At the house, my sony handycam DVD won't play on the windows media player without some sort of coddec (sp??) file. After reading the manual, I think I can finalize the DVD, it's a DVD+RW, and it will work, but in doing so, I can't use the disc anymore without reformatting (erasing) the whole thing. I'd like to be able to take the disc and dump it on the computer hard drive. So I have to use the Sony software, upload it from the camcorder, store it on the hard drive and then view it. PITA. Plus, I don't have a high speed USB, 23 minutes of recorded DVD takes me about 18 minutes just to upload into the HD. Was thinking, would getting this coddec file let me go directly disc out of camcorder, disc into the DVD player on the computer, then save from there? Sorry dudes, this is all new to me. Akin to my Dad getting a VCR and not figuring out how to make the time stop blinking.
Need a "codec" file?????
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search for Div-x codecs. there's a ton of them out there.
You probably need MPEG-2. Comes with software dvd players like powerDVD. Check the stuff that came with your computer; in my example my video card came with said program. If you have MPEG-2 you may need something from sony to allow other machines to access unclosed DVDs, which it sounds like you're fighting with presently.
Can't find MPEG-2 free for licensing reasons.
OTOH the compression of MPEG-2, the standard for DVDs, makes it tough to edit, because each frame relies on information from the frame before it. Makes DVD camcorders lousy toys compared to mini-DV ones. Appeals to the sort who wants to burn a DVD and put it on the shelf with little to no editing.
As far as downloading, can you use firewire? Much faster than USB.
One bit of good news, if you open the file structure of your DVD drive and see the AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS you can find some .VOB files that are basically MPGs, just rename the extention! They won't be encrypted like commercial DVDs.
Can't find MPEG-2 free for licensing reasons.
OTOH the compression of MPEG-2, the standard for DVDs, makes it tough to edit, because each frame relies on information from the frame before it. Makes DVD camcorders lousy toys compared to mini-DV ones. Appeals to the sort who wants to burn a DVD and put it on the shelf with little to no editing.
As far as downloading, can you use firewire? Much faster than USB.
One bit of good news, if you open the file structure of your DVD drive and see the AUDIO_TS and VIDEO_TS you can find some .VOB files that are basically MPGs, just rename the extention! They won't be encrypted like commercial DVDs.
Thanks. I'm at work today and will be home tomorrow and check it out. I did manage to find some freeware MPEG-2 codec's, but they didn't work. From what I read with the DVD+RW, I could finalize the disc on the camcorder and that should make it play with windows, so the owners manual claims. But, I want to reuse the disc, once finalized, that's it. I'm so much more happier with my digital tape Sony camcorder, but the wife says we just absolutely have to have it.......those disc only hold 30 minutes of recording.
LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!! Did a search and found a freebie that looked cool, downloaded it,ClipRex, LOADED WITH TROJAN HORSES. Thank you know who for avast antivirus software....another freebie I found. Anyway, found one called Cole2K media, EVERYTHING WORKS. Thanks guys!!!!!
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Originally Posted By: DmanWho
Under Media Player Options; Is the "Download Codecs Automatically" box, checked?
Bad idea!
The problem with that approach, is that many of "the bad guys" are writing malware disguised as video/audio CODECS. So if you check that box, you are enabling your computer to download and install such malware, without your intervention (simply by trying to view a "video" that is really the trigger for the malware)! So its actually a very bad idea to let any video player auto-download/install new CODECs!
Instead, I suggest that the OP download/install the freeware video player "Media Player Classic" (not to be confused with Windows Media Player, "Media Player Classic" may look similar, but it's a freeware program that is NOT written by MicroSoft). The program has been around for a while, and it's available for download from many places (here's one good place to get it: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Media_Player_Classic.htm ). Out of the box Media Player Classic will already play DVDs (as well as several other video types), and often with better video (and lower CPU needs) than other competing players. So it's a actually my current favorite video player on Windows boxes (as its free, does a good job, and uses low amounts of CPU compared to most other video players).
However, for a true "plays just about anything" approach, combine Media Player Classic with the freeware "FFDShow" CODEC (available for download from http://www.free-codecs.com/download/FFDShow.htm , among other places). By doing it this way, you will get all the features that Media Player Classic has built in, plus you will get all the media types that the freeware FFDShow CODEC can handle. And while FFDShow is technically only a single "CODEC" (at least Windows sees it as just one CODEC), it will in reality render (all by itself) the vast majority of video/audio types in any sort of common usage! And as an added bonus, FFDShow also includes several options to clean up the video/audio "on the fly" while you are viewing it. And any video player (including Media Player Classic) that is using the FFDShow CODEC (for the current video or audio) will automatically also get access to these advanced FFDShow controls.
So "Media Player Classic" + FFDSHow is a very potent combo that will play just about anything you throw at it. About the only things that combo won't handle are some "QuickTime" and "Real Media" videos. And even in those cases, it's pretty easy to download/install CODECs that can be used by "Media Player Classic" to view them (the easiest way being to actually download/install "Real Player" and "QuickTime", as "Media Player Classic" can detect/use their CODECs if/when you have them installed on your PC).
