DVD recorder file format?

[stevedore]

I'm thinking of buying a DVD recorder to replace our VCR. My intent is to record TV shows, music videos, etc., & edit out the commercials.

I'm comfortable editing video & creating DVDs on my PC, but I have no idea what format DVD recorders use. I'm considering the pioneer DVR-220. (Local Walmart, $248.)

After recording a TV show, can I simply take the DVD-R/W to my PC & edit the video? What will be on the DVD-R/W, an AVI file, MPEG2 file, or ??

I've heard that before a recorded DVD-R/W can be viewed on another DVD Player, it needs to be finalized in the recorder. Does that apply to a DVD-R/W that I"m going to read in my PC's DVD burner? I wouldn't think so, but I don't know.

Thanks!

[ZippyP.]

They record in mpeg2 in the form of VOB files. These can be copied to your hard drive and there are several programs you can use for editting.

[Capmaster]

I'm thinking of buying a DVD recorder to replace our VCR. My intent is to record TV shows, music videos, etc., & edit out the commercials.

I'm comfortable editing video & creating DVDs on my PC, but I have no idea what format DVD recorders use. I'm considering the pioneer DVR-220. (Local Walmart, $248.)

After recording a TV show, can I simply take the DVD-R/W to my PC & edit the video? What will be on the DVD-R/W, an AVI file, MPEG2 file, or ??

I've heard that before a recorded DVD-R/W can be viewed on another DVD Player, it needs to be finalized in the recorder. Does that apply to a DVD-R/W that I"m going to read in my PC's DVD burner? I wouldn't think so, but I don't know.

Thanks!

Correct. DVD-R or DVD+R recordings need to be finalized before you can play them in set-top players.

A recorder typically records in .VRO format. It remains in this format until it's finalized. .VRO files can be copied to your PC hard disk and edited.

Finalizing it consists of the recorder taking the .VRO file and breaking it out into .VOB, .IFO and .BUP files. The .VOB are the actual video and audio. The .IFO is an information file that tells the set-top player how to play it, and the .BUP is just a backup to the .IFO file.

Once a DVD-/+R is finalized, it can't be written to again. A finalized disc is similar to a commercial disc as far as the player is concerned.

The recorder also puts the files into a VIDEO_TS folder on the disc when you finalize it. This folder is necessary for players to work right.

DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs can be read in set-top players only specifically mentioning this media as compatible. Players that handle these are less common. They can be erased and reused over and over, but are more expensive.

[gshelley61]

Most of the newer DVD recorders will handle -RW's and/or +RW's for recording and playback, and give you a choice of recording in standard DVD-Video format (which is finalized into VOB files) or VR format (VRO files), which does not have to be finalized but is not very compatible with other players.

I record in DVD-Video format, finalize the -RW, then edit in the PC with Womble MPEG Video Wizard. The edited MPG can then be authored and burned to a final DVD-R (TMPGEnc DVD Author is simple and easy to use for this)... all without any re-encoding of the original VOB/MPEG2 file from the -RW (no quality loss).

[handyguy]

A panasonic dvd recorder can finalize in just 4 min.

[ZippyP.]

I record in DVD-Video format, finalize the -RW, then edit in the PC with Womble MPEG Video Wizard.

Womble MVW will open (and edit) VRO files as well, outputting as an mpeg. Recorders that support DVD-Ram record to them in VRO. DVD-Ram is rewritable and there's no finalizing required, but the drive in your PC must support it if you want to import them.

[jbcandkc]

I have a Sharp DVD Recorder. I have been saving 1 hr TV Episodes to DVD using this method.
Record 2 shows in fine mode (1 hr per DVD) to Hard Drive
Edit out the commercials on Sharp Recorder (gets each episode down to about 45 min)
Burn to DVD-RW using exact mode (re-encodes video to fill disc to just under full - kind of like DVD Shrink)
I don't like the menus the Sharp makes so I put the DVD-RW into my computer, rip to streams (.m2v and .ac3) and re-author with menus that I create. Works pretty well for me.

jbcandkc

[redlester]

What software do you guys use for converting the .VOB files to .m2v & .ac3?

This is very appealing as I am keen to back up my VHS stuff and camcorder footage with proper menus & chapter points done on the PC, but the huge time required for encoding to mpeg2 on the PC has put me off so far. The idea of encoding in real time via set-top recorder, then sticking it in the PC and "de-compiling" it so that I can play around with it without the tedious mpeg encode stage sounds ideal.

[NightWing]

Picked up about the same time a 160GB HD + ADS Pyro A/V Link for the video computer and one of the iLO units.

Finding as times go along I am starting to record more on the iLO than the Computer!!! Even though the computer is set up only for Video!!

Its just too easy to do recording on the iLO or really I gues any of these DVR's will do the same thing. It takes hours on the computer to capture, clip out things and then compress it. Oh the computer does a better quality job. But the DVR is so easy to setup and record. Quality is best at 2hours and acceptiable at 4 h.

I dumped stuff off of the TIVO to the iLO that I just never got around to downloading even though I had a good base SVideo JVC permently hooked to it.

Its pretty quick on finalizing and even setting up a blank to record on it.

Looks like DVD Author for me. Simple but only goes for I Frams for cutting and also chapters.

ADDED: The iLO Finalised a DVD+R with one chapter/full disk in about 40~50 seconds. Not bad!

[gshelley61]

What software do you guys use for converting the .VOB files to .m2v & .ac3?

