Panasonic DMR-E55 menu writing problem

[dchandler]

I'm sorry in advance for the long post but I like the product and know there must be a work-around for this flaw in the product that causes the dvd menu writing problem.
I recently purchased the Panasonic DMR-E55 DVD recorder and recorded a Regular 8mm video cam movie on to a DVD-R. I edited the title for the chapter, gave the dvd a name, finalized and all appeared to go well. The dvd video and audio quality are great but the creation of the menu was trashed. The bottom 80% of the screen is black. The top portion is visible with the correct thumbnail and title. Something obviously went wrong during the write of the menu image. I've tried low and high quality (Verbatim) DVD-R 4x media. I called Panasonic and they had not heard of such a problem so I took the unit back and exchanged it for a new one.
I hadn't originally connected the first unit to cable since I was only creating dvds from a video camera. So I hooked it up to cable, setup the channels, etc and recorded some tv shows. After finalizing, the menus came out fine!?! (on low and high quality media so we can take that out of the equation) I tested again with video camera as source (on low and high quality media) and the menus came out fine! I then tried with just an antenna hook up and no dice, bad menus. Cool, I'm happy, there's some weird requirement with cable being attached, I can deal with that.
I go to bed, come back the next day, burn another dvd from a friend's 8mm video cam... perfect. A couple hours later, I burn another from my video cam and whoa - bad menu!! I run another test because I had disconnected the camera before finalizing, thought maybe the thing is flaky that way but again - bad menu. Finally, I went back to the friend's camera and the menu came out fine. OK, my camera is old and tired and putting out a flaky signal... I needed a new camera anyway. I bought one, and burned a dvd from it just fine with a complete menu.
I thought the problem was fixed but about the third dvd, the partial menu problem came back, this time only about the bottom 20% is bad, arrgh!!
I found a forum where several other people had the same problem:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-132230.html
but no solution... Has anyone else seen or heard of this?
-dc

[handyguy]

I'd try some other media. They are media picky. Mine really likes Accu dvds. Why don't you get panasonic dvds for testing?

[dchandler]

A quick google doesn't reveal a Panasonic dvd-r that is inkjet printable, which is a must. That aside, I wouldn't think the problem is the media since the video and audio record fine. The problem is only with that last bit of the menu. In what way does the e55 complain about bad media? Does it fail to record video?
If it is the media, I did see that the problem may stem from the fact that the e55 also writes to dvd-ram which forces it to require more reflective discs. So maybe I should look for a model that doesn't do dvd-ram, doesn't have a hard drive (more $$) and is currently available...

[handyguy]

There are lots of e55 topics if you search the board for e55. But yours is a new one. usually its the media. Mine likes Accu media, dvd-r, I bought a hudred of the white top printable from meritline for about $40, must be cheaper now.

If you don't try another media, how would you know its not the media?

[dchandler]

I've searched the world over, twice, and only found reference to this problem at the AV forms site in the UK. I posted on that eight month old thread but no response as of yet.
I've tried two types of media; Verbatim Datalife Plus and Princo DVD-R. I figured they were at relative opposite ends of the quality spectrum. Plus, a friend has the e30 (?) and had no problems with the Verbatims. Thanks for the tip on the printable Accu media. I will definitely try it but I still don't understand why the e55 would do just fine with the video and audio but then choke on the menu if it was the media.
Do you record from a video camera or the tv? If from a camera, do you have a cable hooked up for tv too? If from a camera, do you use line 1, 2 or 3 input?
If anyone else wants to chime in on how they are doing with the e55 and video camera recordings, I'd appreciate it. (ie media type, connections, process, etc) I have seen the tricks and tips posting for the Panasonic recorders.
Thanks.

[aich75013]

I have had similar problems and wasn't sure if I was the only one.
So far, if I choose the option to play Title 1 first, instead of the menu, the complete menu will be there when I use the "Direct Navigator" button. Otherwise I am missing anywhere from 10% to 100% of the menu. This is what I am using as a workaround right now. It seems to work

I am using Memorex 4x Media. I haven't tried any other media as of yet, but I assumed that was my problem. I was actually doing a search for that right now.

[dchandler]

Thanks for the work around idea!!! But it didn't work for me. I still got a partial menu. (40% at bottom was black) But then again, I was using cheap media. I am going to try Verbatim next even though I still have a hard time believing it's the media.
Any other ideas? Are you recording from a video camera? Which line input do you use? Do you have cable hooked up for tv recording? Do you create multiple chapters/thumbnails? I'm getting close to taking this boc back and getting a Sony or something else that is not so flaky.

[cat44]

I am having similar menu writing problems with my DMR-E55 when recording from a Sony Hi8 Video Camera. After finalizing, the screen is black with the exception of a small blue bar across the top containing the disk title. There are yellow rectangles where the menu text and thumbnails should be. The menu boxes do work when clicking on them.

I am using L1 and Memorex 4x DVD-R disks. This menu problem does NOT occur when recording from a VHS recorder using L1 and the Memorex disks. It always occurs with the Sony Video camera. I am using the S-Video cable for recording from the Video camera (RCA video cable not connected). For recording from the VHS player I am using a Audio/Video cable only.

Cable is hooked up for recording

Has anyone with this menu problem found a solution?

[dchandler]

The fact that you do not see this problem with your VCR recordings and I did not see this problem with my tv recordings, would indicate a problem with the camera recordings. I've tried Line 1 and 2 with the camera and had bad menus so I don't think it's the line input.
I don't think it's the media because it doesn't work on Panasonic, Memorex, Verbatim...
The cameras I've tried were a Sony Regular 8mm and Sony Digi8 and both have created bad menus. The successes I had were with my friend's old Hitachi Regular 8mm camera which lead me to believe it was my old Sony Regular 8mm which is why I went out and bought a Sony Digi8.
So maybe the Sony cameras are sending a funky signal after recording is done and during finalization that screws up the menu image.
Do you turn off the camera or disconnect it before finalization?
Have other people recorded from Sony cameras??

