Mini DVD Camcorder Discs

[Maxine370]

Does anyone know why/how a PC or DVD player could make an unfinalized DVD from DVD camcorder unusable.

A friend asked me to transfer/edit their mini DVD recorded on their camcorder, unbeknowest to both of us, these need to be finalized in the camcorder before they are viewable on any other devices. Later upon reading the manual it states not to put in any other device before finalizing as they may become unusable. Any thoughts on why. Are these discs now ruined? (we've yet to try and finalize in the camcorder since I have them but not the camcorder). How could a player ruin a disc if there is no write capability to the player?

[Chuck Engels]

I don't think I would worry Beth, the warning is probably more about putting the disc in another writer which may finalize the disc incorrectly.

Get the disc back to the original recorder and finalize it there, the disc should be fine. Do not try to finalize the disc in another DVD Writer or with software like Nero, finalize the disc in the unit that recorded it.

I am pretty sure that just putting the disc in a player will not harm it, but they do need to be finalized before you can do anything with what's on them.

[Doreen L.]

Just putting it back in the camcorder and finalizing should do the trick. I have a friend who has a DVDcam and had to do this. He had no problems.

[Maxine370]

Okay, Back again with these discs. I returned them and they were finalized. They now play in the DVD player and in the computer. Now I've tried to inport them into PrEl project here's the scoop...

2 of 6 loaded fine. 3 of 6 started to load and then hit an error. I wind up with TOC screen only. One won't even get that far.

As a workaround I can hook my DVD player to my camcorder and my camcorder to the computer and import with the camcorder as a pass thorugh. This work however I get it inn 16:9 and a letterboxing as opposed to the nice 4:3 that I get when I can straight import.

Any other way I can import besides throught the DVD player/camcorder? Any reasons for the random errors...as I said 2 worked, 4 didn't.

Thanks to all who could help.

[Chuck Engels]

Hi Beth,
Are all of the files in question video files? All files will come up in the DVD importer, even the menu and index/TOC files and you don't want those anyway. Are you sure that the 2 files you have aren't everything as far as video is concerned?

[Maxine370]

Hi Chuck,

Missed you at the chat last night.

Yes, all are video files. I can play the whole thing on regular DVD player. As mentioned I can import them through the camcorder by plugging the DVD player to the camcorder and the camcorder to the computer but I get the letterboxing and 16:9 rahter than 4:3.Plus the hookup is a pest.

Any other (free) programs that can import a DVD?

[Chuck Engels]

The free trial of VideoRedo I don't think is limited, that would work very well.

http://www.videoredo.com/

Is the project or the camcorder set to widescreen? What about the DVD Player, is it set to widescreen or letterbox? I take it the camcorder didn't record in widescreen? If it did but you want it full screen you need to set the DVD player to display the DVD differently, you should be able to change that in the setup.

Capturing in Premiere Elements is still the best option if you can.