Sony Recorder DVD-R ISO's not playing - SOLUTION YET?

Hi,

I have nearly 60+ ISO’s of family videos that were transferred from Mini-DV tape to DVD-R using a Sony DVD recorder. The ISO’s of those DVD’s don’t play on the LIVE HUB. The menu never shows and it just sits on a blank screen. The DVD’s themselves play without any problem on ALL DVD machines I’ve tried them on, and the ISO’s play flawlessly on ALL OTHER streamers (such as “PlayOn!HD” and “Dune”) :mansurprised:

(FYI I can confirm that the latest Sony DVD Recorder (model # VRD-MC6) created DVD discs DO work via ISO on the Live Hub – it’s just DVD’s made on their older DVD-R recorders that don’t.)

I unpacked one ISO and looked at the VOB and I posted the Media Information below.

I spoke to WD Tech Support about this. One person said “we know about this issue (home-made DVD’s not playing) and in the next 4-6 weeks there should be a fix.”  Another rep from teir 2 said they don’t have any imeediate plans for a fix since it might be a varient of a sony DRM that they cannot circumvent (makes little sense as most other streamers play it well) and I shouldnt hold my breath.

I uploaded a sample non-playing ISO to an FTP so they can download and see for themselves and test against it. I hope they look at it and act on it as I belive there are many in the same boat. If anyone here wants to or can take a look at the ISO to see what’s holding the WD LIVE HUB from playing them, please PM me and I’ll send you the link to the ISO. :stuck_out_tongue:

In the meantime, does anyone have any ideas how to enable the LIVE HUB to play these ISO’s?

==========================

MEDIA INFO TREE

General

Complete name : G:\001 (11-99) Eretz Yisroel with Leah\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.BUP

Format : DVD Video

Format profile : Menu

File size : 12.0 KiB

Video

ID : 224 (0xE0)

Format : MPEG Video

Format version : Version 2

Bit rate mode : Variable

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 480 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 29.970 fps

Standard : NTSC

Compression mode : Lossy

Text

Format : RLE

Format/Info : Run-length encoding

Bit depth : 2 bits

General

Complete name : G:\001 (11-99) Eretz Yisroel with Leah\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.IFO

Format : DVD Video

Format profile : Menu

File size : 12.0 KiB

Video

ID : 224 (0xE0)

Format : MPEG Video

Format version : Version 2

Bit rate mode : Variable

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 480 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 29.970 fps

Standard : NTSC

Compression mode : Lossy

Text

Format : RLE

Format/Info : Run-length encoding

Bit depth : 2 bits

General

Complete name : G:\001 (11-99) Eretz Yisroel with Leah\VIDEO_TS\VIDEO_TS.VOB

Format : MPEG-PS

File size : 36.0 KiB

Duration : 33ms

Overall bit rate : 8 937 Kbps

Video

ID : 224 (0xE0)

Format : MPEG Video

Format version : Version 2

Format profile : Simple@Main

Format settings, BVOP : No

Format settings, Matrix : Default

Duration : 33ms

Bit rate mode : Variable

Bit rate : 9 800 Kbps

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 480 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 29.970 fps

Standard : NTSC

Color space : YUV

Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0

Bit depth : 8 bits

Scan type : Interlaced

Scan order : Top Field First

Compression mode : Lossy

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.946

Stream size : 39.5 KiB

Text

ID : 32 (0x20)

Format : RLE

Format/Info : Run-length encoding

Menu

General

Complete name : G:\001 (11-99) Eretz Yisroel with Leah\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.BUP

Format : DVD Video

Format profile : Program

File size : 46.0 KiB

Duration : 1h 2mn

Overall bit rate : 100 bps

Video

ID : 224 (0xE0)

Format : MPEG Video

Format version : Version 2

Duration : 1h 2mn

Bit rate mode : Variable

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 480 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 29.970 fps

Standard : NTSC

Compression mode : Lossy

Audio

ID : 128 (0x80)

