Do I really need Blu-Ray?

We recently came into this century by replacing our old 27" CRT with a nice new Samsung 42" plasma (PN42C450). We upgraded our cable to HD and have the set mounted on the wall and are very happy with our update, We also have an old VCR (have several older family tapes) and an older Toshiba DVD player.
I have played several DVD's with our player connected thru component connection. Admittedly they do look nicer on the new set than the old one. I understand that the upconversion offered in the newer DVD players will make them look even better. I know our set is 720P, but am also aware that it will display 1080i (I know because I have seen it do it in the store).
I notice that many of the newer Blu-Ray players also offer wifi connection built-in. We do have a wireless N network in the house. The connection sounds intriguing to me, but if it is only for netflix and streaming movies it would be of limited use to us. Blockbuster is just around he corner, and of course the cable company offers PPV movies on demand. On the other hand, if it would allow it to connect to our computers for reviewing photos, etc, then it might have a good use.
Back to my original question, do I really need a Blu-Ray? We do not own any blu-ray disks, and certainly don't need 3D. Will the current lot of DVD upconverting machines allow me to display in 1080i? I have been looking also at the Samsung model 6500 as a possible purchase (because of attractive pricing) and notice that it will also upconvert my DVD's and has built in wifi.
Looking for opinions from those of you with more knowledge than I. Thanks.

Blu-ray is definitely worth the upgrade. A few points to consider:
Blu-ray will upscale your DVD's to 720p or 1080i. If you ever get a 1080p TV, it will upscale to that also.
Supports HDMI which provide you better sound and picture quality.
Plays your current DVD's
Most Blu-ray discs are region free so can easily import from UK, Japan, etc.
Many new release Blu-rays also include a DVD copy of the movie for only a couple of bucks more.
Many Blu-ray players are network connected, and like you mentioned offer streaming from Netflix, as well as Hulu, Vudu, and some even have Apps for Facebook, Twitter, and can connect to your home media network for music, video and picture streaming.
Companies push firmware updates to Blu-ray players to keep up with technology...i.e I've had support for 3D pushed to 2 of mine.
One other note; you mentioned 1080i a couple of times. 720p is generally going to provide you with a better picture quality than 1080i will. My advice would be to not switch to 1080i regardless of whether you move to Bluray or not.
I personally have 4 Blu-ray players in my household and wouldn't have it any other way.

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I use this one in the second optical drive bay of my Mac Pro: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/LG/WH10LS30KMP/
Note that if you plan to create playable Blu-ray discs, you will also need Blu-ray authoring and burning software like Toast 10 Pro or Adobe Encore.
-DH

How to Produce the highest quality picture onto DVD or Blu-Ray

I have recently started looking at new video cameras and software. I will soon purchase FCS. One thing that I cant get a clear answer on is how to produce a high quality DVD / Blu-Ray Disc.
I stumbled upon a cinematographer by the name of Ray Roman. He is producing the kind of wedding videos that I want to produce in the near future. I see that he answered one of his followers by saying he shot the wedding with Cannon 7D DSLR cameras.
Here is a link to the video I am speaking about.
Ps. You need to scroll down a little to see the video.
http://rayromanblog.com/2009/10/stephanie-tims-wedding-in-big-canoe-georgia/
Can anyone tell me if they believe that was shot with a DSLR type camera, and if so what steps do you believe were took to create such a high quality final product.
1. What type of software is needed to produce this?
2. Does it have to be a Blu-Ray disc to hold that clarity?
3. Does FCS support Blu-Ray?
4. If FCS does not support Blu-Ray can I Export the project to Roxio 10 Pro to make the Blu-Ray disc?
If I am totally off in left field Please Please Please let me know your opinion as to the best methods you have found to end up with a high quality product like that.
What I really need to know is
1. What camera will capture the correct info to start with
2. What software will edit it and encode it without losing all that high quality data
3. What way to burn the project to disc to again retain all the clarity, brightness, sharpness etc...
Thanks for you help Ron...

