Blu-Ray and Drives

[pablops]

I poked around the forums a while and couldn't find answers to my questions, so would appreciate input on this:
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When I bought the Dell MultiMedia machine I'm using for HD, I found that the drive wouldn't write AVCHD disks. It took a long time and much experimentation but finally after 3 drives from Dell I bought one off the web that would write AVCHD successfully. QUESTIONS:

1 - Generically speaking will a drive that writes AVCHD possibly also write Blu-Ray format? Is there a difference? Or do I need a specific drive to write Blu-Ray disks?

2 - I noted in the software I'm using (Corel's Ulead 11+) that if I choose "Blu-Ray" instead of "AVCHD" that it asks for different medie - i.e., a "BD-R" disc and I'm wondering if that means a new drive or different drive? I have written AVCHD discs that I shot with my Sony SR1 in HD that play fine on my Blu-Ray player, but obviously that doesn't mean I understand all the nuances. (I guess this is basically the same question but from a slightly different point of view.)

[Rojas]

AVCHD writes the blu-Ray format on to a standard DVD-R or DVD+R
disk, you burn it with a standard DVD RW burner.
You don't need a Blu-ray writer or Blu-ray media at all.


If you want to write a 25GB or 50GB disk then you will need a Blu-ray writer.
And yes you will have to choose the Blu-ray option in VideoStudio not
AVCHD.

[pablops]

Thanks for the answers.

So please let me see if I understand it correctly - I can do Blu-Ray and AVCHD with the writer/burner drive I have. The only problem is that if I want to do it to the really large discs (i.e. 25 and up) then I have to get a new writer - specifically a Blu-Ray writer?

[Chevypower]

Yes that is correct, though some authoring programs won't do AVC or MPEG 2 Blu Ray file to standard DVD. Sony DVD Architect 5.0 will definitely do it, Adobe Encore CS3 will not. Blu Ray players will not automatically play these files you have to manually go in to the menu to do it. On a PS3 you click on the disc, then click on stream then click on the file. AVC is noticabely better than MPEG 2.

[pablops]

Thanks much for the help, both of you.