Time to ask...

[PhotoMill Profile Private message]

There are times when you want to ask about something but keep putting it off because you already know it's a "dumb" question. But I am an advocate of "there is no such thing as a "dumb" question" so here amongst friends I will ask. Please try and muffle the laughter (at least a little bit)

Question: Blu-Ray is supposedly now the standard in HD disc ware. My question is simply this: Does one need a special "Blu-Ray" burner to make this kind of disc? Or does the standard burner that came with my PC and LT do the job? I have never seen a special burner on sale for HD Blu-Ray in any of the stores that I shop at. And while at it, are there new or at least special DVD discs that are needed to sport Blu-Ray?

Tks ...
... Steve

[DickK Profile Private messageWebsite]

The Blu-Ray hardware is quite different from the standard CD hardware, both the read/write hardware and the media. So, no, you can't make a Blu-Ray DVD without new hardware. The hardware is out there, it's not common right now but it's out there, just search for "Blu-ray burner" and a fair number will show up.

With the new hardware, it is possible to put Blu-Ray output on standard media but you won't fit a lot of it on there. To really get the advantages you have to have media specifically intended for that type of output.

Dick

[PhotoMill Profile Private message]

Thanks Dick ! I guess it wasn't such a bad question after all. If that is the case then I'll start looking for both the hardware and new media. I was in a national distributor today looking at different models of HD TV's. The salesman stated that I would have to go elsewhere to find a standard DVD player as they only sell Blu-Ray technology items and nothing else. I guess the standard is setting in now.

Thanks again...
...Steve

[AnnaMIkk Profile Private message]

You can go to NewEgg.com and get a blu-ray burner they are not cheap around 150.00 to start. Then you have the media which runs around 6.00 to 10.00 each for the smaller capicity the larger ones I think are around 15.00. A place to buy media at a decent price and a huge selection is Supermedia.com. Blu-ray are very nice to have but when you make a coaster it sure stings.

[pilotdan63 Profile Private message]

Dear Steve . . . first let me say you are right, there are no "dumb questions" here.

Question #1: You will need a Blu-Ray burner in order to make genuine Blu-Ray discs because the laser wave length needed to burn the data into a Blu-Ray disc is different. Current optical disc technologies such as DVD, DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM rely on a red laser to read and write data and Blu-Ray uses a blue-violet laser instead, hence the name Blu-Ray.

Question #2: You will also need Blu-Ray disc media which has the capacity to hold 25GB to 50GB with a possible storage capacity of 500GB by utilizing 20 layered discs to make genuine Blu-Ray discs. For more information on the Blu-Ray format click here: http://www.blu-ray.com/faq/

While you may not find many Blu-Ray internal or external burners on store shelves right now, you can certainly find them very easily on the Internet from manufacturers like: Sony, LG, Pioneer, Sharp & Lite-On. Just do a Google search and type in Blu-Ray Burners.

Additional note: Mike describes (see below) how you can make a Blu-Ray formatted disc in ProShow Producer using current DVD media and equipment with somewhat less storage capacity than a genuine Blu-Ray

Dan

[bellzerr Profile Private message]

Well then, let me ask the dumb question. Haven't I seen in other posts that Blue Ray is already becoming outdated or for some other reason (I forget) not worth gearing up for?
Mark

[pilotdan63 Profile Private message]

Mark . . . the Blu-Ray format may be in jeopardy simply because the advent of down-loadable HD movies is so close and a new technology called "4K"-- that is, a display resolution with about 4,096 horizontal pixels and 2,160 scan lines is coming.

You can read more on this subject here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/techn ... luray.html

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol ... 484923.ece

http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/20 ... ormat-war/

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13512_3-9875003-23.html

Technology never stops changing

Dan

[MG - Admin]

Sorry, but I need to correct a few things stated above:

1) Blu-Ray content does not need a Blu-Ray burner to be created, nor does it need to be burned to special BD media.
2) Blu-Ray content does require that you play it via a Blu-Ray player, whether it be part of your PC setup, or a standalone Blu-Ray DVD player for your tv.

To accomplish number 1 above, please read the following:

How to create a playable Blu-Ray DVD in Producer. A few settings need to be adjusted to improve compatibility issues with certain Blu-Ray players. After choosing to create a Blu-Ray file click on the Options tab to set the following settings:

1) Select the Blu-Ray type and set it to Blu-Ray 1920x1080 Progressive (1080p)
2) Change the quality to Super Long Play (10Mbps)
3) The next option to change is the Encoding Quality to Normal Quality



All other settings are left at their default setting.

By changing these settings you will be able to create a Blu-Ray show to be burned onto a standard DVD. I've tested this several times, and even confirmed it not only on my own Blu-Ray player, but at Best Buy as well with various machines. Keep in mind that burning a Blu-Ray file onto a standard DVD is not considered a standard procedure and we're bending the rules a little bit. Attempting to create a Blu-ray show using other settings may or may not result in a disc that stutters or doesn't play at all. Experiment if you will with a RW disc to avoid making a lot of coasters.

The only restriction on using standard DVDs is that they hold a fraction of a BD media disc. This will only limit the length of your shows, but not your ability to use them to record Blu-Ray content.

Hope this helps!

Mike

[sheldonk Profile Private message]

Thanks Mike,

I remember you had a thread on this awhile back. Now that Photodexx supports Blu-ray it sounds a whole lot easier!

I am going to try it out!!!

Sheldon

[PhotoMill Profile Private message]

Ah ha! Very interesting. So Mike, you are saying that my regular burner will do the job but if I want the ultimate, I would just have to buy the BR media then? Or would I have to stick with the regular DVD discs. Would my standard burner recognize the BR media then or have you tried a BR disc yet? I have visions of the tray constantly popping out with the note on the screen re "unrecognized media" or something to that effect before I even get to instigate a ProShow burn via BR.

I see that by the diversity in the answers to my question that this truly is uncharted territory. I'm going to give it a whirl this week using your suggestions Mike. Tks for the info !!

...Steve

P.S. Thanks everyone for the input. Really appreciated.

[MG - Admin]

you are saying that my regular burner will do the job but if I want the ultimate (1), I would just have to buy the BR media then (2)? Or would I have to stick with the regular DVD discs(3). Would my standard burner recognize the BR media then (4) or have you tried a BR disc yet (5)

1) Standard burner will burn Blu-Ray content onto standard DVDs.
2) Starnard burner will not burn Blu-Ray content onto BD (Blu-Ray) media.
3) Standard DVDs are fine if your shows are not very long. Follow the settings guidelines that I posted above to help with player compatibility.
4) Standard burner will not recognize Blu-Ray media, nor will it play Blu-Ray content burned onto standard DVDs.
5) I have tried BD media, but I also had a Blu-Ray burner. The quality is very similar despite having to use lower settings for the standard DVDs.

Hope that helps clear up a few things.

Mike

[frgarcia Profile Private message]

I've been recording Bluray contents on standard DVD for the last year successfully using Mike's procedure. I am using Sony BPD-S301 player and never encounter playback problem. 2 Weeks ago I purchased Sony BPD- S360 and it cannot read any of my Bluray contents slide show. Did anyone here encounter similar problem. Hope someone can help. frank

[ezwriter Profile Private message]

I've encountered such a problem and used the procedure I describe in this thread:

http://www.proshowenthusiasts.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=11711&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15

Please read through all of my posts because I ammended the initial instruction due to a change in the tsmuxer program. I personally have never had this procedure fail to produce a Blu-Ray recording on a standard DVD that will play on any player I've tried it on. However, as they say, your mileage may vary.

Good luck,
[another] Dale