burn blu ray movie from imovie 08

[mrdinh]

imported my movie from my sony hd full 1080i...then created a mpeg4 file(sharing using quicktime)...then burn using toast 10...the quality sucks...very pixelated....can some one help please?

 

what are your workflow, settings?

 

thanks

[mrdinh]

help please...anyone?

 

maybe to clear up the question....my current work flow from my sony hd camcorder to blu ray disc output

 

1. import from my cam using imovie 08..full hd 1080i option

2. select my scenes then, imovie creates a mpeg 4 using quicktime

3. go to toast 10 with the blu ray plugin...burn using the blu ray movie option...

4. put the bd-r disc in my sony blu ray player with my samsung hd tv..

 

the movie is very pixelated!...low quality...worse then my mini dv movies...

 

help please?..what am i doing wrong...do you need more details of my work flow?

 

i just want to record my kids then burn the disc to watch on my blu ray devices...the sales man never told me that this is that hard!

[tsantee]

In the iMovie Share menu choose Export Movie... and then choose HD as the format. Add that movie to Toast. That option is in iMovie (iLife 09). If it isn't there in iMovie (iLife 08) then Toast says there is an option to Share to the Media Browser (that doesn't appear in my iMovie version). If so, share to the Media Browser. Then open Toast and use the Movies panel of the Media Browser to access your video in the iMovie Projects folder.

 

Ahh, after choosing Share>Export Movie and saving as an HD movie and then launching Toast after that is complete, the video showed up in the Toast Media Browser inside my iMovies Project folder (Choose Movies with the top button of the browser and then use the button just below to access the different titles within your iMovies Project folder. Drag the video to the Toast Video window and proceed.

[ComPH]

help please...anyone?

 

maybe to clear up the question....my current work flow from my sony hd camcorder to blu ray disc output

 

1. import from my cam using imovie 08..full hd 1080i option

2. select my scenes then, imovie creates a mpeg 4 using quicktime

3. go to toast 10 with the blu ray plugin...burn using the blu ray movie option...

4. put the bd-r disc in my sony blu ray player with my samsung hd tv..

 

the movie is very pixelated!...low quality...worse then my mini dv movies...

 

help please?..what am i doing wrong...do you need more details of my work flow?

 

i just want to record my kids then burn the disc to watch on my blu ray devices...the sales man never told me that this is that hard!

 

This might help (BTW., iMovie is not the best to be used if video quality is paramount):

 

I'll attempt to describe the workflow. I hope I can be clear enough.

 

First the Camcorder. I will describe 1920x1080i60 flow, so make sure that that is how the footage was recorded. it would be different for HDV, and even more complicated if the footage were mixed. The FCE will not even allow the ingestion of mixed footage, there is a description of that somewhere on Apple's support site. Other formats, such as HDV or AVC/H.264 can be imported, but the the process is more complex and lengthy, rendering would take place, because the FCE only works with "I" frames, that fully describe each pixel within the given frame, not just as reference to other frames. That is also the reason why the files become so huge in FCE, they are much less compressed. DV, which is much less compressed, contains, I frames only. HDV uses MPEG-2, basically the same compression standard as is being used in HDTV, except it is 1440x1080, so there is some compression, achieved by the additional anamorphic compression in horizontal direction (the pixels are not square), AVCHD can actually be either 1920x1080, or 1440x1080. AVCHD is a form of MPEG-4, which at the cost of 3x the processing power buys 2x reduction of the stream bandwidth (and of storage space) in comparison to MPEG-2. Of course if you then compare it to playing SD DVD, there is about 6x more pixels in 1920x1080, in combination with 3x more processing of the MPEG-4, the PC that can display SD stream of DVD may choke playing back AVCHD, if it doesn't have the needed 18x of CPU horsepower. It also explains why so many PCs struggle with AVCHD, that can play back HDV, because roughly 6x the CPU is required. Many have seen the stuttering, macro-blocking, and other artifacts of PCs struggling to keep up with AVCHD streams, while these can handle HDV streams just fine. That is also the reason why FCE converts the AVCHD into AIC, which uses lot more disc space and needs lot less CPU power, and is lot faster during the back and forth searches required by non-linear editing.