I'm at work so I can't see the video, but I can answer some workflow questions for you. If you see lots of shallow depth of field shots it was probably shot on an HDSLR. That's about the only thing they have going for them video wise.
1) Without watching it I'm willing to guess it could all be done in Final Cut Studio or seeing CS4 in your signature, Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium/Master Collection (Premiere/After Effects).
2) DVDs only show SD video. You can do anamorphic video to get widescreen video on a DVD, but anything 720p and up will require more than a DVD disc. You can also letterbox your video to get faux widescreen on a DVD.
3) FCS doesn't really support blu-ray. Apple in general does not support blu-ray. You can export to a codec that is blu-ray friendly but there is no blu-ray authoring software, nor can any Mac be purchased with a blu-ray drive to my knowledge.
4) There are lots and lots of ways to export from Final Cut Studio. I'm sure you can find several wrapper and codec combinations that Roxio will accept. The level of compatibility is a different issue..do you need subtitles, chapter markers, etc. If you need more than a video clip you'll probably hit some hurdles.
1) I'd avoid an HDSLR to get started out. They are a pain in terms of workflow. You have to transcode (convert) all the video from the nasty H.264/PhotoJPEG codecs they record in (H.264 for the Canon cameras, PhotoJPEG for the Nikons) if you want them to be friendly in Apple's Final Cut or Adobe's Premiere.
It is important to understand video comes in a few types of formats, acquisition formats, editing formats, and delivery formats. A .mov file is a wrapper can be contain perhaps hundreds of different codecs (only one at a time), AIC, ProRes422, ProRes4444, Animation, the list goes on and on, it is the codec used that is important. H.264 is a compressed, lossy video codec developed for delivery and now used for acquisition in consumer devices. Editing software wants something simpler to edit with, like Apple ProRes422 or AIC for Final Cut. Transcode it and you won't have to render out every frame (let the computer build a preview video in an editing codec so it can play it back smoothly), then re-render when you do so little as add a cross dissolve.
That also doesn't even begin to look into the audio issue. Using an HDSLR for video capture basically says you need a separate device (and likely another operator) for audio acquisition. These will have to be synced up in post.
I'd say do yourself a favour and get a video camera if you want to shoot video. When you've got a feel for the workflow and a better understanding of what you're up against an HDSLR can liven up your shooting with some shallow depth of field effects.
2) Final Cut Studio and Creative Suite 4 will both work with 7D video, but the 7D doesn't shoot "high quality data." The video it shoots is H.264, or compressed. Think of it as though every frame has gone through Photoshop and been saved as a JPG with the quality setting at 3 or so. It looks pretty good if you blow the background out of focus, but it has inherent issues that make it not the best for every situation.
3) The best way to retain image quality is good workflow from beginning to end.

How do I change file format so I keep HD and can play on blu ray player?

how do I change file format so I keep HD and can play on blu ray player?

Hi
Part of it - in my way of doing is
Roxio Toast™ Pro incl BD-component.
• Burn short AVCHD - on standard DVDs (20-30 minutes at HD quality) - NEED Blu-Ray player to be viewed
or BD-burner and disks - for full Blu-Ray Disks (not got to this yet)
I think that saving as .mpeg4 H.264 and save on USB-memory to be put into PlayStation3 also keep high quality playback.
Yours Bengt W

Anybody out there able to burn a Blu-Ray for me?

I have a client who needs Blu-Ray disk burned of a 10-minute spot. 720. 24p. Shot to a p2.
Anybody want to give me a price?
Thanks,
Alex

No, unfortunately I can't. I have the same error....I tryed it... I tryied even with no menus..just the video...always the same.
Now, I tryed with the competitor software, DVD Architect by Sony....same video (same files), guess what! It worked! So..do I need to switch to Vegas and DVD Architect to get my work done?
The upconverts I need to do, are for my workplace, not for home projects. So I reallly need to do upconversions! I have a lot to do!
I have Adobe Creative Suite 5.5
AMD Opteron 6128 2.00Ghz (2 CPU)
RAM 32 Gb
Win 7 64 bits
NVIDIA Ge Force GTX 560 Ti
LG Burner
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Has a stop marker any function when burning blu-ray discs with Premiere Elements 12?

Stop marker when burning blu-ray discs with Pre 12. Does it works?

Amiral
No.
This applies to Premiere Elements any version.
Stop markers placed on the Premiere Elements Timeline destined for burn to Blu-ray disc format on Blu-ray disc are not recognized at playback of that disc using the Blu-ray player.
If you need Blu-ray disc with stop markers, you can export your Premiere Elements Timeline content to an appropriate file type that will be compatible with a 3rd party software which will get the job done. I have heard that a software such as DVD Architect can do that, but I have not been there and done that.
Stop markers function at playback of DVD-VIDEO on DVD disc only. And, never place a stop marker at the end of the last item on that Timeline.
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/premiereelements/using/WS09e4b3c48f3a79fc19b622510385d4355c-7e 19.html
Please do not hesitate to ask if you need clarification on anything written.
Thank you.
ATR
Add On...I have found that the situation is the same for stop markers and AVCHD on DVD and Blu-ray disc format on Blu-ray disc.