Under Media Player Options; Is the "Download Codecs Automatically" box, checked?
Bad idea!
The problem with that approach, is that many of "the bad guys" are writing malware disguised as video/audio CODECS. So if you check that box, you are enabling your computer to download and install such malware, without your intervention (simply by trying to view a "video" that is really the trigger for the malware)! So its actually a very bad idea to let any video player auto-download/install new CODECs!
Instead, I suggest that the OP download/install the freeware video player "Media Player Classic" (not to be confused with Windows Media Player, "Media Player Classic" may look similar, but it's a freeware program that is NOT written by MicroSoft). The program has been around for a while, and it's available for download from many places (here's one good place to get it: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Media_Player_Classic.htm ). Out of the box Media Player Classic will already play DVDs (as well as several other video types), and often with better video (and lower CPU needs) than other competing players. So it's a actually my current favorite video player on Windows boxes (as its free, does a good job, and uses low amounts of CPU compared to most other video players).
However, for a true "plays just about anything" approach, combine Media Player Classic with the freeware "FFDShow" CODEC (available for download from http://www.free-codecs.com/download/FFDShow.htm , among other places). By doing it this way, you will get all the features that Media Player Classic has built in, plus you will get all the media types that the freeware FFDShow CODEC can handle. And while FFDShow is technically only a single "CODEC" (at least Windows sees it as just one CODEC), it will in reality render (all by itself) the vast majority of video/audio types in any sort of common usage! And as an added bonus, FFDShow also includes several options to clean up the video/audio "on the fly" while you are viewing it. And any video player (including Media Player Classic) that is using the FFDShow CODEC (for the current video or audio) will automatically also get access to these advanced FFDShow controls.
So "Media Player Classic" + FFDSHow is a very potent combo that will play just about anything you throw at it. About the only things that combo won't handle are some "QuickTime" and "Real Media" videos. And even in those cases, it's pretty easy to download/install CODECs that can be used by "Media Player Classic" to view them (the easiest way being to actually download/install "Real Player" and "QuickTime", as "Media Player Classic" can detect/use their CODECs if/when you have them installed on your PC).
Search for the k-lite codec pack. Includes Media Player Classic and just about any codec you could ever need.
OK, another question. Geesh, you'd think I'm like 100 years old or something. Feel like my father when VCR's came out...."what the #ell you mean I can't play a beta tape in a VCR?" or the classic "how in the #ell do you stop this thing from blinking 1200 all the %##*& time?"
I have a DVD player on my computer. I was able to down load the recordings from my Sony handycam to the HD. How, who what when where do I make a recording from the HD to the DVD? Can I use "regular" CD's? Like CD-R or CD RW's? Or do I have to get a DVD disc? I also have a CD writer.
I have a DVD player on my computer. I was able to down load the recordings from my Sony handycam to the HD. How, who what when where do I make a recording from the HD to the DVD? Can I use "regular" CD's? Like CD-R or CD RW's? Or do I have to get a DVD disc? I also have a CD writer.
Do you have a DVD recorder on your computer or just a CD writer?
If all you have is a CD writer you could make a video CD but the picture quality is about that of VHS in SP mode.
http://www.videohelp.com has a lot of info
If all you have is a CD writer you could make a video CD but the picture quality is about that of VHS in SP mode.
http://www.videohelp.com has a lot of info
Dang, it says on there a DVD ROM, so it's not a writer. I tell you, moving up from super 8 to disc on the camcorder was a TOTAL waste of money. Nothing wrong with the former. Took good pictures, cassettes are still cheap. The SWMBO just "had" to have it.
Thanks for that link, but man oh man, it's all greek to me. Didn't know there were SO MANY conversion processes....can't believe there is no standard ISO format for all the different types of recording media/ways. Again, playing on my stupidity, what program could I use to convert the downloaded video from the handycam into a playable type of DVD acceptable player? I got a CD writer. I think in the future I'm just going to keep using my good ol' standard cassette camcorder and let SWMBO use "hers." When she's done doing what she wants, I'm just going to file the DVD+RW, lable them and just store them alone. No more downloading, a total pain in the gluteous maximus.
I do appreciate your help.
I do appreciate your help.
What you probably want to make is a Video CD (VCD). These can hold about an hour of video and can be played back on most DVD players.
What format is the video from the handycam in? Is it an AVI file or something else?
What format is the video from the handycam in? Is it an AVI file or something else?
MODD file. Well, it's like two files. The first one is a cliprex video file and this MODD file goes with it. All I did was download the whole DVD disc from the handycam to the HD via the cable and Sony software. SWMBO is kind of mad at me because after I downloaded this particular disc, had our 4 year old daughters dance recital on it, I erased it THINKING I could simply copy it over to a CD or DVD.
This appears to be a Sony proprietary format. Does the Sony software have any way to export the file to an MPEG1 or MPEG2 file?
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