LG VCR to DVD-R problem

[sky captain]

Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this. It's a hard question to categorize.

Does anyone have any experience with the lgxbr446 VCR/DVD burning combo from LG?

It has several compression modes for burning discs.

XP= 1 hour, 6 min
Sp= 2 hour, 11 min
LP= 4 hour, 22 min
SLP= don't remember

These numbers seem accurate when dubbing from a mini-DV source using firewire.

However, we are now dubbing 2 hour VHS tapes, and the SP mode cuts us off at 1 hour 58 min every time. That's a discrepancy of 13 minutes! We'd rather not go to the LP mode, since there is a drop in quality.

Any ideas? Should the type of disc (sony DVD-R) matter?

[mikiem]

FWIW, the times and methods used by DVD recorders are guesstimates and compromises.

Times correspond to something like VHS tape, where the tape plays at a fixed rate, and holds a set amount of info. The same could be said of mini-DV, where the DV compression level is variable, specifically to maintain a constant amount of data storage.

Mpg2 on the other hand is variable when it comes to encoded file size -- it depends on the amount of info or data encoded. A complex frame that would require more compression in DV, simply takes up more room in an mpg2 file. So the times listed for mpg2 recording aren't really any more then relative compression level adjustments.

DV probably does better because every frame has the same amount of data, whereas VHS being analog (& relatively messy), can really, really vary in the amount of visual data to compress.

"Any ideas? Should the type of disc (sony DVD-R) matter? "

Personally, my opinion is the best way to do it is to capture VHS to your PC as mpg2, then use shrink or recode to get it at the size that exactly fills a blank DVD. Otherwise you're limited to the pre-set compresion levels in your recorder. All DVD media has the same amount of storage, though a different brand might be more, or less, compatible. You *might* squeeze more VHS on a DVD if you use a separate deck to play the VHS, then run the output through a filter box, feeding that to your recorder. You can also edit your conversions, using a 2nd DVD to capture the remaining content & then merging them on your PC, perhaps using RW discs to keep the cost down.

[sky captain]

Using a PC increases your options, but requires hard drive space. Also, creating MPG2 files and using authoring programs is always more work than I expect.

My frustration is just getting a quick transfer to work on a machine that is designed to do only that.

Customer service at LG was no help. They just said to use LP instead of SP.

[mikiem]

"Customer service at LG was no help. They just said to use LP instead of SP."

Sorry but I'm afraid that might be the correct answer.

A DVD holds a fixed amount of data -- if the mpg2 file is bigger then the disc, the only option is to make the file size smaller. You can do that by altering the file with a PC, encoding at a higher compression level (LP), encoding less data (either shorter time or possibly by filtering out extra noise in the original).

[BCdave]

I have an LGR 435 recorder with the same problem. I love the quality of the recording due to its LSI encoding chip, but I consistently get 1.57.52 - 1.57.59 in the SQ mode, instead of the indicated 2h 03m. There seems to be no material difference due to the amount of action or video "noise" being recorded, as you might expect if it records by VBR, but if I break the recording into two or more parts (say by pausing during a commercial), it seems to output the full 2.03, or even a minute or two more.
There is a cogent explanation for this problem, involving VOB sizes, by Stan M. at the top of the comments for the LGR 435:
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdrecorders.php?DVDname=lgr+435&Submit=Search&hdsize=Any&ord...&Search=Search

I don't pretend to fully comprehend it, but it appears to give the most rational explanation of why the problem is occurring.

[sky captain]

Thanks for the support. What's frustrating is that I know it used to work fine... but I think it was only on firewire input. Breaking the time up into chunks hasn't helped.