DVD recorder that will record video direct from SDHC card

[madtony]

Are there DVD recorders that will record video direct from a SDHC Class 6 card?
I know some will record photos.

[lordsmurf]

I don't think so, no.

[johns0]

If the sdhc is from a camera then connect the s-video or rca to the dvd recorder and record from the camera.

[orsetto]

Nothing that was sold as a US-specific model, no. The card slots, USB and DV on these units are for connection to still and video cameras, and USB sticks containing JPEG files or sometimes MP3s. Video file transfer is locked out except via direct camera link.

[robos]

Have you tried any of the Panasonic range. I can take the Transend class 6 4GB SDHC from my Panny SDR-H80 video camera plug it into my Panny DMR-EX87 and copy straight to the HDD , But it has to be MPEG2 and you can't play it directly from the card.

[madtony]

Robos
Thanks for the reply. I have a Canon FS100 camera that can xfer via 8G SDHC card or USB2 and can find nothing but the Canon DW100 to (which I don't like) to talk to digitally. I downloaded the DMR-EX87 manual but am not sure it will copy from the card or USB2. Any further thoughts anyone?

[orsetto]

The file format used in some flash video cameras like your Canon FS100 is an impossible non-standard pain to use outside the camera, the mfrs should really be more specific and say these cameras are self-contained record/playback devices that don't really cooperate well with computers or DVD recorders. The only "simple" way to make DVDs from this camera is by using the Canon accessory burner, which you don't seem to like. If you wanted to easily edit and make DVDs from your personal videos, I'm afraid you did not choose the best camera for your purposes (it happens- we all get fooled once in awhile). If you google "Canon FS100", you will find some tutorials that explain the tedious slow process required to transfer video files from the camera to a PC, convert them to a format Windows or Apple can recognize, edit them, and burn them to a DVD. Note some of the software options can only make the camera files work on DVD-R media, for some reason +R media is not supported. This type of video camera is slowly becoming more mainstream and eventually there will be better ways to get video off of it, but for now you're kinda stuck. If this becomes burdensome to where you feel the camera is unusable, consider buying a more standard camera cheaply from Craigs List or eBay as a backup, until the FS100 is supported better. Its a cute little camcorder but a little too ahead of the curve for its own good.

[handyguy]

Why would you want to do that when you can do it on your computer?

[orsetto]

Because he can't do it on his computer: the camera is very odd and the file format not easily converted to a video standard usable on a computer. Its one of those infuriating catch-22s where you have a half-dozen people who can make the damn thing work and thousands of others who pull their hair out trying- if nothing else, the conversion process takes forever for a lot of users. Not everyone wants to endure a 12-step process to make a DVD from their camcorder files, many who buy this camera expect it to be a "point-shoot-make a DVD to share with family" kind of toy, and find out it isn't: not by a longshot. Thats why I suggested madtony set it aside for now and buy a cheap backup camcorder that creates standard PC-compatible files or has a DV connection (the USB2 on the Canon is barely usable and the files on its SD cards even less). By next year the Canon FS100 should be better supported, another option is to keep using it and just hold onto the SD cards until easier options for handling the files become available.

[minidv2dvd]

have you read this on the fs100 .mod files?

http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2008/06/12/how_to_convert_mod_video.htm

for 4:3 files just rename to .mpg, for 16/9 files use sdcopy to fix the a/r and header.

[orsetto]

Yes, that would fall under the category of "works easily for a half dozen people and everyone else pulls their hair out" . Seriously, its highly dependent on your individual computer and other random factors. Something about the MOD files produced by this Canon is very peculiar and resistant to being "standardized". Canon apparently prefers users to opt for the companion Canon DVD burner, which is probably what sent madtony here looking for alternatives like DVD recorders that might be nicer/easier.

[madtony]

