Sending DVDs overseas

L

L.A.T.

Guest
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4. Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
 
L.A.T. wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4. Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
Click to expand...
I'll assume that you're aware that what you're doing is a breach of
copyright, but are unconcerned.

It's not going to be a region coding issue. If it were, then none of the
DVDs would play in the US.

Have you tried getting a 'failed' DVD back from the US and playing it on
another DVD player here in Australia?

What sequence of operations are you using to copy to DVD?

Sylvia.
 
"L.A.T." <tt92@ispdr.net.au> wrote in message
news:W0%Wm.63233$ze1.6084@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record
a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not
consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4.
Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some
won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a
readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
Click to expand...

I doubt it is a region problem, more likely the Panasonics notorious
inability to write disks readable by many players other than Panasonic.
Try the disk on a dozen players here in Australia, I bet you find it wont
play on quite a few of those either.

MrT.
 
L.A.T. wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we
record a local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy
that program to a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in
the U.S. Sometimes it wont't play. It must be a problem with the
region, but it is not consistent. I assume that a DVD that is created
on this device is coded as region 4. Is there a way to write a DVD as
"ALL"? I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and
some
won't. It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can
write a readable DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
Click to expand...
It won't be a region coding issue, just the usual compatibility problems
across burners and readers. Some burners produce disc that aren't very
compatible.
Dual layer or single?, single is more reliable.
Are you "closing" or "finalising" the disc?
Can you simply send as an MP4 file on a data disc instead?

Dave.

--
---------------------------------------------
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com
 
L.A.T. wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4. Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
Click to expand...
I've done this before. make sure you close/finalize the DVD on the
recorder. then take the disk to your PC and run DVD Shrink v3.2 and set
it to region free.
 
"David Eather" <eather@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:0YSdnV4y25CXc7HWnZ2dnUVZ_uZi4p2d@supernews.com...
L.A.T. wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record
a local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program
to a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S.
Sometimes it wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is
not consistent. I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is
coded as region 4. Is there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some
won't. It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write
a readable DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.

I've done this before. make sure you close/finalize the DVD on the
recorder. then take the disk to your PC and run DVD Shrink v3.2 and set it
to region free.
Thank you for your responses.
Click to expand...
Yes, I finalise the DVDs and test them on the only other player I have
access to.
No, I have no qualms of guilt about sending DVDs of footy matches to
America.
I will look at DVD Shrink later today.
 
L.A.T. wrote:
"David Eather" <eather@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:0YSdnV4y25CXc7HWnZ2dnUVZ_uZi4p2d@supernews.com...
L.A.T. wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record
a local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program
to a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S.
Sometimes it wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is
not consistent. I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is
coded as region 4. Is there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some
won't. It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write
a readable DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
I've done this before. make sure you close/finalize the DVD on the
recorder. then take the disk to your PC and run DVD Shrink v3.2 and set it
to region free.
Thank you for your responses.
Yes, I finalise the DVDs and test them on the only other player I have
access to.
No, I have no qualms of guilt about sending DVDs of footy matches to
America.
I will look at DVD Shrink later today.
Click to expand...
I think it would be worth while obtained a failed one from the USA. I've
seen DVDs deteriorate after burning - you might find that although it
worked when you tried it, it no longer works.

In that regard, with burnable DVDs, to some extent you get what you pay
for. They're not all the same.

Sylvia.
 
David Eather wrote:
L.A.T. wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we
record a local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy
that program to a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in
the U.S. Sometimes it wont't play. It must be a problem with the
region, but it is not consistent. I assume that a DVD that is created
on this device is coded as region 4. Is there a way to write a DVD as
"ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some
won't. It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can
write a readable DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.


I've done this before. make sure you close/finalize the DVD on the
recorder. then take the disk to your PC and run DVD Shrink v3.2 and set
it to region free.
Click to expand...
In the OPs situation, I can't see that DVD Shrink is going to be a
solution. Why would only some of the DVDs he burns end up with an
unsuitable region?

Sylvia.
 
On Dec 19, 5:11 pm, "L.A.T." <t...@ispdr.net.au> wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4. Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
Click to expand...
I think you are better off saving it as an AVI, MPEG (or whatever)
file and sending like that
those formats are universal through the world, and will play on any
computer, and a lot of modern DVD players too.

Something like VLC media player will play just about any video format
you can find, maybe suggest this also.

DVD shrink can "rebuild" the DVD into a smaller file, this process
might also fix errors along the way ?
 
