Help - I'm Going Crazy!

[bluesky777]

Okay here goes... I operate a helicopter company where we record our flights onto a XM-DVR PRO unit using fast CF cards... We then download the CF card onto a brand new whizz bang clean XP computer (4 gig ram / duel core etc)... I end up with 30 minutes of (already edited as we fly) MPEG2 footage. Audio includes music/pax/pilot speaking etc... I have just bought Roxio Creator (full version from the local computer shop) and have tried to burn the footage onto the disks for the last 3 days... (we don't even include a menu, the intent is for the pax to just place the DVD into a player when they get home and it just starts to play etc).

 

1st problem: Half the audio is missing or has somehow moved itself further forward into the video... I.e. I'm pointing out something (verbally) from the helicopter and the footage that is seen is not the right footage!!! The audio then stopped all together about 10 mins in... I'm stumped! I have played the original file and it's perfect in every way... No issues at all.

 

The 2nd issue is when I tried to burn some different footage from another flight it cut out the middle 20 mins of the flight (again the original is perfect)... I have tried 2 different types of disks, tried the "burnt DVD" in multiple players. Have reformatted the computer twice, downloaded all updates etc... The files sizes are about a gig each. (PAL format if that makes any difference).

 

Please, please assist as I'm going out of my brain trying to figure it out! (plus I have passengers DVD's to burn!). It must be something really simple right???

 

Regards,

Mark

[sknis]

Any other ideas??? Many thanks.

 

I'm sure it must be something that Im doing???

 

Mark

 

Please let us know the results of what you tried - did you run the ISO (on your computer hard drive) from the emulated drive or from VLC. If so, what happened?

 

It is hard to trouble shoot unless there is a two way communication, We are making suggestions but you are not letting us know the results - error messages, hangs, stops, poor display etc.

 

We cannot read between the lines and my mind-reading license has expired.

 

Go back to step one. Read this post or this one and tell us where you are or are not doing what it says. The underlined sections are links (just in case)

[bluesky777]

Fellas...

I'm still having problems with this software... Here are my observations.

 

When I try to burn a DVD it allows me to do this but for some reason it takes out say 10 minutes worth of footage from the flight? Normally around 6 minutes or so in? The end result is that the DVD (or 1 of now many coasters) has part of the flight missing!

 

I've tried different disks / different write speeds etc but all to no avail.

 

I've tried (successfully) to burn a disk image of the footage but I can't see where I can preview this before attempting another coaster!

 

When I fast forward on the preview (MYDVD) the footage/audio jumps to another part of the flight just after I press the Fwd button... However when I play at normal speed it plays normally howver this result is inconsistent as I tried playing some other footage this way and it (the footage) jumped at normal speed! Other times not!

 

(VLC plays the footage normally!).

 

All my drivers etc up up to date... As the computer is not connected to the internet, the only thing I don't know how to check is DirectX (?). But in my limited knowledge and the fact that I'm using a brand new "Clean" computer I'm sure this is not causing the problem?

 

I've downloaded a trial version of Nero 9 onto a 2nd computer... When I transfer the MPEG files (hassle!) onto this computer, Nero burns the DVD's without a problem.

 

I'm very disappointed with this program, I guess the next step is to try and get my A$150 back unless anyone has any further ideas?

 

Many thanks...

 

Regards,

Mark

[bluesky777]

2 things to try:

 

MyDVD – Tools – Options – Render, set it to Software.

 

Burn a test as NTSC.

 

 

Jim... I've done as you've suggested and the result is still the same i'm afraid???

 

I just had a look at some footage from today's flying in the preview of mydvd and this too is also acting weird basically jumping ahead and then playing the wrong audio???

 

I've also now installed the Roxio software on a different computer and the results and stange behaviour of the program has continued... So this eliminates the "New" Clean computer as being the culprit...

 

What's really weird is that the mpeg file plays in VLC media player normally but in Windows Media Player 10 the audio stops about 10 mins in and then starts playing again...

 

I am at the end of my tether. I just don't what else to do... Anything you can do to assist would be very much appreciated... Thanks again for your help so far.

