Transfer material Samsung camcorder-->PC problem

[Shagis]

I have camcorder Samsung VP-DC 171 with DVD disc...and want to transfer all material to PC,to make DVD film.
The problem is...it´s impossible.Have tried many different programs but answer is always the same-PC or Windows can´t handle and read that format (TAO).
-->I´ve tried to put discs contains directly to DVD recorder and it was no problem...the only disturbing thing is all texts,dates and other infos on the screen,which was displayed during recording process...
So we want to move films from these small discs to PC,to make cutting,maybe put some titles and of course without all these infos on screen!
-->So how to do it?
Several programs can´t read these discs.I´ve made finalization of discs,so that is not problem...still can´t read discs.
As I understood TAO file is somehow like ISO image file,so I´ve been trying to convert and burn,but no luck...
Anybody could help and explain what the hell is so special with these small funny discs,that is not possible to move over to PC???
Any tips greatfully appreciated!

[aedipuss]

check out isobuster. it can read almost any type disc and allow you to transfer to the pc.

[Shagis]

After many hours running different progs. finally IsoBuster created me TAO files which I could move over to HDD...
I´ve tried to burn now these files with Nero as a ISO image files but no luck...but at least one step farther...films are already on HDD...what to do now?Maybe any convert prog to make "right" files???

[guns1inger]

You should be able to extract the contents from the TAO image to your HDD for editing.

Usually the issue with these discs is the user not finalising the disc before putting it in the PC. Once it is finalised it should appear like any other DVD, and tools like DVD Shrink should be able to read it.

[Shagis]

WOW! That was very interesting answer!
So you mean,if user didn´t finalise directly in camcorder after finished recording or finished disc space,so now-even if I did put disc back to camcorder and finalised it,still it will be unreadable?!?!?!
So like this if you forget by accident to finalise disc then nothing you can do afterhand?!
Just wonder ´cause there is such option in camcorder to finalise and un-finalise and again,and again....as many times you want...but will it work in PC? Probably NOT! Is it right I understood?
Like this it´s no use to use such "forgotten finalized" discs again,´cause you can´t use them properly?

[guns1inger]

So long as you put it in the same camera and finalise it before you try to read it, you should have more luck. It doesn't have to be done the instant you finish filming, just before oyu try to read it in another device.

[Shagis]

Ok...that explains alot.
I think IsoBuster has extracted already files to HDD....it shows as a TAO files...but I can´t do anything with them(editing) any farther with any prog...
it says wrong format...
...or do I need to extact them again another way?How?
suggestion?

[aedipuss]

without any knowledge of that camcorder it's just a guess but there should be a video_ts folder with vobs in it somewhere. the files you want to extract should end in .vob, not tao which normally stands for "Track At Once" and isn't used by any video file i've ever heard of.

maybe the tao files are actually the vobs written as track at once. can isobuster open the tao files? right click on one and see what it says. or try double clicking on one inside isobuster.

the other option is to let tmpgenc dvd author try to open them, it works with some unfinalized camcorder dvd-rws.

[cyflyer]

Usually the issue with these discs is the user not finalising the disc before putting it in the PC. Once it is finalised it should appear like any other DVD, and tools like DVD Shrink should be able to read it.

its exactly as guns1inger says. Its as simple as that. either wait to finish off the mini-dvd, finalise, then edit away as normal on the pc, or finalise the not-totally-finished mini-dvd, and edit away. Thats how it is. You can't have your cake and eat it as we say in english.

Mucking about with isobuster etc on the unfinalised files you'll probably end up with some non dvd compliant frankinstein that won't be readable. (incidentally, whats 'tao' ?)