DVD-RAM to DVD-R: Video Plays in PC However No VRO file?

[wilsonrio]

I have been checking multiple forums and unable to find anyone with the same problem. I am trying to convert a DVD-RAM disc with TV programing originally recorded in the stand alone Panasonic E50 into DVD-R.

I have the PC DVD-RAM drive LG 4120B where I can play the DVD-RAM disc without any problems through PowerDVD. When I go through Windows Explorer and open the "DVD_RTAV" folder it only shows 2 files "VR_MANGR.BUP and VR_MANGR.IFO". I am not sure why Windows does not recognize or show the "VR_MOVIE.VRO" file. Also when I try to open the "DVD_RTAV" folder through TMPGEnc does not work since it can't find any VRO file.

Configuration:
Windows 2000 Professional
Panasonic E50
LG 4120B
Panasonic DVD-RAM disc
PowerDVD 5

Please let me know any suggestions you can. I am not sure if I need a driver or a program to view/recognize the VRO file.

Thank you,
Wilson

[handyguy]

Did you use TMPGEnc Author? Lots of people here on the board wrote about using that with that media.

[wilsonrio]

Yes I tried using TMPGEnc Author 1.6 and the program is unable to find the .VRO file nor display any video information for authoring.

Thank you for your thoughts

[samijubal]

I have the exact same drive and have been doing this all day. When the folder comes up after inserting the disc drag and drop on the desktop. It will copy to the desktop in about 25 minutes, then you can drag it from there into TMPGEnc and do whatever you want with it.

[handyguy]

It's possible that you nee dto chance your panny's record method from AUTO to FIXED.

[samijubal]

Everything I recorded was VBR, no problem. It won't accept the file until it is put on the desktop, can't drag it from the folder that comes up when the disc is inserted into anything I tried, and I tried a bunch of programs. It has to be put on the desktop first for some reason.

[wilsonrio]

Thank you for your continued comments and suggestions. Please note that when I drag the entire DVD_RTAV folder into the desktop still does not work, it shows that the entire folder is 189" KB" which is not true, I have 2.42 "GB" of video on the disk.

Please check below a snap shot of how Windows only recognize 2 files "VR_MANGR.BUP and VR_MANGR.IFO". Also note that PowerDVD plays the video without any problems. As we know a picture can be worth a 1000 words.



I appreciate if you can please send more suggestions on how I can make it work.

Wilson

[indolikaa]

Do you have to have 'Show Hidden Files and Folders' enabled in your Control Panel/Folder Options to see a .VRO file?


Let's see...

No, you don't. I can still see the .VRO file on my DVD-RAM disc.

Hmmm...

[gshelley61]

Download the trial version of Cyberlink PowerProducer 2 Gold here:

http://www.gocyberlink.com/english/products/product_main.jsp?ProdId=54

Apparently there is a driver or something in the program that solves Windows inability to "see" and download VRO files. It works even if you don't purchase the program, but leave the software loaded on your system. Your will find some of your other applications will also be able to handle VRO's after this download.

Be advised that VRO files recorded on the Panasonic can be somewhat buggy and definitely take awhile to extract to your hard drive (about 25 minutes for a full 4.7GB RAM disc)

[wilsonrio]

When I purchased the LG 4120B drive I received the Cyberlink DVD solution: PowerProducer 2 Gold, PowerDVD and Multimedia Launcher. I have all the appliacations mentioned above installed in my system. I am not sure if I need a Windows DLL or someting else...

Thank you again,
Wilson

[samijubal]

Don't use Power DVD, use TMPGEnc after downloading to the desktop. It will do the AC3 audio, Power DVD is LPCM. It must be Windows 2000, I'm using XP. I've been doing it all day again. I copy to the desktop, then put the 5 episodes in order in TMPGEnc, then menu and burn. I did have trouble getting 1 fairly heavily edited RAM on the desktop, tried twice and couldn't get it to the desktop.

[wilsonrio]

I tried again to copy the RTAV folder direct to the desktop and when I use TMPEng to open the RTAV folder, can't find the .VRO file. Below is a snap shot what I am describing. Also note that the RTAV folder size is too small, for some reason is not copying the main VRO file.



When I have a chance I will test in a sytem that has Windows XP.

Wilson

[samijubal]

I updated to A104 firmware before ever using the drive, you might try that. You can get the update from LGs websight.

[victoriabears]

using tmpg author use the wizard and import dvd video-ram source or use the add dvd video option , not add file.

It will then import it as a mpg file takes about 25 minutes, then you can use tmpg author to edit and author and burn, done it dozens of times

Let me know if any further help can be provided.

[wilsonrio]

Thank you for all you replies and continued willingness to help.

Update:
Last night I had a chance to test in a PC that has Windows XP installed. I can confirm that Windows XP is able to recognize the VRO file, which I can say now that must be a Windows 2K issue not been able to recognize the VRO file. I am not sure if there is a patch or fix for Win2K

Also when I inserted the disc , I was able to drag and drop on the desktop. It took a while, however the copy was successful. The challenge I have now is that when I try to open (Add file or Add DVD video) , the DVD_RTAV folder or the VR_MOVIE.VRO file TMPGEnc Author 1.6 gives an error message and show the programs recorded as "Zero" recording time and capacity.

Below is the screen shot showing what I just described above:



I welcome your thoughts and comments on what else I can try.

