Copying DVD-RAM to DVD-R on a PC

For Christmas I was lucky enough to get a Panasonic DMR-E50 set top box
DVD recorder. The one dissapointment with this (and perhaps it was to
be expected) is that I can not edit out the adverts from a movie when I
write a DVD-R disk - it is erase the whole film or nothing.
So over Christmas (and since then) I have been recording movies to
DVD-RAM disks so I can edit out the adverts etc.
However I want to move the content from the RAM disks to DVD-R disks.
So I invested in an LG drive that claimed to read all formats except +R.
When using that to read the RAM disks from DMR-E50 the PC just
responded "incorrect function". So I took it back thinking it was faulty.
Then I attempted to buy a Toshiba SD M1712 from uk.insight.com after a
recommendation form the news group that the drive would read disks from
the DMR-E50. But after they twice sent me a SD-M1802 that will not read
RAM disks I decided to go for a Panasonic SR 8588 drive for my PC that
supported DVD-RAM. I have also downlaoded a utility called DISCinfo
(from http://forum.rpc1.org/portal.php I think) which confirms the drive
will read DVD-RAM disks.
However when I insert a RAM disk I get "incorrect function".

So is this a format issue? Is there a way I can make the drive read the
disks? Or am I stuck with a life of regret for not buying the DVD
recorder with the hard drive in it?


Mike

Mike & Karen

"Mike & Karen" <> wrote in message
news:M6MSb.2332$...
> For Christmas I was lucky enough to get a Panasonic DMR-E50 set top box
> DVD recorder. The one dissapointment with this (and perhaps it was to
> be expected) is that I can not edit out the adverts from a movie when I
> write a DVD-R disk - it is erase the whole film or nothing.
> So over Christmas (and since then) I have been recording movies to
> DVD-RAM disks so I can edit out the adverts etc.
> However I want to move the content from the RAM disks to DVD-R disks.
> So I invested in an LG drive that claimed to read all formats except +R.
> When using that to read the RAM disks from DMR-E50 the PC just
> responded "incorrect function". So I took it back thinking it was faulty.
> Then I attempted to buy a Toshiba SD M1712 from uk.insight.com after a
> recommendation form the news group that the drive would read disks from
> the DMR-E50. But after they twice sent me a SD-M1802 that will not read
> RAM disks I decided to go for a Panasonic SR 8588 drive for my PC that
> supported DVD-RAM. I have also downlaoded a utility called DISCinfo
> (from http://forum.rpc1.org/portal.php I think) which confirms the drive
> will read DVD-RAM disks.
> However when I insert a RAM disk I get "incorrect function".
>
> So is this a format issue? Is there a way I can make the drive read the
> disks? Or am I stuck with a life of regret for not buying the DVD
> recorder with the hard drive in it?
>
>
> Mike

It sounds like something else is wrong. I use a LG 4040B writer which
reads/writes to RAM. I have had no problems with it.

You should be able to edit out adverts on the DVD-R by using the playlist
function. It will skip the adverts at the right time. It would only work on
the E50 though.


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Nic

Mike & Karen wrote:
> For Christmas I was lucky enough to get a Panasonic DMR-E50 set top
> box DVD recorder. The one dissapointment with this (and perhaps it
> was to
> be expected) is that I can not edit out the adverts from a movie
when
> I write a DVD-R disk - it is erase the whole film or nothing.
> So over Christmas (and since then) I have been recording movies to
> DVD-RAM disks so I can edit out the adverts etc.
> However I want to move the content from the RAM disks to DVD-R
disks.
> So I invested in an LG drive that claimed to read all formats except
> +R. When using that to read the RAM disks from DMR-E50 the PC just
> responded "incorrect function". So I took it back thinking it was
> faulty. Then I attempted to buy a Toshiba SD M1712 from
> uk.insight.com after a recommendation form the news group that the
> drive would read disks from the DMR-E50. But after they twice sent
> me a SD-M1802 that will not read RAM disks I decided to go for a
> Panasonic SR 8588 drive for my PC that supported DVD-RAM. I have
> also downlaoded a utility called DISCinfo (from
> http://forum.rpc1.org/portal.php I think) which confirms the drive
> will read DVD-RAM disks.
> However when I insert a RAM disk I get "incorrect function".
>
> So is this a format issue? Is there a way I can make the drive read
> the disks? Or am I stuck with a life of regret for not buying the
DVD
> recorder with the hard drive in it?
>
>
> Mike

I don't know why you're having problems getting this to work with your
Panasonic SR8588 drive, but I'm now doing OK (after a lot of false
starts!!) using a Panasonic program called DVD Movie Album which comes
bundled with their LFM621E burner (see Panasonic UK website).

