Blu-ray authoring issues

[krthom]

Using VSX9.5Pro for a few years, and made a couple of dozen home movie DVDs with no issues. Not so much with making a Blu-ray! I noticed some of my mp4s in the project were 1980x1080 and some were 1280x720 (from 2 different phones and a camera). Can that be a problem? Also, going to the "share" tab, the clip showed these properties:
NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
H.264 Baseline Profile Video: 30536 Kbps
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 128 Kbps
............. and the "cog wheel" project properties showed:
MPEG files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(HDMV-NTSC), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 35000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)
Can that cause a burn failure or rendering problem? How critical is it to match the properties? Thanks.

[lata]

krthom
and welcome to the forums

Yes there can be problems rendering project with mixed content, phone video if using variable frame rates can be particularly troublesome.
Can we assume that your camera footage is using MTS files, right click one of your cameras videos for properties, what are they?
Video used to burn Bluray are quite specific in using an interlaced frame type, Upper Field.
So any of your videos using progressive will eventually converted to interlaced

You do not say when the program crashes
Are you first converting / rendering the project to a Bluray compliant video using Share Avc/h 264
Or going straight to burn a Bluray disc where the process starts with “convert title” / video to a Bluray
You may be best to use the first option to create a video file M2t that can be used to burn a disc.
Bluray discs use Motion Transport Stream videos (MTS)
The properties you show in your post for MPG files do appear to be Bluray MTS video, can you confirm.
If yes render your project to use these settings.

Your project properties should match the video, so Share Same as Project could be used.
If the render fails then something on the timeline would be causing that.

To summarise
1 / Your project settings should match your Camera MTS video properties
2 / Edit the project
3 / Share to render the project to a Bluray compliant video, I assume your Camera footage properties would be ok. If the render fails then investigate the timelines content.
4 / To burn a BD first start a new project to clear the timelines – Share Disc Bluray – the burner module opens. top left for add video choosing the video rendered in 3 above.
5 / As you are now using a compliant video the process should not need to convert the video again,
The process should start with Convert Menu

[krthom]

Here are the properties for my camera videos(from MediaInfo):
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42 (mp42/avc1/CAEP)
File size : 403 MiB
Duration : 1 min 50 s
Overall bit rate : 30.6 Mb/s
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Baseline@L4.1
Format settings : 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format settings, Reference frames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=15
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 1 min 50 s
Bit rate : 30.3 Mb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 (30000/1001) FPS
Scan type : Progressive

Pretty much the same as my phone videos. I also remembered that several of the phone videos would not play video, only audio, on my PC using Windows Media Player, so I re-coded them using VLC and the H.264 codec, to throw in that mix!
On the first attempt, I used the settings just as I posted previously, since I selected "blu-ray(1920x1080) in the "Change MPEG settings" menu, and went straight to burn(no menu or chapters).It started off good, going through "convert the title", then after an hour I checked on it, and it showed "preparing output content" ... top line at 28% and the bottom line "audio/video multiplexing" at 8%, with the drive light blinking. I left and came back after an hour and ten minutes, and it was still at the same points .... with elapsed time still running. I let it go another 40 minutes and it didn't change, so I forced a shutdown of VS.
Are you suggesting that it would be better to use the "create blu-ray folders" option first, then burn later? Anyway, I didn't stop there. I went back and loaded the same project back into VS, but this time I changed the MPEG settings(cog wheel properties) to "blu-ray H.264(1920x1080)", saved it, went to "burn" at 6x, and it worked with no hitches! Took a little over 2 hours.
So I guess that I will pay more attention to getting all the properties to match as much as possible for future projects. One add in question. What about the "disc template manager"? Will that over-ride any of the project properties? Should that match up as well? The user guide doesn't say much about that. Also, which is better ... saving to a avc/h264 file or saving to blu-ray folders? Thanks again.

[lata]

Hi
I did not mention Bluray folders, but is an option you could add to your workflow, but will not change any problems you are having with the burn process.

I did say that if you were to render the project to AVC (1920 x 1080, 60i, 20Mbps the resultant video would be Bluray compliant ( oh – your frame rate may be 29.97 for ntsc video)
Please note the frame rate for BD is specific and has to use Interlacing 29.97 aka 60i, if you use progressive then the video will be recoded back to interlacing.
If during this render process things fail then there is something within the project timelines is causing problems and should be investigated, yes it may be variable frame rates from Iphone footage, a combination of effects.

Once you have created the new video file you can now start a new project to empty the timelines.
Share Disc – Bluray opens the burner module.
Now add your new video – top left for Add Media – Add Video Files.
Now when you hit Burn the process should NOT use Convert Title, now starting with Convert Menu.
( view the "Change MPEG settings" ) note the tick -- Do not convert Compliant Video Files this avoids the Convert Title
And yes you could use Create Bluray Folders to make sure the process works before burning a disc, avoiding creating those coasters.

Some info on the above workflow, works equally as good for DVD as well as BD
http://lata.me.uk/corel/all.htm

[krthom]

Thank you for all that information. That gives me a little better grip on the subject! However, still the question what about the "disc template manager"? What exactly is the function of that? Will that over-ride or substitute any of the project properties? Should that match up as well? The user guide doesn't say much about that. Thanks again!

