Hi MikeFromMesa

You need to use the "DVD Video" setting. When burning discs AVCHD is primarilly for BluRay.

Regards

Robert

OK. Perhaps that is the problem.

But I had previously created smaller projects using normal DVDs and using the AVCHD setting. Those came out just fine. This is the first time I tried to use a dual-layer disk which was the reason I used the subject line of dual-layer disk.

Both types of videos in this project were created by digital cameras, not camcorders, and both are HD. The smaller projects I created using the videos made very nice slide shows with high quality videos that I could play, and enjoy, on our HD TV, and that is what I tried to do with this.

ADDED:

I loaded PowerDirector8 thinking about using a Blu-Ray burner, but found that there is no setting for Blu-Ray under AVCHD. When I select AVCHD the only choices I am offered are 4.7 gb DVD, 8.5 gv DVD and external disk. If AVCHD is supposed to be for Blu-Ray why is there not a Blu-Ray option in the software?

Also - can you tell me anything about how to use a created Folder to burn a disk? I can get the software to successfully create a folder, but don't know how to use it to burn a disk.

Thanks.

MikeFromMesa

If you want a CL product to burn the folder, it would be Power2Go. As an alternative, ImgBurn is freeware and also works very good for DVD, AVCHD on DVD, and also Blu-ray buring.

Jeff

I guess I was not clear in my question. I was able to create a folder using PowerDirector8 and asked about burning it, but what I really meant to do was ask how I can burn the folder AS A SLIDE SHOW to disk.

I have several disk-burning programs including Nero and Roxio, and they will certainly burn the folder structure to a DVD, but the folder structure does not have anything that looks like an executable. If I burn the folder structure itself, as it exists, to a DVD, will that disk then play in a DVD burner?

MikeFromMesa

Hi Mike -

I'm not very clear about exactly what you want to do. You have built a slide show and you want to burn it to disc.

If you burn a disc from a folder, whatever software you use, the result (on the disc) will be the same as burning directly to disc in Create Disc.

Some questions:
1. On what machine do you intend to play the disc? DVD player? Blu-ray player? PS3?
2. Have you already produced the file? If so, what settings/profile have you used?
3. If you're skipping the produce stage and going straight to Create Disc, what options are you selecting?
4. Previously, have you successfully burned dual layer DVDs?

I'm just trying to clarify - all that is clear to me is that making the slide show was successful but the burn was unsuccessful.

Cheers - Tony
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You have created a AVCHD-DVD to folder. Verify that the finished product is under 8.5GB. Open your burning software and start a DVD project. Add the files and folders just like they are in your PD created DVD folder. You will probably have to delete the video_ts folder that your burning software creates as it is not used for AVCHD. Slow down the burn speed, if necessary. That sometimes stops burn errors. If you cannot get this to work, try burning the DVD folder that you have to a data DVD using the UDF disc format. If none of that helps then I'm afraid I don't understand the problem. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

Tony -

I will try to be as clear as I can. I often run into this problem because when I try to be completely clear my messages tend to be too long to read and when I try to be short my emails are not clear. Here goes, and my apologies for the length of this post:

My wife and I recently went to one of t he local festivals and, using our digital cameras, we took a lot of photos and videos. Both of our cameras take HD type videos although they take different types. My camera takes .MOV video files and my wife's takes MP4 video files. And, of course, we alto took a lot of jpg files.

I spent some time with PowerDirector8 arranging these into a slide show with both the jpgs and videos. When that was done I moved to the PRODUCE section and selected AVCHD. Since the size of the slide show was > 6 GB I also selected 8.5 GB as the disk size and used one of my dual-layer disks. I also selected Widescreen (16:9) and 1920 x 1080 as the resolution size. I had never tried to make a slide show with PD8 before using dual-layers, but since there was an 8.5 gb option I did not assume there would be an issue. I then moved to the CREATE DISK tab, selected write to disk, did not select write to folder and then tried to burn the disk.

The process took in excess of 4 hours, but when writing to the disk, the software gave me an "unsuccessful" message indicating that there was some problem that might have involved writing to a stream.

I then tried again, this time setting write to folder instead of disk, and this worked successfully. I had expected that the program would either create an iso file or a VOB folder structure and that I could then burn that to a disk using some other burn software, but the folder structure it created did not look like anything I had seen before and was larger (> 9 GB) than I could expect to write to a disk without some kind of compression.

I then bought some new (Memorex) dual-layer disks and tried again to create a disk, but this attempt also failed and did so with the same message as before.

Now to try to answer your questions.

1) I want to play the disk on my normal DVD players. One of these is a Blu-Ray player and the other is a normal DVD player, but with an UPSCALE function that presumably creates something like an HD picture. Both TVs attached to the players are HD TVs.

2) I am not sure that I know what you are asking me in this question. If you are referring to the PRODUCE tab in the software the answer was yes and that I used the AVCHD and 8.5 gb settings. And, as I wrote above, selected Widescreen and 1920 x 1080. I thought about using lower settings, but the size of the output did not change my much so I left it where it was.

When I first used the trial version (I have the normal version now) I tried several different settings, but found that AVCHD produced the best photo and video results from our cameras, so that is what I use now.

