Below is an list of questions and answers about Blu-Ray, from preparation and authoring to replication. Please be sure to read through this whole document so you're prepared - Blu Ray is a bit different than DVD in several key ways.
- General Blu-Ray questions
- Blu-Ray Authoring Questions
- Blu-Ray Replication Questions
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- General Blu-Ray questions
- What is Blu-Ray?[top]
Blu-Ray is the next generation 120mm optical disc format. It's a High Definition replacement for DVD. - How does Blu-Ray differ from DVD?[top]
At first glance, the discs look the same - Blu-Ray discs are the same size and shape as CDs and DVDs. But instead of red lasers to read the data from the disc, Blu-Ray uses blue lasers. The smaller wavelength of blu-laser allows more data to be packed into the same physical area as a DVD or CD. In terms of picture quality, Blu-Ray is high defintion, and allows for use of advanced video compression schemes not used in DVD, such as SMPTE VC-1 and AVC (A.K.A.: "H.264"). Blu-Ray's audio capabilities far exceed DVD as well, allowing uncompressed PCM surround sound streams for quality that matches that heard in the mastering environment. Additionally, Blu-Ray allows for much more advanced interactivity than DVD. - How much does it cost to make a Blu-Ray disc?[top]
Every project is different, so please contact us for a quote. - Can you duplicate BD-R discs?[top]
Yes. As of this writing, BD-R duplication is the only practical way to make small runs of Blu-Ray discs. Note that like the early days of DVD-R, some players will not properly play recordable discs, so we recommend that you only use duplicated discs in controlled environments with players you know will work. It's not a suitable format for distribution - yet. - Can I put standard definition content on a Blu-Ray disc?[top]
You can put standard def content on a Blu-Ray discs. We'll need to upconvert it to HD resolution, but it is possible. That said, it is not the optimal path, and we recommend obtaining HD masters instead of upconverting standard def.
- Blu-Ray Authoring Questions
- What master formats do you accept?[top]
Pretty much anything from HDCAM SR down to HDV. If you'd prefer to provide uncompressed files from your NLE, we ask that you do so on Firewire 800 drives, as the size of HD files are huge compared to standard defintion. Please contact us in advance to go over the formats you'll be submitting, so we can be sure everything is in order. - What authoring software do you use?[top]
For Blu-Ray authoring, we use Sonic Scenarist HDMV v4.5. - What formats can you encode?[top]
Blu-Ray supports MPEG-2, AVC and VC-1 codecs, and we can encode to all three. - Can I design my own menus?[top]
Blu-Ray menus differ significantly from DVD menus. Rather than a single background layer and a single highlight layer as with DVD, Blu-Ray menus are divided into groupings of 8-bit buttons that can be animated. As such, preparation of the files for authoring is much more complex than with DVD (there are limitations related to color indexing that must be strictly adhered to, among other things). At this time, we can only accept menus that you design if you're working with a facility that is familiar with designing for Blu-Ray. You are welcome, however, to have your designers provide us with sketches and guidelines, but at this time we have to do the design work in-house in order to be sure everything will work properly. - Can you create Pop-Up menus?[top]
Yes - In HDMV mode, all menus essentially function like Pop-up menus, even if they're over a predefined video or still background. We can create discs that are structured like DVD, or with pop-up menus over the running video, or any combination of the above. - Can you do picture-in-picture authoring?[top]
Yes.
- Blu-Ray Replication Questions
- How does Blu-Ray replication differ from DVD Replication?[top]
The actual replication process is essentially the same as DVD, however, there are a few key differences in Blu-Ray replication to be aware of. First, AACS Copy protection is mandatory, as dictated by the DVD Specification. Also, you'll need an ISAN number (see below for more info on AACS and ISAN). As with DVD, you will also need to provide the standard IRMA documentation before replication can begin. Unlike DVD, where inexpensive authoring software could be used to create valid replication masters, as of this writing only high end authoring software can be used if you want to replicate. Please speak with us about re-authoring your disc if you have already created something in an application such as Adobe Encore, Sonic DVD-It ProHD, etc. - How much does it cost to Replicate Blu-Ray Discs?[top]
Every project is different, so please contact us for a quote. - What is AACS?[top]
Advanced Access Content System (AACS) is the mandatory copy protection and digital rights management scheme for Blu-Ray. All *replicated* Blu-Ray discs must contain AACS copy protection, no exceptions. As the owner of the content you'll be replicating, you'll need to set up a "Content Provider Agreement" with the AACS Licensing Authority, which we will need before we can make your replication master. Like CSS on DVD, the actual AACS encryption keys will be provided by the replication facility. - Where do I get my AACS Content Provider Agreement?[top]
Please visit the AACS web site for more information: www.aacsla.com. - What is ISAN?[top]
The International Standard Audiovisual Numer (ISAN) is required. It is not a form of copy protection, rather, it's a unique identifier of your content, stored in a centralized database by the ISAN organization. - Do I need an ISAN number?[top]
If you plan to replicate your discs (rather than BD-R duplication), you will need an ISAN number. You will need to provide us with the number assigned by ISAN for each project in order to create the premaster for replication. - Where do I get an ISAN number?[top]
Please visit the ISAN web site at: www.isan.org for more information.
