Help with procedure to copy from Sky+ to DVD-R on Panasonic

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

I hope someone can help me with a procedure for copying from a sky+ box down to DVD-R on a Panasonic DVD Recorder (E100S).

I want to copy the programs down to the hard disk, edit out all the adverts then copy them to a DVD at the best possible quality (FR Mode?).

Thanks

Graham

[bugster]

Which particular part of the procedure would you like help with 1st?

[rhegedus]

Connect the Sky+ box to the Panasonic with a SCART lead. Play the program on the Sky+ box whilst recording to HD on the Panasonic. Edit out the commercials and then author to DVD.

The stuff you need to know will be in the Sky+ and the Panasonic instruction manuals....

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Based on what I have read from the cheat sheet and various reviews (i.e Home Cinema Choice) I have tried the following:

1) Record the programs from the Sky+ to the HDD in XP mode
2) Edited out all the adverts etc. (brings a copy of The Handler down to 41 minutes.
3) Gone to dubbing
4) Set the direction to be HDD -> DVD-R
5) Set the mode to FR
6) Selected three episodes that I had edited giving a total run time of 2 hours 4 minutes
7) Dubbed to DVD-R

What I was expecting was a full dvd with quality very slightly below SP mode (FR filling the disk). What I appear to have got is only half the dvd burned (looking at the disk) which would indicate it used LP mode.

I am assuming I am doing something wrong.

Graham

[rhegedus]

How many episodes do you want per DVD (i.e. total minutes)?

[GWalmsley]

How many episodes do you want per DVD (i.e. total minutes)?

Hi,

Because each episode without the adverts is 41 minutes (ish), I was trying to use FR mode to squeeze three onto one disk (2 hours 4 minutes).

Graham

[rhegedus]

Yeah sorry, just read the last bit of your post.

Check the DVD to see if all the episodes are on there. Now check the copy list on the Panasonic to see if there was any problem with the transfer. You may well have to specify what sort of quality you want the recording to be in several times, otherwise it may default to SP if you change screens or options while chosing.

p.s. now would be a good time to invest in some DVD-RAM disks

[GWalmsley]

Check the DVD to see if all the episodes are on there. Now check the copy list on the Panasonic to see if there was any problem with the transfer. You may well have to specify what sort of quality you want the recording to be in several times, otherwise it may default to SP if you change screens or options while chosing.

Hi,

Yes, all three episodes are on the disk. Where do you specify the quality for the recording? I thought that if you choose FR mode it resampled the original recording to make it fit (that is why I did the original transfer from Sky+ at XP to give it the best quality to work with).

Graham

[rhegedus]

Just a thought, what is XP recording mode on the Panasonic? It soubds as if it is an EP/LP mode.

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

XP - 1 Hour on a DVD
SP - 2 Hours
LP - 4 Hours
EP - 6 Hours

Graham

[rhegedus]

Is it possible to see how much space each episode takes up on HD? It's strange that you disk is only half full - makes me think that something was recorded as LP instead.

[GWalmsley]

Is it possible to see how much space each episode takes up on HD? It's strange that you disk is only half full - makes me think that something was recorded as LP instead.

Hi,

Looking at the information on the recording it says XP 41 minutes. Anyway, if it was recorded at LP, FR mode should still resample it and fill the disk. I know the picture would not improved.

Looking at the recording on the DVD it is of lower quality than the recording on the HDD.

Do you do this type of recording (copy to HD, remove adverts, copy to DVD-R)? If so, what method do you use?

Thanks

Graham

[rhegedus]

This is my method:

1) Transfer from HD to DVD-RW in one hour blocks at the highest quality.
2) Copy from DVD-RW to PC.
3) Save as DV with VirtualDub Vob
4) Edit out commercials.
5) Re-save as DV
5) Encode (VBR) with TMPGEnc Plus
6) Author with TMPGEnc DVD Author
7) Burn with Nero.

Seems very convoluted, but I've managed to get films of 2-3 hours onto DVD without any noticable loss in quality when viewed on a 28" widescreen TV.

[handyguy]

I think you should just search the forum for Sky as there have been a few topics on it & the panasonic already for ya.

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

The reason I bought the panasonic was so I would not need to go down the PC route.

Does anyone know how the FR mode on the Panasonic is supposed to work while dubbing?

Graham

[rhegedus]

The reason I bought the panasonic was so I would not need to go down the PC route.

Granted, but the editing on set-top DVDRs is pretty basic cut and join. No filters, no blending, nothing.

I bought my Pioneer because I got fed up capturing with my PC all the time.

[GWalmsley]

I think you should just search the forum for Sky as there have been a few topics on it & the panasonic already for ya.

Hi,

I have done another search (I did one before posting) and I can find 81 topics but none which deal with the issue of copying to HDD, editing out the adverts, then dropping down onto DVD.

Graham

[Stu Jordan]

Hi there, The disc was recorded in "Long Play" mode. You have to select "FR" after you have selected the programs you wish to dub.
Page 61 of the manual refers:-
Go to the Dubbing Screen.
Select the dubbing direction.
Select the items for dubbing.
Press RETURN to store.
Select the recording mode (FR).
Select Dubbing & press enter.
A comfirmation screen will be displayed stating that FR has been selected.
Select YES, & press ENTER.
Note, as the total time was over 2 hours long, "LP" will be illuminate on the front display.[/b]

[GWalmsley]

Stu,

Are you saying the problem was I selected FR mode then added the programs when what I should have done was add the programs THEN select FR mode?

Thanks

Graham

[Stu Jordan]

Yes, it has to be done in that order.

[GWalmsley]

Yes, it has to be done in that order.