On Dec 20, 1:54 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.at.this.address> wrote:
L.A.T. wrote:
"David Eather" <eat...@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:0YSdnV4y25CXc7HWnZ2dnUVZ_uZi4p2d@supernews.com...
L.A.T. wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record
a local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program
to a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S.
Sometimes it wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is
not consistent. I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is
coded as region 4. Is there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some
won't. It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write
a readable DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
I've done this before. make sure you close/finalize the DVD on the
recorder. then take the disk to your PC and run DVD Shrink v3.2 and set it
to region free.
Thank you for your responses.
Yes, I finalise the DVDs and test them on the only other player I have
access to.
No, I have no qualms of guilt about sending DVDs of footy matches to
America.
I will look at DVD Shrink later today.

I think it would be worth while obtained a failed one from the USA. I've
seen DVDs deteriorate after burning - you might find that although it
worked when you tried it, it no longer works.

I have found that too.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't rely on these things for archival purpose, or general use
for anything important.

I had about 100 archived, and found after a few months, about 10% had
at least one error.
Believe it or not, trying different DVD readers (even of same brand
and model) did manage to recover nearly everything (with a lot of
trouble and time).

Come to think it it, this might be the problem here.




In that regard, with burnable DVDs, to some extent you get what you pay
for. They're not all the same.

very true.
Click to expand...

> Sylvia.
 
In message
<b7970628-9d7e-4f3c-b4cb-29318951167f@z4g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
kreed <kenreed1999@gmail.com> writes
I think you are better off saving it as an AVI, MPEG (or whatever)
file and sending like that
MPEG2 for preference, every DVD player in the world should support that.
those formats are universal through the world, and will play on any
computer, and a lot of modern DVD players too.
AVI is just a container, the content can use a wide range of codecs so
Click to expand...
it's not universal, you rely on the media player having the correct
codec or being able to obtain it.
Something like VLC media player will play just about any video format
you can find, maybe suggest this also.
Again, if you have the correct codecs installed.

DVD shrink can "rebuild" the DVD into a smaller file, this process
might also fix errors along the way ?
Click to expand...


--
Clint Sharp
 
kreed wrote:
On Dec 19, 5:11 pm, "L.A.T." <t...@ispdr.net.au> wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4. Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.

I think you are better off saving it as an AVI, MPEG (or whatever)
file and sending like that
those formats are universal through the world, and will play on any
computer, and a lot of modern DVD players too.
Click to expand...
As far as I can see from the owner's manual, the OPs recorder doesn't
have that ability. It will only write in "DVD" format.

http://panasonic.com.au/content/library/files/F001834.pdf

Sylvia.
 
kreed wrote:
In that regard, with burnable DVDs, to some extent you get what you pay
for. They're not all the same.

very true.

Sylvia.
Click to expand...
I should add that the same applies to CD-ROMs, even though I've found
them to be more reliable. One that I burnt 9 years ago has become
unreadable by virtue of the fact that the recording medium is peeling
off the disk. Fortunately, the data is long past its use-by date.

For the record, the brand was EMTEC.

Sylvia.
 
kreed wrote:
On Dec 20, 10:24 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.at.this.address> wrote:
kreed wrote:
On Dec 19, 5:11 pm, "L.A.T." <t...@ispdr.net.au> wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4. Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
I think you are better off saving it as an AVI, MPEG (or whatever)
file and sending like that
those formats are universal through the world, and will play on any
computer, and a lot of modern DVD players too.
As far as I can see from the owner's manual, the OPs recorder doesn't
have that ability. It will only write in "DVD" format.

http://panasonic.com.au/content/library/files/F001834.pdf

Sylvia.


Record to a rewritable DVD and then convert it to the required format
on a PC.
AVS video converter is one way to do it.

Re-use the DVD RW as required.
Click to expand...
If they're anything like the CD-RWs, they're a pain because of the time
taken to erase them prior to reuse.

Sylvia.
 
On Dec 20, 8:00 pm, Clint Sharp <cl...@clintsmc.demon.co.uk> wrote:
In message
b7970628-9d7e-4f3c-b4cb-293189511...@z4g2000prh.googlegroups.com>,
kreed <kenreed1...@gmail.com> writes>I think you are better off saving it as an AVI, MPEG (or whatever)
file and sending like that

MPEG2 for preference, every DVD player in the world should support that.>those formats are universal through the world, and will play on any
computer, and a lot of modern DVD players too.