[cat44]

I did not turn off the Sony camcorder after recording. Have you had success with this approach?

I tried recording with the RCA video cable (previously used s-video cable). Same result, no menus. There are a lot of Sony cameras out there. Someone else must be seeing the menu problem or having success generating menus?

I was able to generate menus using the Sony with the Walmart Ilo. (However, the Ilo died in a couple of weeks).

So if you are correct about the funky signal from the Sony camcorder, any thoughts about using a filter? Have you contacted Panasonic?

[dchandler]

I have not tried disconnecting the Sony after recording and before finalization. I will try it tonight.
I have talked with a Panasonic tech support guy and he had not heard of this problem. He did say (and so does the manual) that you don't want to interrupt power or anything during finalization because that could render the dvd unplayable. So that's how I got on this "funky signal" idea. I am grasping here but willing to try anything.
I'm guessing that the vast majority of people using the e55 are using it to record from their tv or using dvd-ram and so aren't seeing this issue. And that we (and a few others who heve posted here and elsewhere) have seen this because we are recording to dvd-r from a Sony camcorder...
A friend has the dmr-e30 and has been recording from his Sony Digi8 for two years - never a glitch. But then, the e30 does not have the nice blue menu background or thumbnails for the chapters.

[dchandler]

It's a Sony camera - e55 incompatibility that is causing this menu problem!!
After many many tests, lots of variables and many bad dvd menus, I truly believe the e55 flakes out with Sony video cameras. (I've tried Reg 8mm and Digi8)

My final two tests were:
1) Record from the Sony Digi8 camera as always. This time, before editing the dvd title or anything with the chapter titles and before finalizing, turn off and disconnect the video camera. Result - bad menu - 50% black!
2) Record from a Hitachi (Reg 8mm, VM-E535LA) and edit the title and chapter headings as before, with the camera still connected and on. Result - perfectly fine menu, as I had gotten from this Hitachi two weeks ago and from the tv!

Has anybody recorded from their Sony video cam to a e55 on dvd-r ??
There may still be a work around for this but now that I know its the source camera and not the media and not just a defective box... there's hope. Otherwise it goes back to the store tomorrow and I get a Pioneer or some non-Panasonic recorder.

[cat44]

My Sony Hi8 Camcorder also trashes the E-55 menu. (95% of the screen is black). I am going to try a JVC Camcorder this weekend.

Does anyone have an understanding of what kind of interaction is occuring here? The Sonys appear to be transmitting some funky coding which is recorded on the DVD-R and then interferes with menu generation during finalization. Menus are fine before finalization.

Would a video filter between the camera and E-55 solve the problem? or pass the signal through a VCR to the E-55. I guess as an experiment, one could record from the Sony to VHS tape and then create a DVD-R from a VCR.

Unless the solution is relatively simple, the best option might be to return the E-55 or perform menu creation on my PC.

Still this seems like a really strange problem which would be nice to solve.

[Ddanrr]

I can understand your frustration. Just an idea, I don't know if you have tried it or not, but some camcorders have an edit switch (or setting in the menu) that is supposed to be turned on when dubbing out to another recorder. Im not sure exactly what it does, but you might try it both ways, a recording with it on, and a recording with it off. It might change the signal slightly and could make a difference in what is screwing up the menu. Some VCRs have this setting too, but I'm not sure exactly what Sony cameras have it (don't confuse it with the editsearch function that is something else). If all else fails and you want to return it, and you can wait until March/April, the redesigned Panasonic recorder Es10 will be out, maybe the problem will be cleared up on that one.

-Dan R.

[cat44]

Dan R.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I happened to have a VHS copy of one of the menu trashing Sony HI8 tapes. I think I will record a DVD from it and see if the menus are trashed.......basically out of curiosity.

But first I will try your suggestion.......very simple solution if it works.

I like the E-55 so I think I will keep it. Longer term, I plan to record to DVD-RAM and create menus and burn DVD's on my PC.

Thanks. I'll let you know if it works.

[dchandler]

The edit/dubbing switch on the camcorder would be an awesome solution.
Unfortunately, I don't see any such setting on my Sony DCR-TRV460.

I did get through to Panasonic tech support today and spoke with a fairly lucid individual who is escalating this issue to engineering. I didn't get any indication though on how long something like this would take to get some response.

I'm wondering about aich75013's workaround (6th post on this thread) about setting "Title 1" to play first rather than "Top Menu" which fixed this problem!?!?
cat44 - have you tried this? I didn't work for me but I may retest it.

[cat44]

dchandler,
After reading that it did not work for you, I did not try setting "Title 1" to play first rather than "Top Menu".

I have the Sony CCD-TRV65 (and the manual). There are three VTR/player modes.
Edit (normally Off). "Select ON to minimize deteriioration when editing". The manual says to select On when recording to a VCR.
TBC (normally ON) . "Select OFF when playing back a tap you have dubbed over or the playback picture fluctuates."
DNR (normally ON). "Select OFF if the picture has a lot of movement, causing afterimage".

Today I'll try recording to the E-55 with Edit "ON" and see if the menus are recorded.

[cat44]

Recording to the E-55 with Edit "ON" on my Sony Camcorder did not solve the problem. The menu was still trashed upon finalization. Seens to be a flaw in the Panasonic. I have recorded the same Hi8 tape from this Sony Camcorder to an ILO and the menu was recorded.

I'll call Panasonic tech support on Monday.