Encore CS4 Will Not Burn BluRay

[update at end of post or simply go to my solution post here]

Blu-Ray error: “fatal error”, code: “6”, Note:”

This statement is the current bane of my existence.  It pops up just as an Encore BluRay project enters the “initializing burn” phase.

I just want to burn a BluRay so we can submit our film to smaller festivals and project in HD (BluRay) instead of SD (DVD).  I made a couple of really expensive coasters before at least realizing I could change the settings to render a BluRay .iso (rather than burning directly to media) so I’m not trashing an expensive BluRay disc every time I attempt to create a disc.
Adobe, in typical fashion, simply states that Encore does not fully support Vista and Windows 7 (Really? --in the year 2010 you don’t support the most commonly used OS on the planet?).  To further the issue, I am running 64-bit, so Adobe supports that “even less” if that’s possible.

I have found little to no information on this subject, and what little I did find did not work to solve my problem.  Still, I will list the “solutions” I found in my searches.  Perhaps they will work for you.

And if you have more information or know of a solution, by all means post your suggestions in the comments!

Via Creative Cow:

Download and install msxml 6.0
It should fix the error.

People report this as a fix, but it didn’t work for me.
From the same Creative Cow thread:

What finally worked was changing the disc name and the filename/location. I changed the name of the disc from "Smith-Jones Wedding Unedited HD Footage" to "disc" and the filename from "unedited_footage.iso" to "disc.iso" set to build to the root c: and I was able to build a Blu-ray ISO image.

I can see how removing spaces or shortening names could possibly help the issue (though, pretty lame that software in this day and age can’t accommodate spaces and long file names), but it didn’t work for me.

There is some information in this thread stating that bit rate spikes will prevent a project from burning correctly, but the solution seems to be a bunch of other software (and adhering to some extremely specific settings) to create the video and audio files before importing into Encore for burning.

For a little humor on the issue, this was one of my favorite threads during the search for a solution.  It’s just a bunch of people bitching about how ABYSMAL Encore is, most concurring that Adobe should be taken out behind the barn and shot in the head.
Some people have suggested that the “code 6” error is related to oversized menus (menus being too large), but I tried different menus and even removed my menus altogether (so that the BluRay was just the movie file), but still I got the exact same error.

UPDATE: I have since been able to burn a BluRay.  I’m not sure which of the many things I tried finally got me there, but I will tell you that I used Adobe Media Encoder to create MPEG2 BluRay (which Encore prefers) built upon the MPEG2 BluRay preset.  My audio is .ac3 (Dolby), and I used VBR 2 pass (not 1).  For some reason, these settings actually burn infinitely faster (2 hours vs. up to 43 hours previously), so I’m not really sure what’s going on.  All I know is that I can author BluRays with Encore now, so I’m happy.

The runtime for our film is 102 minutes, and the film alone is taking around 24.6 GB of space (my VBR is set to minimum 25, target 30, maximum 35).  A single layer BluRay will only accommodate 25GB, so I can only author a disc for projection purposes (adding menus and extras would exceed the disc capacity).

UPDATE: I know understand the secrets to the Universe, or at least authoring a BluRay in Adobe Encroe CS4.  Check the post here.

…

What You Get With Froyo

I was happy when my Droid Incredible updated to Android 2.2, but I didn’t realize how happy I was until today when Verizon sent an e-mail listing all the new features.

• Improved Web browsing with pre-installed Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 for Android.
• Support for 720p video recording.
• Transfer data faster with 801.11n Wi-Fi capabilities.
• Easily switch between the eight most recent applications.
• Enhanced browser performance for faster loading of
  JavaScript heavy pages.
• With Android 2.2, you can rotate your screen 270 degrees --either to the left or to the right when moving from portrait to landscape mode to work with apps in more directions.
• A new Mail Stream widget increases ease of use.
• Text Message Widget.
  The new text message widget offers fast access to your messages from the home screen with a quick swipe. Scroll up and down through the list of all your text conversations in one screen. Keep the conversation going, faster.
• Automatic app updates.
  Always have the latest versions of the applications you’ve
  downloaded with automatically updated Android Market™ apps.
  And you can choose to store applications in your device’s memory or on a storage card for more capacity.
• Play Visual Voicemail messages through speakers when connected to Bluetooth® car kit.
• Keep track of music with organized Music Player application.
• Updated People application to accommodate contacts with
  Facebook accounts.
• Access Corporate Directory information on Microsoft® Exchange.
• Save new contacts with “Save to People” option for Visual Voicemail.
• Call a number back immediately from text messages.
• Improved CityID application.
• Updated software changes provide improved security.
• Improved battery life.
• Manage Contacts more efficiently with updated contact details.
• Instantly know the strength of your signal with improved
  signal display.
• Connect to Visual Voicemail when Wi-Fi is enabled.
• Easily move between Today view and Agenda view in the
  Calendar application.
• Additional support for Backup Assistant PIN retrieval for
  new accounts.

