Until I fathom how to get the Phantom Drive to allow me to burn a Blu-ray disk to folder, here is my workaround, using the
software that came with my LG Blu-ray disk burner (and which I updated as instructed during the installation process).
The CyberLink software offers all the following options:
Watch SD and HD (both HD and Blu-ray) DVD movies
Burn Data Files to Disk/Format a Disk
Burn or Rip Music
Burn video/photos to disk
Edit video/photo files
Create a slide show
Burn a DVD folder
Copy data disks or backup/restore one's HDD
Create a Disk Image
Burn a Disk Image
Erase a Disk
Here is what I do:
I burn the Pre 7 Timeline to a Blu-ray disk (BD-R)
I play the disk from start to finish to be sure it is flawless
I create a disk image of that disk on my HDD using Create a Disk Image
I burn the disk image to a second Blu-ray blank disk using Burn a Disk Image (4x speed, "Verify Recorded Data" turned off)
I play this second disk from start to finish to be sure it is flawless
I contine to insert disks as requested by the software until the burn is complete
Here are the relevant times, for my 40-minute video:
Create Disk Image: 8 minutes 22 seconds
Burn a Disk Image: 6 minutes 44 seconds (can be programmed for up to 99 copies)
However: If you know when you've completed your movie on the Timeline that you will need multiple copies of your DVD,my opinion is that
the optimal time to make them is during your first burn in Pre 7, and here is how to do it: Set the number of copies as desired (maximum 100),
then wait for the program to output the first copy. BEFORE inserting your next blank disk, play the just-outputted copy on
another Blu-ray player from start to finish to make sure you are COMPLETELY happy with it. If you are, then continue inserting disks
as requested by Pre 7 until the job is complete. If you are not satisfied with that first disk, simply cancel the job and re-edit your
Timeline as necessary. The reason I prefer this method when I know I will need lots of copies is that, to my eyes, the
above-described imaging process adds a tiny bit of undesirable contrast to the movie.
Note on the Phantom Drive and Virtual Disk: The best price I've seen yet on blank Blu-ray BD-R disks is about $7, so it may still be
worthwhile to create a Virtual Disk--IF you are confident that the output from the Phantom Drive is equivalent to what you will
get on your actual drive. The other option is to use a BD-RE (re-writable) disk for your first disk.
Personally, if I know I will be creating lots of copies, I prefer to use my real Blu-ray burner and a real BD-R first disk, so I
can be sure as possible how all the subsequent BD-R copies will look. Needless to say, I make sure that all the BD-Rs are by one
and the same manufacturer.