Use standalone DVD recorder as external burner via Firewire?

jd_hupp · Post by **jd_hupp** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 1:44 am

Some standalone DVD recorders have Firewire connections, mostly for the purpose of allowing you to connect to your video camera and record mini-DV tapes to DVD (or presumably also to use your vidcam like a webcam and record that output).

But I would also like to be able to connect the DVD recorder to a Windows XP PC by Firewire, have the PC see the recorder as a standard external DVD recorder, and burn to that (with Ulead VideoStudio, in this case).

Can anyone confirm for me that this is generally possible, or specifically possible with certain makes and models of standalone DVD recorder?

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 1:55 am

I'm not aware of ANY DVD recorders that can do this.

You should be able to treat any DVD recorder with a Firewire port as a DV device, however. That means that you can use Share -> DV Recording to output a video to it, but this would not allow you to output menus.

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 2:00 am

Argh, I take that back! I forgot about the Sony VRD-VC10.

This device that may do what you want, though I don't necessarily think of this device as a DVD recorder. Most DVD recorders have Firewire ports and act as DV devices, but this unit uses USB 2.0 and does not support Firewire. It does, however, have hardware MPEG encoding and composite/S-Video inputs. It can also be used as a DVD burner when connected to a PC.

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 3:37 am

Works on my dvd recorders. Nice way to preview the video to.
You have to set the "Instant Playback target" to Preview window and
dv camcorder.
If you plan to export a complete movie prepare the complete video in
dv-type 1 first and export it to the dvd recorder.

MD

THoff · Post by **THoff** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:21 am

maddrummer3301, I think jd_hupp is trying to avoid having to purchase a DVD burner, and treat the DVD recorder as such. What you are doing is not the same thing.

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:49 am

Your correct. I didn't pick that up in the original post.

I looked at that Sony unit you had mentioned but then found out it
only uses USB2 for the computer.

That would be pretty nice if they did make a recorder that did have
2 modes to it. The recorder & a PC mode.

MD

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:19 am

If you go to Sony's website and read the spec's of the latest mini-dvd
handycams they can also be used as an external burner connected
via USB2 and using the USB-2 spec, mini-dvd though.
Required to load a driver for accessing the camcorder.

Post by **lancecarr** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:54 am

MD, yes the spec sheet on the new DVD cams from Sony does say that doesn't it!
Do you feel a big Sony BUT coming?
The only way to actually access the device is through the included "Picture Package" software. The video editing element of that is made by Pixela and is called Image Mixer. It is a seriously clunky piece of software.
Originally Image Mixer could burn to your DVD ROM and the cam but the latest packaged version has been crippled to ONLY burn 8cm DVDs in the cam. Likewise there is no way to actually access the cam as a burner from outside the Image Mixer software.
Their intention seems to be that you transfer the MPEGs into Image Mixer, edit you footage and then burn back to a new 8cm DVD.

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 1:54 pm

Before connecting those dvd camcorders to a computer you load the drivers.
When plugging in the cam it will showup the same as an external
hotplug usb device. In this case a burner.
You access it via the drive letter assigned to it.

They are coming up with new devices all the time.
My Canon Optura 60 DV camcorder can connect USB2. You install the drivers for it first.
There are 2 drivers that get installed.
1 to control the camcorder and 1 to stream the video.
In any video software so far I can capture full DV.avi Type-1 using USB.
Processor usage appears to be the same as firewire.
I CANNOT capture direct to Mpeg2 though in any program. So streaming
via the usb2 port and converting that on the fly to mpeg2 generates an
error.
When I researched the cam I made sure it had firewire on it.
The usb-2 is an added feature and I was curious to see if that actually
worked. It does on my system.
I think it's called a USB-2 compliant device streaming via a USB2 connection.

MD

Post by **lancecarr** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 2:30 pm

MD
What happens is that when you install the drivers on the Sony's the device now appears as a USB Mass Storage device but not as a burner. Windows can't access it nor can VS8 or 9 or NeroVision Express or Windows Movie Maker. Lord knows I've tried every combination!
There is something very...I don't know how to put it...but something secretive? about Sony! You may have seen a couple of threads here lately from owners of the Sony DVD cams. Actually most of them were referred her by me from the camcorderinfo board. For example the poster that could get 16:9 MPEGs from a Sony DVD cam to display properly in VS. The solution was to import using the bundled editing software (Pixela Image Maker) then open in VS and hey presto no problems! But if you put the disc in the DVD ROM and import with VS8 or 9 the 16:9 wasn't recognised. That's just one example.
The thing I find strange about these Sony DVD cams is mainly Sony's attitude of keeping the user totally trapped within what they deem to be desirable. I had one poster who was told by Sony tech support that you simply cannot edit the MPEGs made on these cams yet Sony includes an MPEG editor...of sorts!
There was another who was told by tech support that Sony didn't want to encourage copying and burning DVDs because of their movie interests, copyrights management and all that. Now that may have been a tech support guy mouthing off without thinking or it may be a prevailing philosophy at Sony. Who knows!
You are totally right about new stuff coming out all the time but it just seems that the other manufacturers like Canon, Panasonic etc are heading towards wider usability and flexibility.

maddrummer3301 · Post by **maddrummer3301** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:30 am

Lancecarr,
>> Lord knows I've tried every combination!

I've found you couldn't be more correct.

Right in the manual.
Computer problems under "Troubleshooting:
Quote: You cannot write data other than from "Picture Package" on a disc in your camcorder.

Thanks, don't think I'll be buying that unit.

MD