Thanks for that. I will give it a go this weekend and let you know the results.

Graham

[GWalmsley]

It gets worse!

Ok, tried Stu's instructions with the following results. The E100S was left with the input set to AV2 which is my Sky+ box.

Try 1: Appeared to burn OK to a DVD-R but when trying to play back I found all three episodes where 126 minutes of a still frame from what was on the TV at the moment the dubbing started.

Try 2: Started to burn a DVD-R ok but at 3 minutes into the second episode the E100S turned itself off (BYE displayed on the LCD) then on again and showed 'Their has been an error. Press enter'. Pressed enter adn the E100S rebooted itself again and returned with the same message. Rebooted again then got a 'Change Disk' message.

Try 3: Same result at Try 2. This time I watched the TV to make sure everything was working. The picture on the screen appeared to falter then start again about 2 seconds before the E100S turned itselft off

Try 4: Same result as Try 1. Watched the TV and The Handler was playing

Try 5: Fed up with trashing DVD-Rs I moved over to a DVD-Ram. Same result at try 1

I was consistant with the setup of each disk:

1) Pressed the functions button
2) Selectin dubbing
3) cursor down to the program selection box and selected the first three episodes of The Handler
4) cursor back up to the recording mode box
5) selected FR mode
6) cursor down to the start dubbing option and pressed enter
7) answered yes to the FR mode question

Is it just me or does there appear to be something wrong with my E100S? The three episodes play fine from the HDD.

Graham

[Stu Jordan]

Hi Graham. It sounds like you may have a some bad discs. What brand are you useing? Unbranded or very cheap discs give these problems. Was the recording side dirty or scratched. Also did you notice any error codes displayed before the unit shut down?

Stu.

[Capmaster]

GWalmsley,
You don't mention anywhere where you enter recording time when selecting FR mode. FR mode is useless unless it knows how long the recording is going to be. It may be defaulting to another mode. But then I would think it would prompt you for that, so somehow it thinks it knows.

I have an E50 and in every instance of doing FR recording, I'm required to enter the recording time, since bitrate=disc capacity/recording time. Unless the FR mode is handled differently on HD models?

[GWalmsley]

You don't mention anywhere where you enter recording time when selecting FR mode. FR mode is useless unless it knows how long the recording is going to be. It may be defaulting to another mode. But then I would think it would prompt you for that, so somehow it thinks it knows.

I have an E50 and in every instance of doing FR recording, I'm required to enter the recording time, since bitrate=disc capacity/recording time. Unless the FR mode is handled differently on HD models?

Hi,

Yes, I think it is different on HD models. If I select FR recording (when recording from the TV I do indeed get asked for a recording time. When dubbing from the HD to DVD-R the recording time appears on the screen as 6:00 and you can't change it. I assume it is picking it up automatically from the duration of the recording on the HD.

Graham

[GWalmsley]

Hi Graham. It sounds like you may have a some bad discs. What brand are you useing? Unbranded or very cheap discs give these problems. Was the recording side dirty or scratched. Also did you notice any error codes displayed before the unit shut down?

I purchased the disks as white printable Ritek 4x from www.dvd-and-media.com. As I am suspicious by nature I checked the disks using DVD Info Pro and it does report them as 4x RITEKG04.

I am under the impression that Ritek are good disks. Is this the case?

Also, not error messages on the E100S, just the freeze of the picture followed the shutdown. On restart you get the 'Their has been an error' message on the screen. It is strange at, looking at the amount of disk burt, that the error appears at what appears to be the same place every time as if it is an encoding error.

Thanks

Graham

[rhegedus]

Rip the disks that have had recordings made to them to your PC then load one of the VOBs into VirtualDub VOB and check the file information. The video data rate and resolution will tell you what recording mode has been used.

[Stu Jordan]

Hi Graham. I think Ritek can sometimes have bad batches. Last year I bought a spindle of 25 "Datasafe Media" 2x speed discs (Ritek dye). Almost half of them caused the HS2 to shut down about 30 seconds after I started dubbing. Also a batch of Data-write blanks I bought had imperfections in the dye which had the same effect. Have you had problems with any other brands? I have found that Panasonic branded discs have given no problems so far. I got some from:–
http://www.rivierapublishing.co.uk/acatalog/PANASONIC_DVD_R.html
Also you can buy them direct from the Panasonic web site:–
http://eshop.panasonic.co.uk/shop.aspx

Stu.

[GWalmsley]

Hi,

I have some Maxell and TDK DVD-R that I can try as well as some Maxell DVD-RAM in cartridges. The Panasonic disks are nearly twice the price I paid for the ritek but that said, they are much cheaper if they work .

I have been trying the Maxell DVD-RAM and while I don't get the shutdown with them I do have the recording a still frame from AV2 rather than the program. Any ideas on that one?

At this point I am considering selecting the 'restore to factory default' option on the setup menu but I don't want to lose what I have on the hard disk.

Graham

[Stu Jordan]

Hi. Try the TDK DVD-R and see if that is any better. Not sure why you are having problems with the RAM disc, unless the Sky+ box is in some way interfering with your set-up.
How have you set up your AV2 settings? (Functions / Settings / Connections)
My set-up is as follows:-
Sky TV SCART to Panny HS2 AV2 SCART.
Panny HS2 AV1 SCART to TV SCART.
Sky is set to output RGB & Scart contol ON
Panny AV2 set to RGB
Only try Reset to Factory Defaults as a last resort as you will lose every thing on your HDD.
Also try the Panasonic Customer Support Line below
08705 357357 opening hours are 9.00 to 17.30 Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays)
Stu.