Blue-Ray Slideshow

Hollywood wrote on 2/4/2009, 6:10 PM
New to Blue Ray and struggling somewhat. I'm trying to create a slideshow in Hi-Def Format to play on my Sony Blue Ray player. Was somewhat taken back by the long rendering times in 1080i. Since the video will be downconverted anyway on my projector to 720p I thought it would be faster to just create a 720p dvd. I can't quite figure out the workflow for creating a 720p disc for Blue-Ray. If even possible. Thanks.

Comments

LJA wrote on 2/5/2009, 8:59 AM
I do the following: Vegas project setting 720 30P, render to MPEG-2 Blu-ray 720 60i template (Blu-ray spec has no 720 30P option), prepare to an ISO in DVDA 5 with project setting Blu-ray 720 P, burn ISO to DVD using ImgBurn (this is from memory, I'm not at my editing machine at the moment).

Alternately, you can burn directly to DVD from Vegas using one of the Blu-ray MPEG-2 templates modified for 720 30P. Although this is contrary to the Blu-ray spec, these disks play fine on the devices described below.

I have had no trouble playing disks constructed either way on XP or OS X using VLC Media Player, or on my Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray player.

I resize all still images to 1280 x 720 in Photoshop before placing them on the Vegas timeline, although this is not strictly necessary. I trust Photoshop more than Vegas for downrezing and it saves render time.
Hollywood wrote on 2/5/2009, 10:42 AM
Thank you so much. I'm curious how you're modifying the Blu-Ray template when you render from the timeline. I don't see anyway to tweak the parameters.
LJA wrote on 2/7/2009, 7:37 AM
Choose Main Concept MPEG-2 Blu-ray 1920 x 1080 60i template, click "Custom...", click the Video tab and make the following changes: width = 1280, height = 720, frame rate 29.970, field order = none (progressive scan), video quality = high, constant bit rate = 18,000,000.

The lower bit rate is for burning to DVD. Some, perhaps all, Blu-ray players won't play correctly DVDs recorded at higher bit rates. More over 720P HDV is recorded at this rate.

I have burned many disks with these parameters and have had no problems playing the files with VLC Media Player on my XP PC and my MacBook. These DVDs also play well on by Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray player.

For slideshows, however, I normally render 1920 x 1080 30P. Start with the same template and change only the frame rate, field order, video quality, and bit rate changes. Again, this is not permitted by the Blu-ray specs, but it works great played back under the conditions mentioned above. You could also make the frame rate 24P, which is allowed by the Blu-ray spec.