How do I get the Best DVD Quality?

[Evander2]

I've been using Elements and Premiere Elements for many years. I recently purchased and installed Elements and Premiere Elements 2019. I'd been using Version 17 and was quite happy with it.  I produce DVDs that include still images and video. Using version 17 I burned DVDs using the AVCHD setting. I was extremely happy with the quality of the DVDs.  The definition was excellent.

After creating the ISO file I used ImgBurn to burn the DVDs

Elements 2019 does not include the AVCHD setting.

What is the best setting I can use to obtain the highest quality production?

We have several important trips coming up and I'll want to produce DVDs for each trip.

Thank you

Steve Bergstrom

[Steve Grisetti]

I'm a bit confused by your comparing version 17 to version 2018. Version 2018 IS version 17.

But that said, you're probably getting the highest quality you can on your DVD.

Or are you asking how to put high-definition video on a DVD? That is not possible in current versions of Premiere Elements.

A DVD is, by definition, standard definition: 720x480 resolution.

Some programs include the ability to burn high-def BluRay video to a DVD -- but then it's not a DVD. It's just a DVD disc but it's a BluRay movie and it can't be played on a DVD player. Regardless, Premiere Elements no longer includes a feature for burning BluRay or AVCHD files to a DVD disc.

[Bill Sprague]

Steve B,

Along with what Steve G said, videography is moving to higher resolutions than the 1920x1080 Blu-Ray standard which included the "AVCHD Disk".  a 4

Cheaper and more flexible is sharing your video as MP4 files on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Dropbox, etc.  Along with that is the upward move to the higher 4K standard.

If you don't already have a 4K TV, make a slideshow in Premiere Elements, output to a 4K MP4, put it on a USB stick and take it to a store with 4K TVs.  Use the remote that comes with the TV.  You may see why disks and disk players are going the way of the floppy disk drive. 

[Evander2]

Mr. Grisetti

I'm sorry. You're correct. I've been using version 15, not version 17.

However, using version 15 we created two versions of the same production, one being an AVCHD version and there were obvious differences in quality. An obvious difference was when using pan/zoom on still images.

I noticed that there is an AVCHD setting in the advanced settings but I'm not sure what that setting is for.

Over the years I've been very happy with Adobe Elements and have recommended it to quite a few friends. I've found it relatively user friendly.

Today, I'll burn one of the productions that I produced on version 15 in AVHCD on my new version and see if there's a significant difference.

Thank you for your time

Steve Bergstrom

[Bill Sprague]

Steve,

With due respect, you are confusing some terms. 

Years ago Sony and Panasonic created a standard that included Blu-Ray and AVCHD.  It was a combination of cameras and disk players that could match the "FHD" (full high definition) TV specification of 1920x1080.   Everything from broadcast standards to the TVs we bought matched the 1920x1080.  We bought or rented movies to play on our Blu-Ray players because they were so much better than the old "DVD Players".  We subscribed to Netflix for them to send us Blu-Ray quality movies on disks.  Blu-Ray discs could hold a couple hours of video.   If we wanted to make our own Blu-Ray disks we had to buy Blu-Ray burners for our computers. 

"AVCHD" was attached to various products.  One that was not commonly used was the "AVCHD Disc".   It was a "trick" where Blu-Ray compatable files could be burned to ordinary optical disks generically marketed as "DVD".  The limitation was that the video could only be about 20 minutes or less.  A unique characteristic was that you didn't need a "Blu-Ray Burner".  An ordinary DVD drive could be used to create "AVCHD Discs".  At the time, almost all computer came with DVD drives for the installation of software.

Adobe no longer supports Blu-Ray or "AVCHD Discs" in their products.  The Apple version of Premiere Elements 2019 won't even do DVDs.  If you want to stick with "AVCHD Discs", you will have to stay with older versions of Premiere Elements. 

The "AVCHD" setting in "Advanced" is a file format, not a disk format.  Selecting that will create a higher quality MP4 file.  Copying that file to a DVD "data disk" may be playable on a Blu-Ray player.  Some do, some don't.  Some Blu-Ray players accept memory sticks or SD cards that may play the MP4 file. 

Newer versions of Premiere Elements have drifted to the higher standards of "4K".  If you have a 4K TV, you should try it.  Effects like Pan and Zoom in a slideshow are better than ever.