 

Regards,

Mark

[sknis]

What happens when you try to burn the ISO file? Error messages?

 

Could that video possibly be a mjpeg (movie jpeg) and not a mpg? I know that none of the EMC/Creator versions handle mjpeg.

 

[bluesky777]

Not sure if this helps but the video is mpgv and the audio is mpga according to the codec info on VLC.

[Jim_Hardin]

Mark: There is a corruption in the file conversion. Players are usually not a good test because they are designed to eat almost anything and work…

 

It is interesting that Media Player balks on it too.

 

I assume you are getting your work done with Nero for now and have no idea why it would work and others don't.

 

I would also try to pass this file through Windows Movie Maker to confirm a file problem. Assuming that will fail, I would go back to Datatoys and ask them why one program works and 2 others don't…

 

That is some cool equipment – do you use the helmet cam? Do you have a website?

 

[bluesky777]

Mark: There is a corruption in the file conversion. Players are usually not a good test because they are designed to eat almost anything and work…

 

It is interesting that Media Player balks on it too.

 

I assume you are getting your work done with Nero for now and have no idea why it would work and others don't.

 

I would also try to pass this file through Windows Movie Maker to confirm a file problem. Assuming that will fail, I would go back to Datatoys and ask them why one program works and 2 others don't…

 

That is some cool equipment – do you use the helmet cam? Do you have a website?

 

 

Jim

I took Nero off as it was slowing my system down (along with messages that said "Delayed write failed" etc ) so no, my pax DVD's are banking up... This is why I'm desperate to fix the problem.

 

Before I left work this evening I downloaded Ulead onto my 2nd computer to test. However when I left it still hadn't finished burning a dvd after 30 minutes... This can't be the norm?

 

RE: Windows Movie Maker... Do you mean try this to burn a disk? I have spoken to datatoys and they can't figure it out either as they successfully use nero 9 & roxio (as well as ulead) to burn disks.

 

I really need to speak with someone from roxio here in Australia if I can.

 

I don't think the files are corrupted I'm sure it must be a setting issue somewhere on roxio?

 

Thanks Jim...

 

Regards,

Mark

www.blueskyhelicopters.com

 

[Jim_Hardin]

Two completely independent programs have trouble and you think it is a setting in Roxio???

 

Use WMM to open the file and output it as a DV AVI somewhere. (want to see how it handles it)

 

Ulead has never been found in the fast lane…

 

 

[bluesky777]

What happens when you try to burn the ISO file? Error messages?

 

Could that video possibly be a mjpeg (movie jpeg) and not a mpg? I know that none of the EMC/Creator versions handle mjpeg.

 

No error messages... (any idea how to view the ISO file?

 

As far as I can see the file is a straight Mpeg... Is it just a case of right clicking the properties to check?

 

Thank you.

[gi7omy]

Use the Virtual Drive that is built in - that sets up an emulated drive that you can load a .iso file into

[Beerman]

I personally find it much easier and faster to drag and drop the ISO right into VLC Media Player Plus, it's much smaller than Windows Media Player and plays just about everything you throw at it.

[bluesky777]

Two completely independent programs have trouble and you think it is a setting in Roxio???

 

Use WMM to open the file and output it as a DV AVI somewhere. (want to see how it handles it)

 

Ulead has never been found in the fast lane…

 

 

Jim

RE: There is a corruption in the file conversion.

 

What's interesting is that as each day has passed and I'm recording new footage, no matter what file I choose to burn, there is a problem, even after I've reformatted the computer. So the big question is how do I fix file conversion corruption? Is it possible?

 

If I were to load nero 9 back on... Do you how I avoid the "Delayed write failed" message or even what causes this... The burning went okay with Nero it was just that it slowed the "new computer" system down and I got the write failed messages... Do you think it's because the file sizes are over a gig?

 

If you have any ideas on how to avoid "Delayed write failed" then maybe I could back to nero 9... As I only have basic needs for the burning of disks, would an earlier version of nero do the trick do you think? Do you know of other people that have had this problem?

 

I'm also going to ask Datatoys for the exact specs of the files? Would this help in getting closer to an answer?

 

Thanks Jim...

