AVCHD to DVD

[jchan0806]

Can you burn AVCHD video to DVD and play it back on the DVD? Is it HD quality?

 

[Barry_Green]

DVDs are always standard-def. DVD is inherently a standard-def playback medium.

If you want a disc to play in a DVD player, it will HAVE to be downconverted to standard-def.

You can, however, make an "AVCHD DVD", which is a regular cheap DVD but designed to play in a blu-ray DVD player. It cannot be played in a standard DVD player, but it could play in a blu-ray player, and would be high-def quality.

 

[jchan0806]

Thanks Barry! Yes, that's what I was looking for. What is the workflow to do this? I have FCP7, but I don't see that I can export to AVCHD. I have Toast, Adobe Encore and DVD Studio to make the DVD. Can they handle this?

 

[Barry_Green]

I've used Nero to do it. I don't know what apps on the Apple side can do it; hopefully someone will chime in soon to assist.

Be aware that an AVCHD disc has a very limited runtime; about 20 minutes on a single-layer DVD, or 40 minutes on a dual-layer.

 

[VideoMaker]

On the PC side CS4 Encore does not support AVCHD DVDs. Sony Vegas Pro DVD Architect does. Not sure about the Mac side.

 

[Interface]

You can do it with toast, just select blu-ray video from the menu. It's default media is blu-ray disc but you can change it to DVD or DVD DL in the drop down menu located left to the big red burn button.

 

[David Saraceno]

Thanks Barry! Yes, that's what I was looking for. What is the workflow to do this? I have FCP7, but I don't see that I can export to AVCHD. I have Toast, Adobe Encore and DVD Studio to make the DVD. Can they handle this?

Export your footage self contained out of your sequence.

Then import the footage into Compressor 3.5, and elect the blu ray preset.

Insert the red laser DVD in your SuperDrive, and use it as a source. You will have a choice to burn to AVCHD.

It's all in the manual.

 

[Allen Ellis]

If anyone has a workflow involving the Adobe products I'd love to hear about it. I spent a few good afternoons trashing DVDs and reading online trying to convince Encore to burn a Blu Ray movie to a DVD disc, to no avail. Maybe CS5 has improved this...