 

FCE - use FCE HD 4.0 or 4.01. After starting the FCE, I set up the scratch discs first, via FCE>System Setting>Set Scratch Discs>{make a folder here, use 4 times (or more)}.

I then set the FCE>Easy Setup> AVCHD - Apple Intermediate Codec 1920x1080i60

Plug in the camcorder via USB port and make sure that it is connected to the iMAC (I need to actually activate the connection on the viewer screen of my Sony, my son doesn't need to do anything on his Samsung, so this varies, depending on the camcorder). I can also use a backup DVD, I made from the camcorder footage. After I insert the DVD, it behaves just like a camcorder both in FCE or iMovie.

Next is File>Log and Transfer----Log and Transfer window opens.

There is a setting preference you may want to check (little gear wheel icon with a triangle), Click>Preferences>Source> "AVCHD Plugin" > Translates to "Apple Intermediate Codec" and "AC-3" Audio > Translates to "Plain Stereo". Note: I can actually use "Matrix Stereo" but some people have problem with that, so "Plain Stereo" is the safer setting.

Select the clips you'd like to ingest, and click "Add Selection to Queue". That commands the S/W to "ingest" the AVCHD clips, converts them into AIC/plain stereo, so that FCE can use it.

Next edit the footage, creating a sequence (you can create more sequences, but the export is done one by one).

There are two ways to get the completed sequence out of FCE. First, the preferred, simpler and faster method is using: File>Export>QuickTime Movie...>SAVE. Select where you want to store the output. I usually

make an "Output" folder, within the Project folder set up within the scratch discs, so that I can find or delete things easily.

The second method is used if you have mixed footage, or some other complications. If you are just starting, don't use it until you get more comfortable with the whole process.

Here it goes: File> Export Using QuickTime Conversion...> Options> QuickTime Movie; Settings>Compression: H.264, Quality slider to: BEST; Multi pass; Size > 1920x1080 HD; Filter > {Whatever you like}; Uncheck "Prepare for Internet Streaming"> OK> SAVE (into "Output" folder described above}. This method can be also used to prepare outputs for other devices, resolutions, etc. other than the original 1920x1080i60. This method is required if you use iMovie.

 

iMovie - same requirement for the camcorder setting requirement, as for the FCE above.

Start iMovie (8 or 9) > Plug in camcorder or insert backup DVD.

Normally the camcorder (when it is properly connected as described for FCE) or the backup DVD, is automatically detected, new window pops-up showing thumbnails of the individual clips. Either automatically import all, or select "manual", check-off the clips you'd like to import and then >"Import Checked". Window pops-up "Create an Event", then under Input Video as: > Check 1920x1080 (DO NOT use 960x540 option). Follow with >Import >DONE.

Next edit your project. When done, from drop down menu: Share>Export Using Quicktime > Save as (save the file into specific folder you create, as described above in the FCE section or as you wish).

Next > Export:> Movie to QuickTime Movie> Options> new window pops-up> Settings, Filter and the rest same as for FCE under "File Export Using QuickTime Conversion" (described above) > OK > SAVE. This will be followed by lengthy "Exporting Project" process.

 

After the files get exported, under either FCE or iMovie, using either method, find the *.mov file in the "Output" folder, click it, and it should, among others, show "Dimension 1920x1080". That tells you that all is ready for the Toasting process.

 

In Toast, make sure that you have a version or plugin supporting "Blu-ray video". On the drop down menu, under Toast >Preferences, make sure you check off the Show Blu-ray video projects, and other options you like, e.g. NTSC under Audio & Video, etc.

In the main window, select the movie icon.

Under Video on the left, highlight Blu-ray Video.

Under Options, select desired menu option. I generally uncheck "auto-play disc on insert" and "Play all items continuously". Note: the "Play all items continuously" can be used if you use multiple files for chapters, because the chapters are not handled properly in Toast, but if you do, the last chapter will keep on looping on the PS-3.

Continuing under "Options", click "Custom" Encoding > More > Disc Name; Menu Title: Encoding > Video Format: MPEG-4 AVC, Average Bit Rate: slider to 15.0 Mbps, Maximum Bit Rate: to 20.0 Mbps, Motion Estimation: to Best, Check off Half - PEL, Reencoding: Automatic, Field Dominance: Automatic (or odd field first), Aspect Ratio: 16:9, Audio Format: Dolby Digital, Data Rate: Automatic, uncheck: Dynamic Range Compression > OK.

Drag the *.mov files generated by the FCE or iMovie into the main window, (it asks for it).

Set up the media on the bottom to BD, DVD or DVD DL (depending on the actual physical blank media you'll be using).

Press the big red bottom right button. Window will pop-up > Press "Record" > insert disc when prompted. This will take LONG time. Done.

 

I hope this is written clearly enough. It is very long process.

 

Best of luck...

[mrdinh]

thankyou for the detail explanation....i will try it...

 

 

 

This might help (BTW., iMovie is not the best to be used if video quality is paramount):

 

I'll attempt to describe the workflow. I hope I can be clear enough.

 

First the Camcorder. I will describe 1920x1080i60 flow, so make sure that that is how the footage was recorded. it would be different for HDV, and even more complicated if the footage were mixed. The FCE will not even allow the ingestion of mixed footage, there is a description of that somewhere on Apple's support site. Other formats, such as HDV or AVC/H.264 can be imported, but the the process is more complex and lengthy, rendering would take place, because the FCE only works with "I" frames, that fully describe each pixel within the given frame, not just as reference to other frames. That is also the reason why the files become so huge in FCE, they are much less compressed. DV, which is much less compressed, contains, I frames only. HDV uses MPEG-2, basically the same compression standard as is being used in HDTV, except it is 1440x1080, so there is some compression, achieved by the additional anamorphic compression in horizontal direction (the pixels are not square), AVCHD can actually be either 1920x1080, or 1440x1080. AVCHD is a form of MPEG-4, which at the cost of 3x the processing power buys 2x reduction of the stream bandwidth (and of storage space) in comparison to MPEG-2. Of course if you then compare it to playing SD DVD, there is about 6x more pixels in 1920x1080, in combination with 3x more processing of the MPEG-4, the PC that can display SD stream of DVD may choke playing back AVCHD, if it doesn't have the needed 18x of CPU horsepower. It also explains why so many PCs struggle with AVCHD, that can play back HDV, because roughly 6x the CPU is required. Many have seen the stuttering, macro-blocking, and other artifacts of PCs struggling to keep up with AVCHD streams, while these can handle HDV streams just fine. That is also the reason why FCE converts the AVCHD into AIC, which uses lot more disc space and needs lot less CPU power, and is lot faster during the back and forth searches required by non-linear editing.

 

FCE - use FCE HD 4.0 or 4.01. After starting the FCE, I set up the scratch discs first, via FCE>System Setting>Set Scratch Discs>{make a folder here, use 4 times (or more)}.

I then set the FCE>Easy Setup> AVCHD - Apple Intermediate Codec 1920x1080i60

Plug in the camcorder via USB port and make sure that it is connected to the iMAC (I need to actually activate the connection on the viewer screen of my Sony, my son doesn't need to do anything on his Samsung, so this varies, depending on the camcorder). I can also use a backup DVD, I made from the camcorder footage. After I insert the DVD, it behaves just like a camcorder both in FCE or iMovie.

Next is File>Log and Transfer----Log and Transfer window opens.

