avoiding dropped frames with mpegstreamclip

[KMJvet]

When taking an MTR ripped DVD's vob's into MPEGstreamclip it joins the ones that belong together. And when it asks to fix the time code breaks (which are frequent in discs made by my Panasonic standalone burner) it says to delect the box about "don't skip any frames" when joining files. So, I uncheck this since I assume it has to join the 2 or 3 VOB files. And so the resultant mpeg files I create have dropped frames...and not just 2 or 3 where the VOBs would be joined, all through them. Is there a known work around for this?

[Frobozz]

I'm not clear why you unchecked the "don't skip any frames" box. Streamclip opens the entire VOB title set as a single video file regardless of that check box. Leave it checked and fix the timecode breaks.

By the way, my Pioneer standalone recorder has the same issue when recording in video mode. However, when I record in VR mode and use Toast to extract the MPEG from the unfinalized VR-mode DVD there are no timecode breaks in the MPEG file. Something you could test with either DVD-RW or DVD-RAM.

[KeepItSimple]

I didn't know you could put an unfinalized DVD on a mac and extract the files. A couple of times I put one in the mac superdrive and everything locked up.

EDIT: VR mode is what is is before finalizing and then becomes Video Mode after?

[KMJvet]

I'm not clear why you unchecked the "don't skip any frames" box. Streamclip opens the entire VOB title set as a single video file regardless of that check box. Leave it checked and fix the timecode breaks.

Thanks....I'll try that. I thought it was joining the 3 vobs into 1 and it tells you to uncheck the box when joining files, but if it considers it a single file I'll give that a shot.

By the way, my Pioneer standalone recorder has the same issue when recording in video mode. However, when I record in VR mode and use Toast to extract the MPEG from the unfinalized VR-mode DVD there are no timecode breaks in the MPEG file. Something you could test with either DVD-RW or DVD-RAM.

Yeah, this sounds quite familiar and I think I changed my Panny burner in this regard about 4 or 5 months ago. Problem is, the discs I'm working with now predate my having changed the setting.

[KMJvet]

I didn't know you could put an unfinalized DVD on a mac and extract the files. A couple of times I put one in the mac superdrive and everything locked up.

EDIT: VR mode is what is is before finalizing and then becomes Video Mode after?

No, I think the VR mode is a setting you can change in the set up of your DVR.

[Frobozz]

I didn't know you could put an unfinalized DVD on a mac and extract the files. A couple of times I put one in the mac superdrive and everything locked up.

EDIT: VR mode is what is is before finalizing and then becomes Video Mode after?

Standalone DVD recorders can record in either VR mode or in Video mode. Video mode is required if you want the disc to be playable in anything other than that DVD recorder. Video mode discs also must be finalized to be playable on other devices including on your Mac.

VR mode discs can't be played on a Mac. However, Toast 7 and 8 can extract the MPEG files from a VR mode disc and these discs do not need to be finalized.

[KeepItSimple]

What I'm working with is a Philips 3575 DVD recorder with HDD that records in the VR+ Mode. The file structure so far is way inconvenient for editing on the mac (no separate vob files for separate titles). The DVD recorders I've had 'til now are the VR- Mode (DVD-R). Is there compatibility on the mac for this format? The finalized discs it makes won't show up in Toast's Disc Copy for me to copy.

Anyone familiar with VR+ mode and how to work with it in MPEG Streamclip and Toast or other mac app?

[Frobozz]

My standalone recorder writes to -RW discs so I don't know if Toast works differently with VR+. The way I extract video from a VR mode disc is to open Toast and choose DVD with the top button of the Media Browser (a separate window from the main Toast window). The disc appears in the browser window. When I drag the title(s) to the Video window (with DVD video selected as the format) Toast extracts the MPEG file from the disc and writes it to the Roxio Converted Items folder. I can open that MPEG in MPEG Streamclip for editing, if I like. Remember that Toast automatically empties the Converted Items folder when quitting Toast so you might want to change its preferences so it won't do that.

I can't think of any reason Toast wouldn't recognize a finalized video-mode DVD in the Copy window. It shouldn't matter if it is +R or -R after it is finalized. If the DVD plays on the Mac Toast should be able to duplicate it.