VR files from home DVD recorder

[jazzman]

I purchased my 1st DVD recorder console, a Pan DME-100H. It is a pretty amazing machine with a 120gig drive,DVD-RAM, and DVD-R dubbing routines. I downloaded (for a fee) READDVD for OSX from Software Architects and "viola" the files on the DVD-RAM cartridge appear on the OSX desktop. What I have is a folder with a VR_MANGR.BUP , VR_MANGR.IFO , and lastly a VR_MOVIE.VRO . The MOVIE file opens and plays nicely with audio in VLAN (almost everything seems to open in VLAN) but not in Quicktime or DVD Player, and it won't import into DVD Studio Pro or FCP. It won't append. I am going to try to import back to OS9 and try my old GREAT VIDEO conversion utility. Does anyone have any insight here? And the D+ thing, I think it sucks but I'll live without it.

[jazzman]

bbDemux does a nice job of pulling the m2v video file out of the VR.MOVIE file written to the DVD-RAM disk by the Panasonic DVD recorder. It directly imports into DVDSTUDIOPRO. The resultant AC3 file (when decoded w/mAC3 decoder or B42go) however, has a stuttering, broken quality to it. I am almost there, looking for a little help or advice.

[AntnyMD]

Since that .ac3 file should only be a 2-channel stereo file, try converting it to an .aiff file (try mAC3dec), then use A.Pack to remake the .ac3 file. Just a guess.

[jazzman]

I suspect that the AC3 file is already corrupt as extracted by bbDemux. VLC (Video Lan Player) knows what type of audio file it is because it plays it perfectly (the VRO file that is, that has audio and video combined). I tried all the things you mentioned. Well as it is, at least you can dub to DVD-RAM on your Panasonic home DVD recorder and then mount in on the OSX desktop and play it on your Mac (and out to a DVI projector, ect.) via VLC. I suspect that other utilities will be forthcoming in the near future with the coming popularity of the VRO format. I see that, as usual, these issues have already been addressed on the PC side of things.

[Odiwan]

Hi

I'm waiting to edit the .VRO files too, I record it in a Panasonic DVD-RAM recorder, VLAN plays it correctly, but I can´t edit the files and record on DVD-R

Bye

[jazzman]

I purchased DVDconnexit from Heuris last week. I was the 1st customer they say. I have not been able to get it to work although they say I'm the only one having problems. There support seems pretty good, I'll let you know if they get it solved for me. It's pretty spendy @ $150. I notice that with the latest verison (May 2003) of the $20 apple mpeg player that the VR files play in FCP and QT albiet with no sound. (as usual with QT and mpeg2 files).

[SERBIAN]

bbDemux does a nice job of pulling the m2v video file out of the VR.MOVIE file written to the DVD-RAM disk by the Panasonic DVD recorder. It directly imports into DVDSTUDIOPRO. The resultant AC3 file (when decoded w/mAC3 decoder or B42go) however, has a stuttering, broken quality to it. I am almost there, looking for a little help or advice.

Download MPEG2 Works app : http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/12715..

Choose "Demultiplex VOB with AC3 sound" under "Mux/demux" tab on "Tools" menu and please let me know what happened...

..And, btw, AC3 sound can be 5:1 surround with 5 tracks in it...

[Odiwan]

Hi

Serbian, I´m do it it now, I tell in the forum tomorrow

Bye

[jazzman]

Serbian,
Wow! Your resultant mpg video & AC3 audio files imported directly into DVDSP and previewed clearly and in synch right away! In case no one has read the posts leading up to this... Dub your recorded files off your HDD of your Panasonic DVD recorder to it's DVD-RAM disc. Make sure you have initallized your machine with ReadDVD by installing and restarting (a royal PIA as my G4 won't read DVD-R's when this is installed and you have to run a terminal de-installer to remove it) so your UDF DVD-RAM disc is recognized by the machine(DVD_RAM drive required). Then demux your .VOR file with MPEG2 Works 2.02 with AC3 option selected. You now have dvd burnable files for your Mac converted from your Panasonic DVD recorder! Next step, can I edit these down or use portions of them in FCP? THANK YOU SERBIAN.

[jazzman]

Demuxed VRO files need to be re-rendered after import into FCP, then they will play on the timeline and are completely editable/parsable. This may be un-avoidable.

[SERBIAN]

Thanx for the info...

Ya...they should be rerendered..I presumed that...Anyway it works...Thats the good thing..

Cheers..

[jazzman]

DVDConnexit from Heuris.............Finally got it working when they sent me a non-registration beta version (that expires soon). I am trying to figure out if if really is worth the bread being that MPEG2WORKS gives me importable files for DVDSP. With DVDConnexit you can double click on the .ifo file from a DVD-RAM, it pops up a window that allows you to open and play the file in Quicktime or import it into Final Cut Pro. It too (like files from MPEG2WORKS) has to be rendered in FCP before it is playable or editable, but my 1st attempt at rendering gave far less then desirable results. I think I have to decode the AC3 file into a aiff file 1st. This is making me scratch my head at the value since VLC will readily play these DVD-RAM VRO files anyway and MPEG2WORKS will break the files down to compatible files. I will have to play with it some more.