Can I have an audio-only blu-ray

[Guy Burns]

I've generated a Blu-ray disk for testing a new projector and speakers. I've got black-level test, white level test, colour test, and the end I thought I'd put on a few music tracks for testing the speakers (instead of taking a separate CD). I didn't bother with any video for those audio-only tracks.

Problem: when I ask Encore to output to a Blu-ray folder on a USB stick, and play that folder on my Oppo, the player does not recognise that there is music beyond the last video; and neither does a Blu-ray ripper I've got.

However, when I delve into the Blu-ray folder, the audio-only m2ts files are there, and VLC can play them.

Is it possible to put just audio on a Blu-ray, and have Blu-ray players recognise and play the audio?

[Stan Jones]

Works for me with stereo.

I imported a stereo .wav "as timeline." Project set to transcode it to a3c. Linked it to a button, and it plays.

I tested by  building to a BD folder; played with Power DVD 17.

I wondered if, when you said "music beyond the last video," if y ou added the audio to the end of an audio/video timeline. But when I added the wav to my main timeline, it still works.

What format audio?

[Stan Jones]

Oops! I'm wrong. I did not actually complete the playback of the "audio on the same timeline as main timeline." The playback shows a track length of only the part with video, and stops. There is no track or chapter read for the audio only. Yes, there an m2ts that plays back as the audio only section.

I reverted so I was transcoded everything in the project; same result.

So you can try to achieve your goal by putting the audio only on its own Encore timeline.

I wonder if a playlist would then give you a "play all."

[Guy Burns]

Funny setup that Encore can't handle no video. Premiere does, and it's what I'm doing right now: importing the music into Premiere, and exporting so I get the exact length of black video needed for Encore. Premiere offers a "Black" video as one of its "New" items, but it's not needed – Premiere realises that no video means "black video"

Anyway, thanks for trying to solve the problem.

[Stan Jones · Accepted solution]

To be clear, I'm saying it works if the audio-only stream is in its own Encore timeline.

I just tested, and you can get a play all by putting the timelines in a playlist.

[Guy Burns]

Thank, Stan, for the solution/workaround.

Pity that Encore doesn't treat no video as "black" video, like Premiere does.

Fake Chapter

One more thing: in the middle of one of the songs when Built to Blu-ray, my Blu-ray player is recognising a chapter marker. That marker is not in the black video in Premiere, it does not appear in Encore, but both my player and ripper see it and respond to it as a chapter.

The song, 2:45 in duration, is third in the timeline (not playlist), and the fake chapter appears at 1:05 in that song.

Any ideas how to delete something that Encore thinks is not there? I removed all markers and then put them back, but this fake one is still there.

[Stan Jones]

Search "Phantom Menu" and you'll see similar issues. No single fix or workaround.

I believe these are usually a corrupt project file. But one in which the disk will often build, and you may have no other problem. Encore is very unforgiving when it has problems. The chances of a corrupt project increase as you make changes. The best Encore project is one done with no changes after you've sorted out all the options.

Generally, and because of a variety of problems, I have learned never to put multiple files on one Encore timeline. But it is allowed, and Encore usually handles those okay as long as they are not gop files.

Do you see any issues in the "check project" on the build tab? If something shows, sometimes, that will allow you to click to get to a problem area.

The worst case is having to recreate the Encore project from scratch. (Of course, the worst case is doing that and discovering the marker still exists!)

I would do a "save as" (by way of having a backup) and try clearing cache files.

[Guy Burns]

"Check Project" is okay.

Deleted a whole heap of preferences and cache files – fake marker still there.

I think I'll just put up with the extra marker. Thanks for all your help.

[Stan Jones]

I think that's the right decision here! Thanks for reporting.