DVD Architect project properties advice please

[ScudKnievel]

I'm using Sony DVD Architect Pro V6.0. I'm trying to write old family videos to Blu-ray discs in HD, even though the source video is not HD. In other words I want the titles and text I create in HD. I got it to do it once by accident, but cannot remember or figure out the settings now to do it all the time. Thanks!

[Bjs]

Pretty sure your supposed to edit project properties which will enable HD output when using non hd content (upscale)

Create a default project profile for hd choice which can be used next time.

[ScudKnievel]

Thanks bjs. Here's a pic of the project properties. The non-HD content plays fine, but the menu and chapter text I add to the project still does not render in HD. It makes a big difference in readability on my final BD. As I said, I got it to work once but no longer have that example to follow.


The resolution only gives me two choices - 720x480 and 720x576

[racer-x]

Set your project properties as shown bellow, then import your assets. I just did a quick test importing SD 720x480 interlaced 4:3 assets and it worked fine...............

[sanlyn]

Upsampling interlaced home-made SD video to HD?

The madness continues. Good luck.

[racer-x]

It does not upsample if the streams are compliant. Standard Def dvd sources are compliant, So the should just copy over at SD resolutions. Only the menu will be HD.................

[ScudKnievel]

Yeah I'm not trying to upsample my old SD video. It's fine the way it is. It is the menu and the text from the chapters I want in HD. The problem is that it also is turning out SD and I don't know why. It worked once, but not any more. Maybe if someone can provide a picture of the project properties settings for a "true" HD project - whether or not their video content is HD. It just seems like I'm missing something really simple.

[ScudKnievel]

Oops, sorry racer-x... I didn't see your first post - just the second one. The first one had the picture I just asked for. I'll give it a try and let you know how it goes. Thanks much!

[ScudKnievel]

racer-x... Your settings worked like what I was looking for. My old SD 4:3 video comes across just like that, and everything else is HD widescreen, pretty much what I had in mind. Thanks much, because you saved me tons of time and many bad BD burns while I experimented.

Before I go off totally into the project, it is worth asking... what tricks can I use to maximize the quality of my old SD video - either through DVD Architect or Vegas Pro 12.0 where I render the original files? Is any sort of upscaling possible? I'm currently rendering them as mpeg-2

[racer-x]

Well I've been shooting and editing HD (exclusively) since 2007, so I might not be the the best person to give advice. If I were you, I'd leave them at SD resolutions and let the Blu-Ray player upscale. The quality of interlaced SD sucks, I know, but you have limited options here.

If you are technically savvy, you might want to "FrameServe" out of Vegas into a better Mpeg-2 encoder (I Like the old version of TMPEGenc 2.5), but that's another can of worms for you to overcome. It may or may not be worth the effort. Either way, you'll need to output dvd compliant streams for all of it to work...........

[ScudKnievel]

I'll look into and maybe experiment with "FrameServe". Who knows, it may end up enhancing my old SD, or not, at least I would have tried. My source video is family stuff on VHS, vintage 1987, so better formats weren't available. At least I was able to get lots of great footage of the kids growing up - especially important since the oldest son died a few years ago of brain cancer.

Fortunately in '87 I bought a Hitachi VHS camera that far exceeded the competition in capture quality at the time. The video still looks surprisingly good today for footage shot some 26 years ago. But of course getting it to digital format for posterity is critical since mag tape deteriorates, and anything I can do to enhance it for this Blu-Ray project is worth checking out. I'll follow this up if I find anything noteworthy.

Thanks again!