[bogart99]

Still undecided on which software. I was going to get Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Pro then read it cannot do a direct burn to a Bluray DVD, not that I've got one at the moment, with AVCHD data, is this correct. All I want to do is edit AVCHD data and make Bluray and standard DVDS.

[alpine101]

Originally Posted by bogart99

Still undecided on which software. I was going to get Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Pro then read it cannot do a direct burn to a Bluray DVD, not that I've got one at the moment, with AVCHD data, is this correct. All I want to do is edit AVCHD data and make Bluray and standard DVDS.

Platinum can, so I assume Pro would. In Platinum, I can select Bluray disk as the output and it then burns that as a BluRay formatted AVC disk. Like you I haven't got a Bluray burner, but this burns OK as high def to a standard DVD.
In fact this comparison confirms it:
Sony Creative Software - Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pack - Vegas Family Comparison

What it claims you can't do is use the external DVD architect program to burn BDs.

[ChainsawDude]

Did you get any software with the camcorder? All my previous camcorders have. My current canon includes software that allows high def editing (basic) and burning to AVCHD DVD.

[bogart99]

Ive a Canon HF100 and got Digital Video ver 30.0 and Image MIxer 3

[bogart99]

Originally Posted by alpine101

Platinum can, so I assume Pro would. In Platinum, I can select Bluray disk as the output and it then burns that as a BluRay formatted AVC disk. Like you I haven't got a Bluray burner, but this burns OK as high def to a standard DVD.
In fact this comparison confirms it:
Sony Creative Software - Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pack - Vegas Family Comparison

What it claims you can't do is use the external DVD architect program to burn BDs.

What Im unsure about is this Blu-ray Disc burning (Vegas Timeline)and Blu-ray Disc burning (DVD Architect) Love to know what it is on about. Plus I'm confused when you say it burns OK as a high def to a standard DVD

[senu]

AVCHD discs are Standard DVD discs to which a Bluray structure has been authored and burnt.
They act like Bluray disc in that they have a menu and have hi def video except that the amt of time is much smaller
They are playable on the PS3 and suitable Bluray players as well as BD playback software on PC
Although DVD media they cannot be played on standard DVD players
It is these that are reffered to above

[alpine101]

Originally Posted by bogart99

What I'm unsure about is this Blu-ray Disc burning (Vegas Timeline)and Blu-ray Disc burning (DVD Architect) Love to know what it is on about. Plus I'm confused when you say it burns OK as a high def to a standard DVD

Movie Studio (MS) has an inbuilt disk burning capability (the 'Timeline' facility). But this does not offer the full multi-menued and dynamic dvd/bd menu effects system that DVD architect is capable of.

DVD Architect is a completely separate program on a different CD in the package. If you want to develop a full blown menu system on your Bluray or DVD disk, then you do need to use DVD Architect, and first render your HD output using MS into files to use as input to DVD Architect. I haven't installed it since the inbuilt writer allows all that I personally need within Movie Studio.

BluRay disks are read with a blue laser in the reader which allows very high data rates to be achieved. But Bluray readers can also read red light standard DVD media, even if they are written using BluRay formatting and file structures, though at a lower data rate. Don't hold me to it, because I can't remember the max rate you can write on red light disks, but I think it's about 20Mbps. That suits most of the consumer camcorders, though the latest ones can write 24Mbps. Of course writing at that speed, while optimising quality, reduces the time available on the DVD which is where the additional capacity of a real BluRay disk comes into its own. But, writing at 15Mbps or so, you can get 35mins on a single layer red light disk and a Bluray player will think it's a Bluray disk.

To write High def bluray standards to a normal DVD in Media Studio 9, you just select 'BluRay' as the output medium, even though you haven't got a real burner for BluRay media. MS notices that you're writing to a normal DVD medium and sets the size available on the disk appropriately.

You can play with all this for 30 days by downloading the program from the Sony site, that's the best way of finding out how it hangs together. Top right on this page:
Sony Creative Software - Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Edition - Introduction

[senu]

You can use Ulead Movie Factory 6+ as well . It can produce AVCHD disc, Blu ray disc with a Menu..
Nero Vision ( from Nero 8/9) can as well

[ChainsawDude]

Originally Posted by bogart99

Ive a Canon HF100 and got Digital Video ver 30.0 and Image MIxer 3

So have I. You may know already but, Image Mixer 3 SE that comes with the HF100 will author and burn AVCHD DVD discs including a menu. It is basic editing i.e. chopping bits out and joining clips together but it does do it.

[alpine101]

It's the menu bit that the Movie Studio doesn't have built in and means that Sony have to throw in the separate application.
I've used a number of different products over time and personally I think that menus get in the way unless you really need to put multiple videos on one disk.
It's much nicer, in my view to just stuff the disk in the player and watch the titles roll!! And of course things like Moviestudio do have good titling capabilities. On the entry level products that come with cameras, the menu is really often there because the product doesn't allow proper titling.

[ramit]

Originally Posted by ChainsawDude

So have I. You may know already but, Image Mixer 3 SE that comes with the HF100 will author and burn AVCHD DVD discs including a menu. It is basic editing i.e. chopping bits out and joining clips together but it does do it.

I haven't used this software yet that came with my HF100, but had a few questions:

1) Is it stable?
2) Can you create DVD's that play on standard DVD players?
3) Can you create AVCHD blu-rays?

