How to get HD quality DVDs?

[terrypin]

Although I've been making DVDS for some years now, I'm almost totally ignorant about the latest 'high definition' facilities available. So I'd greatly appreciate some advice on a few basics please.

Up until now I've always exported to DVD PAL (720 x 576) and burned standard DVDs. They look OK when played with a normal DVD player on my widescreen HD TV. But it seems to me that I should be able to do better and take advantage of my TV's 'HD' status. I don't have a camcorder to record HD video (I get only 640 x 480 from my digicam, adequate for standard DVD). But am I right that any other high resolution content I include such as

- JPGs from my digicam, typically 2816 x 2112
- Google Earth tours and other captures
- Other AVIs with highish resolutions

could benefit from my HD TV?

If so, in a nutshell, how?

My video editor, Magix Movie Edit Pro 16 Plus, has various export settings, including AVCHD. But when I try to burn my rendered MPEG2 I get a 'invalid media' message. Am I mistaken that I should be able to use standard DVD-R and DVD-RW discs? FWIW, my PC DVD-writer is a Pioneer BD-ROM BDC-202

Assuming I can eventually get an AVCHD disc burnt, am I right that I can only play this to my TV via a Blu-Ray player? Or is there another type of 'AVCHD-compatible' player?

Coming at it from another angle, if I stay with Standard DVD, can I get any qualty improvement by exporting from MEP16+ using one of its AVCHD settings, like 1920 x 1080, instead of DVD 720 x 576? Or is that pointless, given that the final burn is to standard SVD?

As you'll have gathered, I'm well-confused on this, so a heads-up from some of the 'HD' experts could save me a lot of time!

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[yoda313]

I get a 'invalid media' message. Am I mistaken that I should be able to use standard DVD-R and DVD-RW discs? FWIW, my PC DVD-writer is a Pioneer BD-ROM BDC-202

No I do avchd on dvdr all the time. Try something like multiavchd instead.

f I stay with Standard DVD, can I get any qualty improvement by exporting from MEP16+ using one of its AVCHD settings, like 1920 x 1080, instead of DVD 720 x 576? Or is that pointless, given that the final burn is to standard SVD?

No. Manual manipulation of dvd quality source to hd spec yields no real improvement. You are better off letting the dvd player or tv do the upconverting for you. They are immensely better at it and its realtime with the existing format.

Assuming I can eventually get an AVCHD disc burnt, am I right that I can only play this to my TV via a Blu-Ray player? Or is there another type of 'AVCHD-compatible' player?

Not that I know of - it will need to be a bluray player or pc/mac/linux with hd playing software. But of course you could do it to h264 and use a hd media player like a wdtv media player. Than you can forgo discs all together. - Of course you do know a ps3 can play avchd as well as bluray right?

If so, in a nutshell, how?

Use authoring software to ouptut in avhcd mode since you don't have a bluray burner. Like I mentioned multiavchd is a great tool for it.

[MOVIEGEEK]

You will need a Blu-ray player or HTPC to play AVCHD DVD's, the PS3 and all Panasonic and Sony Blu-ray players support it.
HD DVD players also supported HD on a DVD(3xDVD), of course they don't make standalone players anymore.

[terrypin]

Thanks both, appreciate the fast responses. Experimenting further, and will buy Blu-ray player asap. I expect I may be back with more questions!

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[jagabo]

I recommend a media player like the WDTV Live. Then you can dispense with discs completely and play files off network shares or via a DLNA media server.

[yoda313]

Thanks both, appreciate the fast responses. Experimenting further, and will buy Blu-ray player asap. I expect I may be back with more questions!

Just be sure in your research it does in fact do avchd. I am not certain but there may be older models that are not able to do avchd. There may also be hiccups in what min/max it can handle with avhcd and what types of dvd it likes for avchd. Though I am not sure if that is a concern for a modern current player. Just something to look out for.

But as I mentioned and jagabo has also mentioned you can get a hd media player for equal or less money than a bluray player if you don't want or really need a bluray player.

Something like the wdtv player can play m2ts files and a myriad of other high def files including high def mkv straight off a harddrive. It can also use ntfs which means no file size limitation.

You may want to do a little more research and set a budget before making your final purchase.

[terrypin]

jagabo, yoda313: Thanks both. But whatever unit I get, it will be replacing a cheapish DVD player, currently used for playing DVDs on my TV. So the replacement must at least be able to:

1. Play standard DVDs on my TV
2. Play blu-ray DVDs on my TV
3. Record standard DVDs from existing Sky Plus recordings on the Sky box hard drive.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[KBeee]

All BluRay set top box players will play BlyRay discs and standard DVD's. Some will play AVCHD files on a home-made DVD disc (not very long playing times due to the large filesize) BUT you threw in "recording" too!
Set top box BluRay recorders are few and far between (I think only Panasonic twin Sat or twin DBT2 models at the moment) , and cost around £500-800, and even then might not record what you want from external sources due to restrictions imposed by content providers.

[yoda313]

(not very long playing times due to the large filesize)

Not necessarily. Depends on bitrate used and whether or not you're using dl disc. Same as making a regular dvd. Of course higher bitrate generally means better quality but a 7mbs avchd looks very good at 720p on a 32" hdtv. At least to my eyes.

[Seeker47]

Something like the wdtv player can play m2ts files and a myriad of other high def files including high def mkv straight off a harddrive. It can also use ntfs which means no file size limitation.

I thought that WDTV (not sure about the different models that have come out) only supported FAT-32, leading to a rude surprise for some, in that most of the 500G or larger 2.5" Ext. HDDs you might buy for it now come preformatted as NTFS.

[KBeee]

Understood, but going from 576 to 720 isn't a great leap in quality in the UK - although it's better than nothing - unless you're stuck with a 768 display, whereas going from 576 to 1080 is noticeably better provided your monitor is up to the task.
All this falls by the wayside if you're watching a 32" 768*1388 uncalibrated LCD from 40' away of course....

[yoda313]

Something like the wdtv player can play m2ts files and a myriad of other high def files including high def mkv straight off a harddrive. It can also use ntfs which means no file size limitation.

I thought that WDTV (not sure about the different models that have come out) only supported FAT-32, leading to a rude surprise for some, in that most of the 500G or larger 2.5" Ext. HDDs you might buy for it now come preformatted as NTFS.

Nope not true. The WDTV DOES support NTFS. As far as I know EVERY model does. I have the first gen model and it DOES support NTFS. I can only assume every version since does as well.

[KBeee]

(not very long playing times due to the large filesize)

Not necessarily. Depends on bitrate used and whether or not you're using dl disc. Same as making a regular dvd. Of course higher bitrate generally means better quality but a 7mbs avchd looks very good at 720p on a 32" hdtv. At least to my eyes.

Understood, but going from 576 to 720 isn't a great leap in quality in the UK - although it's better than nothing - unless you're stuck with a 768 display, whereas going from 576 to 1080 is noticeably better provided your monitor is up to the task.
All this falls by the wayside if you're watching a 32" 768*1388 uncalibrated LCD from 40' away of course....

(Edited to include quote)