OT: BD authoring vs BluPrint

megabit wrote on 5/18/2009, 7:13 AM

Ever wondered about the gap between BD authoring as Vegas/DVDA offers for $600, and the BluPrint for $120,000?

Well, watch the NAB presentation here:
http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/ext/BroadcastandBusiness/minisites/NAB2009/videos.shtml, and pick the "Blu-Ray" video...

A tru eye-opener. Plenty of other interesting stuff, as well!

Comments

Jeff9329 wrote on 5/18/2009, 7:38 AM

Mega:

There are $50 programs like Ulead MF6+ that author HD material far better than DVDA.

So far, BD/HD authoring for the masses is a Sony weak point. I think Sonys own involvement with BD development and the licensing woes are a big part of it and it really wont ever go away.

Even a simple author tool like an AVCHD disc will never be able to be done by Sony due to licensing issues.

BD is here, but more delivery options are coming soon hopefully.

blink3times wrote on 5/18/2009, 7:50 AM

"There are $50 programs like Ulead MF6+ that author HD material far better than DVDA."

Nah... not true at all. I have MF6 and although it's good for basic 'meat and potatoes' authoring, it won't do 24p stuff, it won't do Ac3 work with lfe channels and all the extras, you can't add an audio track without recompressing, you can't do subtitle work (with any dependability anyway).

It's GREAT for basic burning.... but that's it.

farss wrote on 5/18/2009, 3:36 PM

SCS were offering a $30K discount on their high end authoring apps at NAB. Could be the bargain of the year :)

The authoring is not the biggest hurdle though, the licencing costs for 2nd tier production are. You could take your project to a post house that has the tools but you're still looking at a back charge of $10K as the duplication house cannot get volume licencing. If you only want 2,000 copies that's a big cost burden.

Bob.

Jay Gladwell wrote on 5/18/2009, 3:58 PM

Yes, I watched that segment, too. It strikes me as being totally absurd, the vast gulf between the two options--duplication (DVDA) and replication (Blu-Print).

Once in a while, one of my corporate clients will want 1000 discs. There is no way on earth, if and when Blu-ray is the "standard," that corporate clients will pay such outrageous fees. It would take for every to duplicate 1000 Blu-ray discs. So what's a little studio to do?

What is Sony thinking?

Terje wrote on 5/19/2009, 3:39 AM

>> What is Sony thinking?

Sony isn't thinking at all given the fact that they are not the ones who determine the fees. On the other hand, they are on the committee that determines the fees, so perhaps they are in fact not thinking, or at least using the wrong body part to do so with.

Jeff9329 wrote on 5/19/2009, 11:52 AM

When you look at all the different aspects of Blu-Ray, it is just a huge expensive mess.

Looking forward, will there be as much trouble creating authoring tools for solid state media?

And will there be ANY licensing issues for solid state media?

16GB SDHC is currently $30. Still gonna be a little while untill they are as cheap as BD media.

Steve Mann wrote on 5/19/2009, 8:25 PM

"On the other hand, they are on the committee that determines the fees, so perhaps they are in fact not thinking, or at least using the wrong body part to do so with."

Don't confuse Sony Electronics, Inc with Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Two different companies with the same corporate owner.

The fees are a huge problem with the indie film producers as well as the corporate customers, but as long as the major studios (including Sony Pictures Entertainment) basically own the Blu-Ray market, they will keep the smaller producers out.

I suspect that they fear that cheaper licensing will make it easier for the pirates to copy their products. Just my opinion.