Weird issue with using Smart Copy/Smart Render in MEP 2019 Premium

jak.willis wrote on 9/23/2025, 10:59 AM

Hi,

I have got some H.264 MP4 files that are encoded in 1920x1080 @ 25fps.

I have placed these files onto the timeline, using separate projects (new movie) for each file. I have then accessed the burn menu, created a disc menu, and chosen Blu-ray to burn to.

I was under the impression that because the files are in 1920x1080 and encoded in H.264 with an MP4 container, that they would be ‘Blu-ray compliant’ and so that I could use Smart copy (or smart render) to simply burn the files to the disc without having to re-encode everything.

When I bring up the dialog for the smart copy results, it tells me that smart render/copy could not be started, etc, and states that ‘audio effects are active (re-sampling)’…but there ARE NO audio effects active and none have been used whatsoever. I haven’t even made any cuts or trims to the videos on the timeline.

So does anyone know what’s going on here and why it’s telling me audio effects are active when they’re not??

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 9/23/2025, 12:36 PM

@jak.willis

Hi Jak

See this topic regarding Smart Copy and how finicky it is.

John EB

jak.willis wrote on 9/23/2025, 12:39 PM

@jak.willis

Hi Jak

See this topic regarding Smart Copy and how finicky it is.

John EB

Hi John,

Yes, but I really don’t understand why it would say there are effects active when they’re not?

emmrecs wrote on 9/23/2025, 1:17 PM

@jak.willis

I wonder whether the error message you see is actually something of a "red herring"?

As I understand it, when exporting any video files with the aim of creating either a DVD or BD, there must be some degree of re-encoding happening in order to create a fully-compliant disc, i.e., one that is playable in a standard DVD or BD player.

One other thought: what is the sample rate and bit rate of the audio of the files you are seeking to burn to BD disc?

Jeff
Forum Moderator

johnebaker wrote on 9/23/2025, 1:20 PM

@jak.willis

Hi Jak

. . . . why it would say there are effects active when they’re not . . . .

The main cause of Smart Copy not working is generally effects. and/or different parameters for the source and export, however Smart Copy is not smart enough to determine which and has only the one error message. .

Can you give us a MediaInfo analysis of a source file and the exported files.

If you do not have MediaInfo installed, download it from here and install, see this tutorial on how to setup MediaInfo and analyse a video clip for all the data required.

John EB

jak.willis wrote on 9/23/2025, 2:31 PM

@jak.willis

I wonder whether the error message you see is actually something of a "red herring"?

As I understand it, when exporting any video files with the aim of creating either a DVD or BD, there must be some degree of re-encoding happening in order to create a fully-compliant disc, i.e., one that is playable in a standard DVD or BD player.

One other thought: what is the sample rate and bit rate of the audio of the files you are seeking to burn to BD disc?

Jeff
Forum Moderator

Hello there,

Here is a screenshot of the audio details as they appear in a mediainfo analysis:

jak.willis wrote on 9/23/2025, 2:34 PM

@jak.willis

Hi Jak

. . . . why it would say there are effects active when they’re not . . . .

The main cause of Smart Copy not working is generally effects. and/or different parameters for the source and export, however Smart Copy is not smart enough to determine which and has only the one error message. .

Can you give us a MediaInfo analysis of a source file and the exported files.

If you do not have MediaInfo installed, download it from here and install, see this tutorial on how to setup MediaInfo and analyse a video clip for all the data required.

John EB

Here is a mediainfo analysis of one of the files: