How Do I Test A Blu-Ray Before Burning?

[X-27]

When using iDVD to make DVDs, the standard procedure is to create an image file first. From that image file, one can use Apple's "DVD Player" to give a 100% check out of the disc. If everything works okay, you can then burn the disk using Apple's "disk utilities".

 

The advantage of this is that if you make a mistake, you can discover it prior to wasting a disk.

 

I'm trying to do the same thing with Toast and Blu-rays. If I make a mistake in my Blu-ray authoring, I have worn out my Blu-ray player and wasted a blank Blu-ray disc. Moreover, the great advantage of having a image file is that you can easily make more DVDs when you want to.

 

So, is there a method to create an image file without actually burning a Blu-ray ?

[tsantee]

You must first mount the .toast file. This is done in any of three ways. The way I do it is control-click on it in the Finder and choose Mount It from the contextual menu. You also can add it to the Toast Copy window with Image File as the setting where it will be automatically mounted. Or you can choose Mount image file from Toast's Utilities menu and select it.

 

Once it is mounted choose its top level using Roxio Video Player.

[tsantee]

Choose Save as Disc Image. When that is done mount the resulting .toast file by selecting it with the Image File setting in the Toast Copy window. Launch Roxio Video Player from the Toast Extras menu. Select the mounted disc image to play it. There won't be a working menu. You can see how the menu looks by selecting the last title that shown in the drop down in the player app.

[X-27]

Launch Roxio Video Player from the Toast Extras menu.

 

When I go to the Toast Extras menu, "Roxio Video Player" is dimmed out ! Also, I searched my Mac for "Roxio Video Player". I don't have it.

 

I'm not sure if this matters, I purchased this software on disc, not a download.

[dc45]

Can someone offer a tip on how to get the Roxio Video Player to test a blu-ray toast file? I have followed tsantee's really great instructions and got to work ONCE! Everytime I try now the .toast file I want to choose in the Roxio Video Player open window is grayed out.

 

I'm using Toast 11 with the HD plugin on OSX 11 El Capitan. I can get it to open in VLC but not view the menu title. What the heck am I doing wrong?

 

Thanks

[X-27]

You must first mount the .toast file. This is done in any of three ways. The way I do it is control-click on it in the Finder and choose Mount It from the contextual menu. You also can add it to the Toast Copy window with Image File as the setting where it will be automatically mounted. Or you can choose Mount image file from Toast's Utilities menu and select it.

 

Once it is mounted choose its top level using Roxio Video Player.

 

>> control-click on it in the Finder and choose Mount It from the contextual menu. <<

 

The nearest thing I had to your description is right-click on the .toast file. > "Open With" > DiskImageMounter.

 

I then get a "container", (the icon looks like a flash drive). Inside, is a BDMV file, and a "Certificate" folder (with empty folders inside). I Double click the BDMV file. When I do this, QuickTime 10.3 automatically launches I then get a pop-up that says "cannot open". ( I also have QuickTime 7 Pro.)

 

After much experimentation I was finally able to view the movie using "Roxio Video Player". However, there seems to be no method of accessing and testing the chapter settings. Checking the menu structure and performance is 99% of the testing requirement. One can actually "see" the movie using QuickTime anyway.

 

As far as I can tell, using there is absolutely no way to check the menu structure without actually burning a Blu-ray disc.

[tsantee]

When I control-click in the Finder I have to scroll to "Services" at the bottom for the additional window to appear that has Mount It. I believe the reason you can't do an actual test of the Blu-ray disc image is that the Mac doesn't support playing Blu-ray videos. That's why Roxio Video Player or VLC have to be used. In that case the menu appears as a still frame as one of the titles rather than as a working menu. You might see if VLC Media Player has a chapter-advance option that can be used to see where chapters begin.

[X-27]

OK, I solved the problem of "Toast Extras menu, "Roxio Video Player" is dimmed out".

 

Once I selected that I wanted to make a Blu-ray disc, this option became selectable.

 

Remember, my goal here is to preview the final result from Toast 12 before burning a Blu-ray. I follow the directions using the link below on Apple discussions. However, when steer "Roxio Video Player" to my ".toast" file, it is dimmed out, and cannot be selected.

 

I'm wondering if, "Roxio Video Player", is looking for some type of file other than the ".toast" file, and what that file type might be, and how I get it. In Toast 12, if I choose, "Save Disk Image" I get a .toast file.

 

Please see the directions from "David" below.

 

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3286196?tstart=0

[tsantee]

Roxio Video Player exists in the Toast package and is not accessible except through the application. I can only guess there is a problem with the Toast installation. You can download the most recent version from the Software Updates page. Try reinstalling from that download.