You can use that to edit out the adverts, etc, and convert the VRO
files from the DVD-RAM disc into MPEG files. You then use something
like TMPGenc DVD Author or Nero to convert the MPEG files into "pukka"
DVDs, playable on a standard player. It's taken me weeks and a lot of
help to work this out!!

I've cross-posted this reply to alt.video.dvdr, where there are some
very helpful people, and a thread from a few days ago headed
"Panasonic VRO Files and PC Editing - Help !" which you might like to
check out. This includes a slightly cryptic link to a possible source
for Movie Album...

hth

paul

P Pron

I've just purchased an LG 4040B with Ram capability, but you have to install
the RAM DRIVER from the installation CD.
Did you happen to do that for either the LG or Panasonic drives? (just
curious...)
"P Pron" <> wrote in message
news:bvglq4$s0s1i$...
> Mike & Karen wrote:
> > For Christmas I was lucky enough to get a Panasonic DMR-E50 set top
> > box DVD recorder. The one dissapointment with this (and perhaps it
> > was to
> > be expected) is that I can not edit out the adverts from a movie
> when
> > I write a DVD-R disk - it is erase the whole film or nothing.
> > So over Christmas (and since then) I have been recording movies to
> > DVD-RAM disks so I can edit out the adverts etc.
> > However I want to move the content from the RAM disks to DVD-R
> disks.
> > So I invested in an LG drive that claimed to read all formats except
> > +R. When using that to read the RAM disks from DMR-E50 the PC just
> > responded "incorrect function". So I took it back thinking it was
> > faulty. Then I attempted to buy a Toshiba SD M1712 from
> > uk.insight.com after a recommendation form the news group that the
> > drive would read disks from the DMR-E50. But after they twice sent
> > me a SD-M1802 that will not read RAM disks I decided to go for a
> > Panasonic SR 8588 drive for my PC that supported DVD-RAM. I have
> > also downlaoded a utility called DISCinfo (from
> > http://forum.rpc1.org/portal.php I think) which confirms the drive
> > will read DVD-RAM disks.
> > However when I insert a RAM disk I get "incorrect function".
> >
> > So is this a format issue? Is there a way I can make the drive read
> > the disks? Or am I stuck with a life of regret for not buying the
> DVD
> > recorder with the hard drive in it?
> >
> >
> > Mike
>
> I don't know why you're having problems getting this to work with your
> Panasonic SR8588 drive, but I'm now doing OK (after a lot of false
> starts!!) using a Panasonic program called DVD Movie Album which comes
> bundled with their LFM621E burner (see Panasonic UK website).
>
> You can use that to edit out the adverts, etc, and convert the VRO
> files from the DVD-RAM disc into MPEG files. You then use something
> like TMPGenc DVD Author or Nero to convert the MPEG files into "pukka"
> DVDs, playable on a standard player. It's taken me weeks and a lot of
> help to work this out!!
>
> I've cross-posted this reply to alt.video.dvdr, where there are some
> very helpful people, and a thread from a few days ago headed
> "Panasonic VRO Files and PC Editing - Help !" which you might like to
> check out. This includes a slightly cryptic link to a possible source
> for Movie Album...
>
> hth
>
> paul
>
>

G

> So is this a format issue?

Bad form to respond to my own post. BUT...

It is all about UDF. I need a UDF 2 driver to read the RAM disks the
DMR-E50 creates. No disks came with any of the drives I tried but a
whole day on google came through. The needed file was on the panasonic
web site.

So problem solved.

Thanks


Mike

Mike & Karen

G wrote:
> I've just purchased an LG 4040B with Ram capability, but you have to
> install the RAM DRIVER from the installation CD.
> Did you happen to do that for either the LG or Panasonic drives?
(just
> curious...)


My Tosh laptop (which has what seems to be an OEM Panasonic drive
labelled as a Tosh SD-R6012) came with the driver ready-installed -
although I haven't yet succeeded in editing the the content of the
actual DVD-RAM disc that the movie is on.

But this is fine, because Movie Album creates a "virtual edit" which
is then reflected in the MPEG file that is copied to the hard-drive as
the source for a "proper" DVD. The original RAM disc remains
unchanged.

So the fact that I can't (yet?) write to DVD-RAM isn't really a
problem, because the whole point of the exercise for me is to free up
the RAM disc for erasure and reuse - and basic editing can be done in
the E-50 anyway.

paul

P Pron

I have listed several drives that all read DVD-RAM discs.

Some of the drives won't read the DVD-RAM discs in cartridges,
however.