There is a setting preference you may want to check (little gear wheel icon with a triangle), Click>Preferences>Source> "AVCHD Plugin" > Translates to "Apple Intermediate Codec" and "AC-3" Audio > Translates to "Plain Stereo". Note: I can actually use "Matrix Stereo" but some people have problem with that, so "Plain Stereo" is the safer setting.

Select the clips you'd like to ingest, and click "Add Selection to Queue". That commands the S/W to "ingest" the AVCHD clips, converts them into AIC/plain stereo, so that FCE can use it.

Next edit the footage, creating a sequence (you can create more sequences, but the export is done one by one).

There are two ways to get the completed sequence out of FCE. First, the preferred, simpler and faster method is using: File>Export>QuickTime Movie...>SAVE. Select where you want to store the output. I usually

make an "Output" folder, within the Project folder set up within the scratch discs, so that I can find or delete things easily.

The second method is used if you have mixed footage, or some other complications. If you are just starting, don't use it until you get more comfortable with the whole process.

Here it goes: File> Export Using QuickTime Conversion...> Options> QuickTime Movie; Settings>Compression: H.264, Quality slider to: BEST; Multi pass; Size > 1920x1080 HD; Filter > {Whatever you like}; Uncheck "Prepare for Internet Streaming"> OK> SAVE (into "Output" folder described above}. This method can be also used to prepare outputs for other devices, resolutions, etc. other than the original 1920x1080i60. This method is required if you use iMovie.

 

iMovie - same requirement for the camcorder setting requirement, as for the FCE above.

Start iMovie (8 or 9) > Plug in camcorder or insert backup DVD.

Normally the camcorder (when it is properly connected as described for FCE) or the backup DVD, is automatically detected, new window pops-up showing thumbnails of the individual clips. Either automatically import all, or select "manual", check-off the clips you'd like to import and then >"Import Checked". Window pops-up "Create an Event", then under Input Video as: > Check 1920x1080 (DO NOT use 960x540 option). Follow with >Import >DONE.

Next edit your project. When done, from drop down menu: Share>Export Using Quicktime > Save as (save the file into specific folder you create, as described above in the FCE section or as you wish).

Next > Export:> Movie to QuickTime Movie> Options> new window pops-up> Settings, Filter and the rest same as for FCE under "File Export Using QuickTime Conversion" (described above) > OK > SAVE. This will be followed by lengthy "Exporting Project" process.

 

After the files get exported, under either FCE or iMovie, using either method, find the *.mov file in the "Output" folder, click it, and it should, among others, show "Dimension 1920x1080". That tells you that all is ready for the Toasting process.

 

In Toast, make sure that you have a version or plugin supporting "Blu-ray video". On the drop down menu, under Toast >Preferences, make sure you check off the Show Blu-ray video projects, and other options you like, e.g. NTSC under Audio & Video, etc.

In the main window, select the movie icon.

Under Video on the left, highlight Blu-ray Video.

Under Options, select desired menu option. I generally uncheck "auto-play disc on insert" and "Play all items continuously". Note: the "Play all items continuously" can be used if you use multiple files for chapters, because the chapters are not handled properly in Toast, but if you do, the last chapter will keep on looping on the PS-3.

Continuing under "Options", click "Custom" Encoding > More > Disc Name; Menu Title: Encoding > Video Format: MPEG-4 AVC, Average Bit Rate: slider to 15.0 Mbps, Maximum Bit Rate: to 20.0 Mbps, Motion Estimation: to Best, Check off Half - PEL, Reencoding: Automatic, Field Dominance: Automatic (or odd field first), Aspect Ratio: 16:9, Audio Format: Dolby Digital, Data Rate: Automatic, uncheck: Dynamic Range Compression > OK.

Drag the *.mov files generated by the FCE or iMovie into the main window, (it asks for it).

Set up the media on the bottom to DVD or DVD DL (depending on the actual physical blank media you'll be using).

Press the big red bottom right button. Window will pop-up > Press "Record" > insert disc when prompted. This will take LONG time. Done.

 

I hope this is written clearly enough. It is very long process.

 

Best of luck...