hd camera files to blu ray dvd

[bnewt]

here's my situation.............
I have a panasonic hc-v720 hd camcorder that I will be using to film my nephew's wedding. I will have it set a @ 1080P/60
I want to convert this into the highest quality dvd possible for his & her parents + the grandparents

The camera records as avchd.....can this create a blu ray dvd or will I have to use a standard dvd

[newpball]

For highest quality do not convert it at all, play from a USB stick.

If you insist on putting it on an optical disk you will have to compromise on quality, now way around it!

Blu-ray is pretty decent, although you have to do something about the 60p as that is beyond the blu-ray standard . You could either interlace the material (or frame blend to 30p and pseudo interlace it) as 1080 must be interlaced as 1080i30 on blu-ray (video engineers will give you long-winded gobbledygook to convince you this is incredibly brilliant).

To downgrade to DVD is making a travesty of quality. Please do not butcher a 1080p video to SD.

Having all said that most of the quality will come from making a proper video in the first place. Obviously you would want to use a quality tripod and be easy on the pans and zooms. For a wedding I would recommend you use a bare minimum of two cameras. Also use at least one additional quality audio recorder for you would want to make sure moments like the ceremony can actually be heard including the I-do's.

Prepare and be ready, and have a plan B for everything and don't miss filming any of the significant in-laws!

[usually_quiet]

here's my situation.............
I have a panasonic hc-v720 hd camcorder that I will be using to film my nephew's wedding. I will have it set a @ 1080P/60
I want to convert this into the highest quality dvd possible for his & her parents + the grandparents

The camera records as avchd.....can this create a blu ray dvd or will I have to use a standard dvd

1080p59.94 is only valid for AVCHD 2.0, which is OK for PCs, but not every Blu-Ray player that plays AVCHD discs can play AVCHD 2.0. PCs and most Blu-Ray players can play regular AVCHD discs, but DVD players only play authored DVDs containing SD video.

If the parents or grandparents only have a DVD player and do not have a computer, or a Blu-Ray player or anything else that that can play HD video, then you should go ahead and make a DVD for them. If you want to make an AVCHD disk or AVCHD 2.0 disk for them too, there is nothing wrong with that, but don't deny them the pleasure of watching the wedding now on DVD (if that is what they need) because the most idiotic troll currently afflicting this forum thinks it is a travesty to create a DVD from HD video.

If you need a DVD, try AVStoDVD for the conversion using 2-pass encoding with HCEnc, and see what you think. If you need AVCHD rather than AVCHD 2.0, convert from 1080p59.94 to 720p59.94.

[LMotlow]

here's my situation.............
I have a panasonic hc-v720 hd camcorder that I will be using to film my nephew's wedding. I will have it set a @ 1080P/60
I want to convert this into the highest quality dvd possible for his & her parents + the grandparents

The camera records as avchd.....can this create a blu ray dvd or will I have to use a standard dvd

Really? A BluRay DVD?

Sorry. BluRay not DVD, DVD not BluRay, both not same. Savvy?.

usually_quiet covered most bases but should emphasize that 1080 60p is not BluRay compatible (only for AVCHD v2), so an authored BluRay disk is not a possibility there. Yeah, resize that 1080p to 720p, you can get BluRay or AVCHD out of that, either way.

NTSC DVD is 720x480 interlaced, 29.97i (PAL = 720x576 interlaced, 25i). Try to make it anything else, and somebody's gonna be real disappointed. 1080p is valid for BluRay only at film speed (23.976 or 24 fps progressive), otherwise by strict external consumer player standards is 1920x1080, interlaced, 29.97 or 25fps.

[bnewt]

ok.......since it is obvious that I have no experience in this...........please suggest the setting that I should use for the camera.......would it be better to use 1080i or something else

I am looking for the simplest way to create the highest quality keepsake for everyone involved. Is there some way to make the recording, & then just burn to BluRay or DVD using the software that came with the camera (AE 5.0)?

[newpball]

First question is why use 60p? If you target a Blu-ray (and ok, that extra DVD for granny) it will give you more work.

