720p 24n to H264 for HDDVD

[Matt Maiellaro]

I recently picked up an HDDVD player and have started making HD discs. I'm using Compressor and batching with H264 for HDDVD (after making a Quicktime with Current Settings in FCP) then importing into DVD Studio 4. My experience is that 24 minutes of 720 24n footage takes about 4 or 5 hours in Compressor. I'm running a dual 2.7 with max ram. How are your experiences with making HD DVD's? Thanks.

[David Saraceno]

First of all, if it is one of the Toshibas, it won't play H.264.

It will only play mpeg2 HD DVDs, and only the tracks, not the menus.

At least that is what I've gleaned from several other posters elsewhere.

[Robert Lane]

This is an interesting topic because no indie I know of is actually outputting HD-DVD yet for a major release because of the lack of playback infrastructure. Those of us who are purposely shooting in some HD codec for DVD release are all downcoverting to SD-widescreen for final output.

I know that Panasonic or JVC (?) has had an HD-DVD player for about a year, but it too only plays tracks, not DVD menus like what we're used to with the current DVD technology.

I don't think most people were aware that the Toshiba only plays tracks - I certainly didn't know of this and think it might put a dent in sales once the word gets out that it's not a "full-featured" player in the sense that the general consumer is thinking.

As the Blu-RAY HD-DVD wars continue it will be interesting to see who produces a full-featured player - and when.

[Kevin Shaw]

Originally Posted by Robert Lane

I don't think most people were aware that the Toshiba only plays tracks - I certainly didn't know of this and think it might put a dent in sales once the word gets out that it's not a "full-featured" player in the sense that the general consumer is thinking.

I think the problem is that there aren't currently burners available for making true Toshiba HD-DVD discs, so people are putting their HD files in MPEG2 format on red-laser DVDs. These discs reportedly play okay, but at best with only very simple menus. Once burners, discs and authoring software are available this issue should go away, since the format and the player are designed for HD playback with menus.

[Matt Maiellaro]

David, you are right about the menus. However, I have been able to playback footage after compressing in H264 on my Toshiba player. I don't know if Studio Pro is converting my track to Mpeg 2 when it burns(?) I am currently working on an animated feature that is being put together in HD. I will get with my After FX guys today and discuss the output plans.
Thanks all!

[Jeff Kilgroe]

I think people are making this more complicated than it actually is....

HD-DVD players (currently only the Toshiba HD-[X]A1 models are available) will play a variety of formats outlined in the HD-DVD video spec. This includes MPEG2, MPEG4 and H.264. Obviously, there are no HD-DVD burners available just yet (next month), but the current players will play HD off of standard DVD media -- although the maximum bit rate of 35Mbps of HD-DVD is obviously not available.

As for menus - standard DVD menu systems work just fine. I read somewhere that someone had a small amount of success with using standard menus and then hand-linking MPEG2 HD video clips to it. This should work just fine as the ability to use standard DVD structure and menus linking to an HD version of a video is within the HD-DVD spec.

To get full HD-DVD menu and authoring support, we'll just have to wait patiently for DVDSP or other authoring apps to catch up.

[Tomas Chinchilla]

Ok, where to start? I guess I'll start here:

Originally Posted by David Saraceno

First of all, if it is one of the Toshibas, it won't play H.264.

It will only play mpeg2 HD DVDs, and only the tracks, not the menus.

At least that is what I've gleaned from several other posters elsewhere.

True statement, I was on of the first lucky few to get one, and in your case Matt what DVDSP4 is doing is compressing MPEG2 not H264, also the H264 that compressor outputs is not good at all with the player. (I have written to Toshiba and they'll probably release an update sometime soon to correct this)

It is a true HDDVD on standard media, and yes DVD SP4 has an issue with menus, but if you are on the PC platform I heard that Ulead does not have a problem with creating an HDDVD with menus and all.

What else, oh the JVC HD player, its not an HDDVD player and it has been out for a little less than a year, it outputs 1080i or 720p, that is if you have the MPEG2 TS streams, no H264 either. I was also one of the first ones to get one of these, its called the (KURO OBI - Avel Linkplayer) by JVC and in reality they only market this product as its manufactured by IODATA.COM.

???

Oh, (although the maximum bit rate of 35Mbps), I only have an FX1 so this wouldn't be an issue with me as it's only 25mbps at full 1080i.

I almost guarantee that Apple is about to release an update to Final Cut Studio that will probably cover the HDDVD menuing issue as they are aware of the problem.


Just my 2 cents.......!

[Matt Maiellaro]

Thanks Jeff. I think what is happening is that we are just trying to figure it out more than making it complicated --

Our animated feature is going to print so that rules out the output answers here in Atlanta. When the thing goes to DVD it will be done through TW and I imagine they'll use DVD18 or whatever number they're up to now. I'm still shooting 720p 24n for the "making of" extras. In the meantime, as you said, we'll wait for DVDSP or other authoring apps to catch up.

Cheers to all.
Matt

[Matt Maiellaro]

Thanks Tom, we must have been posting at the same time and I saw your post after mine went up.

[Tomas Chinchilla]

No Problem!

So are you in Atlanta?

I am in the perimeter area!