Exporting project to QT using MPEG2 encoder.

[Dan Uneken]

Trying to burn our first DVD using output from a project in FCP3, using MPEG 2 Studio Pro encoder results in 2 different files which don't play as they should.

What we did:
From FCP export via format MPEG 2
it gives a file with extension .M2V, while we expected an .MPG (?)

It exports the file and it splits audio from video.
The audio is called .AIF and the video is .M2V

Then we use Toast Titanium 5.2 to burn this with a Lacy DVD burner.
Putting the DVD in a PC, we see that there are the two separate files; the video plays, the audio plays, as separate files, but not together.
The Mac (where it was generated and burned in the first place) spits out the DVD as soon as we put it in.

This probably is the first step on a long road to burning outr first DVD, or is it a bit simpler than this? Is there any "step-by-step" guide on how to go about burning DVD's?

Thanks very much!

[John Britt]

You cannot simply burn an .m2v or .mpeg to a DVD -- you must "author" the DVD. This means taking that .m2v (the audio file will come along automatically in most cases) or .mpeg and importing it into an authoring program. The authoring program will create VOB files that can be read by a DVD player.

I'm a PC fellow, so I don't know if Toast has DVD authoring capabilities. In my case, I use Premiere to create .m2v and .wav files. I then import those files into Sonic MyDVD. MyDVD creates the VOB files and authors a DVD for me by creating two folders: VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS. I then burn these two folders to a DVD as data (there will be nothing in your AUDIO_TS folder, but some older set-top players still look for it anyway).

A good source for info on creating DVDs is www.dvdrhelp.com -- go to their Guides section (you'll find a link on the left-hand side of the home page)

[Joshua Kopple]

I just installed DVDSP 1.5 and I was under the impression that the option, when outputting from FCP for DVD authoring, for encoding the audio in AC-3 format would just automatically pull up under the Export->Quicktime Movie option...

I don't see it. I see a bunch of other random audio formats but not AC-3 or A.Pack or whatever...

When I export my footage from FCP3, encoding in Mpeg-2 (m2v) is no problem...the option is right there in the open. How do I output the audio to ac-3? And is it necessary? Will .AIF work in DVDSP 1.5?

[Kirsten Scully]

I am trying to export a project from Final Cut Pro and make a DVD. I have freeze frames (with De-enlace filter applied). When I convert to MPEG-2 through DVD studio pro and play the finished DVD on a computer screen, the images are fine. However, when I play the DVD on a TV screen every one of the still images flicker.
Can anyone please tell me what is happening? Thanks

[Riley Florence]

You want the M2v files, those are nice, heh, audio in AIFF will work in DVD SP, or you open A.Pack, and then set your Target to DVD Video, im assuming you are doing a stereo video, no surround sound stuff, so set Audio Coding mode to 2/0(L,R). Your data rate should be at 192, then your dialog normalization set it to -31. Now jump over to your processing tab, and turn everything off. You dont want anything checked in that tab, otherwise it wont sound awesome.

Now what you are going to do is find your AIFF file in the finder, and drag it onto the Left and Right squares, selecting the appropriate option. AIFF's are stereo by default, so select the correct channel, and then push encode. After a little time you have yourself a beautfiul AC-3 file. Now you can import that into DVD SP and save some space, or just use the AIFF file, i always encode mine to AC-3 though. If you have any other DVD authoring questions you can either post em on this board or e-mail me directly, im more then willing to help. Good luck

Kirsten I personally havent experienced this problem, if you could, send me a copy of the still image, i will take a look at it and maybe i can figure something out. Is it possible that you have thin lines in your image? Sometimes thats really hard on TVs or maybe your colors are NTSC illegal, which will sometimes cause that problem as well.

[Jake Russell]

While in the processing tab set the compression preset to 'none' also.

There might be some useful links/guides here:

http://www.dvdstudiopro.ch/english/index2.html

Martin Sitters books you'll see at that site are reall good as well. There is one for dvdsp 1 & 2 and they're both great. I loved the 1st one and have to like the 2nd as I'm acknowledged in it :-)

Jake

[Jake Russell]

Joshua Kopple. The QT export that you've got with FCPro 3 & dvdsp 1.5.x isn't the best so you may want to upgrade dvdsp(or FCPro) or maybe look at BitVice(innobits.se).

Jake