Unless your wedding is on skateboards chances are that 60p is not necessary and you can do with 30p (but be slow on the pans). Alternatively you can go for the film look, 24p (make sure shutter speed is set 1/48 - or 1/50 - ). And the benefit is that blu-ray does support 1080p24.

Obviously you need to extensively edit the raw material before it is presentable, not even a Spielberg could arrange a bunch of shots and have an end-product.

Highest quality: put it on a USB
Ok quality: burn a BD

Also, make sure you lighting is ok......

Here is a great wedding video, I hope you can draw some inspiration from it:

[usually_quiet]

ok.......since it is obvious that I have no experience in this...........please suggest the setting that I should use for the camera.......would it be better to use 1080i or something else

I am looking for the simplest way to create the highest quality keepsake for everyone involved. Is there some way to make the recording, & then just burn to BluRay or DVD using the software that came with the camera (AE 5.0)?

After Effects isn't Blu-Ray authoring and burning software. It is for creating visual effects to use with your video. Since you don't know if you have any Blu-Ray authoring software, I'm guessing you haven't authored any Blu-Ray discs yet. Do you have a BD burner?

Given your situation, I think the thing to do is to try to find out who prefers to watch media files on a USB stick using a PC or media player, who can play media files on Blu-Ray discs or authored Blu-Ray discs, and who can only watch authored DVDs.

[newpball]

Given your situation, I think the thing to do is to try to find out who prefers to watch media files on a USB stick using a PC or media player, who can play media files on Blu-Ray discs or authored Blu-Ray discs, and who can only watch authored DVDs.

Why limit your choices now?

I am not sure if you ever even produced a video but I can assure you that transcoding to various delivery formats is not the bulk of the work.

Compared to the work it takes to make and finalize the production it is peanuts to cut a BD, DVD or USB stick from the final cut.

He can always make that separate DVD for granny afterwards.

[usually_quiet]

I am looking for the simplest way to create the highest quality keepsake for everyone involved. Is there some way to make the recording, & then just burn to BluRay or DVD using the software that came with the camera (AE 5.0)?

@bnewt Given what you asked about in this quote and newpball's response to my post above, like I said, newpball is the most idiotic troll currently afflicting this forum... All he wants to pick a fight and make this thread all about him, not about you. I won't indulge him again.

[Edit]What I am interested in is figuring out what you are currently able to do comfortably, or can learn to do at what is for you a reasonable cost with a reasonable amount of effort. ...and what the recipients of your video can play. Where those things intersect determines the distribution format(s) you should use.

[LMotlow]

ok.......since it is obvious that I have no experience in this...........please suggest the setting that I should use for the camera.......would it be better to use 1080i or something else

I am looking for the simplest way to create the highest quality keepsake for everyone involved. Is there some way to make the recording, & then just burn to BluRay or DVD using the software that came with the camera (AE 5.0)?

OK, let's go thru this again.
If you want universally playable video -- that is, BluRay for the kids and DVD for the old folks or those who don't want to mess with PCs or external media servers for playback (I don't blame them) -- keep a few things in mind. BluRay 1920x1080 is interlaced 29.97i, or 30i if you want round numbers, and encoded with MPEG-HD or AVC or h264. The only progressive 1920x1080 type that's valid for BluRay is 24p film speed (or 23.976). 1920x1080 DVD is 720x480 interlaced 29.97i, and must be encoded as MPEG2. People do this BluRay/DVD procedure all the time; there's nothing earth shaking about it but it takes time.

If you shoot 60p, you have to interlace for BluRay, unless you want to find a BD player that will handle it from disc at 60p, but some players will laugh at you, some won't. You won't be able to author a menu for that hard drive scenario. From 60p you'd have to downsample to 720x480 and, again, interlace if you want a per-spec authored DVD disc.

If you shoot 1080i 30fps, you're in BluRay country and all you'd have to do from there is author and burn a BluRay disc. To get to "DVD" from there, you have to deinterlace, downsample to 720x480 and encode and author for 29.97i.

If you shoot 24p (film speed), you can get a BluRay directly from that. For DVD you'd have to downsize, re-encode, and author and burn.

