The best way to copy a DVD-RAM to DVD-R ???

[ajv64edition]

I have a DVD-RAM disc that was used in a Panasonic camcorder rather than a tape. Someone used this to record my brother’s wedding, and I wanted to convert it to DVD-R so others can watch it on a normal DVD player.

Right now the only things that can play it, is my Pioneer 16X DVD writer, and the camcorder itself. I’m trying to find the best way to copy this over to a DVD-R.

There are to sides on this disc that I have copied to my hard drive, and I want to have it all on one DVD-R disc, but don’t know where to start, and the best DVD software to use on this.

Here is the list of folders and files on side A and B:

DCIM -> 100HPNX1 -> HPNX0001.JPG to HPNX0029.JPG (Side B there is only one file, which is HPNX0001.JPG, this looks like all the still pictures token from the camcorder)
DVD_RTAV -> VR_MANGR.BUP
VR_MANGR.IFO
VR_MOVIE.VRO (main video/audio recording, I assume.)
VR_STILL.VRO (slide show of all the still pictures, maybe?)
RTR_EXTN -> RX.DAT

I wanted to copy the STILL shots on the DVD-R also, and keep the scenes the same as on the DVD-RAM. Would that be located in the .IFO, or BUP files?

I have been trying to do this in Nero 6 Ultra Edition and just not finding any great way to do this, and to get everything on one disc.

Hope someone out there done this before to give me ideas on what program, or programs to use, and the best way of going about this.

Thanks,

Andy

[ckwok1]

I have a DVD-RAM disc that was used in a Panasonic camcorder rather than a tape. Someone used this to record my brother’s wedding, and I wanted to convert it to DVD-R so others can watch it on a normal DVD player.

Video recorded on DVD-RAM uses DVD-VR format. Basically, all standalone DVD players do not play this format. So you have to extract the video to computer and burn them to DVD+/-R(W) in DVD-Video format.

Not many programs can extract the video from DVD-VR format to MPEG2 file. Ulead Media Studio Pro 7, Ulead Video Studio 8, Ulead DVD Movie Factory 3 Disc Creator and Cyberlink Power Producer 2 Gold should work for you. There are trial versions you can download from their web site.

After extracting to MPEG2 file, depending to the format used in recording, you may or may not need to re-encode it to DVD compliance format.

Finally, use your favorite software tools to author the DVD.

[ajv64edition]

Thanks for the information ckwok1! 8) I'll try one or more of those porgrams to convert the DVD-VR format to MPEG2.

I was hoping it's already in the standard VOB DVD format, and that just the file names are different. I was afraid that isn't the case. Just more work to do with it.

Thanks again

[fscrocco]

TMPenc DVD Author is the best program to author a dvd with menus. Also, I have used Ulead DVD Workshop. You just rename the .vro file to .mpg and bring into DVD Workshop and author. This also works with Ulead MovieFactory. TMPenc DVD Author will work keeping it as .vro or changing to .mpg.

[ckwok1]

You just rename the .vro file to .mpg and bring into DVD Workshop and author. This also works with Ulead MovieFactory. TMPenc DVD Author will work keeping it as .vro or changing to .mpg.

It does not always work by renaming the file. At least that is the case for the .vro on DVD-RAM recorded on my standalone DVD recorder. Furthermore, using the software to do the extraction, we can extract by playlist.

I don't own a Panasonic camcorder that uses DVD-RAM. So renaming may work for those DVD-RAM. And remember that do not let those software do unnecessary conversion because it will affect the quality.

[samijubal]

I have done many of them with TMPGEnc works great.

[anzimike]

I have not worked with panasonic camcorder files per say, but presumably the vr structure is similar to that of vr files created in standalone deck which I work with a lot. As stated above all ulead products and TMPGEnc DVD Author (TDA) will directly import vr files without renaming. Ulead Mediastudio pro only works on avi, I believe but has an included program to extract the vros to mpeg. Normally I would use TDA for ease of use and cost-effectiveness, but I don't believe that it can do the slideshow. I would probably try ulead movifactory, as I believe it can incorporate video and slideshow on one disc. If the program refuses to import the video (use button "import dvd video") you may have to make sure the vr.ifo and vr.vro (yes, they are the video files) are in a folder named RTAV. Hopefully they are in a dvd-compliant resolution (See what is dvd to upper left) or you will have to re-encode. How long is the video? If under 2 hours you can probably fit it all on one disc in full d1 resolution. Otherwise you will have to shrink, reencode or split to two discs. Good luck.

[fscrocco]

I have a Panasonic dmr-e20 standalone dvd recorder that will be three years old in a few months. I have been using this method for three years:
Record on dvd-ram, put in my Panny lf-d321 (internal dvd-ram/-r reader/writer), trim MovieAlbum if necessary (software came with burner), copy .vro file to computer HD, change extension to .mpg, bring into Ulead DVD Workshop, author and burn. Sometimes I have also brought .mpg file into Ulead Video Media Pro first and edited, adding transitions, music, etc., then author. In Workshop, when you go to the final step to burn, you pick the option that says "do not convert compliant file" and it "passes through" the file without reprocessing the video or audio, which stays ac3. It has worked every time, never had an occasion when this does not work.
In MovieAlbum, you can set chapter points as well as trimming the ends or trimming out commercials. When you copy to HD, leave all files and do not rename anything, bring into TMPeg DVD Author, and it will recognize chapter stops. Author and burn.

[ajv64edition]

anzimike,

To answer your question about how long the video really is, it's less than an hour of recording.

I have copied everything from the disc to my hard drive.

The VR_MOVIE.VRO on side A is no more than 1.16 GB and on side B, the same file is only 583 MB. The other files on that disc are only a few MB's.

It should easily fit on a 4.7 GB DVD-R I would think.

I can open and play these VRO files with PowerDVD, and open the files in some of the Tools that come with Nero 6 Ultra Edition. Like NeroVision Express 2 for example.

Thanks everyone! 8)