Converting Panasonic DMRE55 recordings to DVD

[ivesy]

I have a Panasonic DMRE55 and loads of disks with recordings from it which I'd like to play on other DVD players.

My 2 PC DVD drives don't read DVD RAM disks or the Disks made onto DVD -R from the DMRE55 (though it does read and write to -R)

I would like to know 2 things.

1) Is there any software out there that will convert these recordings to DVD so that it can be viewed on other DVD players.

2) What would be the best PC DVD drive to buy that will read these disks?

Hope all that makes sense. Any help or advise would be appreciated.

[usually_quiet]

Are you sure your PC's drives are at fault? Did you finalize the recordings made to DVD-R? If so, they are already in proper DVD format and most PC drives and many DVD players ought to be able to play them. However, they can’t play unfinalized discs. In my experience, the file Panasonic DVD recorders write to DVD-R or –RW prior to finalization isn't detectable using Windows Explorer. For that you need specialized software such as ISOBuster.

DVD-RAM is another story. Panasonic records to DVD-RAM in a different file format than for DVD-R or DVD-RW, and you can’t finalize them. I often didn’t get good results copying from DVD-RAM and editing or authoring to regular DVD format, so I try to use DVD-R or -RW to record anything I want to save. Supposedly, the pay version of ISOBuster can extract these files correctly. I don’t have it, so I can’t say for sure. It was just less troublesome and costly for me to switch to DVD–RW.

If you find you must buy new drives I recommend LG's DVD burners. There are lots of posts regarding editing and authoring software in the various fora. If you do a little research there I'm sure it will help you.

[handyguy]

"Disks made onto DVD -R from the DMRE55 (though it does read and write to -R) "

Those disks should be readable on any other drive as long as you finalized them in the disk menu.

[ivesy]

Thanks for that. I wonder if the reason why they can't be 'read' is because the programes have been recorded using 'LP' so they can fit the disk? Anyway I'll do some investigating. Thanks again.

[lennyt]

I think the LG drives are one of the few that can read DVD-RAM. I've had the model GSA-4160 for about 2 years now to read DVD-RAM disks from my Pany E-55.

[ntscuser]

Thanks for that. I wonder if the reason why they can't be 'read' is because the programes have been recorded using 'LP' so they can fit the disk? Anyway I'll do some investigating. Thanks again.

Yes. My PC is often unable to read Panasonic DMR recordings of longer than 3 hrs. Apart from that it's possible to reauthor a DMR recording in TDA - addmenu, chapters, etc - without having to re-encode.

I think the LG drives are one of the few that can read DVD-RAM. I've had the model GSA-4160 for about 2 years now to read DVD-RAM disks from my Pany E-55.

Some LG models can, many can't. It depends on the model number. My ND-3520AW definitely can't.