AVC/Blu-ray help please

HiDefJeff wrote on 10/14/2011, 9:57 PM
I've been researching and testing the last several days, and still need some help.

I have video from a Sony HDR-SR11, recorded in the highest quality (HD FH). I want to edit in Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10, then possibly burn to Blu-ray using Architect 5.0. I have tested various codecs/settings with 10 minutes of video, and am unsure which settings are optimal to ensure maximum quality retention. Per camcorder specs and verified by MediaInfo, the source video is AVC 1920x1080-60i, 16 Mbps, 29.970 fps. Audio is AC-3. I may also wish to play back some rendered files on the PC via Media Center rather than author on Blu-ray, so I would like Audio included with the final files.

I also have been unable to get SmartRendering to work. I've tested the MainConcept MPEG-2 and Sony AVC options in Studio, and ensured parameters meet the source video to the best of my knowledge, yet no go. MainConcept renders in about half the time as Sony AVC, but not sure that's the best option. I'm guessing that the Sony AVC with the AVCHD 1920x1080-60i 5.1 Surround template might be the best, but need expert opinions.

Thanks very much for any help and advice.

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 10/14/2011, 10:39 PM
You ask some good questions.

-- You will not be smart-rendering AVCHD in Vegas, not just yet. It's a complicated undertaking.

-- For BluRay authoring in DVD Architect, you will choose an appropriate BluRay video template and separate DVD AC3 template in Vegas, and import those files to Architect.

-- For playback on home PC systems, you will do a separate render containing both video and audio. AVCHD is not optimized for playback, although it is a great recording format. Hi-Def 720p AVC at around 8 Mbps average bitrate is a good (conservative) starting point for quality and playability on home systems. Mainconcept 2-pass VBR is good for this.

Although mainly for HD Youtube producers, you may get some tips from the tutorial we produced this summer here:


Hope this gives you some direction for getting started. In the end, it is a decision based on your own choices and system capabilities. Best of luck.
HiDefJeff wrote on 10/15/2011, 12:48 AM
I understand the BluRay templates, but which codec - MainConcept MPEG-2 or Sony AVC? If the latter, which format - .mp4, .m2ts or .avc? Or does it matter?

Is the reason I cannot/should not include audio with these is because they do not support AC3, i.e. AC3 has to be separate (well, unless using an AVCHD template)?

I probably should have been clearer on the PC playback. Those files will be piped to the television via HDMI, either via HDMI video out on the PC, or via a Western Digital MyBook media device I have (with external USB drive providing the files).

In both cases, I'm just wanting the same quality I would get from playing the clips back to the TV via the camcorder.

Now you have me curious about smart-rendering and "complicated undertaking" :) Can you give me a little more?

For what it's worth, I've been using Vegas since v8 and have been cruising along just fine with DVDs. This AVCHD format has me feeling like a true newbie again!

Thanks.
musicvid10 wrote on 10/15/2011, 1:05 AM
1. Since the source is AVCHD, you will use the Sony AVC BluRay template. The template automatically selects the correct Profile and extension for DVD Architect.
2. DVD Architect expects separate video and audio files for a number of good reasons, the most important being that it should not re-encode if given separate, compliant files. I forgot to mention that I don't think DVD Architect Studio supports 5.1 AC3 for BluRay. That is a Pro feature (use AC3 stereo template instead). You can also render PCM if you have the media space.
3. You can go ahead with whatever your system will support with smooth playback. I gave you a conservative starting point that most systems will play.
4. "Complicated undertaking" = 300+ frame GOP structure + bipredictive and pyramid-bipredictive frames that must be properly decoded and reindexed. No small potatoes for an NLE.
5. WRT the AVCHD learning curve, Google is your friend. Fun to shoot, fun to watch, but can be a nightmare to edit.
big daddy wrote on 10/19/2011, 11:26 PM
I have successfully created AVCHD discs using this workflow and selected settings. I am using a Sanyo FH1 and record source material at 1920x1080 @59.97p. After I have edited a segment I render in VMSP v11 in two steps, one for video and the second for audio. Video render uses the following settings. Sony AVC/MVC codec. The general template is "Blu-ray 1920x1080-60i, AVCHD 16 Mbps video stream". For the video tab the key settings are the video format: AVCHD, entropy coding: CABAC, and bit rate 16Mb/s. Check the system tab and make sure the format is set to "Video elementary stream .avc" Audio I just render to PCM via the .wav format to keep things simple for now as I am mainly interested in the audio.

I then create a Blu-Ray Project in DVDA and import the media files and create menus/buttons as desired. The video and audio are already in the desired format so no recompression is necessary. I then burn the project to a BD-5 (~25minutes) or BD-9 (~45minutes) optical media depending on the size of the project. It plays wonderfully on my LG Blu-Ray player as an AVCHD disc.