Test BDMV File Before Burning

[bytor2112]

Cholla,You are correct; I am trying to take my 3 home movies and make a playable Blu-ray (BD-R) that will play on a set-top, PS4, and PS5. I laid out my process, and I am not sure if I did something wrong in these steps.


On my Java machine (Windows 10), I can play my BDMV file. On VLC. On my non-Java machine (Windows 11), I cannot. I get the Java error. This is also true when I converted my BDMV to an ISO.


The strange thing is that Alwyn's ISO worked on my non-Java machine with the menu function. My BDMV worked on my Java-equipped machine with the menu function. The difference between my BDMV and Alwyn's ISO menu function was the way they worked. On my BDMV, I got an extra menu button to show up on VLC that, when pressed, took me to my menu. I used the keyboard to navigate. On Alwyn, I can use a mouse. I am not sure if this is due to a BDMV vs. an ISO or the way the authoring software handles menus. I wonder if DVDFab builds the menu structure as if you are using a set-top. I wonder if this triggers the need for Java.


I just wanted to make sure my BDMV menus would work before burning. I am still not 100% sure I validated this. I'm still not clear on how changing my process to Magix differs from what I did, other than it appears to do it all. I'm still not sure I even have a problem other than reviewing with VLC without Java. I can bite the bullet and burn and try it out.

[Alwyn]

Bytro, I think the problem lies with DVDFab. It seems to be creating a non-compliant BDMV folder (note: it's a folder, not a file ).

Here's what I have worked out after a few disk burns of my Magix bluray project without Java installed:

-Java does not enable or disable anything.

-The BDMV folder cannot be played with VLC by any method, with or without Java. Obviously, the video files themselves, in the STREAM folder, can be played but that's not the aim of the exercise.

-A disk with only the BDMV folder (burnt with IMGBurn) will play on my PC and my Bluray player.

-To play ISOs on your hard drive: doubleclick or RC>Play with VLC Player

-To play BD disks: VLC Media>Open Disk>Bluray… browse to BD drive

See if DVDFab will output an ISO, then try opening it as above. If that doesn't work, I'm confident that DFab isn't making compliant bluray stuff.

@Cholla:

My standalone blu ray player does not even see the "IMG Burn ISO from folder.iso".

How are you doing that exactly?

[cholla]

@Cholla:

My standalone blu ray player does not even see the "IMG Burn ISO from folder.iso".

How are you doing that exactly?

I used a flash drive via USB.

[Alwyn]

I used a flash drive via USB.

I'm pretty sure that won't work in any Bluray player.

On my player, the ISOs also don't show up, but MP4s and MPGs do.

[cholla]

@ Alwyn,
As you stated this is not the "aim of this exercise".
I wanted to let you know VLC will play a BMDV folder (or it will on my computer).
This is the problem with VLC playing a BMDV folder:
It tales VLC 2 to 3 minutes to load & open a BMDV folder.
The "VLC media player" on the top bar flickers some while doing this & then the main movie plays.
It also fails to do this all the time.

I'm not going to burn a BD-R to test the .iso you posted.
My BD standalone or yours won't even see an .iso.

I could burn the "IMG Burn ISO from folder.iso" to a DVD-RW as a BD-5.
Meaning to a blu ray folder set from the .iso being mounted in a virtual drive.
I can play this on my standalone BD player but only as a data file.
I have to even open the Stream folder & select the main movie 00000.mts.
I posted my results for burning a BD-R with other files in the other thread.
It is as you posted in #34 for your standalone BD player.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/421128-Authoring-DVD-Workflow-Question/page2#post2804077

I had these results burning Alwyn's .iso to a DVD-RW written as a BD-5.
VLC worked as it should. The menu came up first & any of the 3 videos were selectable.
When I tried the disc in my standaloen BD player the menu came up;the thumbnails highlighted like they would be selectable:
When selected they did nothing. So basically stuck on the menu.

[bytor2112]

Update, I bit the bullet and burned my BDMV folder with my 3 home movies and a menu. I am happy to report that the BD-R plays perfectly on my set-top Blu-ray player as well as my PS-4 and PS-5. All devices see the BD-R as a typical Blu-ray.


DVDFab does create ISO's but I still ran into the same JAVA error on my non-Java machine (Windows 11) using VLC. I will verify before burning on my Java Machine (Windows 10). I just don't feel comfortable installing Java on my Windows 11 machine, since I use it for other things.


Thanks for all the help, guys. I really appreciate it. This site has helped me for 20 years and continues to do so.

[cholla]

@ bytor2112
,
How about a few details.
What burning software did you use?
What software did you create the 3 home movies and a menu .iso with.
If it was this .iso you burned.

If you burned from folder or folders. Was it just the BMDV or also the AAC &/or the Certificate folder ?

[bytor2112]

@ bytor2112
,
How about a few details.
What burning software did you use?
What software did you create the 3 home movies and a menu .iso with.
If it was this .iso you burned.

If you burned from folder or folders. Was it just the BMDV or also the AAC &/or the Certificate folder ?

Cholla see post#21


Here is what I did:

(1) I captured 3 home DV videos from a Sony TRV-140, Pinnacle 500 USB, and ScLive.

(2) I did some editing with DaVinci Resolve. Exported as an MKV.

(3) I used DVDFab to create a menu and author it as a BDMV File.


I burned from a folder that contained the BDMV folder as well as the Certificate. I used ImgBurn to do this, following the procedure laid out from you guys in my other thread.

[Alwyn]

Good stuff bytor, thanks for the feedback.

[cholla]

@ bytor2112,
Glad you got a blu ray working like you wanted.

I had read #21 but I wasn't sure if you had an AACS folder.
If it doesn't in seems to be working with your devices.
I believe the AACs folder is for the encryption of commercial blu ray discs.
Or keys so a BD player will play them. I'm not completely sure on this.

[bytor2112]

@ bytor2112,
Glad you got a blu ray working like you wanted.

I had read #21 but I wasn't sure if you had an AACS folder.
If it doesn't in seems to be working with your devices.
I believe the AACs folder is for the encryption of commercial blu ray discs.
Or keys so a BD player will play them. I'm not completely sure on this.

Cholla,
My BDMV folder did not have an AACS folder. I wonder if DVDFab thinks no encryption is needed, so it did not create that folder. On the other hand, the sample ISO Alwyn provided did have an AACS folder, but it was empty.

[Alwyn]

On the other hand, the sample ISO Alwyn provided did have an AACS folder, but it was empty.

Probably because the BD standard is to include that folder regardless of encryption, similar to the AUDIO_TS folder on DVDs that never has anything in it.

Some burns I did show that the AACS folder isn't required.

[cholla]

For the AACS folder I agree it is similar to the AUDIO_TS folder on DVDs.
Many times it is empty.
The .iso Alwyn posted has an empty folder named DUPILCATE inside the AACS folder.

The commercial blu ray I have been testing with has several files inside the AACS folder.
Also a DUPLICATE folder with the same files inside.
My conclusion is the AACS folder is for a commercial blu ray disc.
Whether if it is for the encryption or keys so a player will work I don't know.

[bytor2112]

On that note, is it true that part of the encryption process of commercial Blu-rays is to include decoy chapters?