If you look at the links posted earlier for BluRay and DVD formats, you'd see the answers right there.

As newpball suggests, don't use the camera's zoom like a trombone, and bring a tripod or shoulder brace. Sloppy camera control always looks sloppy and is the devil to work with later.

[bnewt]

I am looking for the simplest way to create the highest quality keepsake for everyone involved. Is there some way to make the recording, & then just burn to BluRay or DVD using the software that came with the camera (AE 5.0)?

@bnewt Given what you asked about in this quote and newpball's response to my post above, like I said, newpball is the most idiotic troll currently afflicting this forum... All he wants to pick a fight and make this thread all about him, not about you. I won't indulge him again.

[Edit]What I am interested in is figuring out what you are currently able to do comfortably, or can learn to do at what is for you a reasonable cost with a reasonable amount of effort. ...and what the recipients of your video can play. Where those things intersect determines the distribution format(s) you should use.

I appreciate your response greatly

I have NEVER attempted this before. My pc has bd burner installed & the software that came with the Panasonic camera is AE 5.0. Most of the people that I would like to create these disks for do not have pc's, and I do not know if their TV's are capable of playing these types of files. That is why I thought that the easiest solution would be to great a dvd. I had probably better stick to the highest quality dvd, because I may be the only one that has a blu ray player. Most importantly, my father is blind and will not be able to attend the wedding. I promised him that I would bring the wedding to him if possible. So, that is what I am trying to accomplish.

So if you could just tell me how to set the camera's recording mode so that I can just create the dvd............I would greatly appreciate the help

[LMotlow]

[EDIT}
Your Panasonic shoots formats as Cornucopia dscribes later in post #14. I'd go with 1080p/60 as he suggests. That format is useable only as AVCHD v2 (BluRay players only, some of which can't work with 1080/60p). For 1920x1080 BluRay, it must be interlaced for 30i encoding, which wouldn't be all that difficult in Avisynth. For DVD, it has to be resized to 720x480 and then interlaced for 30i and encoded with a 16:9 playback aspect ratio. 1080p/60 is easier to work with along those lines and gives a better result in the end. The actual frame rate the encoder will likely employ for DVD is 29.972 fps, no problem.

[usually_quiet]

Your Panasonic shoots 1080p 50fps. Only. That format is useable only as AVCHD v2 (BluRay players only, some of which can't work with 1080/50p). For 1920x1080 BluRay, it must be interlaced for 25i encoding. For DVD, it has to be resized to 720x576 and then interlaced for 25i and encoded with a 16:9 playback aspect ratio.

Unless the OP picked up his camera on a trip to a PAL country, the above needs correction. Panasonic's US product page for the Panasonic HC-V720 says it shoots 1080p 60fps.

[Cornucopia]

You are mistaken, @LMotlow. Just looked at the hc-v720 owners manual: 1080p60 (AVCHD v2), 1080i30 (4 different quality settings) in AVCHD v1, and iFrame (960x540) in MP4. There probably is a PAL version, but it would have additional letters appended to it's #.
Otherwise, what you're saying workflow-wise I would agree with. And there is no 24p on that model, so that's out unfortunately. 1080p60 has the known compatibility problems, but is a good master to start from and would give you the best picture source to start with. Plus, it is not a big deal to create an interlaced version from it, but creating a deinterlaced version from an Interlaced master is more complicated and less retaining of remaining quality, and I'm guessing that the bitrate for the 60p is not only higher (as befits something with double the normal data) but more efficient, so you will be gettting less artifacts starting off from your source.

Scott

usually_quiet beat me to it...

[LMotlow]

Yeah, the Panasonic site sneaked up and switched cameras on me (Ads. I hate ads. Must've clicked on the wrong link). I'll correct my idiotic post. Thanks, folks.

[P.S.] Yep, I went to that same Google page I saw earlier. Gives three or four listings in a row for the Panny support site and the same camera. First link was too damn sloooow, so I clicked the second. Yep. Panasonic UK, all right.

