Need help with HD Burning

Robertson6

Robertson6

Active member
I hope that someone here can give me a simple answer. We shot a project in HD and edited in FCP then tried to export into DVD Pro and it won't let me. I called apple and they said because my iMac can't burn HD DVD's nor can any mac. They said I need to buy an external drive that burns HD DVD's. So I called micro center and Best Buy and they have never heard of a HD DVD Burner, I felt like I was asking for a muffler bearing or something. Just curious how everyone else whom does HD projects gets around this. Please help!!!!
 
AFAIK, HD DVD burners have never existed. HD DVD is a dead standard anyway.

You can burn a real Blu-ray disc, you will need a BD burner and a BD-R or BD-RE disc. Or you can burn an AVCHD disc, this feature is supported by Compressor 3.5+ and bunch of other tools. Before you ask: AVCHD discs use DVD media with BD-like data. Bitrate is up to 18 Mbit/s.
 
Apple recommended a Toshiba SD-L902A HD DVD burner and Cranky you are recommending a BD Burner. So either way I am stuck buying an external burner correct? For the BD burner, how would I output my project, just like a regular HD project or is it something entirely different? I found one on ebay for $164 plus shipping, the Toshiba is $89 with free shipping, what is everyone else doing? My fear with the blue ray is that if the customer doesn't have a blue ray player then he is hosed correct? Thanks for the help guys.
 
I am curious why do you want HD DVD? This standard died two years ago. No one uses it, unless they have a stack of HD DVD discs bought for $3 each off eBay.

I believe that a customer more likely has a BD player, than an HD DVD player. Do they really ask for HD DVD?

I don't know what is a "regular HD project". AFAIK, FCP/Compressor has an option to output to BD and AVCHD (I don't use Mac, I use Windows + Vegas).
 
No don't bother- the HD-DVDs that the Mac makes are only playable on a Mac. And no one makes HD-DVD players anymore. You can make Blu-rays with a Blu-ray burner. Otherwise stick with SD DVDs. Or upload to Vimeo and Youtube.

Noah
 
I must be overcomplicating this issue with my question. Here is the problem. I have FCP 6.0 and a HD camera. I shoot stuff on HD and upload into FCP then edit there and export as a HD project. I can't bring it into DVD Pro unless I convert the program to HD also. When I do that and get everything all ready and go to burn a disc it says that it won't. The need for HD or Blue Ray isn't the issue here, the point is that HD has been out for many years now and I just don't understand the work around. My computer won't burn an HD project on a regular DVD and my MAC won't burn it on a HD DVD so I don't know what to do. I am fully aware of vimeo and youtube, but clients don't want vimeo or youtube, they want a DVD of there finished product to play in a DVD player. So obviously I am confused, for as many years as HD technology has been out as well as a HD version of FCP someone has figured out how to burn a disc of that project. Hopefully this makes since. I guess my main question is this "when you guys shoot HD, how do you export and bring into DVD pro to burn a disc? Thanks again for any help.
 
that's my point- you cannot make a high-definition DVD with the current version of DVDSP. It's limited to HD-DVDs which are a completely abandoned and dead format. To make a Blu-ray disc you must get a Blu-ray burner and FCP 7.

Otherwise it's SD DVDs only. To make that you simply export your current HD project either directly to Compressor for MPEG-2 SD encoding or first make a ProRes HQ SD downconvert. Then convert that to MPEG-2.

Noah
 
Gotcha, thanks Noah. Now I honestly really HATE my Mac. I spent all this money to buy this stupid computer and "great program" and now I can't even burn HD discs without out spending more money to upgrade to a newer version and spending even more money buying an extra burner. Otherwise I shoot in HD and have to down grade to SD for a DVD which completely defeats the purpose of shooting HD. Like I said now I really HATE!!!! my mac and this program.
 
Well remember when you bought your system- Blu-ray burners and authoring didn't exist. So there's no reason to hate... Also keep in mind very few clients are likely to have a Blu-ray player vs. a standard DVD player. And if they do they'll happily pay extra for a true Blu-ray. A burner costs around $300 and the upgrade to FCS 3 is $299 so not exactly a massive investment there.

And you can always offer a nice H.264 on a DVD-R they can play in 1080p on their computer. HD distribution is still a relatively new thing but you do have options.

