Audio sync issue with DVD-RAM recordings?

[DarNara]

Hi all!

Firstly, apologies if this has been solved somewhere here. I did do a search before registering and i dont seem to have come up with much?

My issue is, i have a Panasonic DMR-EZ45v unit and it allows making recordings to DVD-RAM disk. I thought this would be perfect as i could do the recordings to DVD-RAM , then pull it off the disk to my computer and then convert the .VRO to a MPEG-2 format, create a custom DVD, then format the DVD-RAM for its next use, and then happy days!

But alas, all is not happy. I get as far as pulling the .VRO off the disk and when it comes to converting? PavTube (what im using in Windows) converts it but the audio is way off sync. I thought maybe it was the software so i then hopped onto my Mac and tried some converters there i have (iSkySoft is one example im using) and the same happens there so im more inclined to believe its something to do with the file itself?

I'm not making any changes when converting and trying to leave everything 1:1 in terms of video size/bitrates/etc

Any assistance with this would be appreciated. I did look into MPEG-VCR as thats a software i havent tried yet but i see its been discontinued and can no longer be purchased. So even if i were to download it from you guys, after 15-30 days it becomes useless?

[Winsordawson]

Assuming you wish to continue using this method of capture, have you tried using this DVD-RAM disc before? If you have used it before it may have degraded. Perhaps trying a new DVD-R (such as the Verbatim recommended in DigitalFaq's guide) might help.

Otherwise, is the audio delay consistent? If it is off by a consistent 2 seconds throughout the entire video, for example, you can un-link the audio from the video in your NLE, match it again at the right point and re-link.

[dpalomaki]

First, dumping analog video to a DVD and then extracting the DVD file for editing or restoration a less than
optimum approach for highest quality, but it can be quick and easy. It may give results that are acceptable for your purposes. Only you can judge that.

- How are you judging the audio delay?
- Is the audio leading or lagging the image?
- Is it a steady amount?
- At what stage is the delay introduced?
- Please describe the full signal path from the source material to the recorder to playing the final output you are judging in detail? Include the gear that is involved.
- What software are you using for these processes.

I ask because various components can introduce different signal delays for video and audio as the signals are processed (generally audio is processed faster than video) and dropped frames or playback glitches may introduce delays as well. (For example audio output of a PC sound card will often lead the video output from a PC to a TV set.)

[DarNara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpalomaki

First, dumping analog video to a DVD and then extracting the DVD file for editing or restoration a less than
optimum approach for highest quality, but it can be quick and easy. It may give results that are acceptable for your purposes. Only you can judge that.

- How are you judging the audio delay?
- Is the audio leading or lagging the image?
- Is it a steady amount?
- At what stage is the delay introduced?
- Please describe the full signal path from the source material to the recorder to playing the final output you are judging in detail? Include the gear that is involved.
- What software are you using for these processes.

I ask because various components can introduce different signal delays for video and audio as the signals are processed (generally audio is processed faster than video) and dropped frames or playback glitches may introduce delays as well. (For example audio output of a PC sound card will often lead the video output from a PC to a TV set.)

Hello!

My setup is as follows:

A Panasonic DMR-EZ45V unit - Using its inbuilt VCR to transfer 4-6hr worth of content to DVD-RAM

Mac Pro and Windows machine both with a LG Dad-8020b DVD-RAM drive connected (Externally for the Mac via USB, internally via IDE on the Windows machine)

Various converter-softwares that claim to convert .VRO (or even .MPG) - iSkysoft iMedia Converter for Mac , PavTube for Windows to name a couple but end-result mentioned below is always the same.

VLC Media Player to inspect converted files (and yes, i've made sure any custom audio delay settings are off) - The original .VRO files are checked on the DMR unit itself. Windows Media Player and Quicktime player give same results.

The audio delay seems to start after about 90mins and only after some conversion (either from the .VRO to MPEG-2, or even MP4). Quality is decent (the source VHS material isnt that great but acceptable enough to be watchable), its literally just the audio starts to drift off.

And it will continue to drift the longer the file is , i just finished doing a 6hr run to DVD-RAM just to test something and after converting that, yet again after 90mins it starts. 100mins in the audio is about a second off according to my eyes, the audio LAGS behind so i see someone talk, then the audio catches up a second later. Then 140mins in its about 2s , then 200mins in its 3s and it will continue. At the 5hr 32min mark the audio was a whole 5-6s off the video that meant at 6hrs i was left with a blank screen and audio still playing.

This doesnt happen with the .VRO file , that will play beautifully. Its only when its converted (or the extension changed to .MPG to try get it to just directly work)

I think at the end of the day, if i was to do these in 90min chunks? I'd be good , but im thinking for longer tapes, why should i? This has to be a solvable issue surely?

[dpalomaki]

Do I understand that the delay is not uniformly increasing, but that every 45 to 60 minutes or so it jumps by 0.5 to 1 seconds?

Can you describe the files that are involved including sizes; including the original VRO(s) and resulting VOB(s) or AVI(S) or MPEG(s).

I've seen sorta similar behavior when a continuous stream was split into multiple files and the playback or editing software was not able to properly stitch the file back together; e.g., continuation files on camcorders recording to SD media where individual files were limited to 2 GB per file. There would be a jump at each file break.