[Cornucopia]

De nada, happens to most of us.

bnewt mentioned AE 5.0. I'm pretty sure that is Panny's stock consumer capping/organizing app (not AfterEffects!), which is lightweight in usable editing features.

@bnewt, you need a decent set of apps for:
1. Capturing/logging
2. Editing
3. Encoding
4. Authoring
5. Burning

Some can do all 5, some a mixture, some only 1 thing. Understand that the BEST tool is not always a UNIVERSAL (swissarmy) tool. There are freeware ways to do this that take a bit of learning (or rote many-step-following), but for CAPTURING & EDITING the better apps (IMO) all cost money. IIWY, I'd get something like a Cyberlink PowerDirector Suite or Sony Vegas Movie Studio suite. Both can be had for <$100USD each. PD is more newbie oriented but is buggier, VMS is more hobbyist oriented (and has much of the power of its professional older brother) but not quite as point-click-go simple. Those suites should include all the other app sections necessary.

The trickiest part (beyond getting the hang of good editing) to using those would probably be in the conversion from 1080p60 to 480i30. I would strongly recommend you create an intermediate master edited 1080p60 file (using a lossless or near-lossless codec to retain quality, which will be HUGE) and only do downconversions from it. The algorithms used in those apps aren't quite as good as say a tuned AVISynth script feeding an encoder, but I would think you will find it acceptable (at reasonable bitrates & settings).

You can burn in-app, but don't need to: ImgBurn is one of the best burning apps around and it is freeware. You would just need to save/export/compile to VIDEO_TS/VOBs structure or to ISO discimage file and ImgBurn should be able to work with either one of those.

Scott

[bnewt]

wow...........I had hoped that this would be "simple", but apparently not

Is there any camera setting that I can record, then just burn to a dvd without all of the other "things" mentioned that I have no idea how to do

[newpball]

wow...........I had hoped that this would be "simple", but apparently not

Is there any camera setting that I can record, then just burn to a dvd without all of the other "things" mentioned that I have no idea how to do

No, there is not and besides a wedding video obviously needs extensive editing.

I am sure you do not mind the extra effort in getting a great quality wedding video out and want nothing but the best results!
Surely your family and new in-laws deserve it!

If that is not the case, or you do not have the time, knowledge or inclination for this I think you will be better off getting a pro to do it, or even decline the offer.

A wedding is a one-time event (hopefully) and corners should obviously not be cut.

They count on you to do a great job and the first prerequisite is having a professional attitude about it!

[Cornucopia]

Daunting (and not "simple") it may be, but your task is not impossible and is done by newbies all the time. Try it out ahead of the wedding to see how comfortable you are with it...

(There ARE other options, such as shooting with an old DVD-recording cam, transferring to DVD recorder, etc. but for quality reasons I don't recommend those here.)

Scott

[usually_quiet]

I have NEVER attempted this before. My pc has bd burner installed & the software that came with the Panasonic camera is AE 5.0. Most of the people that I would like to create these disks for do not have pc's, and I do not know if their TV's are capable of playing these types of files. That is why I thought that the easiest solution would be to great a dvd. I had probably better stick to the highest quality dvd, because I may be the only one that has a blu ray player. Most importantly, my father is blind and will not be able to attend the wedding. I promised him that I would bring the wedding to him if possible. So, that is what I am trying to accomplish.

So if you could just tell me how to set the camera's recording mode so that I can just create the dvd............I would greatly appreciate the help

Others have already suggested recoding modes, so I will write about conversion to DVD.

There are X to DVD converters that can automate the conversion to make it easier. You might do a dry run using AVStoDVD now on some 1080p60 footage shot with your camera as a test to see if it produces acceptable results. I have used it to convert 1080i29.97 and 720p59.97 to DVD at 480i29.97, and was pleased with it for that, but have not used it for 1080p.

You should set up AVStoDVD to create an NTSC DVD and do 2-pass encoding with HCEnc as the designated encoder. You can look at your video with MediaInfo ahead of time to find out what colorspace it uses. DVD uses BT.601, so you may need to do a colorspace conversion. AVStoDVD automatically creates a script for processing each video to which you can add a colorspace conversion with a few mouse clicks.