Incomplete Video Import

[pigpen]

I've collected video clips from home movie VCR tapes onto a DVD using a Panasaonic ES40V, which allows easy copying of VCR to DVD. I have had no problem importing these video clips from the DVD into Roxio 8 for editing when the number of video clips is small (on the order of 20 or so). However, when the number of video clips is large (over 50), then Roxio Video Import does not import all of the video from many of the clips. Some of the imported clips contain only the first frame that was on the DVD. Is there a limit to the number of video clips that can be imported from a single DVD? Is there a work around to this problem?

[sknis]

I've collected video clips from home movie VCR tapes onto a DVD using a Panasaonic ES40V, which allows easy copying of VCR to DVD. I have had no problem importing these video clips from the DVD into Roxio 8 for editing when the number of video clips is small (on the order of 20 or so). However, when the number of video clips is large (over 50), then Roxio Video Import does not import all of the video from many of the clips. Some of the imported clips contain only the first frame that was on the DVD. Is there a limit to the number of video clips that can be imported from a single DVD? Is there a work around to this problem?

 

More likely your computer is acting up or those specific videos are DRM protected.

Just copy the VOB files that are on the disc to your hard drive' rename them to mpg and use them in VideoWave. I think I'm reading the post right; that is a playable DVD? If they were just video files, you wouldn't have asked this question.

[pigpen]

More likely your computer is acting up or those specific videos are DRM protected.

Just copy the VOB files that are on the disc to your hard drive' rename them to mpg and use them in VideoWave. I think I'm reading the post right; that is a playable DVD? If they were just video files, you wouldn't have asked this question.

The DVD is playable on my computer and I viewed it to make sure that all the video clips are complete on it. The DVD videos are not protected. As I said, I created this DVD from VHS source tapes (home video movies of my daughter's basketball games made years ago). There are 99 video clips on this particular DVD, each averaging 30 sec each. I doubt my computer is "acting up" as the problem is repeatable and I have no problems if the number of video clips is relatively small. I have the updated version of Roxio 8 and windows xp professional with all the latest patches. This smells of a software limitation to me. Maybe the Video Import developers didn't think anyone would have this many video clips on a DVD.

 

Anyway, your work around suggestion solves my problem. Thanks, alot!

[pigpen]

Actually I was a little hasty in stating that the work around solves this problem. I think the basic problem is related to the video length (which is shown in the Video Viewer or the properties of a file in the "insert photos/videos" screen). I have found this value to be incorrect in many cases. In the cases where Roxio shows only 1 frame for a clip, the video length is 0. In some cases the length will show as 4 sec, where the video is actually 30 sec long.

 

As an experiment I used the Video Import feature to directly import a video from a DVD that was 29 sec long. After import completed I checked the properties of the file and found the video length listed as 29 sec. This is correct. I then copied the file directly from the DVD and changed the file extention from vob to mpg. Within the "insert photos/videos" screen the properties of this file showed a length of 4 sec. I then repeated this experiment with another file. When the file was imported using the Import Video feature, the video length shows as 0 sec. A direct viewing of the file show this to be incorrect. It is actually 8.22 sec long. After a direct copy from the DVD and change of the file extension, the video length shows as 8 sec which is correct. So both approaches give results which are inconsistent and at times incorrect.

 

Roxio Video/Wave seems to use the video length to determine what I have available to edit, so it is crutial that this be correct. I don't know where the video length is coming from but it seems to be the source of the problem. Could my DVD recorder be the culprit here? If so, then why do I get two different video length values for the same file, one of which is correct?

[james_hardin]

It sounds more like you are dealing with a DVD that was formatted in VR mode.

 

VR format, Recorders, Camcorders, etc. often fragment the VOB files. Capture cannot understand that so while the file header reports the correct length, capture will only return the first fragment of a file.

 

If your device has the option, use Video Format to eliminate this problem.

[pigpen]

It sounds more like you are dealing with a DVD that was formatted in VR mode.

 

VR format, Recorders, Camcorders, etc. often fragment the VOB files. Capture cannot understand that so while the file header reports the correct length, capture will only return the first fragment of a file.

 

If your device has the option, use Video Format to eliminate this problem.

 

According to the manual of my recorder (Panasonic DMR-ES40V) DVD-R discs (which I used) are formatted in DVD-Video format. A DVD-RAM disc is formatted in DVD Video Recording format.

[james_hardin]

According to the manual of my recorder (Panasonic DMR-ES40V) DVD-R discs (which I used) are formatted in DVD-Video format. A DVD-RAM disc is formatted in DVD Video Recording format.

Sure, but the behavior indicates otherwise… I have a DMR-ES15 and while I see what the manual says, it is also the opposite of the Sony it replaced! I have never actually tested it, as I have no use for VR format.

 

I would venture a guess that you are not Finalizing the disc before taking them out of the Recorder???

 

Grab a disc or 2 or DVD RW type. I would get both 'plus' and 'dash' type and give them a try. Watch the format screens carefully to make sure VR does not show up.

 

One other though. You mentioned "import" as opposed to "capture". Are you using the Media Import program with these discs?

[pigpen]

Sure, but the behavior indicates otherwise… I have a DMR-ES15 and while I see what the manual says, it is also the opposite of the Sony it replaced! I have never actually tested it, as I have no use for VR format.

 

I would venture a guess that you are not Finalizing the disc before taking them out of the Recorder???

 

Grab a disc or 2 or DVD RW type. I would get both 'plus' and 'dash' type and give them a try. Watch the format screens carefully to make sure VR does not show up.

