Creating BD DVD

[markpritch]

Hi guys
Sorry, I've another problem.
Having completed my video file I am now attempting my first BD. I've created 8 chapters and, from the Gallery, I've selected the top left template (Diary and pencil).
When editing I seem unable to apply a motion menu; it is 'greyed out' and when I try to select it I have a message "set up motion menu" but cannot see anywhere how to do this.
When applying a background image I am able to stretch my image, to fill the entire screen, on the main menu and on the first page of the sub-menu but not the second page even though I have requested that my layout applies to all pages of the menu.
Can you help with these two points please.
Many thanks
Mark

[lata]

Hi Mark

What you describe does not seem correct, I don’t know why the Motion Menu is greyed out? Neither have I seen the “set up Motion Menu” message?
As for a background image you should select one using an aspect ratio of 16:9, then it will fit to screen.

But again what you say just does not seem right?

Can you start again and give more info regarding your video file.

I assume you edited the project and when complete rendered to a new AVCHD video file.
Then used that video file to burn a BD, starting a new project Share Create Disc – Bluray opens the burner module.
Then from the first window add the video file.

Or did you use the Project file ?

Can you please explain your workflow in more detail

[Ken Berry]

Could you also tell us which version of VS you are using. As you will be aware, with X8 Corel only made the BD burning module available for an extra fee. With the upgrade to X8.5 they provided the rather poor MyDVD module free. So it would be useful to know which version you are using...

[markpritch]

Hi guys
Thanks for your responses.
I have changed the aspect of the background photo I have used to 16:9 photo and, yes, that has done the trick, thanks. I still cannot understand why I was able to stretch on the main menu, which then automatically stretched on first page of sub-menu but not on second page, which contains the final 3 chapters, especially as I had selected the background for all menus.

I am using VS Pro X6.

After editing and producing the AVCHD video I selected 'Share' - Create Disc -Bluray and selected the top AVCHD
I selected 'add media' and added my completed video to the DVD maker. This was a .m2t file of 6.98GB.
I then ticked the 'create menu' box and then selected add/edit chapter.
I then inserted a further 7 chapters to the existing opening chapter.
I then forwarded to the Menu & Preview page where I added the top left menu template, the diary and pencil.
I was able to add a background photo.
I then added my own music to all pages but could not add Motion Menu as mentioned. I imagine you will only see the message I when this item is greyed out.

I did not notice that my background picture had not stretched on the 2nd sub menu page until I ran it via the preview button when I tested all of the chapters. When viewing via the 'currently displayed menu it is only possible to see the first page of the sub menu together with the main menu.

I have noticed that the bottom line of the menu/preview page, showing required menu space has AVCHD 4.76 in the left hand white box while I have 7.69 (8.26)GB/58 min 51 sec in the green area followed by a short amber area and then 4.38(4.70)GB in the red area, the capacity of my standard internal dvd drive.

I am using a Samsung external BD writer/player via a usb port.
When I click 'Next' the output page comes up initially showing my internal DVD drive and when I select the external drive the required/available disc space changes to (8.26GB)/(25.02GB) but the bottom, coloured line remains the same as in the Menu/Preview page.

I've not tried burning a dvd yet as I would like to apply motion to the various chapters first.

I hope I've given you enough info.
Many thanks
Mark

[Ken Berry]

I have noticed that the bottom line of the menu/preview page, showing required menu space has AVCHD 4.76 in the left hand white box while I have 7.69 (8.26)GB/58 min 51 sec in the green area followed by a short amber area and then 4.38(4.70)GB in the red area, the capacity of my standard internal dvd drive.

I suspect that part of the confusion here is caused by your own confusion about terminology. The title you assigned this thread is an example of this: "Creating BD DVD". A BD and a DVD are two very different beasts -- though in this context I am assuming that by 'DVD' you really only mean 'disc'... A DVD, of course, is burnt on a DVD blank disc, while a BD or Blu-Ray disc is burnt on a blank Blu-Ray disc which is far larger than its DVD counterpart.

But of course there is a hybrid disc between the two, which is in effect a Blu-Ray structure burnt to a DVD blank disc, and using the AVCHD format. I suspect that the initial response about space available (4.7 GB) was an assumption made by the program that since your internal burner could only do DVDs, you may have been trying to burn one of these hybrid AVCHD discs where the space available on a single layer blank DVD disc would be about that. As you may be aware, apart from this space limitation, a hybrid disc, once burned, can only be played on a Blu-Ray player, and using the highest available bitrate in VS (18 Mbps) you would only be able to burn about a 20 minute AVCHD plus menu to the single layer DVD blank.