This is very appealing as I am keen to back up my VHS stuff and camcorder footage with proper menus & chapter points done on the PC, but the huge time required for encoding to mpeg2 on the PC has put me off so far. The idea of encoding in real time via set-top recorder, then sticking it in the PC and "de-compiling" it so that I can play around with it without the tedious mpeg encode stage sounds ideal.

I use Womble MPEG Video Wizard for simple frame-accurate editing. TMPGEnc DVD Author is a nice application for building menus and chapter selection. Neither requires any re-encoding of the original MPEG2 video produced by the DVD recorder (no quality loss), and both accept VOB files right off of the recorded disc without having to demux first.

[redlester]

I use Womble MPEG Video Wizard for simple frame-accurate editing....VOB files right off of the recorded disc without having to demux first.

Thanks for that, sounds good. for the few DVD's I've authored so far I've used DVD Maestro, and have come to like it a lot and am familiar with the bits of it which are relevant to what I want to do. All I need then is some way of converting .vob files into .m2v & .ac3 or .wav, so that I can then load them up into Maestro.

Am I right in thinking DVD Decrypter might be what I need?

[ZippyP.]

All I need then is some way of converting .vob files into .m2v & .ac3 or .wav, so that I can then load them up...

Try vobrator.

[stevedore]

Thanks for all of the replies! I went & bought the Pioneer DVD-220, but I can't manage to get any kind of file onto the DVD-R/W to take to the PC & edit. It has 2 recording modes: Video or VR. The only way I've been able to get the recording onto the PC for editing is by recording in video mode, then finalizing. Then I can extract the mpeg file, edit, etc., etc.

I tired VR mode, both with & without finalizing, and I couldn't see any files on the disk when in my PC. (I have a Pioneer 106 drive) I tried Nero & TMPGEnc without success. What am I missing in order to copy off & edit the VRO file that several have mentioned?

Thanks again!

[lordsmurf]

UDF2

[stevedore]

UDF2

I'm using XP, & thought that had the UDF I need. (?)

[lordsmurf]

I would assume so.
Finalized disc?

[NightWing]

Lordsmurf got it right. You must Finalize the disk or its no go.

[stevedore]

I tried again; recorded some TV in Vr mode, finalized the DVD-RW, but still can't see anything on the disc in my PC. Nero reports that the disc had 1 session on it, and reports the correct length of the material I recorded, but I can't get the the elusive VRO file.

I must be dense, or missing the point somewhere. Guess I'll do some web searching.

Thanks again for the replies...

[ckwok1]

I tried again; recorded some TV in Vr mode, finalized the DVD-RW, but still can't see anything on the disc in my PC. Nero reports that the disc had 1 session on it, and reports the correct length of the material I recorded, but I can't get the the elusive VRO file.

I must be dense, or missing the point somewhere. Guess I'll do some web searching.

Thanks again for the replies...

Check whether there are hidden folder or files?

Actually, you do not need to finalize the disc before reading it. At least it is true for my DVD-RW disc in VR mode recorded on my JVC DR-M10S.

[TheUnknownComic]

I also have the Pioneer DVR-220. I mostly record in Video mode on DVD-RW. I just tried out two discs in my computer. One was un-finalized. The computer could not access it at all (Windows XP Home). As for the finalized disc, the computer could read it. The files appear, as expected, in the VIDEO_TS directory. Several VOB, IFO and BUP files.

So, nothing is hidden and the files are right where they should be. It does require the disc to be finalized.

[stevedore]

I also have the Pioneer DVR-220. I mostly record in Video mode on DVD-RW. I just tried out two discs in my computer. One was un-finalized. The computer could not access it at all (Windows XP Home). As for the finalized disc, the computer could read it. The files appear, as expected, in the VIDEO_TS directory. Several VOB, IFO and BUP files.

So, nothing is hidden and the files are right where they should be. It does require the disc to be finalized.

That works for me as well. It's the .VRO file recorded in VR mode that I would like to read & edit. Just doesn't show up, finalized disc or not.

[seb]

I had exactly the same problems ripping discs recorded on my Pioneer 420 - finalized or not. Couldn't track down a suitable version of UDFS.SYS (Windows UDF driver) that I could download, but ended up solving the issue by visiting the link below and grabbing the ReadDVD software that's recommended on the Pioneer support site ( http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/support_software.jsp?category=support/software )

Can now read finalized and non-finalized VR discs in both my DVDRW drive (Pioneer 106) and my DVD-ROM (Toshiba 1512). I suspect it needs to see a Pioneer drive in your PC to install, as it's only free for Pioneer owners.

http://www.softarch.com/pioneer/readdvd.html

[stevedore]

ReadDVD seeems to have solved my problem; thank you SEB!

[seb]

Glad it worked for you too! I'd traded in a DVD+RW recorder to buy the Pioneer and, not having had to go through a finalizing process before, I wasn't thrilled when I thought I'd have to go through a tedious delay every time I wanted to bring a DVD to the PC for editing. (I guess I'm just not as patient as I used to be )

[Cornucopia]

Try ISOBuster.

Scott

[ckwok1]

Windows XP is supposed to be able to read DVD-VR disk. It is quite surprising that another UDF reader program is needed. See the following article in Microsoft for more information.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;321640

It would be interesting to run the UDF Verification Software in

http://www.extra.research.philips.com/udf/

to see whether there is anything wrong with the Pioneer generated disk.