 

One other though. You mentioned "import" as opposed to "capture". Are you using the Media Import program with these discs?

The disc was finalized before using on my PC. I used the Video Import feature in Roxio to read the video clips from my DVD. The vast majority of these imported clips are not usable because of length problems, but some are okay. Interestingly, it seems that the longer clips are imported okay, but shorter ones are not. In a parallel effort I manually copied the vob files off the DVD and changed the file type to mpg. Most of those files show the correct length, but not always. In those few cases (10%) I found that the corresponding files imported with Video Import were correct, so I have the complete set of video clips to work with. How is it that the manual copy gives mostly correct results and Video Import does not?

 

Also, as I mentioned in the original post, I have used Roxio and this DVD recorder previously to edit video clips with no problems. The difference however is that before the clips were all longer (at least 3 minutes each) and there were fewer on the DVD (around 20). DVD-R discs were used in each case.

[pigpen]

The disc was finalized before using on my PC. I used the Video Import feature in Roxio to read the video clips from my DVD. The vast majority of these imported clips are not usable because of length problems, but some are okay. Interestingly, it seems that the longer clips are imported okay, but shorter ones are not. In a parallel effort I manually copied the vob files off the DVD and changed the file type to mpg. Most of those files show the correct length, but not always. In those few cases (10%) I found that the corresponding files imported with Video Import were correct, so I have the complete set of video clips to work with. How is it that the manual copy gives mostly correct results and Video Import does not?

 

Also, as I mentioned in the original post, I have used Roxio and this DVD recorder previously to edit video clips with no problems. The difference however is that before the clips were all longer (at least 3 minutes each) and there were fewer on the DVD (around 20). DVD-R discs were used in each case.

I just completed an examination of all 99 video clips and verified that for the VOB files (which had been copied from the DVD and renamed to MPG), the reported playing time is correct for 92 of them. Seven of the clips had incorrect times. I verified the times by viewing each clip. The playing times ranged from 5 to 22 seconds. For the video clips imported by Roxio (by Video Import) only 7 had a correct playing time. These 7 clips were the same video clips that didn't work with the file type change. The playing times for these 7 clips ranged from 25 to 53 seconds. So I can get a complete set of video clips (all 99) from the DVD to edit in Roxio. The long ones via Video Import, and the short ones via a manual copy from the DVD of the VOB files and changing the file type to MPG. Why things work this way is a complete mystery to me but it certainly is interesting. Whether this will hold true for another DVD is another question. I will find out as I have 7 more DVDs of this type to explore.

[james_hardin]

If you will explain to me, in detail, how you manage to record such small clips with a DVD Recorder, I will attempt to duplicate this. Sorry, I just realized we were talking V8 and I don't have that installed anymore...

 

There is no such thing as Video Import in Roxio, never has been. There is a Media Import which I guess you are using?

[pigpen]

If you will explain to me, in detail, how you manage to record such small clips with a DVD Recorder, I will attempt to duplicate this. Sorry, I just realized we were talking V8 and I don't have that installed anymore...

 

There is no such thing as Video Import in Roxio, never has been. There is a Media Import which I guess you are using?

Right you are. I used Roxio Media Import to import the video clips from the DVD. The recorder I used to make the DVD has both tape and DVD hardware. It allows 1 button dubbing from either one to the other. So I would view the VHS tape and when I saw an interesting event, rewind to the the beginning of the event and dub from VHS to DVD. At the conclusion of the event I would stop the recording. After capturing several events (the max is 99 for a DVD) I would finalize the DVD for play elsewhere.

 

I appreciate your taking an interest in this problem.

[james_hardin]

Right you are. I used Roxio Media Import to import the video clips from the DVD. The recorder I used to make the DVD has both tape and DVD hardware. It allows 1 button dubbing from either one to the other. So I would view the VHS tape and when I saw an interesting event, rewind to the the beginning of the event and dub from VHS to DVD. At the conclusion of the event I would stop the recording. After capturing several events (the max is 99 for a DVD) I would finalize the DVD for play elsewhere.

 

I appreciate your taking an interest in this problem.

Wish I had some better ideas!

 

WINDV is a free capture program you could try, however it only captures from a Firewire…

[pigpen]

I just completed an examination of all 99 video clips and verified that for the VOB files (which had been copied from the DVD and renamed to MPG), the reported playing time is correct for 92 of them. Seven of the clips had incorrect times. I verified the times by viewing each clip. The playing times ranged from 5 to 22 seconds. For the video clips imported by Roxio (by Video Import) only 7 had a correct playing time. These 7 clips were the same video clips that didn't work with the file type change. The playing times for these 7 clips ranged from 25 to 53 seconds. So I can get a complete set of video clips (all 99) from the DVD to edit in Roxio. The long ones via Video Import, and the short ones via a manual copy from the DVD of the VOB files and changing the file type to MPG. Why things work this way is a complete mystery to me but it certainly is interesting. Whether this will hold true for another DVD is another question. I will find out as I have 7 more DVDs of this type to explore.

I have finished importing video from 8 other DVDs, each with a large number of video clips with play times ranging from 8 sec to 2 min. The results for all are as described above. To summerize, if the play time is 25 sec or more, then Roxio Media Import works fine. The videos are imported correctly with the correct playing times. However, if the play time is less than 25 secs then only part of the video is imported. In that case manually copying the VOB files from the DVD and then changing the file extent to MPG does the trick.

[james_hardin]

Thanks for getting back with that! Very interesting results!

 

I will have to put this tip into my bag of tricks!!!