So there we are. A BD is not a DVD, and a DVD is not a BD, but an AVCHD disc can be a bit of both! Clear as mud??

[markpritch]

Hi Ken
Thanks for that. I've closed the disc making aspect of my project in order to go back a couple of steps.
So when I created my video file I selected AVCHD and selected the top option (AVCHD 1920x1080).
It is this video file that I imported onto the disc making project.

Are you saying I should have opted for the Blu-Ray video option instead and created my video file from here?

I am using Verbatim BD-R discs.

Sorry, my first attempt and all very confusing.
Many thanks
Mark

[lata]

Hi Mark

A few comments hopefully to fill in the gaps.

1 /
We / I assume your original footage is HD, AVCHD, can you provide the properties of your original video files?
If they are Bluray compliant, then doing Share Create Video File , Same as original video properties is the best option.
2 /
Share – Same as first Clip would do that assuming the first clip on the timeline is one of your HD files.
The resultant file will be Bluray compliant.
3 /
Same as Project Properties should also work so long as they match the video files properties, which they should do?
What are your project properties?

4 /
You can also use Share – Avchd – but I would create a new template using your video files properties.

As I say we need to know what your original files properties are?

5 /
Ok so you render the project to a compliant Bluray / Avchd file.
To burn a disc choose Share Create Disc – Bluray

6 / Motion Menu
I believe there is an issue using hybrid AVCHD DVD discs
Using Bluray (BD) as far as I know the motion menu should work.
Although I do not have X6 installed to check.

7 /
My HD files
My Panasonic camera records to AVCHD Bluray compliant files using the following properties:-

MPEG Transport-Stream Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 25 fps
Upper Field First
(HDMV-PAL), 16:9
H.264 Video
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 16800 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 3/2(L,C,R,SL,SR)

I am expecting your properties to be similar to the above?

They are Bluray compliant and will burn to disc as is.

By the way Bluray discs using 1920 x 1080 have to use 25fps (50i) not 50P

[markpritch]

Hi Trevor
Thanks for that lot, something for me to digest!

Back to basics: I am using a Panasonic HC-V750 video camera formatted to record in AVCHD with a record mode of 1080/50p.
My videos end in the suffix .MTS, which I guess is the same as yours.
I don't know where I get the info from to compare the other properties you mention. If I go into 'Settings' Properties on my VS project it tells me my project properties are: Pal 25fps, MPEG Files, 24 bits, 720x576, frame based, 16:9 which is not what I would expect to see.
My first clip is a title which I have inserted onto the blue/gray graphic (58.64.116) so is not strictly a clip. My first video clip, following the title, is a .MTS file as are all the rest, except for still photos at the end of the video.
When I was ready to create the video I went into 'Share' / create video file/ AVCHD (as this was my camera set-up) then selected the one at the top, AVCHD 1920x1080, not the one with 25.
I'm not sure what else I can add.

I am away for a week from this afternoon so will not be able to test any ideas until next weekend.
Appreciate the help you guys are giving me, once I'm there I sure everything will be ok.

Cheers
Mark

[lata]

Hi Mark

Your project properties are set to Standard DVD not HD…..not really a problem provided the output files reflect AVCHD.
We are best in setting the project properties the same as our video files properties.

Video Studio can do this for us……

Go to Settings – Preferences ( F6) tick Show Messages when inserting first video file, note the word “first”…. here we are relating to the top Video Track
Now start a new project and add one of your video files…. You should get a message to match the project properties….
Choosing Details, the right hand panel will show the videos properties, you can copy and paste these to your post.
Now hit Yes to match those properties, the project name and frame size shows top right of the work station.
Otherwise right click any clip on the timeline and choose properties to id your files properties.

Ok…….. so for new work you can set the project properties correctly.

For your existing project you may be best to manually set the properties to match your video, or at least your output settings used to create the disc.
Then you can Share -- Create Video File –Same as Project Properties
Your existing file may well be suitable to burn the disc.

Bluray disc international standards
1920 x 1080 has to use 25fps aka 50i…. it cannot use 50p
although 1280 x 720 can use 50p

My camera like yours can record 25 fps as well as 50p
If I record to 50p I will have to convert to 25fps to burn those discs
I have done a few tests using both settings and cannot see any difference in final disc quality.
My personal thought is to record using 25fps if I am gonna burn a disc
50P should give better quality when playing back from the file, Computer playback, TV USB playback.