3) N/A (I think).

4) Before I purchased the software I made several DVDs, using single layer disks, from our pictures and videos. In fact this software was pretty much the only software I could find that understood and successfully processed both of our video files. Most ofters understood one or the other, but not both. So I was able to successfully create several small slide shows using AVCHD, but those were using the trial version and single layer disks. I have never before needed to use dual-layer so I have never successfully created disks on dual-layer disks.

All of this is running on a laptop (dual-processor) with 2 gb of memory, Vista Home Premium (up to date with Microsoft updates) and using the built-in disk burner. I have successfully written dual-layer disks with this machine, but not with PowerDirector. I had played around with the idea of downloading and trying CL's Media Suite Ultra to see if that works, but have not yet done so.

I hope this is enough information and that you were able to get through it all.

MikeFromMesa

Jaime -

First, thanks for the reply. As you may see in my previous post the size of the folder structure is > 8.5 gb (actually > 9 gb), but I did not think that was necessarily a problem because (1) the projected size of the output in the PD8 PRODUCE section was only 6.5 gb and (2) I assumed that the disk output would be compressed onto something that would fit onto a dual-layer disk.

The folder structure that PD8 produces looks nothing like any DVD video format I have seen before. Instead of VOBs it contains BACKUP, PLAYLIST, STREAM and CLIPINF folders. Since I have had no experience using PD8 folder outputs I assumed this was some kind of proprietary format and that I could not just try to write it to a disk and expect that it would play on a DVD player. Perhaps that is a wrong idea.

I will try your suggestion and let you know what success I have.

Again, thanks for the reply.
MikeFromMesa

Hi Mike -

Thanks for your thorough explanation!

I spent some time with PowerDirector8 arranging these into a slide show with both the jpgs and videos. When that was done I moved to the PRODUCE section and selected AVCHD. Since the size of the slide show was > 6 GB I also selected 8.5 GB as the disk size and used one of my dual-layer disks.

It's only possible to select the disc size in the Create Disc module... not the Produce module (see attached images).

I want to play the disk on my normal DVD players. One of these is a Blu-Ray player and the other is a normal DVD player...

If you'd like to create an AVCHD DVD to play in your Blu-ray player, your "normal" DVD player will not be able to decode it. At the Create Disc stage, you have to make a choice. If you burn using the DVD settings, both players will read the disc.

3) N/A (I think).

I asked because I wasn't sure whether you had produced the project to make a video file on your PC or not. Producing a file creates a video file on your PC. Creating a disc makes a file on a DVD or Blu-ray disc. They are quite different things and the options are different.

When problems have been experienced burning discs from PD, the most typical ways around them is to (a) produce the file first & used the produced file to burn the disc & (b) create a DVD folder and burn using other software.

Quote: I have successfully written dual-layer disks with this machine, but not with PowerDirector.

OK - so there's no problem with your disc burning hardware.

In the DirectorZone Forum, I posted an attempt at a quick summary of disc & playback options. It may be of use to you. http://directorzone.cyberlink.com/posts/list/1392.page

Cheers - Tony

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Tony -

1) It's only possible to select the disc size in the Create Disc module... not the Produce module (see attached images).

------------------

Yes. This was my mistake. I was trying a 3rd time to create a disk when I wrote my previous response and, as you note, I was wrong about which tab I was using when I set the disk size to 8.5 gb.

2) If you'd like to create an AVCHD DVD to play in your Blu-ray player, your "normal" DVD player will not be able to decode it. At the Create Disc stage, you have to make a choice.

--------------------

I sometimes must be confusing when I try to be clear and that is what happened in this case. Yes. one of my players is a Blu-Ray, and yes, I was trying to create an AVCHD disk to play on it, but I was trying to produce a normal dual-layer DVD which would work on both my Blu-Ray and on my regular DVD player. I was not trying to create a Blu-Ray disk. And I guess that was not clear.


3) I asked because I wasn't sure whether you had produced the project to make a video file on your PC or not. Producing a file creates a video file on your PC. Creating a disc makes a file on a DVD or Blu-ray disc. They are quite different things and the options are different.

When problems have been experienced burning discs from PD, the most typical ways around them is to (a) produce the file first & used the produced file to burn the disc & (b) create a DVD folder and burn using other software.


--------------

OK. Here I have to ask a question or two. I did not see a way to produce a file rather than a folder. I certainly would have tried that considering the speed with which I am going through dual-layer DVDs. I would look right now, but cannnot. PD8 had gotten so unstable (it had begun crashing directly after starting) that I found myself uninstalling and reinstalling it on my machine.

Now that I have re-installed it, and applied the update, I am again in the middle of trying one more time to create a disk. If (perhaps I should say when) that fails I will look for some way in the PRODUCE tab to create a file. That is what you said, isn't it? There is somewhere in the PRODUCE tab to specify a file rather than a folder?

I have also taken a quick look at your link and will spend some time with it after this process is complete.

Thanks a lot for your assistance thus far. I will try to create a file (when this cycle fails) and will touch base with you if I cannot figure out how to do that.

