Setting up HD DVD authoring station?

[sky81]

Hi all,

I would like to discuss about how to setup HD DVD authoring + encoding station. What kind of hardware and software do I need? What kind of hardware is the best to encode HD quality video. I am currently using MPEG composer and Adobe Encore 1.5 to do DVD authoring. But when it comes to HD technology. I really have no idea how to do. You guys have any idea?


Thanks,
sky

[videopoo]

Well producing HD DVD or Blu Ray discs are really in the hands of experienced engineers/programmers at this point - for the most part.

You could get DVDSP or ULead for authoring HD DVD but you won't get the interactivity you see in stores. A main menu with some buttons is about it and even these have had troubles on players in the past. Remember...there are no HD DVD burners available! Compressor will handle the encoding. No VC1 yet. Go to Apples DVDSP discussions forum for more info.

On the Blu Ray side of things..DVDit Pro HD, for example, from Sonic will work . Again , no interactivity. Procoder will do some decent encoding for you - I was really impressed.

To be honest...the tools available in most of us in our price ranges are just toys. I guess I'm assuming your talking about doing this professionally? The discs you buy in stores were all hand coded then muxed in something like Scenarist or the Panasonic BD-J authoring tool. A professional set up will run upwards of $100,000 not to mention the programming knowledge needed to get it working.

Until the tools mature you'll have to be happy with a simple HD disc but if you want the snazzy interactivity the spec was ment for, then much more time and money will need to be invested.

If you want to learn the process of starting an HD DVD title, I suggest you visit Microsoft's HDi site and download the start up kit:


http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/hddvd/default.aspx

[BJ_M]

Sonic will set you up with hardware and software and plus some training for about $50,000- $60,000

you will still need to buy a HDCAM player (30,000 - $120,000) or you can use other HD source (note that most HD capture (high end) are SDI only)

[jman98]

If you just want to do this for yourself and not as a business, it's certainly possible. There are people in the forums at
http://www.doom9.net
who have some experience doing this. "Prosumer" (professional consumer) type tools are available for much cheaper costs than the other posts mention, but they are still expensive and there's not much out there right now.

In terms of hardware, you need the fastest multi core CPU possible and as much disk space as you can afford.

[videopoo]

There are people in the forums at
http://www.doom9.net
who have some experience doing this.

Not Really...the guys at http://www.doom9.net seem more concerned about extracting HD streams and or giving out disc or player keys. In the end everyone needs a muxing engine to get something playable and that cost money. What I'm saying is if you want to learn how to author HD DVDs doom won't be the place to go If you want to author a BD-J disc then good luck.

[RabidDog]

You dont even need a Next gen burner .. hd-dvd can be burnt onto a dvd .. not a great deal of running time, but I'm sure that could be extended with a bit of running time. When you want to create Output the multiplexing, mastering, formatting, and replication stages of the process can be performed by a service company or by using commercial third-party tools.

[edDV]

Hi all,

I would like to discuss about how to setup HD DVD authoring + encoding station. What kind of hardware and software do I need? What kind of hardware is the best to encode HD quality video. I am currently using MPEG composer and Adobe Encore 1.5 to do DVD authoring. But when it comes to HD technology. I really have no idea how to do. You guys have any idea?


Thanks,
sky

Describe your source material and distribution goals. If you are talking about the spec HD/BD DVD disks you need to wait a few months for affordable tools. If you want to distribute high def material to controlled players in creative ways that can be done.