Nope no label stuck to it.

I have a Samsung player. It struggles to read the menu. If it does it will start and play but then after a few moments goes pixelated and stops.

some of the scene selections will play, while others won't play at all.

Is this a menu problem ??

I can play the movie clip in DVDA fine. Also if I try to play it in VLC it will also play fine BUT VLC will not play the menu. That could be more a VLC issue as I am not sure I got that set up correctly for Bluray.

cheers !

Only set-top players can be used for QA of a Blu-ray disc. NOT software players for a variety of reasons.

Get your current disc tested on at least 5 different Blu-ray set-top players of various makes, firmware, and vintage. Then report.

Try a non-LTH Verbatim BD-R and/or several players as suggested.
Some Samsung BD players (among some others) do not recognize LTH media.

Thanks - however, I have already managed to successful record and playback some other bluray discs using this media.

Being more specific, DVDA defaults to 2mbps bit rate. If I want good quality and a successful burn what is the optimum bit rate that I should use ?

Many thanks !

For a BluRay, DVD Architect should default to 18 Mbps.

Where are you geting 2 Mbps from?

ok maybe I have that wrong - what is an optimum bit rate for bluray ?

Also - when you are burning your disc, do you leave your desk to remove the risk of vibration through the desk ?

Thanks !

I've never heard of vibrations from a desk causing a failed disc burn.

But try this.

Assuming you're not trying to fit more than 2 hours of video on a BluRay disc and you have Fit Content to Disk selected, the program should default to 18 Mbps.

But instead of burning a disc, save your project as a Prepared File. This will produce an ISO file on your hard drive which you can use the free download ImgBurn to burn your BluRay disc. Make sure that you have the option selected the Verify the disc and ImgBurn will check the burn integrity when it's done. That doesn't guarantee every disc player in the world will play it, but it's your best hedge.

BTW, when you play your disc on your computer with VLC Player, make sure you select the option to play a folder rather than a file. Then play your disc and it will play your menus as well as your video.

I Have hunted around but can not find the option to play folder - where is it ? I'm not sure if I have my vlc set up right. I added the dll and the config file recommened on the web, yet, when I run VLC it goes staright into the video and give an error message:

No suitable decoder module:
VLC does not support the audio or video format "undf". Unfortunately there is no way for you to fix this.

Many Thanks !

I think we have told the OP in this thread (and the other threads he has created) a hundred times over and despite peoples suggestion OTHERWISE to DO a QA of a burn of a one-off Blu-ray disc with menu structure - YOU MUST choose a set-top player - NOT a software code on a PC. Samsung is not a great set-top player - choose brands LG or Panasonic, or Sony.

Yeah I hear you videoITguy ... and 100 hundred times already ... but here is the reality: I have already thrown away 10 discs. I completely get what you are saying that the only true test on quality is a set top player - I'm not completely dumb.

However, if I can see some issue on VLC BEFORE I burn another disc - that is for *me* and many others a good thing - even if you think that I am being dumb 100 times over for doing that.

And here is another thing: I am not going to rush out and buy a new video player such that I might be able to get a better result on this 1 home video.

You know what - have another look at Steve's posts. That's the kind of help that newbs value. If you can't be positive like Steve towards a newb .. then why post ??

Here are some software media players that will play a BD ISO file (MPEG4 codec, m2ts files) after mounting with Virtual Clone Drive:

Nero Blu-ray Player
Arcsoft Total Media Theatre
Cyberlink PowerDVD

None of them are free.

The following will play the main feature but not display the menu:
iDeer Blu-ray Player
VSO Media Player

I was unable to play my BD with the following:
VLC media player
Windows Media Player
Splash Pro

EDIT

I have tried DVDFab but it doesn't work for me. Musicvid uses it, however. Licence is only for 12 months

Corel WinDVD is another one worth looking at.

EDIT 2
See this for VLC nightly, which apparently will play BDs
http://vlc-media-player-nightly-64bit.en.softonic.com/
http://nightlies.videolan.org/

Maybe fast on the draw, vincej?

Good grief, who told you to go out and buy another Blu-ray settop player to replace your defunct Samsung?

Read it again, we are suggesting you create a test-bed for your burned discs that must go to at least 5 different settop players. Goto your local electronics store 'BestBuy' and run the tests in their demo room. Get the disc to your friends and relatives to test the disc you create. Do something than just stay in your room.

And get a different media that recycle read/write- suggested that before. here's why.
When I do a major Blu-ray production - I have to test literally hundreds of issues, from proper menu operation, to colorspace and color grading. I use a re-write disc to rehearse the operation and perform QA until I am assured that my final production release is perfect.
One issue that will creep in this process - is that only a few set-top players can read a rewritable disc with stability. So once again only a few set-top players have the best firmware to read both BD-R and even fewer in number of those players read BD-RE with stabliity. But check everything irregardless of the disc stability first with a rewritable. Then burn your first BD-R for that check , verify against 5 or more players, and then continue production with that same batch of BD-R for your replication run.

Read all the posts in your threads.

The problem with Blu-Ray is it's still new technology when it comes to writable discs. Just like when writable DVD's were new, generally the older the player, the less likely that it will properly play writable discs. It's entirely possible that your Samsung player was designed when writable Blu-Ray discs were still rare, or not even well defined. This is why it's recommended that you test the disc on various players. If this is a home-movie, ask a friend if they have a BD player and try it there.

In general, use the default values when encoding the iso file for BD. If the final iso file is under 25Gb, then you are OK. You could push the bitrate to use more of the 25Gb available, but you run the risk of making a disc that can't be read by some players.

I also recommend that you buy a few rewritable blu-ray discs. They are not cheap, but because they are rewritable, you don't need many.