So far I’ve been very happy.  The only negative I’ve experienced is that the number pad that pops up in-call (when trying to input passwords or interface with on-line menu systems) will not accept input.  This is a fairly substantial problem that I hope to remedy soon.  I can’t find anyone else experiencing this, so I’m wondering what the hell is up.

…

Best Free Android Power Management Widget - Toggle

The power management widget that comes as part of the HTC interface is great, but I’ve always been disappointed that it didn’t include the “airplane mode” toggle and even more importantly a ringer/vibrate/silence toggle.  It wasn’t enough of a nuisance that I was going to buy a different power management/toggle app, but it bugged me.

Today I went looking for a free app to improve this, and BK Mobility’s Power Widget is exactly what I’m looking for.  It’s the same size as the default system toggle app, but you can set it to include 7 (vs. 5) toggles.  You can also change the opacity and the active indicator color.  The application will be listed as “Free Power Widget” under your widgets menu, and allows you to change the various settings when you’re dropping it onto your home screen.

The brightness settings also allow for “auto” and then has a slider (vs. the lame “three levels” with the system power manager).

Toggles available are:

• WiFi On/Off
• Bluetooth On/Off (only Android 2.x)
• Ringer Mode (Normal, Silent, Vibration)
• Airplane Mode On/Off
• USB Mount/Unmount
• Lock Pattern Enable/Disable (only Android 1.x)
• Brightness Slider
• Brightness Toggle
• Auto Sync On/Off (only Android 2.x)
• Orientation
• GPS
• 2G/3G Link
• Timeout
• Stay Awake
• Always On
• Wifi Lock

Some people on the Android Market comments are bitching up a storm about the ad support, but it amounts to the app flashing “get the full version of Power Widget” for about two seconds in the tiny little icon bar at the very top of your screen (where the battery and network indicators are) when you click one of the toggles.

Who in the hell cares about that tiny little message if the app is free?!

Great widget.  Thanks BK Mobility.

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Google Finally Makes Multiple-Account Sign-In a Reality

Today I was finally able to use Google’s “official” multiple accounts sign-in.

I have quite a few Google accounts, because I administer and use quite a few online entities (for music, for film, for personal, for business, etc.).

It’s extremely frustrating when Google tries to streamline my online user experience by associating everything, especially now that they’ve been snatching up various other online accounts (like YouTube) that have even more log-in identities.

For instance, when, I’m Dan Beahm, producer of the film Leading Ladies, I don’t want all my “Dan Beahm the musician” stuff getting sucked into that wormhole.  If I’m working with online YouTube content for the film, but checking my personal e-mail, I run into all kinds of problems (one account taking over the other, one account kicking me out, etc.) because I have separate log-ins for my Film-centric YouTube account and my totally personal e-mail account (which is associated with my personal YouTube account, not my musician YouTube account or my film YouTube account).  See how this can get very annoying and confusing very quickly?

Previously the best way to avoid this was to use multiple browsers (a pain in the ass) or a plug in called Cookie Pie (which always made me nervous and didn’t always work).

Supposedly Google has now stopped cock-blocking multiple-account functionality by allowing for multiple-account sign-in.  If this works, it’ll be a dream come true.  Hopefully it will allow me to be logged into one account without letting the world know that I’m also logged into another account (or accidently posting something under the wrong identity), because anonymity in certain situations (preserving the identity of the man behind the curtain) is an absolute necessity for using the service (it’s the whole point).

Simply go here and make the appropriate choices to use this functionality.

https://www.google.com/accounts/

I’ll keep you posted as to how it goes.

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How to Sync Music, Video, Podcasts, and Playlists to Your Android Device (doubleTwist)

Last time I did a post on this topic, doubleTwist wasn’t available for the Droid Incredible.  Not only that, things were in beta, and the program was lacking in many, many ways.

Well, like a pack of Virginia Slims, these guys have come a loooooong way, baby (eesh --did I just write that?!).

The guys over at MarkSpace sent me a copy of Missing Sync for Android, and at first I thought they had the solution to things, but then I realized they were falling short by ignoring the fact that Android playlists HAVE TO be .m3u –which Missing Sync doesn’t convert or correct (not to mention the program was laggy and I couldn’t get the photo sync didn’t work at all).  Not to mention that The MissingSync does its thing over BlueTooth or WiFi, and while that may sound convenient… it takes FOREVER.

So after a couple of months I returned to the issue, and all online information seemed to be pointing to doubleTwist.

The doubleTwist player itself isn’t good enough to get me to stop using iTunes (I’ll still use iTunes, and then open up doubleTwist when I want to sync my device), but they seem pretty damn close to having things where they should be.  I can’t imagine that in the next couple of revisions they won’t have me abandoning iTunes altogether.

Everything else seems to be spot-on.  Things are so intuitive and self-explanatory, that I don’t think I really need to explain how to use the software.  Just plug in your device and go! 

NOTE: “Refresh playlists from iTunes” is not ticked by default, so don’t forget to open your doubleTwist preferences and mark the box so that the program refreshes your playlists.