Thanks to Orsetto and other for great comments. First, some background. I am a retired EE (MSEE '63 U of Mich) and a MAChead since my first Apple2 & and 6 other MACs to follow, I have a large family and video family weddings, theatre, and family gatherings. all these require several things DVD-Rs that all can play. I have a DVD duper. I have been thru 6 video camcorders and before the camcorder used and external camera and portable Magnavox VHS recorder (Which still works). The last 2 cameras have been digital 92 Sonys and now the Canon FS100. The first Sony had an external audio input (required) and Firewire which I fed to my Mac and IMovie All was great 'till it failed (tape mechanism) out of warrenty and the only repair was a place in Texas that wanted $200 just to look at it. The second Sony had no external audio, was a bottom loader (bad for tripods) and also had a tape mech failure out of warranty.
So I swore off mechanisms for good so the Canon FS-100 with external mike in (from W/L mikes and soundboards) was a must. Unfortunately Orsetto was right, it is an oddball on output. The Canon DW100 DVR does not have a card slot but does have many bad compatability comments.
Seems to me the way of the future is to edit from cards (you can now buy 8 Gig SDHC class 6 cards for $10 and they will get cheaper). It is a pain to go thru the camera and analog to a DVR. BTW, I have been doing that into a Sony RDR-GX7 "till it's drive turned into a coffee grinder.
Thanks for laboring thru the above. The bottom line is I need a low cost camera that has an external audio in and uses SDHC cards and a DVR that will read and edit the video and produce DVD-R that can be duped that most of my family can play.

[orsetto]

Well, you're kind of pinned to a wall because you can't get exactly what you want cheap. Most of these cameras that use cards are recording in the weird MOD format which is almost completely an "on the fly" record/playback format unsuited to editing unless its converted to AVI or MPEG2. This conversion is an extra step and as you've seen with your Canon, damn near impossible depending on the camera. A lot of cameras have switched to USB2 connection, which is totally incompatible for direct digital hookup to most DVD recorders. It seems sometimes like the video camera mfrs are sniffing glue and coming up with totally unusable "innovations" for no apparent reason (I mean, what's with the oddball formats? Unless the camera is the size of a matchbook and I want pocketable convenience, take this MOD and stuff it please).

I can certainly see your point in not wanting another MiniDV tape-based camera, because you've had bad luck with the mechanicals. The advantage of MiniDV is the recordings are standard and recognized by nearly every computer platform and video software. So what you need to look at are camcorders that use mini-DVDs or internal hard drives (instead of tape) as the recording media for a standard "MiniDV" datastream. Which of these have external audio flexibility I couldn't tell you, check the informative websites of major dealers like B&H Audio/Video and J&R. Camcorders are commodity items that get discontinued and replaced frequently, if you shop carefully you might get an excellent price for a recently-superceded camera.

You will more than likely end up needing a computer (Mac or PC) to make DVDs from whatever camcorder you settle on. DVD recorders have limited interface capability: either analog from the camera, or DV digital connection from the camera. Neither method is an "instant" computer-like transfer of data, usually its real-time and some re-encoding is involved (whether the recorder mfr admits this or not is another issue). Recorders with card slots cannot make instant file-level transfers from camcorder cards: the feature is locked out to begin with, but even if it was allowed the recorders are too "dumb" to figure out the goofball MOD format (the files would have to be in DV or MPEG2, and even thats beyond the typical recorder operating system).

Since you are using a Mac computer, it can't hurt to drop into an Apple store on a slow day and explore what you want to do with the staff there (some of these stores are hopeless, but some have surprisingly enthusiastic and informed help). Explain you'd ideally like a camera that records on cards, that can be plugged into a card reader attached to your Mac and read directly into iMovie/iDVD (even if you prefer other software, tell them you want to use the Apple programs, you'll get more assistance). I'm guessing you'll have to settle for a miniDVD or hard drive camera that connects via DV/FireWire, I don't think we're at the stage of "instant" direct desktop file transfer yet. And unless you settle for something like the automated/integrated/dedicated camera mfr accessory DVD burner like the one offered for your Canon, there aren't really any "one-step" camera-to-DVD solutions.

[lordsmurf]

Video requires patience, time, reading, and the understanding that it's hard and always takes several steps minimum. What the microwave did for cooking doesn't exist for video. You can't pop it in, press go, and come back 5 minutes later to a piping hot DVD.

[madtony]

Thanks again orsetto. I will probably end up buying an under $100 DVR and transfer analog 'till someone comes out with what i want. The Sony RDR-GX7 is in pieces on my dining room table - trying to get the disk drive out. It was hopeless. I think they make these things unrepairable so you have to keep
buying new ones.

[leerjet]

madtony:

Take a look at the GE A735 Digital Camera ($79.00+) has SD/SDHC card slot, USB,AV cable(RCA Mono),32MB internal memory, 3X Optical Zoom,12 Shooting Modes and more. I transfered the video from the camera to my computer via AV cable in mpeg2 using ATI TV Wonder Pro. This might be something you could look into that would help you get your video to DVD.

[handyguy]

I have a Panasonic e500 & it has a SD slot & can record from that to a disk. But these machines are extremely rare & expensive.