Format : AC-3

Format/Info : Audio Coding 3

Duration : 1h 2mn

Channel(s) : 2 channels

Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz

Compression mode : Lossy

Menu

Duration : 1h 2mn

00:00:00.000 : Chapter 1

00:05:53.000 : Chapter 2

00:11:38.500 : Chapter 3

00:17:46.500 : Chapter 4

00:23:41.000 : Chapter 5

00:29:51.500 : Chapter 6

00:35:38.000 : Chapter 7

00:41:48.500 : Chapter 8

00:47:40.500 : Chapter 9

00:53:42.000 : Chapter 10

00:59:41.500 : Chapter 11

List (Audio) : 0

General

Complete name : G:\001 (11-99) Eretz Yisroel with Leah\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_0.IFO

Format : DVD Video

Format profile : Program

File size : 46.0 KiB

Duration : 1h 2mn

Overall bit rate : 100 bps

Video

ID : 224 (0xE0)

Format : MPEG Video

Format version : Version 2

Duration : 1h 2mn

Bit rate mode : Variable

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 480 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 29.970 fps

Standard : NTSC

Compression mode : Lossy

Audio

ID : 128 (0x80)

Format : AC-3

Format/Info : Audio Coding 3

Duration : 1h 2mn

Channel(s) : 2 channels

Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz

Compression mode : Lossy

Menu

Duration : 1h 2mn

00:00:00.000 : Chapter 1

00:05:53.000 : Chapter 2

00:11:38.500 : Chapter 3

00:17:46.500 : Chapter 4

00:23:41.000 : Chapter 5

00:29:51.500 : Chapter 6

00:35:38.000 : Chapter 7

00:41:48.500 : Chapter 8

00:47:40.500 : Chapter 9

00:53:42.000 : Chapter 10

00:59:41.500 : Chapter 11

List (Audio) : 0

General

Complete name : G:\001 (11-99) Eretz Yisroel with Leah\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_1.VOB

Format : MPEG-PS

File size : 1 024 MiB

Duration : 7s 580ms

Overall bit rate : 1 133 Mbps

Video

ID : 224 (0xE0)

Format : MPEG Video

Format version : Version 2

Format profile : Main@Main

Format settings, BVOP : Yes

Format settings, Matrix : Default

Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15

Duration : 7s 580ms

Bit rate mode : Variable

Bit rate : 1 110 Mbps

Nominal bit rate : 9 800 Kbps

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 480 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 29.970 fps

Standard : NTSC

Color space : YUV

Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0

Bit depth : 8 bits

Scan type : Interlaced

Scan order : Top Field First

Compression mode : Lossy

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 107.206

Stream size : 1 003 MiB (98%)

Audio

ID : 128 (0x80)

Format : AC-3

Format/Info : Audio Coding 3

Mode extension : CM (complete main)

Duration : 7s 332ms

Bit rate mode : Constant

Bit rate : 256 Kbps

Channel(s) : 2 channels

Channel positions : Front: L R

Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz

Bit depth : 16 bits

Compression mode : Lossy

Video delay : -67ms

Stream size : 229 KiB (0%)

Menu

General

Complete name : G:\001 (11-99) Eretz Yisroel with Leah\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_2.VOB

Format : MPEG-PS

File size : 1 024 MiB

Duration : 6s 627ms

Overall bit rate : 1 296 Mbps

Video

ID : 224 (0xE0)

Format : MPEG Video

Format version : Version 2

Format profile : Main@Main

Format settings, BVOP : Yes

Format settings, Matrix : Default

Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15

Duration : 5s 982ms

Bit rate mode : Variable

Bit rate : 1 270 Mbps

Nominal bit rate : 9 800 Kbps

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 480 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 29.970 fps

Standard : NTSC

Color space : YUV

Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0

Bit depth : 8 bits

Scan type : Interlaced

Scan order : Top Field First

Compression mode : Lossy

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 122.626

Stream size : 906 MiB (88%)

Audio

ID : 128 (0x80)

Format : AC-3

Format/Info : Audio Coding 3

Mode extension : CM (complete main)

Duration : 6s 627ms

Bit rate mode : Constant

Bit rate : 256 Kbps

Channel(s) : 2 channels

Channel positions : Front: L R

Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz

Bit depth : 16 bits

Compression mode : Lossy

Video delay : -247ms

Stream size : 207 KiB (0%)

