Avi - mpeg2 - dvd

[Miroslav2012]

Hi

Total newbie, please be patient.

I'm trying to copy a video (.avi) to DVD so that I can then copy it onto my Sony DVD HDD.

I understand I have to copy it to MPEG2 then to DVD - it copies to the DVD, plays on the DVD Recorder, but won't let me copy it to my DVD's HDD - the DVD/CD - HDD part is greyed out so it is not clickable.

I've tried many DVD programs and wasted many DVD's that i'm going to buy some DVD RW's so I can reuse them.

Any advice.................please.....i'm losing the plot.

Thanks.

[olyteddy]

AVS2DVD does a good job.

[Trippedout]

most dvd recorders with hdd use linux software it may output to disc vob or mpg or what ever but the file extention its self on the hdd may not be as you think research linux file extention for you recorder that may be the problem do a little research useing google mite help you out think that mite be the problem your encountering could be wrong but worth a try.

[Miroslav2012]

Thanks olyteddy, i'll give it a go.

Tripped out - oh my. That would confuse me even more, but I will have a google anyway. I just hoped it would be an easy conversion, but clearly not. Thanks.

[Miroslav2012]

I think olyteddy's suggestion has worked...

Thank you!

I still couldn't copy through the DVD/CD - HDD but it let me hold down HDD/DVD DUB which it wouldn't le me do on other discs!

Thanks again! Hopefully it will do this for my other files.

[hech54]

I still couldn't copy through the DVD/CD - HDD but it let me hold down HDD/DVD DUB which it wouldn't le me do on other discs!

I don't fully understand what you are trying to do with your DVD recorder but it MIGHT be a video format issue(PAL - NTSC). You most likely do not know the source of that original AVI file.

[Miroslav2012]

I don't fully understand what you are trying to do with your DVD recorder but it MIGHT be a video format issue(PAL - NTSC). You most likely do not know the source of that original AVI file.

I think it was just the programs I was using.

AVS2DVD seems to have worked.

I will do some more and find out.

I'm just basically trying to put some downloaded videos onto DVD so I can upload it to my DVD's HDD to put them with my TV Programmes on there.

I have done it all in PAL as opposed to NTSC.

[Miroslav2012]

Ok, it is working my DVD player is only recognising the first title on the list, so i'm going to have to do this via DVD RW as it's too expensive to waste 1 DVD per title.

[orsetto]

You are trying to do something that your recorder was not designed to accommodate, that is the key problem. If your DVD/HDD was purchased after 2006, it is a hybrid production of Sony and Pioneer: these later models are very particular about what PC video files they will play or allow to be dubbed to their HDDs. I've run into this issue myself with my Pioneers: only a very narrow range of avi and divx files are compatible for playback via USB or transfer to the HDD.

Your use of PC software like AVStodVD or DVDflick to convert the files to DVD, then copying as a real-time analog re-encode to the HDD, is one workaround. But it takes time, you lose some video quality, you run the risk of audio sync drifting, and again this is something the Sony recorder is not designed to accept for HDD dubbing: the Sony internal DVD>HDD dubbing system is intended specifically for DVDs it burned itself, preferably DVD+RW or special "VR" formatted DVD-R / DVD+R. Any DVD you create with AVStoDVD is recognized by your Sony as a burned disc that it is "allowed" to copy to its HDD, but only in real time as a re-encode (third generation from the avi) and it may only dub part of the disc (as you've experienced) while ignoring the rest.

You will please forgive me for saying this, and I'm not criticizing you, but many consumers were misled by unclear marketing of these DVD/HDD recorders. Sony/Pioneer in particular were very vague when promoting the "video jukebox" feature of their later DVD/HDD recorders, implying you could load any random avi or divx file to their HDD. This was very untrue: the units offer minimal compatibility with downloaded video files. If you want a video jukebox you can load with a wide variety of downloaded video clips, you really need a PC with external TV playback interface. The Sony/Pioneer DVD/HDD recorders are not designed for this purpose, and the final Sony/Samsung models were even worse.

I often find that I need to get a downloaded mp4, mkv, avi or flv file onto my Pioneer HDD in order to make a DVD when AVStoDVD fails with those files due to the files being out-of-spec or corrupted. The easiest way to get downloaded files onto a DVD recorder with the least amount of technical fuss is to play them directly from your PC analog outputs into the recorder line inputs. You would need to have analog audio/video outputs on your PC, if these are not available you may need to buy an A/V card to add them. Most laptops cannot be upgraded with accessory cards and most newer laptops limit A/V output to an HDMI connection: if your only PC output is HDMI, you'll need to get one of these little HDMI>Composite A/V adapter boxes (approx $40 US). I use such a box to transfer downloaded videos to my own DVD/HDD recorder to make compilation DVDs when PC conversion software has a hard time with some files.

[Miroslav2012]

Hi Orsetto,

Thanks for taking your time to post all of that.

Yes, I purchased in 2009/2010. I generally encode all files from the internet to AVI or DIVX and they work, but have never tried to move them to the HDD before.

I didn't buy the machine for this, so I didn't really know what it could do and i'm sure it can do many things I didn't know it could. I am not very technical minded - I can do bits, but all I really wanted was a good DVD Recorder with HDD that I could then burn to DVD - that was the easy part.

It all sounds complicated, but when mind is a little clearer, I shall look into updating a few bits and pieces. In the meantime, with a DVD-RW that I have to erase between each file, I shall do the time consuming way - i'm just happy to have found a way possible to do it.

Thanks again for your time and post.