[senu]

Generally sound POV but a few comments

Originally Posted by alpine101

It's the menu bit that the Movie Studio doesn't have built in and means that Sony have to throw in the separate application.

Sonys Philosophy has always been to keep Disc arthoring separate and until ver 9 , Vegas and Movie Studio have only ever output video files

However You can make Discs without a Menu even using DVDA/ Studio

I've used a number of different products over time and personally I think that menus get in the way unless you really need to put multiple videos on one disk.

I agree that for simple playback a menu may get in the way. If well done a menu should enhance not worsen a disc though
Having the abiity to do several edits at convenient times before commiting them to a Disc, or adding slide shows, edits from elsewhere is a big advantage, if you want it .
Many moons ago I found that Pinnacle studio would edit well and render videos but crashed when making DVDs. This ( and the fact of using edits made elswhere) made me find DVD Movie Factory and Workshop( which has no newer versions) very handy. Until the latest version Vegas users wanting to make AVCHD discs used UleadMF5/6+
As such I think DVD arthoring definitely has its place and as stated , you dont have to make a menu if you dont want to

It's much nicer, in my view to just stuff the disk in the player and watch the titles roll!! And of course things like Moviestudio do have good titling capabilities.

Horses for courses
Nero vision , Movie Factory 6+, UleadVideo Studio 11.5/ corel 2x Adobe Premiere Elements 7 Pinnacle Studio 12 all have disc arthoring. amongst others
I think Sony Vegas MS should have made DVDA/S capable of BD or AVCHD burning instead of the half hearted timeline output

On the entry level products that come with cameras, the menu is really often there because the product doesn't allow proper titling.

The full featured entry level products are good IMHO.
It is the bundled software that come with camcorders that are cut down (limited feature products )( Im being polite here) to not bother with if alternatives can be had

[bogart99]

Right so let me see if I have understood all that has been said.

I can do a basic high defintion DVD on a standard dvd disk using the software that came with the camera.
Said DVD will need a Bluray player for viewing.
I won't get as much on it as if it was on a Bluray disk.

One more question now can I use dual layer disks to double the time available?

If this is so why bother having a Bluray burner and disks at all then?

[senu]

Originally Posted by bogart99

Right so let me see if I have understood all that has been said.

I can do a basic high defintion DVD on a standard dvd disk using the software that came with the camera.
Said DVD will need a Bluray player for viewing.
I won't get as much on it as if it was on a Bluray disk

.
You can do it
but
Im not certain that is possible with Image Mixer SE which is a cut down bundled product. That you will need to ascertain your self

One more question now can I use dual layer disks to double the time available?

Yes

If this is so why bother having a Bluray burner and disks at all then?

Dual layer discs at 8.5Gb are still a far cry from a 25Gb BD disc
Also Dual layer for video is often frought with incompatibility issue with specific media and players

[ChainsawDude]

Originally Posted by bogart99

I can do a basic high defintion DVD on a standard dvd disk using the software that came with the camera.
Said DVD will need a Bluray player for viewing.
I won't get as much on it as if it was on a Bluray disk.

You can. I think there is a PDF manual on the install DVD if you dont want to install to check. Image Mixer will write AVCHD and DVD-video standards to DVD or file on HDD or back to the HF100.

Originally Posted by bogart99

One more question now can I use dual layer disks to double the time available?

If this is so why bother having a Bluray burner and disks at all then?

Dual layer will give you 1.8 times the space but costs much more. It will also give compatibility problems as mention before. Bluray discs have about 5 times the capacity of DVD but once again at a much larger multiple of cost.

[bogart99]

Thanks guys. You know what I think, I am actually understanding some of the things you are saying now.
Will have a tinker with the software that came with the HF100
Cheers and a Happy New Year to All

[bogart99]

Right another question re the camcorder software.

Image mixer 3 SE that comes bundled with the camcorder according to the manual is capable of playing back video after editing once it has been reloaded onto the SDHC card.

I thought that AVCHD video was not capable of doing this, and as such once the video was edited video playback from the card was impossible.

And finally, I have some data from the HF100s card downloaded onto the pc (stills and video), transferred using I believe Adobe elements. It is stored on the pc as .MTS files. Can imagemixer 3 SE work with these already transferred files or will I have to put them back onto the SDHC card via the camcorder and start again?

[senu]

Originally Posted by bogart99

Right another question re the camcorder software.

Image mixer 3 SE that comes bundled with the camcorder according to the manual is capable of playing back video after editing once it has been reloaded onto the SDHC card.

I thought that AVCHD video was not capable of doing this, and as such once the video was edited video playback from the card was impossible.

Image mixer doesnt edit as such. The re is no reeencoding and the BD structure is kept , hence the ability to playback. Any other software will have " recreated the vieo files ( and BD structure on the card) which the camcorder wil not recognise , and not playback

And finally, I have some data from the HF100s card downloaded onto the pc (stills and video), transferred using I believe Adobe elements. It is stored on the pc as .MTS files. Can imagemixer 3 SE work with these already transferred files or will I have to put them back onto the SDHC card via the camcorder and start again?

You'll have to try and see but that is " walking on thin ice"
At any rate if you can playback off the camcorder. all is not lost