VRO Files...Edited on Stand Alone Player...Moving to DVD-R

[trcim4pu]

I've seen a lot of posts on several forums on this topic, but never seen any solutions for my problem.

I have DMR-E20 Stand Alone & Matsushita (Panasonic) Multi-Drive for the PC

Have no problems getting the files from the DVD-RAM to the PC. Where my problems start are with doing something with the edited (on the DMR-E20) VRO file.

DVD Movie Factory
Tried DVD Movie Factory & it does not like the edited video. Upon import, it splits the file up into multiple files, then when you try to make a DVD it always wants to re-encode. I intend to use DVD-Movie Factory to build DVD menu's for the edited video. But with the re-encode, It always kills the AC3 Audio.


TMPGENC
Tried to de-multiplex & re-multiplex with TMPGENC. Get Audio Sync problems, although a single file.

DVD MovieAlbum
Does not come with the Matsushita version of the Multi-Drive. I ordered the CD for the Panasonic LDF321 & it did not have the DVD MovieAlbum SW on the disc (as per a previous post I read). I acquired the MovieAlbum 3.0 SE software from A Panasonic rep, but I couldn't get a good serial number out of the guy & i've never got the SW installed. I wouldn't mind converting the AC-3 audio as I've read about that's how this SW handles the AC-3. Anyone use this SW? I need to get a serial number or figure out how to properly order the disc with this SW so I can try it.

I've been fiddling with this for months on & off, but have never found a good way to bring the edited files into a single .MPG file that I can build menus onto.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thank you

trcim4pu@yahoo.com

[adw1]

On the Panasonic DVD Video Recorders using "shorten segment" with DVD-RAM discs doesn't erase the actual video it just moves the pointers so when you copy the VRO file to your PC it still contains all the video including what you thought you cut out.

I was able to get around it but it's not perfect. I purchased a Panasonic burner that supports DVD-RAM discs and it comes with DVD-MovieAlbumSE v3 software which I can edit the video by spliting the video at each start of the commercials and then again at the end of the commercials, delete those portions from the disc and then merge each remaining portions (with the video to keep) back into one program then use the VRO file on the PC or you can export into a DVD compliant MPEG file.

[adw1]

Forgot to add, a similar function on the Panasonic DVD Video Recorder is "Divide Program" however you cannot merge the programs back into one program using the DVD Video Recorder.

[Bob W]

Is it possible to just rename the file extentions of the three files created by the Panasonic recorders so that they could perhaps be worked with programs like IFOedit or DVDshrink?

[FulciLives]

The best software you can ever buy for use with DVD-RAM discs is WOMBLE MULTIMEDIA's MPEG2VCR

This program will allow you to import the DVD-RAM VRO file and edit it frame accurate and then spit out a usuable MPEG-2 file with the original AC-3 audio that the PANNY stand alone DVD recorder created.

No sync errors. No need to transcode your AC-3 to MP2 etc.

MPEG2VCR is not cheap ... I think it's around $115 or $125 ... but it is the ONLY program that can do MPEG-2/VRO editing PERFECTLY.

Buy it. Use it. Be happy

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
I forgot to add ... no re-encoding of the the file is done.
This is of course important to retain quality.

As for authoring you can use anything that supports AC-3 audio.

[leebo]

FulciLives is correct about mpeg2vcr. It works great!

adw1's statements are suspect to me, however. I have a Pioneer DVR 7000 which also records VRO format. If I edit using the 7000, then transfer the files to my hdd using DVD MF, only the edited portion is copied - the stuff I cut out is gone. Maybe the Panasonic recorders operate differently. The resultant clips are now in mpeg2 format (retaining the AC3). But MF cannot use the AC3.

However! If I edit using the 7000, copy to my hdd using MF, and then connect the clips using mpeg2vcr, the new file eventually goes out of sync. To work around this, I find it's best to edit with the 7000, leaving an extra second on both ends of the cut, and then fine tune it with mpeg2vcr. The new file is in perfect sync. A bonus is that it's easy to find the edit points for fine tuning.

Also, if you're recording in VRO format, but sure to select a quality level that creates DVD compliant frame sizes. Many of the mid-quality levels record at 544X480 or 480X480.
Otherwise, most authoring programs will re-encode (DVD Lab won't).

[trcim4pu]

I couldn't find any decent guides for this SW, only a cut/join guide for this SW.

Which tool in this SW should I use?

Stream Converter? GOP Fixer? Format Converter? De-Multiplex then Multiplex?

Tried a few of these with no success yet. GOP fixer will scan, but won't fix. Stream converter had sync problems.

Any further advise on how to use this SW is appreciated.

Thanks.

[trcim4pu]

I'm referring to the Womble SW MPEG-VCR in the post above, sorry.

