Hi,
I am trying to make sure I can create an AVCHD with 5.1 surround sound on the mac (with a simple menu) that is as compatible as possible across BD players, with as high quality as possible. Unfortunately, I have not found any piece of software that can do this. Instead, here's what I have found (and what it can do):
1. Apple's Compressor 4
NOTES: I use Compressor 4 to generate the DD 5.1 AC3 file, as it has lots of flexible options and works well. I have not yet tried using Compressor to generate the H.264 file. (see below for the other options I've tried instead)
2. Roxio's Toast 11
NOTES: I have been using Toast 11 to generate my AVCHD discs. I have been replacing the Toast generated .264 file and .ac3 file with other ones (the ac3 file from Compressor, and the .264 file from ffmpeg [see below])
3. ffmpeg
NOTES: For my episode 2 release, I used ffmpeg to generate the h.264 portion of the AVCHD disc using the following commands (I got this info after much research on the internet and felt pretty sure these setting would create an AVCHD compliant disc):
Specific sites that helped me come up with these settings include:
http://broadcastengineering.com/production/understanding-avchd
Thus, my process has been as follows:
The resulting disc has worked fine in my own BD player (it's a fairly recent Sony player -- I got it about 6 months ago). However, for my episode 1 workprint, one of my reviewers has reported that this process results in an unplayable disc in both his panasonic BD players (he said the sound plays but the video freezes.)
I have created a new AVCHD file using Toast's version of the video component (still replacing the AC3 part to get 5.1 surround sound) and am waiting to hear back from my reviewer as to whether or not that works in his player. I'd be fine with this approach except I'm concerned about quality -- it only takes 2 hours for toast to do the encode. I'm not sure how much quality I am losing by taking this approach (even assuming it works!)
SO....now that I've explained all of what I know and have tried concerning the creation of AVCHD discs on the mac, does anyone have advice on changes/modifications/different approaches? (It needs to be done a mac, I don't have access to a PC, so that's not an option...)
If anyone can shed light on this, and/or provide any help at all, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!
-Seciors
I am trying to make sure I can create an AVCHD with 5.1 surround sound on the mac (with a simple menu) that is as compatible as possible across BD players, with as high quality as possible. Unfortunately, I have not found any piece of software that can do this. Instead, here's what I have found (and what it can do):
1. Apple's Compressor 4
- Can generate both AVCHD H.264 and Dolby Digital 5.1 AC3 files.
- CANNOT create a disc image for AVCHD discs (only for blu ray). Can write to actual physical media only for AVCHD. :-(
- Options when generating the video portion are limited to avg/max bit rate and one or 2 passes.
- All other h.264 settings are unknown/not exposed to the user.
NOTES: I use Compressor 4 to generate the DD 5.1 AC3 file, as it has lots of flexible options and works well. I have not yet tried using Compressor to generate the H.264 file. (see below for the other options I've tried instead)
2. Roxio's Toast 11
- Can generate AVCHD H.264 and Dolby Digital 2.0 AC3 files.
- Can generate AVCHD disc image and allows for very simple top menu (basically a custom background with an image button for the movie).
- Can create chapter menus but doesn't allow for chapter names, and chapters must be indicated using it's UI by scanning and clicking within a preview of the movie. I've also found that the chapter locations chosen are not reliable in the final product.
- Options when generating the video portion are limited to avg/max bit rate and a slider for motion detection (good, better, best type of slider)
- All other h.264 settings are unknown/not exposed to the user
- Toast can be "tricked" to use outside sources for the video and audio portions of the AVCHD image by keeping the temporary files it creates when encoding, and replacing them with different ones.
NOTES: I have been using Toast 11 to generate my AVCHD discs. I have been replacing the Toast generated .264 file and .ac3 file with other ones (the ac3 file from Compressor, and the .264 file from ffmpeg [see below])
3. ffmpeg
- has the most flexibility of all tools, but thus is quite overwhelming.
- Allows for two pass encoding, as well as tweaking just about every available option with regards to h.264 file generation. Does not have any way to ensure AVCHD compatibility though.
NOTES: For my episode 2 release, I used ffmpeg to generate the h.264 portion of the AVCHD disc using the following commands (I got this info after much research on the internet and felt pretty sure these setting would create an AVCHD compliant disc):
Code:
ffmpeg -i infile.mov -map_metadata -1 -vcodec libx264 -preset veryslow -tune film -fastfirstpass 0 -x264opts pass=1:bframes=3:deblock=-1,-1:subme=9:ref=4:weightp=0:bitrate=12000:vbv-maxrate=15000:vbv-bufsize=15000:level=4.0:keyint=48:open-gop=1:slices=1:colorprim=bt709:transfer=bt709:colormatrix=bt709:sar=1/1:nal-hrd=vbr:aud=1:bluray-compat=1:pic-struct=1:stats=pass1stats.log -an -sn -pix_fmt yuv420p -y outfile.h264
ffmpeg -i infile.mov -map_metadata -1 -vcodec libx264 -preset veryslow -tune film -x264opts pass=2:bframes=3:deblock=-1,-1:subme=9:ref=4:weightp=0:bitrate=12000:vbv-maxrate=15000:vbv-bufsize=15000:level=4.0:keyint=48:open-gop=1:slices=1:colorprim=bt709:transfer=bt709:colormatrix=bt709:sar=1/1:nal-hrd=vbr:aud=1:bluray-compat=1:pic-struct=1:stats=pass1stats.log -an -sn -pix_fmt yuv420p -y outfile.h264
Specific sites that helped me come up with these settings include:
http://broadcastengineering.com/production/understanding-avchd
- This article implies high profile Level 4.0 is a valid choice for playing AVCHD on DVDs given the DVD max data rate of 17Mb/s due to spin speed limits. Level 4.0 supports up to 20Mb/s and [email protected] fps. However, Level 4.1 is what is used by BD. My reviewer suggested using Level 4.1 in my settings, but I don't know if that would fix the problem or is even related. Maybe some players aren't compatible with Level 4.0?
- This site focuses on authoring blu ray discs...the challenge has been figuring out what options need to change for AVCHD discs!
Thus, my process has been as follows:
- Generate the source file for encoding from Final Cut Pro X by exporting it in "master file" format (I choose prores 422 LT as the codec)
- Generate the DD 5.1 AC3 file using Compressor 4
- Generate the .h264 file using ffmpeg (this is probably a 12 hour process in total with both passes)
- Create a Toast 11 AVCHD project; add my own custom menu background, and then mux/create a disc image by using the previously created components.
The resulting disc has worked fine in my own BD player (it's a fairly recent Sony player -- I got it about 6 months ago). However, for my episode 1 workprint, one of my reviewers has reported that this process results in an unplayable disc in both his panasonic BD players (he said the sound plays but the video freezes.)
I have created a new AVCHD file using Toast's version of the video component (still replacing the AC3 part to get 5.1 surround sound) and am waiting to hear back from my reviewer as to whether or not that works in his player. I'd be fine with this approach except I'm concerned about quality -- it only takes 2 hours for toast to do the encode. I'm not sure how much quality I am losing by taking this approach (even assuming it works!)
SO....now that I've explained all of what I know and have tried concerning the creation of AVCHD discs on the mac, does anyone have advice on changes/modifications/different approaches? (It needs to be done a mac, I don't have access to a PC, so that's not an option...)
If anyone can shed light on this, and/or provide any help at all, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Thanks!
-Seciors