VIDEO: I am actually astounded by how well this works.  It’s not that the concept is mind-blowing, it’s just that it actually works!  So many products have claimed the ability to do this, but none I have used have worked this well

I have a bunch of .avi files from recorded TV shows that won’t play on my Droid.  Rather than convert them all manually, I can simply add them to a playlist in doubleTwist and select that playlist to sync with my phone.  doubleTwist does all the work, and the files are converted during the sync!  The quality is great and the size is appropriate (an hour long television show sans commercials, so approximately 44 minutes, is around 320-330MB).

Positives:

• Great handling of Music (which is astoundingly absent from the suite of tools available for Android)
  
• Great handling of Podcasts (allows settings for number of episode to keep/sync)
  
• Great handling of Video (auto-converts to device appropriate format!)
  
• Great handling of Playlists (auto-converts playlists to Android-friendly .m3u’s!)
  
• Great handling of Photos (bring photos in from device, or sync photos from computer to device)

Gripes:

• It’s pretty slo-o-o-ow.  Even clicking on column headers to reorganize how your songs are displayed, there is some serious lag.
  
  Each time you open the program, doubleTwist re-imports your playlists content.  It takes forever.  I guess there’s no getting around this, as it needs to check your iTunes library and playlists each time (and I’ve got quite a bit of media), but perhaps there is some code to be written that will allow the software to look for changes instead of repopulating everything each time you open the program –actually, after checking things out I think this is what’s happening, but there’s got to be some more efficient code?
  
• The only application linked to the photo section is Flickr.  Seriously?!  Does anyone REALLY use Flickr anymore?  Please update this with Picasa, guys.

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Plugging in Android Device Launches Verizon Ad… EVERY TIME (fix)

I don’t know why more fuss hasn’t been made about the fact that Verizon has loaded up devices updated to Froyo with adware.  I was excited when my Droid Incredible updated to Froyo, but now every time I plug my device into my laptop, I’m asked if I want to install Verizon’s crappy media software, AND I’m taken to the Verizon VCast website, where a lengthy advertisement plays.

EVERY TIME I PLUG IN THE DEVICE.

The fix is also surprisingly hidden, but here is how you turn off the Verizon ad pop-up when you plug in your Android device (disable VCast launch):

• Dial ##7764726
• Hit Call
• Type Password is 000000
• Hit Feature Settings
• Choose CD ROM
• Click Disable
• Hit menu, commit modifications (it will say no item changed)
• Back out to home

For some reason, when I try the above, my keyboard won’t work and thus I cannot enter the password.  So, I tried the following method that another kind soul suggested:

What I found with this is that when the dialog to install the software is up if you check windows device manager you will see another cd drive.  if you right click that drive for the properties you can disable it so on future usb connections the software will not try to load.  This way you do not have to disable auto start for everything on the PC. –MrElk, Verizon Wireless Droid Community Forums

The above method definitely worked, but realize that you need to enter your Windows Device Manager WHILE the pop-up dialogue is open (once you dismiss the dialogue, the drive disappears from the Device Manager).  After restarting my computer, the phone still opens the windows “auto play” dialogue (which I want), but does NOT activate the VCast pop up or spawn a browser window with the VCast ad.

I also found this extremely interesting:

BTW: I contacted VZW through this site, about the pop-up and they said there was no way to disable it; that it would cease if I downloaded the software.  I gave that a shot even though I wasn't going to use it. Of course, after its downloaded, it starts up when you plug the phone in!!! –Jeff1953, Verizon Wireless Droid Community Forums

Isn’t it awesome that Verizon is LYING to their customers (as if the adware wasn’t heinous enough).

This is the GOVERNOR of Arizona, Jan Brewer

Seriously?  Yes, seriously.

Why do we worry about these people who call themselves the “majority?”  Better yet, why do people vote for them?  Oh, yeah… money.

 

DIRECT QUOTE (after loooooong moment of silence):  “We have did what was right for Arizona.  I will tell you that I have really did the best that anyone could do.  We have pushed back hard against the Federal Government.  We have filed suit against Obama healthcare, th.. and, and we have passed Senate bill 1070 and we will continue to do what’s right for Arizona.  I ask for your vote.  Thank you.”

Excellent, you fought the only means a lot of Americans have to receive healthcare and you took the first steps toward full-fledged hate laws.  Boffo, Jan.  Just boffo.

OH.  I forgot to mention… this is the same GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL who claimed that illegal aliens were leaving decapitated bodies in the AZ desert.  No basis for these claims whatsoever.  MAKING UP SHIT TO SUPPORT HER DRACONIAN LAWS.

Yeesh.

Unfortunately her Democratic opponent is still being CRUSHED by her in the poles.  What does that say?

I wonder if there are any old, rich, white people in Arizona?

…

Jed Clampett Decides to Burn Quran

I really hate to give ANY time or attention to this fucking asshole, but I think it’s important to point out just HOW MUCH this guy looks like Jed Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies.

Keep it up, Extreme “Right.”  Your feet already look like Swiss cheese; pretty soon you just won’t have any feet at all. (Yay!)

 

I also think it’s funny that people are responding with spreading rumors that this guy is a pedophile (Terry Jones, not Jed Clampett).