Noah
 
You asked for a simple answer and that is: HD DVD doesn't exist anymore. The only DVD that you, or anyone, can make is a BluRay DVD and you have to have a BluRay burner to do that, it is the current and future technology for recording and distributing HD on a disk. If your client doesn't have a BluRay player buy him one . . . otherwise letterbox your show into an SD file, make an SD DVD and be done with it.
 
P.S. And next time plan you project. Don't just charge ahead unwittingly and then blame everyone but yourself when you hit a snag.
Good luck.
 
Thanks for the help guys, I just spent 40 minutes talking to apple support about this issue. He recommended going to Blue Ray since it is the future and the current. He also recommended shooting HD and outputting in SD to burn to a standard DVD for clients whom don't have blue ray players, the quality would still remain higher the SD because it was shot in HD. He said that you can buy a HD DVD burner and the special discs, but it would only play on special HD DVD players which most people don't have. Problem is I can't upgrade to FCP 7 for $300 because I bought the Academic version trying to save money to put towards an HD camera. Other wise I just output my file as HD and then use an HD or Blue Ray Distributor to make the DVD for me. Why does this have to be so confusing?? He also recommended that I start using compressor instead of the regular FCP export options. I have never used compressor before, last time I tried I screwed the whole project up, so why not learn now right!!
 
Thanks for the heavy dose of sarcasm kennedymax thats real helpful. I am not blaming everyone else, I take full responsibility for my actions. I went into the HD world with a novice approach, expecting it to be much simpler, obviously that was a dumb decision.
 
Yeah you're really overcomplicating matters for yourself there. It's simple: shoot HD- deliver SD DVD. That's what your customers are expecting. Highly highly doubt they are expecting a Blu-ray disc at this point.

Noah
 
Not meant to be sarcastic . . . I was just getting back to the simple, original question.
Computers and photographic equipment are nothing but tools. Knowledge and proper use of those tools is up to us. I'm a 70+ year old "old man" who has directed and edited nation and network live, film and video taped tv shows and commercials for 50 years; and I've tripped over my own d--- many times. Allow me the pleasure to chide a bit.
Regards and GOOD LUCK.
 
kennedymax said:
You asked for a simple answer and that is: HD DVD doesn't exist anymore. The only DVD that you, or anyone, can make is a BluRay DVD and you have to have a BluRay burner to do that, it is the current and future technology for recording and distributing HD on a disk. If your client doesn't have a BluRay player buy him one . . . otherwise letterbox your show into an SD file, make an SD DVD and be done with it.
Click to expand...

Compressor 3.5 and I believe Toast 9/10 will author blu ray compliant AVCHD red laser discs using high definition footage.

These play as pretty darn near blu ray quality discs off a blu ray player.

And you can use a SuperDrive to burn them.

Only about 20-30 minutes of footage though
 
kennedymax said:
You asked for a simple answer and that is: HD DVD doesn't exist anymore. The only DVD that you, or anyone, can make is a BluRay DVD and you have to have a BluRay burner to do that, it is the current and future technology for recording and distributing HD on a disk. If your client doesn't have a BluRay player buy him one . . . otherwise letterbox your show into an SD file, make an SD DVD and be done with it.
Click to expand...
- Blu-ray Disc is not DVD, it is Blu-ray Disc.
- There is absolutely no reason for letterboxing for DVD, as DVD-video spec supports 16:9 out of the box.
- AVCHD disc is DVD media with HD content. Works on many BD players and on PS3. AVCHD discs are not playable on standard DVD players. This is a cheap, though not bulletproof, in terms of compatibility, solution.

"Compressor 3.5 and I believe Toast 9/10 will author blu ray compliant AVCHD red laser discs" -- David, did you see the link I posted above? Could you explain what exactly they mean? Compressor 3.5 will master AVCHD disk if used together with FCS 2009, but not with FC Server? (I don't know what FC Server is anyway).

"Only about 20-30 minutes of footage though" -- 50 minutes at 12 Mbit/s. Considering that DirecTV and Dish and many cablecos, oh and now BBC, use only about 10 Mbit/s for HD, such a disk will be as good or better as broadcast HD.
 
Thanks again for all the help everyone, I appreciate it. Kennedy, no offense taken, I was just kidding with you. As far as stepping on your own junk, I thought that was just a right of passage, seems like all I do is that. Now to learn how to use compressor, YYYEEAAAHHH.
 
I have no clue on the server part, but FCS3 will author AVCHD blu ray compliant red laser dye discs as I said.

I've done it many times with DVCProHD footage, and am impressed with the results.

Compressor 3.5 is basic for this authoring.
 
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