[leebo]

It would help if you stated what you want to do with the software.

Edit out commercials? It's not a straightforward process. You can't simply select the part you want to delete.

You open an mpeg. set the mark-in and mark-out for the first segment. Set the insert point to the same place as the mark-out point.

Open the mpeg again, only this time set the mark-in point to the point after the first commercial. Set the mark-out point to the next commercial.
Copy to clip board and close this second clip.

Now go to the clip board and drag that copy onto the first, still opened (original) mpeg.
A window opens. Here you can add a transition if you like, or simply click OK and your mpeg now contains the first and second segments.

Adjust your mark-in point back to the begining of the program, set your out-point and insert point to where the next segment goes.

Open (import) the mpeg yet again, find the next segment, set the mark-in and mark-out, copy to clip board, close the window.

Drag the copied clip to the main (edited) clip and repeat.

I realize this sounds complicated, and it is.

All I can suggest is you read the help file over and over.

It took me quite a while to figure it out. Still don't know how to use the audio editor.

[trcim4pu]

As per my previous post, I have already edited the video on the stand alone recorder. I want to take that edited video & add menus via something like DVD Movie Factory, & burn a DVD.

The problem with the VRO file is two fold 1) The Audio is AC-3, not many SW packages handle this well, and 2) the editing of the video on the stand alone player adds markers of some sort in the video. These markers confuse most PC based SW.

[leebo]

All I can do is repeat:

MF2 transcodes VRO/AC3 files into mpeg2/AC3. There is one complete file per edit. I.E. if you edit out one commercial on the set top, MF2 will give you two mpeg's: one ending at the first edit and one following the removed commercial.

You can use these mpegs in Workshop, DVD Lab, or any authoring program that handles AC3, however they will be treated as seperate programs (meaning there will be a pause between them).

You can use mpeg2vcr to join them b4 importing into the authoring app.
However, in my experience, they will go out of sync if done this way.

Editing in mpeg2vcr rather than in the set top will avoid this.

[Bob W]

Well I know at least I can change the VRO extension to mpg or mpeg and NeoDVD Plus will import the files just fine and make a set of real DVD files after re-encoding.

[next]

As per my previous post, I have already edited the video on the stand alone recorder. I want to take that edited video & add menus via something like DVD Movie Factory, & burn a DVD.

The problem with the VRO file is two fold 1) The Audio is AC-3, not many SW packages handle this well, and 2) the editing of the video on the stand alone player adds markers of some sort in the video. These markers confuse most PC based SW.

There is a product called DVDMovieAlbum that comes bundled with Panasonic Multi DVD burners (the 521 for example) that allows you to join all or your edits into one VRO file - "seamless" for lack of a better term. (free because it is included as a bundled software package but hard to find otherwise)

Only problem is that the audio is converted to PCM.

If you are an AC3 fan this could be a problem.

[leebo]

If I remember correctly, MA converts VRO"s into mpeg's on your hard drive.

Anyway, if you re-read the original post, he already has that software.

[next]

If I remember correctly, MA converts VRO"s into mpeg's on your hard drive.

Anyway, if you re-read the original post, he already has that software.

Sorry.

I perhaps thought he was still looking for a serial number for DVDMovieAlbum. I was not aware based on his post that he had tried it.

Just trying to be helpful based on my experiences with the product.

Experience - yes. Serial number - no.

Edit - MovieAlbum does work for his problem. Based soley on my experience. As always - anybody's mileage may vary.

[next]

To the original poster. Not the easiest guide to follow but after a bit of study it does work:

http://panasonic.jp/dvdram/english/dvdmulti/edit/edit1.html

Remember that AC3 is converted to PCM by using this method. That is my only complaint but for those who do not care it is a solution.

Converting to an mpeg is not a bad thing. Import it into your authoring program of choice and things will work very well.

Sorry - the link is an extremely slow site.

[next]

Please no yellow here for multiple posts. Please new moderators - please.

If I remember correctly this may work as well. I have been busy lately and it has been a while. Try this:

Use Mpeg2vcr. Open the VRO and set your first cut point on the first frame and your second cut point on the last frame. Save the total cut and the resulting file should be an mpeg that you can import into the authoring program of your choice without the VRO issues that the original poster complained about.

This may get rid of the set top box editing problem associated with VRO files. I believe I tested this in the past and it worked fine.

No guarantee but I'm going to give it a test.

[leebo]

I'd be interested in your results.

I tried exactly that when I first got my DVR7000. It only worked so long as I haden't done any editing on the 7000.
If I had, the newly created file would get progressively out of sync.

So now I just edit the whole file with mpeg2vcr and it comes out fine.

