Panasonic E100 problems with FR dubbing and top menus

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

I am having problems with dubbing HDD content to DVD-R using FR mode. It may be I am mis-interpreting the manual but I am under the impression that when dubbing to DVD-R from the HDD using FR mode it should fill the DVD-R to capacity giving the best possible quality. The review in Home Cinema Choice also give this impression.

This is the reason I bought the Panasonic rather than something else. My resultas are not as I expected.

Example of what I am talking about.

I recorded three episodes of The Handler from Sky onto the HDD in XP mode. I then edited out the titles and adverts which left me with 3 41 minute files. I edited the programs rather than use a playlist.

I then selected dubbing, set the direction to be HDD->DVD-R and selected FR as the recording mode. I then added the three files to the dubbing list giving me a total time of 02:04. Now, what I was expecting was the files to be resampled at a lower rate than the XP they were recorded at so they would fit onto the disk at something similar to SP mode and fill the disk.

What I got, looking at the disk, was only half the disk written to as if it had used LP mode.

Anyone any ideas what I am doing wrong or am I interpreting things wrong? I have tried recording programs to the HDD using FR mode recording but once I have edited out all the adverts the files are smaller than I wanted.

The other issue I am seeing is with the top menu. If I copy just one program onto a DVD-R then the top menu appears corrupted after the disk is finalised. The background appears to be a copy of a frame from a currently broadcast program, the thumbnail and program description is missing but the yellow track selection box is present.

I have read the cheat sheet that was written but it does not appear to cover this senario. Any help would be appreciated.

Graham

[shutterbug]

Your post was very clear and to the point. Everything you described in the dubbing process is the way I understand it as well. Sounds pretty much the way I dub on my E-80. The only things that come to mind are: You may want to check your setup and make sure you have *hybrid VBR resolution* set to fixed. And, if you playback your disc on your e-100, click your status button twice on your remote. You can see the bit rate for your recording. It should be up around 8 mb/sec. As long as your sure you originally recorded in XP then dubbed to FR, that's all I can think of.

As I understand it, FR mode is supposed to balance bit rate and resolution (704*480 or 352*240-- NTSC) to fill the disc.

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

Since my original post things have moved on. They have now got worse!

First the good news, I have managed to produce one disk with the three episodes of the handler on it with a working top menu.

Now the bad news, I have not been able to produce another one since.

The problems I am seeing are very strange. I either get the E100S shutting down part way through the recording and restarting with a 'Their has been an error' message or it appears to record fine (the correct program is being displayed on the tv) but when I play the disk I get two hours of a still frame of whatever program was being input on AV2 at the moment the recording started.

Graham

[shutterbug]

If you've had your recorder for a while and done quite a bit of editing, you might consider reformatting the hard drive. If you're sure all your input connections are wired correctly; you're using media you've had good results with and you understand the unit pretty well, then you've got me at a loss. It might be time to call Panasonic.

I've had several recover errors, but I've never made a coaster in 4 months and close to 100 discs with my E80. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

I have only had the recorder around 2 weeks and so far I have managed to produce 1 good disk using FR mode.

I am using RITEK04 DVD-R media and Maxell DVD-RAM Type I cartridge media.

On the DVD-R I get a mix of errors:
The recorder shuts down part way through a dub
A full disk of a still frame from whatever was coming into the player from AV2
The correct programs on the disk but when finalised a corrupt top menu with a still frame from whatever was coming into the player from AV2 instead of the specified background and contents.

On the DVD-RAM I just tend to get the full disk of still frame problem.

Graham

[shutterbug]

I'm guessing you're in the U.K., if you bought it at a retail store, box that puppy up and bring it back in exchange for a new one ASAP!! Sounds like you may have a defective unit. I've been using the Ritek G-03's with excellent results.

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

Got the Panasonic as a present so I don't actually know where it was purchased. Guess I will have to ask if they still have the receipt for it .

I have been doing some more testing and copying stuff over to DVD-RAM at high speed appears to work. I am currently trying two episodes of The Handler at SP.

Graham