[grandpabruce]

Jim

RE: There is a corruption in the file conversion.

 

What's interesting is that as each day has passed and I'm recording new footage, no matter what file I choose to burn, there is a problem, even after I've reformatted the computer. So the big question is how do I fix file conversion corruption? Is it possible?

 

If I were to load nero 9 back on... Do you how I avoid the "Delayed write failed" message or even what causes this... The burning went okay with Nero it was just that it slowed the "new computer" system down and I got the write failed messages... Do you think it's because the file sizes are over a gig?

 

If you have any ideas on how to avoid "Delayed write failed" then maybe I could back to nero 9... As I only have basic needs for the burning of disks, would an earlier version of nero do the trick do you think? Do you know of other people that have had this problem?

 

I'm also going to ask Datatoys for the exact specs of the files? Would this help in getting closer to an answer?

 

Thanks Jim...

 

See the bolded text above. Are you burning to an external hard drive? I have seen that error, once or twice, when I copied files to an external hard drive.

[ggrussell]

What's interesting is that as each day has passed and I'm recording new footage, no matter what file I choose to burn, there is a problem, even after I've reformatted the computer. So the big question is how do I fix file conversion corruption? Is it possible?

I looked at DataToys website and the only thing I would question is the bitrate. The XM-DVR PRO does use standard MPEG 2, but the bitrate is 10Mbps. If I remember correctly, video DVD max. is 10Mbps INCLUDING the audio. So there 'might' be an issue there.

 

Have you updated to firmware S1.53? If not, read through the online support PDF.

 

Have you updated the DVR2PC file transfer app? The recordings are stored in a special fault-tolerant PVR format and need to be transferred via included PC-based USB software.

 

[Jim_Hardin]

At first glance I would suspect the format your are downloading from your camera card is not 100% up to Standards. – Check with the maker on that issue, some have a converter program for the asking.

 

But you didn't say that the Preview had these problems??? That would let the camera maker off the hook.

 

2 things to try:

 

MyDVD – Tools – Options – Render, set it to Software.

 

Burn a test as NTSC.

 

I believe your Players will accept both down there and another posting recently indicated a user having trouble with PAL. (other users don't so it isn't a slam dunk)

 

Let us know.

 

 

[bluesky777]

At first glance I would suspect the format your are downloading from your camera card is not 100% up to Standards. – Check with the maker on that issue, some have a converter program for the asking.

 

But you didn't say that the Preview had these problems??? That would let the camera maker off the hook.

 

2 things to try:

 

MyDVD – Tools – Options – Render, set it to Software.

 

Burn a test as NTSC.

 

I believe your Players will accept both down there and another posting recently indicated a user having trouble with PAL. (other users don't so it isn't a slam dunk)

 

Let us know.

 

 

Thanks Jim... I will try these settings in the morning (do you know why it's moving the audio / cutting the vision etc - Have you heard of such an issue before?).

 

Regarding the converter program, that works fine... Originally we started to use Nero 9 but it just slowed down the computer too much... footage burnt okay. We are also using high end disks.

 

Would slowing the speed of the burn down help or am I way off track?

 

I just copied these specs from XM-DVR pro website (if this helps?) 44.1KHz @ 64 kbps to 384 kbps (single ended & stereo) MPEG 1 Audio layer II (MP2 musicam) - but this has nothing to do with the missing footage though?

 

Thanks again.

Mark

Sydney - Australia.

[bluesky777]

See the bolded text above. Are you burning to an external hard drive? I have seen that error, once or twice, when I copied files to an external hard drive.

 

No it's an internal LG burner.

 

 

 

 

I looked at DataToys website and the only thing I would question is the bitrate. The XM-DVR PRO does use standard MPEG 2, but the bitrate is 10Mbps. If I remember correctly, video DVD max. is 10Mbps INCLUDING the audio. So there 'might' be an issue there.

 

Have you updated to firmware S1.53? If not, read through the online support PDF.

 

Have you updated the DVR2PC file transfer app? The recordings are stored in a special fault-tolerant PVR format and need to be transferred via included PC-based USB software.

 

Thanks for your input...

