OT: DVD burner with Firewire inputs?

[Peter Ralph]

I borrowed a GO video dvd burner from a client that had FW input. I could not get it to work with the FW input (worked fine with S-video) – the tech folks at GO said the problem was the media – that didn’t make any sense to me.

[Chris Babbitt]

It’s interesting that Go Video manufactures a DVD burner, since their players are notorious for not being able to play DVD-Rs.

[Troy E. parker]

hey Tom,

I just added a Memorex External DVD drive to my desk this week, firewire / USB2 and works with DVD -/+ R, Double layer and more. It was 179.00 at CompUSA. Needed to dub some DVD+R’s (have a DVD-R drive internally), opened box, plugged it into the OSX 10.3 G4 and away it went.

Solid performance, no hassles and maybe someday I will read the onwers manual…

Hope this helps.
Troy

—————-
Link to compusa for details

https://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=318664&pfp=BROWSE

[Bob Woodhead]

“… trudging all the way to the machine room.”
Sonny, in MY day, we had to trudge every time we wanted to use a different source reel!! Kids these days… sigh. AND there was usually 2 feet of snow in the machine room too! Whippersnappers….

Bob Woodhead / Atlanta Gun fer Hire / http://www.Woodhead.Net
Quantel-Avid-FCP-3D-Crayola
G5 DP 2G, 10.3.4, 3.5GB RAM, FCP 4.5, Aja IO, Huge 320R [raid3]

[Tom Matthies]

Yea…
Well, this kid has been doing this for over 30 years now and started out by changing reels on Ampex Quad recorders. Actually my first editing job was done on a hot splicer with 16mm film. From there it was on to Convergence editors. Then CMX. Then on to some of the first Avid systems in Chicago. We even had a pair of CMX-6000 laser-disk based editors. Google those for some entertainment! Then it was on to CMX Omni’s and Accoms. Finally into NLE’s that actually worked and could finish a video without taking it into an on-line suite. Now it’s Symphonys & Final Cut systems. Tomorrow…HD.

Hell, I’m not lazy, just really, really tired. 🙂

…an since I live in Wisconsin now, I DO know what it’s like to walk uphill, both ways in the SNOW. Brrrr…..

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Wal-mart sells a nice little “off-brand” unit with FireWire input (as well as S-Video and Composite)
https://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3168469

(BTW, you can see from the pics that the FW input is on the front of the deck, not the back.)
It burns to DVD+R and DVD+RW discs.

I have seen several of these in the local Wal-marts’ electronics departments for… $139.95.
The good thing about buying from your local Wal-Mart is if the unit is no good, its easy to return.

I have not bought one since I already have another “cheerful cheapy” (Sansui from Sears).
I paid $129 for a “demo” unit.

My Sansui works absolutely perfectly… the DVD’s look just like my DV master (if I choose XP or SP speed) and it records to DVD-R, like the Mac’s burner.

I have had NO PROBLEMS with this Sansui using the CHEAPEST loss-leader “generic” blanks (which is NOT the case with the Mac’s burner).
I imagine its because the unit burns SLOWLY (real-time) and with a “set” compression-rate.
This means I can burn a cheap blank (say 15-25 cents each, in bulk) for client approval!!

Yes, I have bought a lot of pricey PRO gear as well, but the little set-top DVD recorder is a gem for quick, reliable DVD dubs.

A thing to note is that, although these record in “real-time”, they take a “while” to “FINALIZE” the DVD after you finish dubbing.

If I only put a :30 spot or two on a new DVD, the unit still takes 14 MINUTES to “finalize”.

If I dub an hour or two (at SP speed, which is a 2-hour mode) it takes just a very FEW minutes to “finalize”.

So the shorter the dub, the longer the “finalize” step takes.

[Tom Matthies]

Very interesting. Thanks for the tip. I never even considered looking at Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club for this stuff. I’ll check it out tomorrow.
BTW, the unit looks a lot like a Panasonic on the back. Hmmmm…
Tom

[Juli Brown]

Very belated query/comment: I output refernce dvds from fcp using Toast software & a Lacie burner. No probs UNTIL NOW:

NOw I have a problem: I am getting digital artifacts on the output dvds during any quik pans/fast camera moves. THese are not evident in the FCP woindows or on vhs outputs or on the master input media which was a dvd made from betasp(acc to boss who has masterat his house)

I’ve tried exporting unompressed, no joy. Perhaps this was an input problem that just didn’t show in FCP or on vhs???

Any suggestions on how to reimport without artifats or re-export very welcome!

Juli, FCP 4.5, OS 10.4. single processor G4