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Jamie, I guess I wasn't as clear as I should have been. I'm aware of using markers for labeling discs. It's just odd that after spending all we spend on our equipment (computer, camcorder, software, etc) and all the pride of authorship we have in our projects that we have to produce such a shoddy looking product as a marker-labeled BD disc. It seems to me to be a market niche that is screaming to be filled.
Des, I agree that Lightscribe is greatly overblown. For DVDs I use it only for text labels. Graphics are dull and look like you did something wrong. And you are right; it seems that there were more disc-printable ink jets a couple of years ago. I searched for your Canon but as you said, it is discontinued.
At this point I would gladly use Lightscribe but they just don't make LS BD discs. Very odd situation. Maybe I'll roll the dice and use a paper/adhesive labeler.
Bill
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I realize this isn't a PD9 question so I hope it won't be deleted. I just installed a blu ray burner. Although the burner does Lightscribe, I don't believe blu ray media comes in any of the laser etching versions. Also, everthing I've read says do not affix adhesive paper labels to blu ray discs. What do we hobbiests do short of buying an expensive inkjet CD/DVD/BD labeling printer?
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Thanks Hal. It was right in front of me and I never noticed it. Now, it doesn't appear in the Creat Disc room which (if I understand this correctly) combines the production (project rendering) and disc authoring in one place. Wouldn't you expect to see it there? Does that suggest that to make sure that hardware acceleration is turned off that we should always Produce first then Create Disc, bringing in the rendered file to be authored?
FYI, I'm dwelling on this because I "Produced" a DVD (highest quality) from AVCHD files and was pretty disappointed with the quality (even as a DVD; I know the expected quality loss from AVCHD to DVD). The PD9 DVD was significantly less quality than a DVD I made by a direct copy from my camcorder to a set-top DVD player/burner. If hardware acceleration is the culprit then I want to make sure it is turned off. My computer is strong enough without it.
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Guys, I see where you can "not enable" hardware acceleration in the Edit section of the program (Edit, Preferences, Hardware acceleration) but several have mentioned that you also have to do it at the Produce or Create Disc section. At the Create Disc section, is there a different place to "not enable" hardware acceleration or do you go through Edit, Preferences again? Perhaps a step by step dummies guide for us dummies would be useful. Thanks.
Bill
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I'd like to chime in here and vent at the industry (don’t know where else to vent). I've been shooting video for about 10 years now. I'm a reasonably informed consumer but certainly not an expert or anything approaching the posters to this thread. I purchased a Panasonic SD9 almost three years ago knowing that I would not be able to edit the video as the computer hardware and software had not yet caught up. Now with my new computer and PD9, I can edit my backlogged AVCHD video.
However, these formats are supposed to be consumer level. They are for the hobbyist who wants to shoot his family and friends and whip up a nice project with titles and transitions etc. and share the output. I knew (then) that I couldn’t edit AVCHD but how many people bought these camcorders thinking they could, only to find that they couldn't? They were sold as the natural evolution of mini-dv tape based camcorders but not all of the pieces were in place. Now that the pieces are in alignment, Panasonic is selling two new camcorders (one clearly aimed at consumers) that takes us right back to where AVCHD was 3-4 years ago. Unhappy with my 1080i Panny SD9 I was intrigued with the recommendations on this site for the two Panny 60p’s, particularly the SD600k. It is a very affordable piece of hi-tech equipment and I would buy it in a heartbeat. However, I saw this thread and realized that, once again the other pieces aren’t in place yet.
You would think that the industry wouldn't release these unless there was, at minimum, a simple workaround. For example, why can’t the software take 60p and skip every other frame to 30p for editing? This would permit us to edit and share the video now (albeit at a lesser quality than maximum) and also archive the 60p for editing in all its glory whenever the standards get sorted out.
If I’m missing something (quite possible; much of the above is greek to me) and the software can do this, please let me know. It may be enough to make me part with $380 for an SD600k.
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Robert, that's not what I meant and I think I should have been clearer. I'm not talking about the loss from AVCHD to DVD. Regardless of the original file format, I meant simply the raw MPEG-2 file viewed from my hard disk vs that same file burned to DVD (not a data DVD; a DVD for a player).
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Is there a difference in quality between an MPEG-2 file "Produced" in PD9 versus the same project made straight to DVD in PD9? For example if I view the MPEG-2 file on my computer (in any viewing program) versus the same video on a DVD (created using highest quality settings) on the same computer and also in any viewing program, it appears that the MPEG-2 file has better resolution than the DVD. The original video is AVCHD shot on a Panny SD9, 1080i at 30fps.
I guess the real question is: is DVD a lossy medium?
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Thanks HD. I'm sorry I should have responded that I did download the drivers and that the card seems to be working fine. My only confusion concerned whether the update was purely for gamers or was a general update that would benefit video editors. Thanks again.
Bill
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I also get this notification. I just click activate and it works. It does have me concerned that it will fail and why does it do that at all?
I used the trial version of PD Ultra 64 then purchased the full version in December. I haven't installed any patches but I do have auto-update activated.
PD9 Ultra64 Build 2330a.
Can someone take this opportunity to provide a little guidance on builds? Why is the build so important and shouldn't everyone have the latest build?
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Can someone check this out and provide a little commentary? I'm just not knowledgeable enough to understand where this takes me. I have the ATI Radeon HD 5570. There are several options to download and the commentary on the site suggests that this is for gaming, which I don't do. Should we video editors install these drivers? Thanks.