[wiselx]

Hi Trevor
Could you please reply to the last post by krthom (13/10/22) as I too have difficulty with the disc template manager page. The only part that makes sense is the tick for 'do not convert compliant files'. The contents of the top window and the cog wheel settings need to be explained in relation to the rendered m2t file, this is not clear from the instruction manual (VS2018). What has to match here before going to the bluray burner module.

[lata]

Ok
1 / The burner module allows to use any type of video or indeed our VSP to burn a disc.
What we use varies the way the burner reacts.
Using one of the Add Media options top left to add video or add project, we can also access the burner module from our project open within the timelines, just to confuse this creates a new temporary VSP here:-
(C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Corel VideoStudio Pro\25.0\PRJ_CREATEDISC.VSPTEMP.vsp)

After pressing Burn a process called Convert Title renders the files to a compliant video saving to here:- C:\Users\User Name\Documents\Corel VideoStudio Pro\25.0\DMF_TEMP\CvtedTitle

The properties used for this conversion are showing from the cogwheel - Project Settings – Do not convert Mpeg files being ticked has no effect as the files do require converting.
The new temp video file is then used to burn the disc, by Convert menu and Multiplexing.
Wiselx
If you are using the above then you should set the convert properties to the same as your m2t video files properties, assuming they are compliant Bluray, which begs the question what are the properties of your m2t video files.

OK
2 / The burner module allows to use any type of video or indeed our VSP to burn a disc.
A compliant video file (using specific properties required to burn a disc)
Lets assume we are using MTS m2t video from a AVCHD camcorder, if recorded to 1920 x 1080 x 25/29.97fps interlaced (Upper Field First) they are Bluray compliant video files
Opening the burner module from an empty timeline will allow us to Add Media Add Video Files choosing our MTS – m2t file.
As this is a compliant video the Do not convert Compliant option plays its part and when pressing Burn the process starts with Convert Menu, the Convert Title being avoided as our videos are already compliant.

Back to the beginning
1 / We start a new project
2 / Insert our MTS video to the timeline activates the show messages to match the project to the video files properties, we recommend that this is done for all projects we are working on.
3 / Edit the project
4 / render the project to a new video file, a BD compliant video file.
Share same as first clip or Same as Project settings, of course our M2t file s have to be compliant.
5 / Start a new project
6 / Share Disc – add Media – Add video file choosing our video created in 4 above
7 / it’s a compliant video and should burn without Convert Title

What is a Compliant Video File??

Typical profile - share - AVC/h.264 - AVC (1920 x 1080, 60i, 20Mbps)
for ntsc....
MPEG Transport-Stream Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps (has to use 1920 x 1080 and 29.97)
Upper Field First (has to be interlaced)
(HDMV-NTSC), 16:9
H.264 Video
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 20000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Wiselx... what are the properties of your m2t video files, were they recorded using a AVCHD camcorder?
right click one of your m2t and choose properties, create an image of that panel to attach to your post.

Clear as mud

[wiselx]

Thanks for the helpful replies.
I have been making blu rays for quite a while now, however I have never needed to change the settings in the disc template manager, I have just set the tick to compliant files with great blu ray results. However after a PC crash and reinstall of VS2018 I have had difficulty in burning to blu ray.
My question was in line with krthom's posts…
are the parameters that you set in the window of the "Disc Template Manager" used as the settings for the burning of the blu ray if you don't have the tick for compliant files set. Hence the 'Convert Title' instead of 'Convert Menu' comes up first when the burner is activated.
It seems that I was making a blu ray rendered file that was compliant but if I didn't use the tick box I found that I was setting the Disk Template manager to different settings so it would go to Convert Title before burning.

My project 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. 16999 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Rendered to first video clip either to BluRay or AVCHD
------------------------------------------------------------

For disc burning:
Disc Template Manager (Blu-ray H.264 (1920 x 1080)
MPEG files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 25 fps
Upper Field First
(HDMV-PAL), 16:9
H.264 Video
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 16999 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)
=========================================

My Camcorder JVC GZ-EX355BAA
File Format PAL HDMV

Video Type H.264 Video, Upper Field first
AVCHD standard
Attributes: 24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
Frame rate 25.000 frames/sec
Data rate Variable max 16999kbps
Extension : MTS
Signal : PAL standard

Audio Dolby Digital Audio
Attributes 4800Hz, 256 kbps
Layer none

Again thanks for addressing my issues so promptly I do enjoy following the questions and the answers from the team of administrators on the Forum.

[lata]

Yes you have that correct
My bad for not mentioning that “do not convert compliant video” option is selected by default and should remain so, it is not normal to deselected that option

If the option is deselected then the project WILL be converted using those settings, Convert Title always being used irrespective of using a compliant video.
For me the default profile was the same as my video except for the data rate, my video using 16800kbps.
In fact your video is identical except for the data rate 16800 to 16999

If you wish to check the files being used to actually burn the BD, choose the option to “create bluray folder”, as a test use a short video.
The folder (i think BDMV) contains the bd filing structure, locate the Stream folder, here you will find the actual m2ts video being used to burn the disc, import that to VS timelines to check properties, they should be the same as your original videos.

Oh, original video uses MTS, rendered by vs uses m2t, for a disc uses m2ts, at least thats what i see