Thank you
Wilson

[victoriabears]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........., this looks like the occasional problem i encountered, it is something to do with the dvd recorder changing the bitrate or resolution to fit the recording time on a dvd-ram.

rename to vro file to mpg and then try to import using tmpg author.

If that doesn't work use a program of your choice to "read" the file, may be even windows movie maker then save it which will re-encode it in a way that author can read.

Oh the joys of the digital age eh?

[wilsonrio]

Terry,

Thank you for your suggestion. last night I also tried to rename the vro file to mpg and tmpg author could not open.

I will try your other recommendation to use a program like windows movie maker to read the file and save it.

Thank you,
Wilson

[samijubal]

I have been doing this all day again. I don't know what you are doing after getting it on the desktop. I click create new project and then drag from the desktop and drop into the big box, works fine for me.

[elkfir]

It's possible that you nee dto chance your panny's record method from AUTO to FIXED.

I think Handyguy probably has the answer here. If the Panny's Hybrid VBR Resolution is set to AUTO, then you may never be able to import it. Mine's set to FIXED and I never have problems importing the VRO file with TMPGEnc DVD Author.

[dhnj]

Hi

The DVD_RTAV should contain 3 files as follows:

VR_MANGR IFO File
VR_MANGR_BUP.BUP File
VR_MOVIE.VRO VRO File contains Video Material recorded on DMR-E50

In the DMR-E50 Setup set the Hybrid VBR to Fixed

Kind regards

[victoriabears]

I have my vbr set to auto and use tmpgenc author fine with the reslting disks.

One thing I have found if using manual record, if not long enough time is left for it to finiosh the file gets correupted.

[samijubal]

Every Panasonic recording I ever did was VBR and it works fine for me too.

[victoriabears]

copy it onto a dvd-r or +r , mail it to me, i'll fix the ***** thing.

Serious offer

[Capmaster]

copy it onto a dvd-r or +r , mail it to me, i'll fix the ***** thing.

Serious offer

There ya go. If all else fails, someone will help you out one way or the other. Very generous of you, victoriabears.

I love this place

[victoriabears]

alsooooooooo <g> , what is the situation, with hi-speed internet, of emailing a troublesome file?, or even editing it down to make it mailable, so it can be researched and an answer posted?

Just wondered.

[Schmendrick]

I just once had a handling problem having auto instead of fixed when my reception was bad due to a thunderstorm. Then the resolution was switched by the Panny (E30 in my case) frequently back and forth which of course caused terrible problem during further video processing.
So setting to fixed is a good advice as it just fixes the video resolution and not the bitrate during VBR recording, as far as I know.

Demuxing programs like pvastrumento or Project-X (aka X.jar) will brake a video stream into different pieces if the video resolution changes so you can find our if this really is your problem. Otherwise if demux the video and mux it again it might solve your problem. As you have TMPEGEnc you can use the MPEG-Tools for this purpose.

On Windows 2000/ME/98 you need to install a DVD-RAM driver in order to be able to read DVD-RAM-discs formated to UDF 2.0 format like the Panny recordings. A DVD-RAM driver usually is contained within the software bundled for the LG-DVD burners. Until a couple of months ago the german LG-site had these DVD-RAM drivers available for download, but they have removed them. DVD-RAM-driver from the Panasonic-web site are just updates, so you cannot install them on a system where never a DVD-RAM driver has been installed.

CU
Schmendrick

[wilsonrio]

Terry,

Thank you for the offer I will consider it later. I will continue on my ongoing effort to discover what happened and how I can make it work.

Also I am very thankful to Capmaster, samijubal and everybody else for your continued support.

Once I discover and correct my problem, I can offer you with your permission, my help in creating a guide to help others or maybe collaborate in enhancing a current guide on this subject based on my experiences.

Another question: I have the US version of the Panasonic E50, I just checked the manual, page 15 under "Recording Modes" looks like that by default this unit is set for fixed recording, selection options are "XP,SP,LP and EP". Also you can select FR "Flexible Recording Mode" which I never done, I think that is the same as when you refer as VBR mode.

Not sure if there are advanced settings that are not mentioned in the E50 manual.

I have recorded in the same DVD-RAM disc different programming at SP and LP, not sure if it is best to record the entire disk always in the same recording speed, like LP.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Thank you,
Wilson

[samijubal]

I wonder if it's having different record speeds on the disc that are the problem. I've copied many of them to DVD-R, but never one with different speeds on the same disc. VBR and flexible recording aren't the same thing, VBR varies the bitrate according to the input signal giving more important parts of the signal higher rates and less important parts lower rates. Flexible recording figures how much space is left on the disc and picks the highest bitrate it can to fill on the disc.

[Leon8]

Perhaps I can help. I have similar setup.

Now that you can view the vro file. Download a trial version of DVDlab
and use DVDlab to bring in the VRO file and than you can do what you like with it.

[wilsonrio]

I think that Panasonic E50 by default records video in VBR mode, I am not sure how I can set to fixed recording, any thoughts?

Please let me know if it is a limitation of the E50 model or if this is the way all stand alone Panasonic models record video.

Also I appreciate if you can please share your opinions in reference to recording video in the same DVD-RAM disc using different speeds like SP and LP. Does it cause any problems during the conversion DVD-RAM to DVD-R? Is it best to record the entire dick in the same speed?

Thank you,
Wilson