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Guy Burns
Inspiring
May 2, 2013
Question

Difference between Export H.264 and H.264 Blu-ray?

  • May 2, 2013
  • 2 replies
  • 48010 views

I think I know what the difference is: one works and the other doesn't, at least for playback on my setup (see Playback, below). Apart from that, there appears to be no detailed description of what these two options do, either in the Premiere PDF or anywhere online. Unless you count this as description (p471 of PDF):

For single-layer or dual-layer Blu-ray Disc, select either MPEG2 Blu-ray or H.264 Blu-ray.

Really informative stuff (please forgive my sarcasm). So, other than peering at the settings that come up, I can't work out why there are two H.264 options.

PLAYBACK

I have a 60-second test sequence, consisting of an animated still with audio and titles, 1920 x 1080, 23.976 fps. I exported two versions, at maximum quality settings:

1. H.264: VBR, 2 pass, Target 32.00 Mbps, Max 40.00 Mbps, AAC, 192 kbps, 48kHz, Stereo.

2. H.264 Blu-ray: VBR, 2 pass, Target 25.00 Mbps, Max 30.00 Mbps, PCM, 48kHz, Stereo.

(1) came out as a 20.7 MB, mp4 file, 2.8 Mbps. Played in Quicktime, VLC and Premiere.

(2) came out as a 20.6 MB, m4v file, ? Mbps. Would not play (video or audio) in QT or VLC. In Premiere, the file lacked audio.

QUES 1

Why are there two H.264 options? In what situations do you use one and not the other?

QUES 2

The bit rates of the exported files are very low, less than 10% of the target. Is this because low bit-rates are all that was needed for maximum quality for this simple file?

QUES 3

Why doesn't the H.264 Blu-ray file playback properly? VLC can normally play almost anything you give it. Even Premiere couldn't play a file it had just exported.

I've uploaded both files to a 40 MB zip file on MediaFire.

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    G
    Guy BurnsAuthor
    Inspiring
    May 6, 2013

    I've brought this question back into play because it is still not adequaltely answered: what is the difference in the end result between the two H.264 options, and why are they offered? What is the advantage of having two options?

    On a related note: I've burnt my first test Blu-ray by going via Encore and straight out to an ISO file, then burnt via Disk Utility (OSX). Worked first time. I couldn't believe it. What I also can't believe is how difficult it is for me to export the same 1920 x 1080 sequence and have it generally playable. I like to know what my setup is missing, and if it is missing something, why isn't it included in the Master Creative Suite?

    The problems are:

    1. When I export to H.264 both my Blu-ray players won't play the sound, maybe because AAC is the only option when I export as H.264.

    2. I looked at exporting as Quicktime, but I couldn't see a 1920 x 1080 progressive option.

    I'm stuck. Which of the options in Premiere offers me the ability to encode as 1920 x 1080, and include sound that is playable from a USB stick on a Blu-ray player? I have an Oppo, and even though the list of supported formats is amazing, it won't play the sound.

    E
    excited_Genie16B8
    Legend
    May 7, 2013

    Which of the options in Premiere offers me the ability to encode as 1920 x 1080, and include sound that is playable from a USB stick on a Blu-ray player?

    I use the appropriate Blu-ray option, but change the audio from PCM to Dolby Digital and change muxing to TS.

    Ann Bens
    Community Expert
    Ann BensCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 3, 2013

    3. Change extention to mts. It will play fine in vlc.

    The reason it doesn not have audio because it is intended for disk.

    The audio file comes seperately.

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