stops and menus with AC3 audio intact and in sync with the video.


For various reasons, you can't take a raw mpeg2 file off your computer and convert it to vro directly. Panasonic's $13 MovieAlbum PC application allows you to edit and export DVD-RAM vros. It also has an import feature that allows you to import/encode DV avi's to a PC DVD-RAM in vro format so that they can be played back on standalone DVD-RAM recorders and players.


Good luck,

Vic

 

[warp9]

Quote:

Originally posted by vferrari For authoring DVD-R from vro, DVD Workshop can take the vro directly (just change extension from vro to mpg) without the need to demux. Will burn a DVD-R with chapter stops and menus with AC3 audio intact and in sync with the video. For various reasons, you can't take a raw mpeg2 file off your computer and convert it to vro directly. Panasonic's $13 MovieAlbum PC application allows you to edit and export DVD-RAM vros. It also has an import feature that allows you to import/encode DV avi's to a PC DVD-RAM in vro format so that they can be played back on standalone DVD-RAM recorders and players. Good luck, Vic

Vic- thanks for the Panasonic MA software tip. I actually ordered it last month, and it's due to be shipped out Dec 12th since it was on backorder. I might try converting my mpeg2s to DV avi's for import into MA and final export to vro on DVD-RAM. I read somewhere that software called "Latex" or something like that'll do the mpeg2 to Dv avi conversion, and maybe there's others? What an adventure some of these projects become!

 

[btokars]

Warp9...


Where did you place your order for MovieAlbum? I've been hunting for a copy and have yet to find any place that has it unbundled with the Panasonic burner.

 

[vferrari]

Do a forum search using the term MovieAlbum and you should find the thread that has the Panasonic replacement parts 800 number and part no. and order it directly from them (that's the only way you can get it separate from a drive). If you can't find it, let me know I'll try to dig it up from my old paperwork.


Vic

 

[btokars]

vferrari --


Thanks. I found the thread and just placed my order. The disk with MovieAlbum on it is still backordered but they think it will probably ship by the 19th.