Frequently Asked Questions - Blu-ray Production
Blu-ray Production Services
For the usage of the Blu-ray logo and/or the RPC-Logo (region code) a CPA-Light license of the Blu-ray Disc Association is needed
More information at: http://www.blu-raydisc.info/content_prov.php
For Blu-ray productions the following estimated turn around times can be assumed. These turnaround times may vary slightly because there are several independent steps such as AACS encryption, authoring and check disc approval. Each of these steps is outside of Acutrack's control. The below given time frame is based on receipt of proper master material according to the set industrial standards for Blu-ray as well as the AACS ID of the Content Provider.
Blu-ray Authoring – 10-15 business days depending on the complexity of your project
Blu-ray Check disc: This is customer’s responsibility
QC of Content/Master: This usually takes 1 working day
AACS Encryption: This usually takes 1 working day depending on the AACS workload.
Mastering and Galvanic: The actual mastering including the production of a
stamper usually takes 1 working day depending on the workload of the mastering department.
Replication of Check Discs: After receipt of the stamper, we need approximately
1 working day to ship the 10 unprinted check discs out.
Approval of Check Discs: This is the customer’s responsibility.
Production of Order Quantity: 5 working days. This is always dependent on the actual order size and will be agreed in detail upon receipt of PO. Please note that the above time frame is solely a guideline and not confirmed production turnaround times.
Our aim is always to meet and exceed your expectations and to execute your orders as fast as possible.
As set in the Blu-ray Disc Specifications, it is mandatory for each BD Disc to be AACS protected. Therefore, all content owners are obliged to sign a “Content Provider Agreement” with the AACS LA. This link http://www.aacsla.com/license/ takes you directly to the licensing page of AACS LA.
The licensing agreement can be found under the following links:
http://www.aacsla.com/license/AACS_Content_Provider_Agrmt_090619.pdf
AACS LA can also be contacted under the following contact details:
AACS Administration
3855 SW 153rd Drive
Beaverton, Oregon 97006 USA
Phone: +1-503-619-0863
Fax: +1-503-644-6708
Email: admin@aacsla.com
After receipt of your content/master as well as your purchase order, the master will be checked internally and after the check is completed without error the Content Certificate is ordered with the AACS LA. This usually takes 2 working days.
After the AACS has signed the Content Certificate and returned it to our facility, the customer’s master is encrypted with the Content Certificate as well as an individual Media Key Block. The master is now ready for Glass Mastering and Galvanic.
It is strictly forbidden and technically not possible to manufacture or attempt to manufacture an AACS unprotected Blu-ray Disc.
Registration with AACS LA is easy and quick.
By the way, "AACS LA" stands for Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator
• Log on to http://www.aacsla.com/license/
• Scroll down to AACS Final Content Provider Agreement & click.
• It′s a 159 pages document!
• What you need to submit to AACS LA is 3 signature pages:
• Signature pages are: Page 1, 58-59, Exhibit C
• On Exhibit A under Production License, check Initial Election; under this, check Basic Content Provider.
• Under Basic Content Provider Administrative Fees. Please indicate your election for payment of
Administrative Fees (as set out in Exhibit B of this Agreement).
• Option 1 – Annual Fee (US$500 per year)
• Option 2 – One-Time Fee (US$3000)
Once these 3 signature pages are filled out and “EXHIBIT A” Evaluation/Production License Election, fax to:
Justin McAllister
(503) 644-6706 (Fax)
Justin will have your contact info (from page 1 of the signature pages) and will email you a receipt of fax along with an attached invoice for either $3000 or $500. You can then either wire transfer or send the payment via check. Once this is completed, you will be sent an email with an AACS Licensee ID Number to give to Acutrack.
You must also mail 2 original signed copies of the above signature pages.
The AACS LA will then return one fully executed copy for your records.
We recommend that you make contact with Justin (503) 619-0863 as there is a lot of reading (158 pages of legal jargon). He′s most helpful in explaining and even expediting the process. We hope this helps to reduce some of the confusion regarding AACS LA registration.
Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a next-generation optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers (including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson).
The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc.
- BDAV (Blu-ray Audio Video) - The disc contains 1 straight-play high-def movie and no menus.
- BDMV Standard Content - The disc contains High Definition video, audio & graphics plus menus, submenus, subtitles and the navigation is similar to DVD
. There is no Web-Enabled and Multi-Angle feature. - BDMV Advanced Content - Contains High Definition video, audio & graphics plus menus, submenus, subtitles. A very special navigation feature called "Pop-Up Menu" is the highlight of this kind of disc: the viewer can access the menu or any other movie even while the movie is playing. Adding the power of Java, this type of BD disc allows internet (web & gaming) connectivity while the disc plays.
- BD-ROM - The disc contains computer data files. A good example of this are luxury vehicles equipped with GPS navigator and the data is retrieved from a BD disc.
- About 2.5 hours of high quality high-definition (HD) video on a 25GB disc.
- About 4 hours of high quality high-definition (HD) video on a 50GB disc.
- About 23 hours of standard-definition (SD) video on a 50GB disc
Video can be submitted in either digital tape or file format.
- For tape, MiniDV (HDV) is preferred.
- For digital file, uncompress HD Quicktime or AVI HD format is preferred.
Standard HD video specs: 1280 x 720, Progressive, square pixels, 23.976 fps, also important, when you render your HD video, make sure field render is off.
Note: The customer must specify if playback is interlace (1080-i) or progressive (1080p). You cannot mix and match both in a single project as this would cause problems in the master
- Single layer Blu-ray = 25GB compared to single layer DVD (4.7GB)
- Double layer Blu-ray = 50GB compared to dual layer DVD (8.5GB)
- Pioneer recently created a 400GB BD (not ready for production yet, but interesting nonetheless)
- Future plans for Blu-ray (being developed by Pioneer in Japan) includes a multilayer disc with a potential capacity of 1TB
Yes. Almost all consumer BD players can play DVDs. All DVD players will not play BD discs.
Once the authoring stage is complete, premastering process begins. A BD-R checkdisk will then be submitted to the customer for final approval. Take note also that all the latest BD software players for PC/Mac restricts playback from BD discs only, therefore, previewing from any computer is not possible when played from hard drives.
To submit a master for replication, the output must be sent on a hard drive (external USB) as BD-CMF format from a licensed Authoring software like Scenarist or Bluprint, etc.
- In old NTSC & PAL TV sets, a frame of video is displayed in 2 "sliced" fields. This is because of the aging CRT technology. The "interlacing" rate is so fast that it's not noticeable by the human eye and therefore the brain sees a "frame".
- Now, LCD Monitors and TV sets don't do this interlacing.... and they don't need to. Frames of video can be displayed in progression that is instantaneous and with smooth playback.
- In the world of HD - 1080 resolution = 1280 (width) x 1080 (height) pixels.
- If the customer shoots the HD video using 29.97 frame/sec., it's 1080i
- It the customer shoots the HD video using 24 frame/sec., it's 1080p
More FYI: 24 fps is the frame rate used by moviemakers. Most of the first generation HD cameras are not capable of recording 1080p video. You should never convert from 1080p to 1080-i. The resulting video will play with jerkiness. You can convert 1080-i to 1080p but it requires a special pc hardware to get the video to play smoothly.
- Customer/publisher needs to call AACS to register his/her company and the title AACS issues a content certificate (text file) to customer to keep as proof of registration.
- Customer must send that certificate file to authoring house to confirm registration.
- Authoring house must use a professional and fully licensed BD authoring system like Scenarist or Bluprint and enable AACS protection.
If Acutrack is not authoring the project then the AACS certified image must be submitted Acutrack in BD-CMF format on HDD. When we proceed to create the glass master, we will authenticate the ACCS cert via the web. If authentication is successful, then they can proceed with the BD replication.