Create Blu-ray discs and DVDs from same material efficiently

[JonBale]

I am using Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10.0 and DVD Architect Studio 5.0. I have source video material (multiple programs) up to about two hours each recorded on a Panasonic HC-X900M AVCHD camcorder in 1080 60i. I have successfully edited one of these programs and authored and burned Blu-ray discs from it using the software listed above.

Here’s my question: I want to create both Blu-ray discs and standard definition DVDs from this material, and I want to do as much as possible of the editing and authoring for both formats in common, rather than redoing the work for each end format. So, what is the best workflow to use to get as much done as possible before splitting into two projects (if necessary) to produce the separate disc formats? I would like not to compromise the quality of either version, of course!

Thanks!

Jon

[Steve Grisetti]

It should be pretty simple, Jon. Assuming you're using DVD Architect to author your discs.

Just select Make Movie/Burn to DVD or BluRay/BluRay with Menus to create a BluRay file.

Or select Make Movie/Burn to DVD or BluRay/BluRay with Menus to create a DVD file.

(You can also use the Render As options -- but the results are identical.)

In both cases, the program will give you the option send your files to DVD Architect -- and there you can finish authoring your disc.

[JonBale]

Steve,

So it's not possible or advisable to use just one DVD Architect project? I was thinking of using the following approach:

- Do all possible editing in Vegas Movie Studio.
- Use Make Movie / Burn to DVD or Blu-ray / Blu-ray to create a Blu-ray file.
- Send the result to DVD Architect (Studio).
- Do the authoring work once in the single DVD Arch project.
- Use "Make Blu-ray Disc" to prepare or prepare and burn the Blu-ray version of the project.
- Then, in the same DVD Architect Studio project, create the DVD as follows:
- Use the File / Properties and File /Optimize Disc commands to change the project to a standard DVD project, including target media size, aspect ratio, etc.
- Use "Make DVD" to prepare or prepare and burn the DVD version of the project.

Does the above approach not work at all, or result in lower quality finished discs?

Thanks.

Jon

[Chuck Engels]

I am interested in this also, in Premiere Elements I can create a single High Definition project, then burn that project to Blu Ray or DVD with just a couple of clicks. Sounds a bit more difficult in Vegas and DVD Architect ...

[Steve Grisetti]

Yes, you can do it, just by changing the Project Properties.

But then you've got to wait for DVD Architect to downsample that big BluRay project to standard DV, which might take a while.

Though I'd imagine that that's the only liability to doing it this way.

[JonBale]

I don't know what I'm talking about, but:

The downsampling to DVD has to take place at some point, doesn't it? Either in Vegas or in DVD Architect. So the time cost of doing so will be there in any case. Yes? No?

Another thing I discovered in one test is that a particular DVD project in DVD Architect (which had originated as an AVCHD project in Vegas), although a little less than two hours long, had to be downsampled a second time in DVD Architect in order to fit on a standard DVD.

Jon

[George Tyndall]

I am interested in this also, in Premiere Elements I can create a single High Definition project, then burn that project to Blu Ray or DVD with just a couple of clicks. Sounds a bit more difficult in Vegas and DVD Architect ...

That's why I, after trying Architect, I stuck with Premiere. With the latter, I do all my editing just once on a hi-def timeline, including setting up the DVD markers, and then burn a SD DVD. If it's flawless, then I proceed to burn the Blu-ray.

Unless it's been modified since I tried it, with Architect one must choose EITHER SD or HD before one begins the editing process. What that means is that, if one desires both a SD and a Bluray disk, then one must perform the entire editing process twice.

Steve, is that no longer true?

[Steve Grisetti]

As far as I know, it never has been true, George. You can change your project properties in DVD Architect at any point and switch your project from a BluRay to a widescreen DVD.

[Chris B]

I do this with all my projects and you can definitely burn either from Architect - however the "down-sample" process will only be single threaded in Architect (AFAIK) so will be considerably longer than in Vegas. You're also re-encoding from your original source so in theory it will be of lower quality (although you're probably going to be hard pressed to tell the difference!).

You can however very simply replace the media used for the video in Architect (don't have the exact steps at present - not near my installation) so if you render two versions of the same movie from Vegas you can "save as" a new project with the alternate media. Obviously I'd work with getting one right first before burning the second.

The advantage of working this way is that if you want to make small changes to the menu structure (or similar) you will only need to re-encode these so the burn process is relatively quick. You can also tweak font sizes etc. if required for the DVD version.