Its about time Bluray made 50P standard

My Typical workflow

1 / record using AVCHD 25fps
2 / adding to timeline will set project properties to match
3 / edit the project
4 / render to same as first video or project properties (although you can always create your own template)
5 / play the file to check quality, maybe copy to USB stick to play on tv, do we really need a disc?
6 / To burn the disc, first start a new project
7 / Share Create Disc Bluray – opens the burner module
8 / from the first window Add your video rendered in 4 above, we can add multiple videos
9 / Create a menu and burn the disc.

[Ken Berry]

Are you saying I should have opted for the Blu-Ray video option instead and created my video file from here?

No -- not at all. Under the international Blu-Ray standard there are three compatible formats: AVCHD (with certain limitations) which is, of course, high def mpeg-4 made by the H.264 codec; transport stream mpeg-2 made with the H.262 codec; and another format which need not bother us (VC-1).

As Trevor has already indicated, the main limitation on AVCHD to make it Blu-Ray compatible is that 1920 x 1080 AVCHD can only be 24P, 25P (or 50i) for PAL and 29.97P (or 59.94i) for NTSC. The only 50/60P AVCHD which is Blu-Ray compatible must be no larger than 1280 x 720 and is commonly referred to as 720P.

So your existing workflow is quite correct, as long as you are producing 1920 x 1080 at 50/60i and not 50/60P... If in fact you are producing the latter, then there will be a separate conversion process in the burning module and thus a potential loss of quality as the video is reduced from 50/60P to 50/60i...

All I was suggesting was that with an AVCHD file in the burning timeline and with your internal burner drive being only for DVDs, VS would naturally show figures that relate to DVDs. But as you found when you pointed the program to your external BD burner, the correct figures were shown.

But I guess I caused further confusion by referring to AVCHD hybrid discs. But it is certainly a category worth knowing about. Quite a few of us probably cut our BD teeth on such discs before we bought a proper BD burner. I certainly did, as did Trevor. Moreover, it is only AVCHD video, and not BD-compatible mpeg-2, which can be burnt to a hybrid disc. And it is still a valid category. If you have a stand-alone Blu-Ray player, if you look along the top front edge of it you should see all the various types of disc it can play: Blu-Ray, DVDs etc, but normally there should also be a separate label marked "AVCHD". This is not just referring to the format, but to AVCHD discs.

[markpritch]

Thanks Guys
Just back and some catching up to do before I get back to my project.
Thanks for all your feedback, will read again and digest and let you know the outcome in due course.
Much appreciated.
Regards
Mark

[markpritch]

Hi Trevor/Ken
Thanks so much for your help.
I've managed to complete my project and run off 3 copies with motion menu.
I did this by running off a new video file via the 'First Video Clip' then created a new project to burn the discs, as instructed.

I did notice, however, a few glitches and have put this down to the conversion process from p to i. On these occasions the video pauses for a nano-second then seems to jump back one frame before continuing, If you blink you'll miss it so I am not too concerned. This happened around 6 or 7 times during my video sequence of 45 minutes.

I have now ticked the 'receive message'' box under settings and adjusted my camera to record in 1080/50i so hopefully will not have any problems in the future.

Thanks again.
I'm sure I will be back before too long.

Cheers
Mark

[lata]

Hi Mark

Thanks for the update and glad you managed to burn a Bluray Disc.

I assume the glitches are part of the rendered video and not introduced during the burning process.
Some users do have problems with “glitches” as you put it.
Duplicate frames and indeed jumping back a frame.

It may not be a P to I issue???

You will be able to id the frames from the timeline, nudging through the frames one at a time. Always at the end / beginning of a clip, maybe with transitions applied.
I usually drop the rendered video on an overlay track of the actual project, then I can see the project and rendered file in sync, navigate to a clip end to nudge frame by frame, watching the full version on the overlay track sometimes id’s those duplicates.

Anyway when you render Share – Deselect the Smart Render option to see if that cures those glitches. Rendering will take a little longer but worth it if it cures the glitches.

[markpritch]

Thanks Trevor
Will have another look, may be a while now as just started to redecorate a bedroom. I cannot recall seeing these 'glitches' on the timeline and have not watched the video all the way through but will do as you say when I get the chance.
Will let you know, but having burned 3 discs I don't think I will repeat the process this time around and will look out for anything similar next time I do one.
Will be interesting to see whether it was during the create video or burn stage.
Many thanks
Mark