Perhaps somehow Panasonic VRO's are different?

[trcim4pu]

Sorry for not following up. I've been blacked out by the power outage. Power restored after 26.5 Hours.

I'll try the MPEG-VCR suggestion as well as NEODVD. Any idea where/how I can procure that DVD-MovieAlbum SW? AS I mentioned previously, I tried to buy from Panasonic, but it wasn't included on the disc they sent for the LFD321.

Will report back when I have some results.

trcim4pu

[ktton]

The best way that I have found is that
1) copy the folder that contain the .vro file to a hard drive.
2) Author and burn with Tmp genc dvd author. This is the best program out there right now. It accepts the .vro file. But remember you should copy your .vro file to your hard drive first because it is much faster that way. This is how I have been making dvd with my E30 and my pioneer 105.

[Bob W]

Sorry for not following up. I've been blacked out by the power outage. Power restored after 26.5 Hours.

I'll try the MPEG-VCR suggestion as well as NEODVD. Any idea where/how I can procure that DVD-MovieAlbum SW? AS I mentioned previously, I tried to buy from Panasonic, but it wasn't included on the disc they sent for the LFD321.

Will report back when I have some results.

trcim4pu

Well I have actually used NeoDVD to make a complete DVD set of files. I just changed the VRO extension to mpg then imported into Neo with no problem. The only downside it takes Neo a good hour or more to re-encode. The final result is very good quality wise and the audio is dead on in sync through the whole movie.

[next]

Sorry for not following up. I've been blacked out by the power outage. Power restored after 26.5 Hours.

I'll try the MPEG-VCR suggestion as well as NEODVD. Any idea where/how I can procure that DVD-MovieAlbum SW? AS I mentioned previously, I tried to buy from Panasonic, but it wasn't included on the disc they sent for the LFD321.

Will report back when I have some results.

trcim4pu

Well I have actually used NeoDVD to make a complete DVD set of files. I just changed the VRO extension to mpg then imported into Neo with no problem. The only downside it takes Neo a good hour or more to re-encode. The final result is very good quality wise and the audio is dead on in sync through the whole movie.

Remember that there is a tremendous about of data here. An hour may not be too long.

[trcim4pu]

Anyone got a part number on the CD that has the DVD MovieAlbum SW on it? THe CD I purchased (that did not have DVD MovieAlbum) was part number VFF0129-3 (part # on the bottom of the CD). I want to see if I can get a "replacement" part from them.

Thanks

trcim4pu

[trcim4pu]

Update...

I get audio sync issues with NEODVD. It does re-encode, but audio is out of sync.

Haven't gotten MPEG-VCR to work without audio sync issues either.

The file play's OK with Win-DVD and Real-One MPG players. No sync issues.

trcim4pu

[trcim4pu]

Anyone got a part number on the CD that has the DVD MovieAlbum SW on it? The CD I purchased (that did not have DVD MovieAlbum) was part number VFF0129-3 (part # on the bottom of the CD). I want to see if I can get a "replacement" part from them.
?

[leebo]

Anyone got a part number on the CD that has the DVD MovieAlbum SW on it?

VFF0128-2

[next]

MovieAlbum works for this problem. I believe it is called "stiching".

Very tough software to find. Panasonic should appreciate the demand and not make it so difficult to purchase.

I had my company purchase the 521 and tested the included bundled software.

Wake up Panasonic.

But beyond the problem stated there is still the AC3 to PCM conversion that MovieAlbum creates.

[next]

Here's the link that got me thinking about DVD-Ram. It includes a tutorial on MovieAlbum. It's a verrrry slow link.


http://panasonic.jp/dvdram/english/dvdmulti/index.html


And it is not the total cure. Just a beginning.


MovieAlbum has its high points but it can be fustrating.


Tolerance levels may vary.

[next]

I'd be interested in your results.

I tried exactly that when I first got my DVR7000. It only worked so long as I haden't done any editing on the 7000.
If I had, the newly created file would get progressively out of sync.

So now I just edit the whole file with mpeg2vcr and it comes out fine.

Perhaps somehow Panasonic VRO's are different?

This is the best strategy. But please keep an eye on the Mpeg2Vcr group.

They are extremely responsive as it relates to VRO issues. Always keep up to date with their software releases. They are great tweakers and have taken on the VRO challenge.

As always and this comment is directed to the masses. Not to the quoted poster. PURCHASE your software tools so the developers have incentive to continue.

[trcim4pu]

Anyone got a part number on the CD that has the DVD MovieAlbum SW on it?

VFF0128-2

Panasonic couldn't find this part number in their database. Do you know what model # of DVD-RAM Drive that this came with?

Any one else got a different part number for the CD they received with their multi-Drive with DVD-Movie Album?