AVI is just a container, the content can use a wide range of codecs so
it's not universal, you rely on the media player having the correct
codec or being able to obtain it.

Something like VLC media player will play just about any video format
you can find, maybe suggest this also.

Again, if you have the correct codecs installed.

VLC seems to have a lot of them "built in", in my experience there is
Click to expand...
not much it wont play. - and it is free.

Things like windows media player are a PITA, unless you are able to
download and install the codecs. This
might be too difficult for the recipients (for all I know), hence the
suggestion to use VLC that is easy to download, install and use.

DVD shrink can "rebuild" the DVD into a smaller file, this process
might also fix errors along the way ?

--
Clint Sharp
Click to expand...
 
On Dec 20, 10:24 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.at.this.address> wrote:
kreed wrote:
On Dec 19, 5:11 pm, "L.A.T." <t...@ispdr.net.au> wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4. Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.

I think you are better off saving it as an AVI, MPEG (or whatever)
file and sending like that
those formats are universal through the world, and will play on any
computer, and a lot of modern DVD players too.

As far as I can see from the owner's manual, the OPs recorder doesn't
have that ability. It will only write in "DVD" format.

http://panasonic.com.au/content/library/files/F001834.pdf

Sylvia.
Click to expand...

Record to a rewritable DVD and then convert it to the required format
on a PC.
AVS video converter is one way to do it.

Re-use the DVD RW as required.
 
On Dec 20, 10:46 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.at.this.address> wrote:
kreed wrote:
On Dec 20, 10:24 pm, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.at.this.address> wrote:
kreed wrote:
On Dec 19, 5:11 pm, "L.A.T." <t...@ispdr.net.au> wrote:
We have a Panasonic DVD recorder Model DMR-EX75. Sometimes when we record a
local program from free-to-air TV to its HDD and then copy that program to
a DVD, that DVD is playable on friends' equipment in the U.S. Sometimes it
wont't play. It must be a problem with the region, but it is not consistent.
I assume that a DVD that is created on this device is coded as region 4. Is
there a way to write a DVD as "ALL"?
I stress that some DVDs that we write will play in the U.S. and some won't.
It seems to be random. Is there a way to ensure that we can write a readable
DVD? Have we just bought the wrong machine?
Yes, I have read the manual. Over and over. It is truly dreadful.
I think you are better off saving it as an AVI, MPEG (or whatever)
file and sending like that
those formats are universal through the world, and will play on any
computer, and a lot of modern DVD players too.
As far as I can see from the owner's manual, the OPs recorder doesn't
have that ability. It will only write in "DVD" format.

http://panasonic.com.au/content/library/files/F001834.pdf

Sylvia.

Record to a rewritable DVD and then convert it to the required format
on a PC.
AVS video converter is one way to do it.

Re-use the DVD RW as required.

If they're anything like the CD-RWs, they're a pain because of the time
taken to erase them prior to reuse.

Sylvia.
Click to expand...

IIRC you can do a "fast erase" that just does the first track/TOC ?
rather than the entire disc.
 
snip
As far as I can see from the owner's manual, the OPs recorder doesn't have
that ability. It will only write in "DVD" format.

http://panasonic.com.au/content/library/files/F001834.pdf

Sylvia.
True
Click to expand...
 
"kreed" <kenreed1999@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:50634e5d-c22d-422d-8c59-7f0ec68f14c8@f20g2000prn.googlegroups.com...
Record to a rewritable DVD and then convert it to the required format
on a PC.
AVS video converter is one way to do it.
Re-use the DVD RW as required.
Click to expand...
Surprisingly enough mine won't finalise a DVD-RW, only a DVD-R, and that is
deliberate for some reason. (probably more copyright bullshit)
Not sure whether that applies to the OP's recorder.

MrT.
 
"kreed" <kenreed1999@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:087f6693-8e34-4de4-ac79-78241e8172fc@m7g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
I had about 100 archived, and found after a few months, about 10% had
at least one error.
Believe it or not, trying different DVD readers (even of same brand
and model) did manage to recover nearly everything (with a lot of
trouble and time).
Click to expand...
Had the same problem with a Lite-On burner. Switched to a Pioneer and no
more problems.
What many people blame on DVD's in general, is often down to lousy burners
IME. Always test your combination of burner and media for *actual* error
rate (not just the unrecoverable ones) before relying on them to last 5
minutes.

MrT.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top