I just started trying VideoReDo TVSuite and am comparing it to Womble MPEG Video Wizard DVD. There’s pros & cons to both. But VideoReDo stumbles on two videos of TV programs that I recorded with a stand alone DVD recorder. If I use their QuickStream Fix, which supposed to sync audio & video time codes, then the videos play OK.

VideoReDo’s QuickStream Fix supposedly re-calculates time codes. My concern is changing things that may not need changing. Could re-calculating possibly cause other errors? IOW the less manipulation the better. Obviously if corrections need to be made then that is OK. But these same programs play just fine with MPEG Video Wizard, PowerDVD and with my DVD recorder.

So what is VideoReDo doing that is so different than others? What is anyone else’s experience with VideoReDo?

I'm afraid I don't know the technical side of what all the Quickstream fix tool does, but it has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion with mpeg files. If the resulting video plays well in all your players, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I've never had any other problems show up from using the tool.

QuickStream fix allows changes to several settings, however I do not have the knowledge to know if anything should be changed from the default.

Another concern is that VideoReDo had trouble with two videos. This is just playing the original program. While it's great that QuickStream fix did make the video playable, why was it not playable in the first place? MPEG Video Wizard, PowerDVD and my DVD recorder/player do not have a problem.

I do like VideoReDo, but is it less stable than other products?

I purchased the Plus then the suite versions of VRD, but like you, every time I tried to redo a recorded video, I had to run the quickstream fix. However, more often than not, even the quickstream didn't work, so I rarely use VRD now at all.
To be fair, however, I didn't post the issues on the VRD forums so I'm quite sure that the problems could have been fixed.

Colin

What was the quality setting (and bit-rate) of your recorder when these programs were recorded?

One was recorded in SP (2 hour) mode and the other in XP (1 hour) mode. The bit rate when recording is unknown and is not user adjustable.

I have also tried 2 other programs, one in SP and one in XP. These also had to be processed with QuickStream fix in order to make them playable with VideoReDo TVSuite.

I don't know if being so fussy is good or not. Perhaps this is VideoReDo's way of saying that the video is not perfect and needs to be corrected. But if the video is playable with other players, then maybe VideoReDo is not compliant. But it is a concern that, so far, VideoReDo has a problem with my videos.

I have also just started playing with TMPGEnc DVD Author. But I find the interface non-intuitive. VideoReDo TVSuite has the typical Windows look with drop down menus for File, Edit, etc. At least this gives me an idea where commands are located. I just wish the program was not so picky.

OK I thought there might have been something common between the two files.

If I recall correctly you are using DVD-RAM discs? If you normally just copy the .VRO file over using the Windows file manager, try ripping the content instead with DVD Decrypter (set to IFO mode, and under the Tools -> Settings -> IFO mode tab; set 'File Splitting' to "None".

It gives a very clean rip and might remove the glitches which VRD-TS is picking up (and which incidentally I have not experienced).

I have used both DVD-RAM and DVD-R. Two of these programs were from DVD-RAM and two from DVD-R.

I had to copy the .VRO files from the DVD-RAM discs directly to my hard drive. DVD Decrypter would not allow these to be ripped using the IFO mode.

I originally did try DVD Decrypter with the DVD-R programs and they did not play correctly in VideoReDo either. And I also used VideoReDo itself, but still a problem.

Panasonic recorder, presumably? Can I ask which model number?

Two Panasonic recorders, an ES20 and an EZ17.

The EZ17 is connected directly to cable in order to record clear QAM HD channels, along with all the other non-encrypted channels.

The ES20 is connected via S-Video to a HD cable box in order to record any of the encrypted channels that I pay for, plus others.

I've been playing with a mix of programming and editing software in order to find out what works best for me. I'm leaning toward VideoReDo TVSuite, but I am concerned that everything I try with it needs QuickStream fix in order to make the videos play.

Have you tried working with the VideoReDO support people they are very available and responsive and have a very active user forum... as opposed to Womble who has none and TMPG calls their FAQs a Forum?

FYI those other companies do not want you to see all the problems, VideoReDo is more transparent because they can be.

http://www.videoredo.net/msgBoard/index.php

I have posted some questions on the VideoReDo forum. However if I'm trying to get information comparing different software I try to post it here.

I would guess that the pathway that all these programs get to the same end result of a DVD-Video compliant structure is likely to be very different. I have not experienced the consistent QS Fix activity of VRD-TVS with recordings made on both my Philips DVD recorders, but I have observed that MPEG2 files ripped from those DVD recorders will also have errors in them, detected by MPEG-VW-DVD, if you go looking for them with its scan and repair facility. So it could be that the difference between the programs is that they have different thresholds, or that they choose to make the corrections at different times (either during import, or later during the authoring process). Maybe it's something to do with the way that the Panasonic recorders deal with HD transmissions...

Whatever the adjustments made by the QS Fix of VRD-TVS are, I think they are nothing to worry about when it comes to the end result. However if you do find some information from their forum it would be interesting to hear it.

I have the opposite experience with Womble: all the technical queries have been answered satisfactorily.