 

RE: Bitrate

The bitrate can be changed - It's currently set at 5Mbps and the audio at ??? Medium I think (I'll have to check what medium is tomorrow).

 

RE: Have you updated to firmware S1.53?

Yes

 

RE: Have you updated the DVR2PC file transfer app?

I now have the latest version...

 

Many thanks.

[bluesky777]

The following email is from one of my passengers that flew with me

yesterday. I told him about the burning issues I've been having. He

asked if I could transfer his mpeg footage onto a usb so he could try it

at home.. He then went home and carried out the following tests...

 

(Ps - If it's the original audio settings on the XM-DVR PRO that are causing an issue (which I now suspect it is!)... Any ideas how I'm going to burn our outstanding passengers DVD's from last week???? Maybe I can output directly (in real time) from the computer to a Sony VRD MC3 that we have in the office? (remembering that they all play perfectly well using the VLC player (come to think of it, I don't know how I'm going to make that work!)- Many thanks. Regards, Mark)

 

////////

> hi Mark

>

> i haven't had any luck burning the dvd.

>

> i should first say that although i don't do a lot of converting

> videos(mpgs etc) into dvds, i do burn a lot of data dvds. and i have

> Vista.

>

> interestingly, when i play the mpg with VLC player on my computer it plays

> fine but there is no time information. you know usually it will tell you

> the total time of the mpg and how far you are currently into it. it

> doesn't do that with your mpg. so that could possibly be causing your new

> computer grief.

>

> when i try and load the mpg into windows movie maker(standard with vista

> and later versions of xp) it says "mpg is in use by another program or

> does not contain valid audio data". i tested other mpgs i have on my

> computer and they loaded fine into movie maker. so i believe it is

> actually the 'valid audio data' that is causing the problem in this

> instance(it's definitely not currently used by another application). i was

> trying to load it into movie maker to convert it to a dvd file i could

> burn to a dvd.

>

> so i then tried Nero. i have Nero 7. it won't directly allow a mpg to be

> burnt as a video dvd. it requires Nero Vision to convert it to a ts_video

> file. however i don't have the full version of Nero so the trial period

> for Nero Vision has run out. so i couldn't test Nero.

>

> next stop was windows dvd maker. when i try and load the mpg into it i get

> another error message: "the video file is less than one second in

> duration".

>

> that's all my burning options done with. so i can't help you anymore

> sorry!

>

> just to see what would happen, i played the mpg with standard Windows

> Media Player and it does not play it properly! the video plays all choppy,

> there is no time information, the audio is all over the place - choppy and

> jumping all over the place. and then it stops playing after 30 seconds!

>

> i reckon your mpg files are not in a standard/common format(or maybe it is

> in a bad format).

> i reckon it could be that your old computer was setup to handle your mpg

> files but your new computer is not.

> and i don't think it's your hardware either - that's probably all fine.

>

> so when you do sort out how to put it onto a dvd i would still like to

> receive a copy because i don't think i'm going to be able to burn it to

> dvd with my computer, and i would like to put it on dvd to show to other

> people.

[sknis]

No it's an internal LG burner.

 

Thanks for your input...

 

RE: Bitrate

The bitrate can be changed - It's currently set at 5Mbps and the audio at ??? Medium I think (I'll have to check what medium is tomorrow).

 

RE: Have you updated to firmware S1.53?

Yes

 

RE: Have you updated the DVR2PC file transfer app?

I now have the latest version...

 

Many thanks.

 

Sorry, this is a long thread and I am not sure what the status is. Have you been able to capture/copy the DVD to your computer? You says it plays well in VLC but that will play just about anything.

 

If you have it on your computer, download and run gspot on that video. What does it say about the video and the audio? Do you have all the right codecs? Since you edited the DVD on the fly (sorry for the pun) s the disc closed?

 

If you think that the audio is a problem, extract the audio from the file on your computer and put it into Sound Soap. Re-convert it from there to another wav file. I'm not sure how the audio would give you all the video problems though.

 

[bluesky777]

Any other ideas??? Many thanks.

 

I'm sure it must be something that Im doing???

 

Mark