Import DVD camcorder Disk doesn’t work!

[Danny Hays]

Try putting the DVD in your computer DVDROM and navigate to it with that feature in Vegas. You can also copy the .vob files from the DVD to your hard drive, change the extention to .mpg and edit them that way. Hope this helps, Danny Hays

[Antoine Guy]

Thanks for the reply. I am aware of alternative solutions. (Such as DVD Shrink to collate VOB files etc). I just want to know why the Import Camcorder Disk seems to do nothing for me as surely this would be the best way to do the type of thing I am trying to do.

[Mike Kujbida]

If your Philips is like other DVD recorders out there, there are two methods of creating a DVD.
VR vs. ??
With one method, the DVD was not capable of playing on a computer so check your manual and see if you used the correct method.

[Antoine Guy]

Hi Mike
Actually I was hoping for your input as I have gained a lot of knowledge through reading your posts!
I have thoroughly read the manual and there doesn’t appear to be two methods. Strange thing is that my computer DOES recognise the disks and even will autoplay them. Also the Vegas ‘import disc’ function works perfectly well on other DVDs I have made (that were not made through the dvd recorder).
Anyway, I would appreciate your advice to see if I am correctly doing the following:
I have VHS tapes with 3 hours of material on. However, the best setting on the DVD recorder only takes 2 hours of material (DVDR 610 recorder on M2 setting).
ie for one VHS tape I have 2 dvds (which I overlap slightly).
I then take each of these discs and using DVD shrink produce one vob for each disk (as advised in one of your previous postings to avoid jumping between vobs).
Then using Vegas I put both these vobs on the timeline, overlapping them so that they match by frame (ie somewhere between 1 hour 58 mins and 2 hours). I fade these at the overlap and then render to a DVD Architect pal template so I can later create menus with DVDA and burn to a dual layer disc. Is this the right way to go about things?

[Mike Kujbida]

Hi Antoine.
Thanks very much for the comments as they are appreciated.

The way you’re doing it sounds good to me.

As far as importing them into Vegas, Danny’s method should work for you.
Please let us know if it doesn’t.

Out of curiosity, what’s the model number of the recorder?

[Antoine Guy]

Great, thanks for your time Mike. Always good to know if you’re in the right direction. Model number of DVD Recorder is Philips DVDR 610. I used ‘M2’ setting for recording, which was highest possible with this model. (I believe this achieves an average bitrate circa 6.5 MBits/sec). Anyway, I can’t tell the difference between original VHS and final dual layer DVD I end up with using method described above – just intrigued why I can’t import these ‘Philips’ discs!!!

[Mike Kujbida]

I downloaded the manual and have a few questions based on what’s starting on page 45 (Editing/Finalising/Recording).
Did you make the DVD “compatible” (+RW only)?
Are your problem DVDs +R or +RW?
Did you finalise the disc when you were done?
Can your computer DVD drive read these discs?
Have you done a firmware update?

[Antoine Guy]

I used DVD+R discs and finalized (NB I also tried inserting an un finalized disc just to see if it would work – it didn’t, as expected my computer didn’t even read it). Yes, my computer can read these finalized discs no problem. I am very up to date with all firmware and software for all hardware and software on my computer. (A little bit obsessive compulsive in this respect!). I have also just reread the manual and can’t see anything I haven’t followed. Just another thing if I may – Vegas indicated the vobs produced by the Philips DVD recorder are interlaced upper field first. When rendering to mpeg2 I change the default from lower field first to upper (to match the source). Is this the correct procedure?

[Mike Kujbida]

“I change the default from lower field first to upper (to match the source). Is this the correct procedure?”

If your resulting DVD plays back OK and doesn’t show signs of interlace errors, then yes, this is the correct procedure.

[Antoine Guy]

Great thanks for your help again.