Imovie 11 To Hd Dvd Via Bd Plugin Help Needed

[epr065]

I am new to the HD video world, having just picked up a HD camera. I shoot at 1080p, edit in iMovie 11 and save the projects as 1080p 30fps movies. Using Toast 11 and the High-Def/Blu-ray Disc Plug-in, I burned a disc, then played it in my PS3. The PS3 recognized the disc just fine, but the quality of the video wasn't even up to par with my old SD mini-DV movies burned to DVD. The movies were highly pixelated, and nothing like what I could see on iMovie or straight out of the camera.

 

The Settings are as follows:

 

Video Format MPEG-4 AVC

Average Bit Rate 8.0Mbps

Maximum Bit Rate 16Mbps

Motion Estimation: Best

Reencoding: Automatic

Field Dominance: Automatic

Aspect Ratio: Automatic

 

Should I up the Average Bit Rate?

Should I change the Re-encoding to "Never"? (I thought H.264 was standard for Blu-ray Discs?)

 

What can I do to actually get a HD video on these DVDs?

 

Thanks

[tsantee]

I need to check this out although I don't have anything that shoots 1080P. I can test with some 1080i video captured with my TiVo, though. Isn't 1080P usually 60 fps? Anyway, someone else recently commented about bad looking Blu-ray video from an iMovie export so Its something I want to see for myself. Are you running OS 10.6 or 10.7?

[epr065]

Running 10.7 The camera does capture at 60fps, but iMovie outputs 30fps. That's not a problem though, I can take iMovie and export the H.264 file to a usb stick and plug it into the PS3 and it plays great, no pixelation at all. Looks just like it does if I hook the camera straight up to the TV. It's got to be something that Toast is doing when it converts the H.264 file, that's all I can think of.

 

I'm running 10.7

[epr065]

Upped the average bit rate to 16, and the max bit rate to the maximum. Results were much better, but not on par with the AVCHD video straight out of the camera. Will do more testing, probably will end up with setting both to the maximum.

 

At this point, I think simply buying a blu-ray burner might be a better option.

[tsantee]

Upped the average bit rate to 16, and the max bit rate to the maximum. Results were much better, but not on par with the AVCHD video straight out of the camera. Will do more testing, probably will end up with setting both to the maximum.

 

At this point, I think simply buying a blu-ray burner might be a better option.

I don't know how buying a Blu-ray burner will make a difference if Toast is still doing the encoding. What makes most sense to me is to get a device that will play the h.264 video from your Mac on your TV. I have a WDTV that can do that. I think my new Sony Blu-ray player can do it, too. I know it can play from a USB hard drive connected to the player. In that case there's no need to create a Blu-ray video disc at all. The best reason to create Blu-ray discs is if you want to make copies for other people.

 

I wouldn't set the bit rate to the maximum. Step it down just a bit. There could be playback problems with too high a bit rate.

 

If you do want to buy a Blu-ray burner take a look at the Sony DVDDirect MA1 which can burn Blu-ray discs directly from some camcorders as well as from connection to a Mac or PC. I bought one from B&H Photo but haven't had time to make as disc as yet.

[epr065]

I don't know how buying a Blu-ray burner will make a difference if Toast is still doing the encoding. What makes most sense to me is to get a device that will play the h.264 video from your Mac on your TV. I have a WDTV that can do that. I think my new Sony Blu-ray player can do it, too. I know it can play from a USB hard drive connected to the player. In that case there's no need to create a Blu-ray video disc at all. The best reason to create Blu-ray discs is if you want to make copies for other people.

 

I wouldn't set the bit rate to the maximum. Step it down just a bit. There could be playback problems with too high a bit rate.

 

If you do want to buy a Blu-ray burner take a look at the Sony DVDDirect MA1 which can burn Blu-ray discs directly from some camcorders as well as from connection to a Mac or PC. I bought one from B&H Photo but haven't had time to make as disc as yet.

 

 

I'm looking at the WDTV Live Hub 1TB model. Looks like it will play anything I throw at it, and stream it around the house as well. Thanks for the suggestion.