Cheers

MikeFromMesa

Hi again Mike -

We're getting closer! No problem Mike - it's easy to get tangled up when trying to explain what you're trying to do... and just as easy for the reader to get confused too!

If you want to make a DVD that will play in both players, you need to forget about the AVCHD option. An AVCHD DVD can only be played in your BR player. The DVD player will only be able to read a regular DVD.

I was assuming you'd want to make an AVCHD DVD to retain quality, as that's the best quality option using a DVD. An AVCHD DVD can be burnt (from PD) with resolutions of 1920x1080 or 1440x1080.

Standard DVDs are burnt in one of two resolutions: 720 x 576 pixels (PAL), or 720 x 480 pixels (NTSC). The DVD player then upscales during playback.

These two choices will give you hugely different file sizes, and may negate the need for a DL disc. As an example, in the timeline a have a (more modest sized) project. PD tells me that if I produce it as AVCHD 1920X1080 (24MBps), as it was recorded, the file size will be 3.9GB. If I burn it straight to disc, the two disc options give me these file sizes:

AVCHD DVD (HD 1920X1080) = 3.46GB
Standard DVD (HQ Best Quality) = 1.6GB

Quality & file size are directly related. As Adrian (vn800rider) noted recently, "The end equation might actually be : best quality= high resolution+high bitrate+best codec+best equipment."

Hope this helps - Tony

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I can't help with any of the technical stuff other than to suggest burning your DVD's at a slower speed, even if you have to go down to 1X. I do not burn my 16X DVD's any faster than 4X just to be on the safe side.

It was a work around in the early days when burning DVD's would fail half way through and I have read people saying it still works these days with problem projects. A RW DVD helps as well with the $$'s

Cheers

Robert My youtube channel====> http://www.youtube.com/user/relate2?feature=mhsn

One thing I noticed is that you said you produced the video then clicked on the create dvd button. After produced the video, go back to edit. Remove everything from the timeline and put the newly produced video in the timeline. Set chapters, if you use them. Now go to create disc.

Have you been using Memorex disc all along? Maybe it's just me, but I have far more burn errors with them than any other brand, and that's on at least three different burners.

I had a dual core, 2GB RAM laptop and had lots of trouble with freezing. It doesn't sound like your problem, but the do struggle with HD video. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

First, the good news. As I posted earlier I un-installed and then re-installed PD8. I then re-installed the update and, lo and behold, that seemed to have solved the disk writing problem. I started the CREATE DISK process last night and, when I got up this morning, the disk had been created. So perhaps the system was just corrupt and that was what was causing the problem to begin with.

All of you who responded were very, very helpful and, thanks to you I have leared things about PD8 that I did not know before.

1) An AVCHD disk cannot be played on a normal DVD player. I did not know that until Tony pointed it out to me. I guess I only played the previous AVCHD disk on my Blu-Ray player and did not try to play it on my other player.

2) The folder system created by PD8 is exactly the same as the one written to a disk. That means that it would probably be better for me to write the folder and then create the disk using some other software. Expecially because of (3),

3) It turns out that the size of the actual folder structure (and hence the disk) may differ quite a bit from the projected size. In my case PD8 told me I needed 6.4 gb of disk space and would not write to a standard disk. But the final size of the folder structure and the data disk was about 4.2 gb. Much, much smaller. And, of course, it would have fit on a normal dvd.

4) Tony - you wrote that I could produce a file using the PRODUCE tab. I had not seen this before, but after all of this was done I created a small slide-show as a file. Now I know. But how could I use this file? Can I just write it to a disk and use that disk in a dvd player? Can I just add it to the needed folder structure? Or can it only be used on a computer? It would be great to know.

All of you have been so very helpful that I am truly grateful. Thanks again.
MikeFromMesa

Hi Mike -

Great to see you're conquering the thing & getting the outcomes you want.

I've never quite got my head around the difference between projected file/disc sizes and the actual result. I just take it with a grain of salt.

Produced video files can be:
1. viewed on the PC (or using a TV as a monitor)
2. streamed via internet or wireless devices
3. transferred to external hard disc and viewed through a media player (or PS3)
4. emailed, uploaded to media sites, transferred to other PCs
5. used in other projects
... and probably a few other things.

If you just wrote the file to a Data DVD, a DVD player won't read it. For that, it needs the standard DVD file structure (VOBs 'n stuff).

Cheers - Tony
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There are a few DVD players that will read video files, so if you write a MPEG 2 movie to a data disc, the player may play it. The players are uncommon, so if you don't already know your player will do this, then it probably won't. Philip's players read some movie files, but not all. I'm not sure of other brands. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

Jaime, Tony,

Based on your emails I created a small photo/video file using only the PRODUCE section and wrote it to the disk. Nothing else but the one file.

I then tried it in my new Sony Blu-Ray player where it played without a problem.

I then tried it in my previous SAMSUNG Blu-Ray player where it would not play.

I then tried it on one of my even older SONY dvd players (not a Blu-Ray) which would not load it.

So you are absolutely correct. Some players will play it, some will not.

Any day I learn something is a good day. So thanks (again).
MikeFromMesa