Mac and FCP don’t see DVD in drive – import problems

[Shane Ross]

What are you trying to use to extract the DVD files? DVDxDV? MPEGstreamclip? Mac the Ripper?

And what type of DVDs are you burning the VHS tapes onto? DVD+R? Macs cannot read +Rs.

Any issue with looping the VCR thru your camera? Or dubbing the VHS to DV, then capturing?

[Walter Biscardi]

[Shane Ross] “DVD+R? Macs cannot read +Rs.”

A mac can read a burned DVD+R just fine. I burn +R’s in my Philips DVD Recorder and can play back the discs in all my Mac’s just fine.

The newer Mac’s, like my Mini, can now burn both -/+ R’s.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

G5 Dual 2.0, AJA Kona 2, Medea FCR2X

[Shane Ross]

Oop. What the HELL was I thinking?

Big DUH here. Apologies.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Shane Ross] “Oop. What the HELL was I thinking? Big DUH here. Apologies.”

Never a need to apologize here, Heck I don’t get everything right. That’s why there’s so many of us here to help back each other up. 🙂

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

G5 Dual 2.0, AJA Kona 2, Medea FCR2X

[Michael Alberts]

Many of the earlier Superdrives were not able to read DVD+R disks. If you have a G4 with a Superdrive that might be the case. As for the VOB file try using DVDxDV. For the VHS tape, the inexpensive way to get that into your system would be to purchase a A/D coverter like the Canopus ADVC 100. This box is useful if you’re want to convert the analog to DV. If you’re working at a higher, uncompressed rate than any of the third party video cards should work for you (Aurora, AJA, Decklink).

Michael Alberts
Ambidextrous Productions, Inc.

[David Rowan]

DVD’s are really not a great source for video. As the other posts indicate you really need a 3rd party conversion tool(program) to “dis-assemble” the DVD and “re-assemble” it into a quicktime file you can use.

If you have a capture card or a firewire device (camera or deck) with an input it would be better to run the signal from your VHS deck through that, and capture via firewire. Same goes for the DVD, just hook up a DVD player and play it through your firewire camera or capture device.

I’m fortunate enough to have an AJA IO, so I quit dealing with trying to convert DVD’s. Its just a lot simpler to play them from a DVD player. The way they were meant to be used. I don’t imagine that a good DVD player sending out a signal over S-VHS or Component would have worse image quality than taking the MPEG file of the disk and running it through some 3rd party program.

DWR

[David Rowan]

DVD’s are really not a great source for video. As the other posts indicate you really need a 3rd party conversion tool(program) to “dis-assemble” the DVD and “re-assemble” it into a quicktime file you can use.

If you have a capture card or a firewire device (camera or deck) with an input it would be better to run the signal from your VHS deck through that, and capture via firewire. Same goes for the DVD, just hook up a DVD player and play it through your firewire camera or capture device.

I’m fortunate enough to have an AJA IO, so I quit dealing with trying to convert DVD’s. Its just a lot simpler to play them from a DVD player. The way they were meant to be used. I don’t imagine that a good DVD player sending out a signal over S-VHS or Component would have worse image quality than taking the MPEG file of the disk and running it through some 3rd party program.

DWR