Menu

General

Complete name : G:\001 (11-99) Eretz Yisroel with Leah\VIDEO_TS\VTS_01_3.VOB

Format : MPEG-PS

File size : 894 MiB

Duration : 14s 681ms

Overall bit rate : 511 Mbps

Video

ID : 224 (0xE0)

Format : MPEG Video

Format version : Version 2

Format profile : Main@Main

Format settings, BVOP : Yes

Format settings, Matrix : Default

Duration : 14s 397ms

Bit rate mode : Variable

Bit rate : 501 Mbps

Nominal bit rate : 9 800 Kbps

Width : 720 pixels

Height : 480 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 4:3

Frame rate : 29.970 fps

Standard : NTSC

Color space : YUV

Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0

Bit depth : 8 bits

Scan type : Interlaced

Scan order : Top Field First

Compression mode : Lossy

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 48.322

Stream size : 859 MiB (96%)

Audio

ID : 128 (0x80)

Format : AC-3

Format/Info : Audio Coding 3

Mode extension : CM (complete main)

Duration : 14s 681ms

Bit rate mode : Constant

Bit rate : 256 Kbps

Channel(s) : 2 channels

Channel positions : Front: L R

Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz

Bit depth : 16 bits

Compression mode : Lossy

Video delay : -268ms

Stream size : 459 KiB (0%)

Menu

 

 

The easiest solution would be to convert the files into something like an MKV or an Xvid AVI.

If you wanted to keep menu’s, there are programs that can take avi’s and add menu’s etc. - you’d even get more customization if you found the right program.

As for converting the actual ISO, or removing the DRM (I’d listen to the level 2 support guys… i’ve talked to them before and they really seem to know there stuff) I don’t think theres much we can do to really help you there. Whatever you do it’s going to take a lot of time and effort (unless you go the simple solution and just convert it to a file)

Thanks for the tip. 

Obviously the point is to play them in the Live Hub with no conversion as they are ultimatly  MPEG2 and should be supported “out of the box.” This is the kind of Gotcha moments when if no support is forthcoming for these ISO’s then the Live Hub goes back to the store and I (and everyone else) will just get instead the Dune player or PlayOn! HD which play them flawlessly.

You’d think WD will handily surpass the smaller companies like Dune and PlayOn! with compatability due to it’s sheer size and resources at it’s displosal. So it’s surprising they don’t adress this bug.

Zalman

Try playing them in “Non DVD” mode.

Change your Hub view to the PREVIEW view; that’s the one that lists the files in a column on the left, and has a Picture-in-Picture window on the right.

Highlight the ISO file and wait to see if it starts in the PREVIEW window (Don’t try to select ENTER or anything.  Just wait.)

If it DOES play in the PREVIEW window, then my suspicion is that there’s something about the menu structure it doesn’t like.

Thanks. I’ll try that.

Do you think they’ll fnd a way to fix that?

It’s just as likely that the error is at the source, not the Hub…

I have 60+ of these ISO’s :wink: and they play perfectly on all other streamers, making it more likely it’s a programatic issue on the Hub…

I’ll do the test re “Preview” tonight and see if that works.

Cheers.

Hi,

Okay. I can confirm that the Sony DVD-R Recorder made ISO’s play just fine using Tony’s PREVIEW method and just maximizing the PREVEW window once they start playing. So we know the Codec is working.

  1. It must be, like you suggested, some issue with displaying the Menu.

  2. Some other bug we don’t know about.

Here’s hoping they fix it.

Cheers,

Zalmang

I too have a number of DVD’s that I’ve burned using a Sony DVDirect Recorder (model VRD-MC1) and experienced the same exact issues.  Based on the statements above about the possibility of the menu being poorly formatted, I downloaded a DVD Menu Editing tool called PCGEdit at http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/archive/edit_and_delete_dvd_menu_buttons_with_pgcedit.cfm and followed the instructions on the web page for previewing the menu and deleting unwanted menu buttons.  There are lots, and some are very small and stacked in the upper-left corner.