I'm going to get the I Mac and since the new I Mac doesn't have DVD drive on it I was thinking to get the Samsung SE-506AB Slim Portable Blu-ray Writer in order to burn movies from I movie do I need a special software for that since the SE-506ab comes onl

I’m going to get the I Mac and since the new I Mac doesn’t have DVD drive on it I was thinking to get the Samsung SE-506AB Slim Portable Blu-ray Writer in order to burn movies from I movie do I need a special software for that since the SE-506ab comes only with windows software.. but I did check and it is compatible with apple. Can you please advise me and or let me know if I’m buying the right stuff or if there is any other blu ray that will work with the I mac as plug and play.
Thank you
Haim

This freezing reminds me of really old Macs, long ago, in the days of the old-school peripherals like SCSI drives, terminators, scanners and the like. If you had a SCSI conflict, like the wrong device ID's or something, you'd freeze up like that. Back in those days you'd call 800-SOS-APPLE (AAPL?) and they'd run you through disconnecting all your extra hardware - Jaz and Zip drives, CD burners, scanners etc and then eliminate them one by one by adding them incrementally and testing for the freeze/bomb dialog.
But, today we have Firewire and none of those ancient issues (no free lifetime tech support either). My iMac's ports are all full, and I only know which devices are connected when I have to remove something for another device. iSight, scanner, card reader, external hard drive, USB soundsticks, etc. You wouldn't happen to have any SCSI devices hooked up, would you?
Out of curiosity, have you tried a different USB/Firewire port for the hard drive? Or run the hardware test DVD that comes with your computer? This weird freezing seems to suggest a problem with the computer, RAM or network more than a device. Bad devices, in my experience, cause kernel panics, not freezing.

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http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=BDPS300&updid=4320&osid=7&ULA=YES
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Clint

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Would all I need is a SATA to IDE/IDE adaptor? Are there any details I need to know?

that one will definetly not work, notice how theres no place for you to hook your power connector in there? going IDE to SATA is something I am yet to find an adaptor that really works well yet( that being said i only tried once.) that being said, you can definetly use somethign like the thing i link to below assuming you have a free HDD bay. you can use it to bring one of your HDD sata ports AND power, up to your optical drive bay. That way, theres no convertion, only a quick little extention. They come in varying lengths from 3", (prob too short), to 8" (the one i linked to, might just barely be long enough, maybe still too short) to 20", more than long enough.
Good luck
http://www.ebay.com/itm/22-Pin-Male-22-Pin-Female-SATA-Extender-Cable-8-Inch-/27 0651981600?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f041d7f20#ht_500wt_1039

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Do I need a blu ray burner to burn HD using Final Cut Express?

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Thank

ANY DVD player cannot play HD content no matter what media it is on. HD content needs HD decoder and other circuitry and S/W which is not present on standard DVD player, just like standard definition TV cannot play HD programing. HD content has to be down converted with application such as iDVD to play on ANY DVD player, at which time it is no longer HD of course. In order to play high definition disc, you'll need HD content on HD media, blu-ray player and HDTV.
Message was edited by: ComPH1

What do i need to burn blu-rays?

Hello everyone. I'm new to Final Cut Pro, and Macs in general, so please bare with me. I'm a film student, and recently purchased a Canon XH-A1s and a Mac Pro with Final Cut Pro 6 to jump start my video production business.
My only problem is that i only have the ability to produce HD video, so when it comes to distribution, DVD is really not an option. I've heard with an upgrade to Final Cut Pro 7 that you can finally burn Blu-Rays without a third party application, just wondering if that was true.
I was planning on upgrading to Final Cut Pro 7, and purchasing an external, USB Blu-Ray read/write drive. Should everything work ok if i go down that route?
Thanks everyone,
-Billy
Message was edited by: blakes2406

The Mac does not come with a Blu-ray burner. So you would be burning a Blu-ray compatible file to a standard DVD-5 or DVD-9. Neither of which are ideal for authoring Blu-ray content.
Do an exhaustive search online about Blu-ray authoring and disk creation. This is not something for the hobbyist video creator (and I say hobbyist in the sense that you're not creating thousands of copies for mass distribution, so no one take offense.)
Blu-ray is expensive and requires a lot of planning and prep to do it right. But you can't burn an official Blu-ray disc on a Mac as they stand. And, Compressor doesn't burn discs, it only creates files. DVD Studio Pro would be the app that would burn the Blu-ray disc, and DVDSP has not been upgraded since long before Blu-ray came on the scene.

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Hi,
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Tried that as well. The player gave an unrecognized format error.

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Thanks for your reply, but you might have misunderstood it a bit. I'm NOT trying to buy a movie. ****, I'm not even in the actual Apple Store, when this happens I'm in the library not the Store part of iTunes.
To clarify - I have purchased a physical copy of a movie which came with another physical copy which contains the digital copy. The digital copy is on the DVD, all I need is just to transfer this file to my iPod Touch, for example, I'm not trying to download it from the store or repurchase it and it's not any gift code that I've received, the digital copy is on the disc. This is the first time ever that I've purchased something on a disc and I'm not allowed to access it because the disc hasn't been purchased within my country.
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<Subject Edited by Host>

If you mean Ethernet, your computer already has it. If you're referring to something else, what is it?
(125558)

Do I really need Blu-Ray?

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