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My Panny SD9 is capable of 1080p but only at 24fps. I'm wondering if the progressive mode would more than compensate for the slower fps in moderate action video. Any thoughts? Again, I'm a little limited in my viewing abilities at this time.
So the question is: for shooting moderate action, would 1080p 24fps be better than 1080i 30fps? Thanks.
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In a way, I am flying blind. I don't have a hi-def TV or blu-ray player and my computer monitor isn't the higest def it could be. I'm making a disc for a friend of her run in a marathon. The video has a lot of action (not sure if 8 minute miles classifies as "fast" action). So no, I did not make tests of both 1080i and 1080p because I have no way to view them at this time. I'm not even sure if my friend has a blu-ray player but I'm providing both standard DVD and AVCHD for future-insurance.
I do know the difference between progressive and interlaced.
Any help would be appreciated.
Bill
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I'm about to burn an AVCHD disc of video that was shot at 1080i. At the Disc Preferences section, I'm offered 1080p as well as all of the lesser modes. Space isn't an issue (I don't think) because the video is only 14 minutes and there are few transitions, titles, etc. and a simple disc menu.
Is there any advantage to burning at 1080p video that is natively 1080i?
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Carl, I assume you are being facetious, but I suspect you'll have to go to your dictionary for that one.
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Is the version of Wave Editor that comes with PD9 a limited version? I can't seem to make the simplest trim because I can't get a left trim arrow. The right one starts at the beginning of the audio clip.
Also, as a general statement. PD9 and its attendant programs have lousy documentation. For example, if you edit audio in PD9 (not Wave Editor) and save it, you can change or give it an "alias." Not certain how that works, I did a word search on the PD9 Manual for "alias" but it doesn't exist. A read through doesn't reveal too much about it either. The "documentation" for Wave Editor is a help file. Maybe if there was decent documentation, a dummy like me could make it work. In the old days, there were independent books you could buy for most programs including video editors. I searched Amazon but couldn't find one for PD9. I'd love to get one written by someone who assumes the reader is an idiot.
Still a good program though.
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Jeff, great answer that others on this forum should heed. My Panny SD9 records at a maximum of 17mbps so I shouldn't worry about any difference. As we all know, the current camcorders often go up to 24mbps so if quality is paramount then maybe a blu-ray burner is warranted.
I guess whenever I spring for a new camcorder I'll get a blu-ray burner as well.
Bill
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Jim, that's interesting and thanks for it. I still wonder if that answers the question. It would explain for instance, that Hollywood video shot in a format better than AVCHD and distributed on blu-ray should certainly not be rendered to AVCHD format for the disc. However when you are starting out with AVCHD and using PD9 to create a distribution disc, does creating it as blu-ray improve the video over an AVCHD DVD?
I realize I'm torturing the subject. Someone here noted that blu-ray burners are now cheap and I agree. It is certainly within my budget to buy one and well justified if there is a quality improvement.
Bill
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I'm a little dense. I can only deal in simple, very narrow concepts. HD said the following in his second post that has me confused:
"When viewing HD content on a large screen (>60") and with lots of quick action BD is better."
Whereas Alexpho said: "I think both discs are the same but BR holds more data."
Let me phrase my question as narrowly as possible. I shoot some home video on my AVCHD based consumer camcorder. In my case it is shot at 1080i but for sake of this discussion let's say it is 1080p. The video includes some fast action. My finished video is 15 minutes long. I don't render it yet, I go directly to "Create Disc" in PD9. My TV set blu-ray player does indeed play AVCHD DVDs so that isn't the issue or the question. My TV is 1080p. At the "Create Disc" phase of PD9, I create both an AVCHD DVD and a blu-ray disc (assume I have a blu-ray burner) at the highest possible quality for both.
Watching both discs on my TV through the blu-ray player, does the blu-ray disc provide a superior picture (resolution, fast-action play, etc) or would the two discs of the described home video be identical?
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I'm having trouble understanding this exchange. Is bulldog asking if he should buy a 1080p TV or is he asking if a 1080p video burned on a blu-ray disc would be better quality than the same video burned to an AVCHD DVD?
If the latter, does it make a difference? All of my home videos are about 20 minutes max so I'm content to burn to AVCHD DVD. However, I want the best quality. Is there a difference in quality (not talking about menus) of the same 1080p video on AVCHD DVD or blu-ray?
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I realize it seems like petty griping and maybe it is. I wrote it after being frustrated that I couldn't do the simple task I wanted to do. I underline "I" because that doesn't mean it can't be done and done simply, its just that I couldn't figure it out. And that just adds to my frustration; I'm a reasonably smart guy and I've been doing video editing and disc authoring for about eight years now. I start to assume if I can't do it then the program probably isn't designed well. I actually do think that; not that things can't be done.
I'll keep muddling through and try not to vent on this forum as much as I do.
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I only have seven DVD Menu templates offered. Is this right? Seems a little stingy. I know I can get others from Director Zone.
After a few weeks of using PD9 I think my verdict is: 1. great editor, 2. lousy DVD authoring. It looks like the reviewers feel the same. I can't believe that I'll have to buy a separate authoring program. I would understand if my needs were extreme but perhaps mine are too simple for Cyberlink. All I want to do is create an AVCHD DVD with a single layer menu (play; that's it), without that industrial "AVCHD" looming at the top of the menu, with my own image background and a non-looping video. It's just a single video DVD. Don't care about "Scenes." I'd like to have chapters that the viewer can toggle through with their remote but if adding chapters FORCES a second layer (Scenes) to the menu then I'll forgo the chapters. Don't understand why I have to adapt though. Cyberlink, the euphoria is wearing off.
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