Puzzled about Blu-Ray frame sizes (PAL)

Viddy wrote on 11/6/2013, 4:17 AM

Hi all

I currently use Sony Movie Studio Platinum v12 64-bit.

I normally edit and render all my videos at 16:9 25fps PAL 1280x720 MP4. This is the same as the original unedited pre-edited footage. I then play the final edited video from a media streamer's hard disk through to the TV.

I would like to experiment with producing a Blu-Ray disc but am puzzled about the available PAL resolutions. If I click on "Make Movie" the whole process seems automatic and the Blu-Ray compatible files are sent to DVD Architect 5. However I notice that the video footage has then been upscaled to 1920x1080 (M2v). Apart from the time this takes, the file size grows a lot too, and I can't see any benefit from this process.

I therefore decided that maybe I should render the video without using the auto 'Make Movie' option. However, when I look down the list my available render settings there is no option to render a 1280x720 25fps PAL M2v type file. I see 1920x1080 and 1440x1080 but that's about it. I am also assuming that I can only use M2v video for Blu-Ray?

Am I missing something here? I thought that the Blu-Ray standard would accept 1280x720 resolution — but my list of available render options would suggest otherwise. I don't really see the point in Sony Movie Studio enlarging the frame size of my video unless it's absolutely necessary. Also, is there any way to use the 'Make Movie' automatic option and force it NOT to increase the frame-size before sending the video to DVD Architect?

Any information about this would be most welcome as so far my searching hasn't given me the definitive answer.

Many thanks in anticipation.
Viddy

Comments

Steve Grisetti wrote on 11/6/2013, 7:50 AM

If you're intent on outputting a video for a 1280x720 DVD, you should use Project/Render As/Main Concept MPEG2 with the HDV720 template.

Then, of course, make sure your DVD Architect project properties are set up for BluRay 1280x720.

Viddy wrote on 11/8/2013, 12:04 PM

Hi Steve

Many thanks for your help with my question. I thought I could only use M2v type video for Blu-ray but, as per your suggestion, I rendered out my video to a 1280x720 "m2t" file and DVD Architect seems to be happy with that.

Thanks again
Viddy

Viddy wrote on 11/9/2013, 3:38 AM

Hi there again,

Following on from my venture into Blu-ray and initial question, I have now discovered something else which is puzzling me. As suggested, I rendered out my edited video (from Movie Studio timeline) using Main Concept MPEG "M2t" 1280x720 18.3mbps to produce a video that would be suitable for DVD Architect 5.

The video pulled into the project (which I set up to have properties which included a 1280x720 resolution) with no error messages etc. I thought all was well, and maybe it still is, but when I checked on "Optimise Disc" I noticed that the video had exclamation marks against it.

The "Optimise Disc" window told me that DVD Architect would have to "Recompress" the video. It stated that the reason was "Media is not compliant with the disc format". It also said underneath that to avoid recompression I should "use a compliant MPEG-2 video file".

This is puzzling me as I thought that by rendering my video using Main Concept MPEG2 1280x720 HDV settings then it would be compliant and that no recompression would be needed.

Media Info tells me my video is:

"17.6 Mbps (18.3 Mbps), 1280*720 (16:9), at 25.000 fps. MPEG Video (Version 2) (Main@High 1440) (BVOP)"

"384 Kbps, 48.0 KHz, 2 channels, MPEG Audio (Version 1) (Layer 2)"

I would be very grateful if someone could explain why my video is apparently not compliant and needs recompression. I should mention that the video is less than 10 mins long - so recompression is not needed for sizing reduction (I presume).

I really would rather not have the video recompressed after I have already rendered it to what I thought was a compliant format. I feel my treasured footage is being 'put through the mangle' too many times!!

In my early days of creating DVD discs I always managed to produce video media files that never needed any recompression in the DVD authoring tool I was using at the time (DVD Lab). Ideally I want to render out my edited videos (which are always 1280x720 25fps) to a format that DVD Architect won't want to tamper with any further when it creates the Blu-ray files.

Any info would be most valuable if it could be explained why my rendered video is not compliant with Blu-ray.

Many thanks
Viddy