The list is at the bottom of the Web page at the following link:

http://www.jonesgroup.net/videocomputers.htm

I'd recommend the Panasonic SW-9572:

http://store.yahoo.com/ourstore-2000/paswdvcdindr.html

Then you can use DVD-VR software to copy the DVD-RAM disc content to
your hard drive for editing and then re-burning to DVD-R.

I'd recommend Ulead's new "Disc Creator" version of DVD MovieFactory
3.0.

I've written a step-by-step tutorial about how to use that software to
grab video from DVD-RAM discs:

http://www.jonesgroup.net/dvdrecorderdiscstepone.htm

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

Jerry Jones

I had all kinds of problems like this when I purchased my Panny E50 last
year. Then I discovered quite by accident that my new LG4020B burner
actually read the -RAM disks that I could use in the E50. My only problem
was how to edit the -VR files created by E50 on my pc. I contacted Panasonic
Canada and they directed me to Ulead's Movie Factory 2 that edits the VRO
files (which are actually Mpeg2 files). I also found that TMPGEnc DVD Author
was a much easier and better editing software than Movie Factory 2. It
includes chapter editing, cutting out commercials and unwanted footage, and
menu creation with scene selections. It also includes a burning tool to burn
the created Video_TS files.

You have to make sure that you've gotten the latest firmware update for your
burner and have installed all the drivers for the formats that the drive
supports. I'm surprised that the LG4040B didn't recognize the RAM disk. My
guess is that you didn't install the RAM driver from the install disk
properly. Mine works like a charm. I transfer recorded programs from my E50
via RAM disks all the time to my pc for editing. You'll also find that a
compression program like DVDShrink 3.1.2 will come in handy for those
programs that are longer than the 2 hour limit on DVD-R disks (recorded in
the SP mode).

A quick note about the E80/H2 recorder. It has the hard drive to archive
programs and enable the time slip feature (which the E50 has using a RAM
disk). However once you transfer the program to a RAM disk or -R disk,
you're going to have the same problem: how to transfer the video to the pc.
Get the 4040B if its still available or the newer 8x burner from LG. Then
install all the drivers and do a google search for the latest firmware
update. Flash the unit to update it. Then you should be able to read the RAM
disks with out problems. Download the movie editing software and your in
business.

good luck

Daburner

"P Pron" <> wrote in message
news:bvglq4$s0s1i$...
> Mike & Karen wrote:
> > For Christmas I was lucky enough to get a Panasonic DMR-E50 set top
> > box DVD recorder. The one dissapointment with this (and perhaps it
> > was to
> > be expected) is that I can not edit out the adverts from a movie
> when
> > I write a DVD-R disk - it is erase the whole film or nothing.
> > So over Christmas (and since then) I have been recording movies to
> > DVD-RAM disks so I can edit out the adverts etc.
> > However I want to move the content from the RAM disks to DVD-R
> disks.
> > So I invested in an LG drive that claimed to read all formats except
> > +R. When using that to read the RAM disks from DMR-E50 the PC just
> > responded "incorrect function". So I took it back thinking it was
> > faulty. Then I attempted to buy a Toshiba SD M1712 from
> > uk.insight.com after a recommendation form the news group that the
> > drive would read disks from the DMR-E50. But after they twice sent
> > me a SD-M1802 that will not read RAM disks I decided to go for a
> > Panasonic SR 8588 drive for my PC that supported DVD-RAM. I have
> > also downlaoded a utility called DISCinfo (from
> > http://forum.rpc1.org/portal.php I think) which confirms the drive
> > will read DVD-RAM disks.
> > However when I insert a RAM disk I get "incorrect function".
> >
> > So is this a format issue? Is there a way I can make the drive read
> > the disks? Or am I stuck with a life of regret for not buying the
> DVD
> > recorder with the hard drive in it?
> >
> >
> > Mike
>
> I don't know why you're having problems getting this to work with your
> Panasonic SR8588 drive, but I'm now doing OK (after a lot of false
> starts!!) using a Panasonic program called DVD Movie Album which comes
> bundled with their LFM621E burner (see Panasonic UK website).
>
> You can use that to edit out the adverts, etc, and convert the VRO
> files from the DVD-RAM disc into MPEG files. You then use something
> like TMPGenc DVD Author or Nero to convert the MPEG files into "pukka"
> DVDs, playable on a standard player. It's taken me weeks and a lot of
> help to work this out!!
>
> I've cross-posted this reply to alt.video.dvdr, where there are some
> very helpful people, and a thread from a few days ago headed
> "Panasonic VRO Files and PC Editing - Help !" which you might like to
> check out. This includes a slightly cryptic link to a possible source
> for Movie Album...
>
> hth
>
> paul
>
>

Daburner