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I have a Panasonic DMR-ES20 DVD Recorder which I am pleased with. The problem is I mostly use DVD-RAM Discs for their editing, and time slip capabilities. Since most DVD Players aren't RAM Compatible, I'm looking for a way to transfer RAM recordings to another format.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an external DVD writer that works well with DVD-RAM?

hello statl, welcome to CDRLabs.

external LG drives.
LG GSA-E10N
LG GSA-E10L (same as above + LightScribe)

there may be other variants:
LG GSA-E12N
LG GSA-E12L (same as last 2 but 18x drives instead of 16x)

LG GSA-E20N
LG GSA-E20L
LG GSA-E22N
LG GSA-E22L (same as last 4 but based on Panasonic chipset rather than Renesas chipset).

all are DVD-RAM capable. all are find drives.

BE CAREFUL with LG drives!!!! There were problems that using DVD-RAM discs in LG Drives did something to the disc that caused them to no longer be compatible with Panasonic DVD burners.

The thought was it only happened on CPRM-enabled discs (copy protection.. most newer DVD RAM are CPRM) and the LG did something the Panasonic didn't like and locked the disc from future use.

(I should add, I have indeed verified this problem with my own equipment. I just quit using the DVD-RAMs from the Panasonic in the LG and didn't do any further tweaking/testing.. and I have a stack of RAMs for the computer, and a stack for the Panasonic)

Do some Google searches before buying and using an LG drive. You might want to just try to find a DVD-ROM drive (like a Toshiba or something) that can *read* DVD-RAM (but won't write) and then do your editing and burn using a different drive. Alternatively, you could pick up a Panasonic DVD-RAM drive but they unfortunately are not very good all around DVD burners.

(don't get me wrong, most LG drives are quite good but not in this case)

More info:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=122274

http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthre ... ge=1&pp=15

I would say go for a Pioneer DVR 111 or the Asus-cone 1608P3S

U can with TMPG DVD Author and Ulead Movie Factory transfer the DVD-RAM-files into MPG2-files to PC and then use the mpgs to create DVD-Video

statl wrote:I have a Panasonic DMR-ES20 DVD Recorder which I am pleased with. The problem is I mostly use DVD-RAM Discs for their editing, and time slip capabilities.
Since most DVD Players aren't RAM Compatible, I'm looking for a way to transfer RAM recordings to another format.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an external DVD writer that works well with DVD-RAM?

I have noticed that a lot of DVD Recorders record on DVD-RAM's in the DVD-VR format and not in the DVD-video format (audio_ts empty, viseo_ts with IFO and VOB files).
So when you put a DVD-RAM with a video on it coming out of a DVD-Recorder
into a DVD-RAM compatible drive of any brand in a computer
this computer drive is unable to read the video which is in the DVD-VR format.

In order to read the video file coming from your DVD Recorder ang get VOB files in order to burn compatible DVD video disc
you have to do what Scour is saying just in the post before.

My JVC DR-M10 uses also the VR-Mode with DVD-RAM, so my Pioneer 440 do and the Panasonic DMR-E53 from a friend also

The problem is that maybe not all player-software on PC can handle it

frank1 wrote:

statl wrote:I have a Panasonic DMR-ES20 DVD Recorder which I am pleased with. The problem is I mostly use DVD-RAM Discs for their editing, and time slip capabilities.
Since most DVD Players aren't RAM Compatible, I'm looking for a way to transfer RAM recordings to another format.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an external DVD writer that works well with DVD-RAM?

I have noticed that a lot of DVD Recorders record on DVD-RAM's in the DVD-VR format and not in the DVD-video format (audio_ts empty, viseo_ts with IFO and VOB files).
So when you put a DVD-RAM with a video on it coming out of a DVD-Recorder
into a DVD-RAM compatible drive of any brand in a computer
this computer drive is unable to read the video which is in the DVD-VR format.

In order to read the video file coming from your DVD Recorder ang get VOB files in order to burn compatible DVD video disc
you have to do what Scour is saying just in the post before.

Well, it's not quite that dire, you just need to get software that can handle the DVD-RAM DVD-VR format. I think most of them do, maybe not the generic OEM ones that comes with drives but the full retail software does.

PowerDVD can handle it, I have old version 4 and it works

Thanks for making this precise
I knew that you had to use the proper software to handle the big MPEG file on the DVD-RAM burned in DVD-VR mode
I did not know that PowerDVD 4 was able to play a DVD-VR file

Thankyou, everyone for your excellent advice. I am leaning towards the Sony DRX830U external DVD writer. Again, my primary use will be to copy DVD-Ram recordings made on a Panasonic DVD Recorder onto DVD-Rs.

My question is does anyone know if the Nero 7 Suite software that comes with the Sony unit is compatible with DVD-Ram recordings in the VR mode?

I'm limiting my choices to an external DVD writer available at Best Buy simply because I have a gift card I'd like to use

Thanks!

statl wrote:My question is does anyone know if the Nero 7 Suite software that comes with the Sony unit is compatible with DVD-Ram recordings in the VR mode?

Creating them or playing them back?

Would the Nero 7 suite be able to read DVD-RAM discs recorded in the VR mode? I would be looking to copy these discs onto DVD-Rs

statl wrote:Would the Nero 7 suite be able to read DVD-RAM discs recorded in the VR mode? I would be looking to copy these discs onto DVD-Rs

Although I do not use DVD-RAM, I have been able to take DVD-RW in VR mode from my Pio 633hs DVD recorder and read it in using Nero 7. I have also used Pinnacle Studio 9 & 10 to do the same.

One other tip is that if you install InCD or other packet writing software it will enable you to read the disk in Windows File Explorer and copy the files directly. These applications get the OS the proper extensions to be able to read that file format (UDF x.xx i believe). I never use packet writing software but I found this out by accident.

One possible advantage of an LG burner using UDMA 4 is to enable it to burn fast when used as an external drive - or to maximise burn speed if burning "on the fly" from one optical drive to another.

Since your own case involves DVD-RAM media, however, which is only available in up to 5x speed outside of Japan, perhaps it's not relevant.