It seems that this particular Sony Recorder uses a menu template loaded with buttons (whether they’re needed or not).  Once I deleted all buttons in the menu that weren’t in use, I was able to view and navigate the menu of the DVD stored on my drive.

WD Support, hopefully this is enough information for you to identify the cause of your video browser choking on buttons that have no actions/destinations.  I realize Sony did a poor job of creating the menus, but just about every other player/streamer can handle these.  

Please fix this so that I don’t have to add this extra step to putting all my recorded DVD’s on a server.

THANKS!

Zalmang - if you want to take a stab at modifying a menu, let me know if you run into any difficulty.  I can give you more details of what I did.

Thanks TonyV125!

That’s so cool that you uncovered that. This may just be wat TS needs to fix this. They were thinking it might be some strange DRM but that’s not very likely.

Here’s to hoping a fix will be included in the next firmware update!

Zalmang

Zalmang,

I notice in your original post that you said: “FYI I can confirm that the latest Sony DVD Recorder (model # VRD-MC6) created DVD discs DO work via ISO on the Live Hub – it’s just DVD’s made on their older DVD-R recorders that don’t.)”  I’m sure its something that I’m doing wrong, but I have the MC6 and I am having a similar problem with DVDs  I’ve made from it.  Do you mind sharing with me how you were able to get the MC6 DVDs to play correctly?  I have simply been copying and pasting the VIDEO_TS folder from the DVDs onto the Live Hub drive (maybe this is wrong???).  The movie will play on the preview screen and I can maximize it to watch the movie, but if I click on the movie file itself, it just plays a blank screen and sometimes the Hub will “lock up.”  And I have never seen a DVD menu even try to appear.  If i simply copy the individual VOB files from the DVD and place them on the HUB, they play fine, but of course no menu.  I am at my office at the moment so I don’t have a DVD to look at, but I was thinking that when I “explore” the contents of my DVDs, I see a combination of VOB files and IFO files.  I do not remember seeing ISO, and I’m too dumb to know what you are talking about when you say “via ISO.”  This may be my problem??? Sorry I can’t help you but can you help me?!! 

Thanks

As an ISO. meaning, after they were burned to DVD I used imgburn to ake an ISO of the DVD and dumped the ISO into the WD HDD and it played fine.

An ISO is basically an IMAGE of the DVD (think like a ZIP file) where the VOB and all is inside. WD knows how to unpack these. And they are easy to manage and move around.

For what it’s worth, I just tried the ISO method on the Live Hub with the DVDs I created with the Sony VRD-MC6, and it is doing the EXACT same thing that you are describing and the exact same thing that it did when I simply dumped the VIDEO_TS file onto the hub.  It will play in preview mode but will not play if I “select” the video and it will not display a menu at all.  I also noticed something else: When I play from preview mode and during the movie I hit the forward skip button I assumed it would jump me forward to the next “chapter” which I had the MC6 set to create every 5 minutes, but instead it skips me entirely to the next video in line on the Hub.  This makes it as painful to deal with as a vhs tape when trying to find a particular part of an hour long video!  Hopefully it is still just me doing something wrong and I will soon figure it out, but it’s driving me nuts! 

kindastupid wrote:

For what it’s worth, I just tried the ISO method on the Live Hub with the DVDs I created with the Sony VRD-MC6, and it is doing the EXACT same thing that you are describing and the exact same thing that it did when I simply dumped the VIDEO_TS file onto the hub.  It will play in preview mode but will not play if I “select” the video and it will not display a menu at all.  I also noticed something else: When I play from preview mode and during the movie I hit the forward skip button I assumed it would jump me forward to the next “chapter” which I had the MC6 set to create every 5 minutes, but instead it skips me entirely to the next video in line on the Hub.  This makes it as painful to deal with as a vhs tape when trying to find a particular part of an hour long video!  Hopefully it is still just me doing something wrong and I will soon figure it out, but it’s driving me nuts! 

Preview mode is a a standard mode without menu’s etc. It simply plays the main movie and behaves exactly the same as if you were playing standard video files. Thats why pressing the next button takes you to the next video.