Burning DVD from FCP4 at DVinfo.net

Matt Concialdi · November 8th, 2003, 08:10 PM

I have a dual G5 using FCP4 and I am wondering what is the best way to make DVD's from my work in FCP? I want to get the best quality output that I can.

Do I need to purchase better software to burn DVD's or will iDVD work with Compressor or Quicktime? Will my internal DVD burner work or should I use an external DVD?

I'd appriciate all the advice I can get. Thanks,

Matt

Glenn Chan · November 8th, 2003, 08:45 PM

How long is your project? Shorter projects are easier to encode onto a DVD. You can try iDVD to see if it's good enough for you. If you're looking for better authoring and more control over compression then get DVD Studio Pro 2.

November 9th, 2003, 02:35 AM

FCP 4 comes with "Compressor" which is way better than Studio Pro 2, also FCP 4 has a good output for DVD through the export.

I do agree that Studio Pro would be the best ticket for making DVDs on a Mac. There is Toast it does not allow menus yet it does allow DVD/RW for testing you can burn multi sessions.

Matt Concialdi · November 10th, 2003, 02:01 PM

My project is a 4 min music video.

Matt Concialdi · November 10th, 2003, 02:05 PM

I've tried to use iDVD and for some reason it is not playing or burning. I convered to quicktime and imported it in. It played it but there was no audio and it said that it was unable to complete to burn.

Could I be doing something wrong when I compress it? What is the best way to compress and convert. How should I import it?

Thanks for your help. I am so confused. It sounds easy when I go through the tutorials and the help files but when I try it, it doesn't work.

Rick Banfield · November 10th, 2003, 03:01 PM

Important to save project as dvd project, before you do anything else and keep saving it often. I had the same problem and ok since I've been doing this.

Rick

November 10th, 2003, 03:01 PM

How are you exporting it?? Are you making it an MPEG2?

Matt Concialdi · November 10th, 2003, 04:48 PM

I exported it as a MPEG 2 with compressor, however I it doesn't work with iDVD so I think I need to get a compatable program. With quicktime, it is not giving me that option, only MPEG 4, and audio AIFF.

I'll look into saving it as DVD. Thanks.

Jeff Donald · November 10th, 2003, 04:57 PM

Is your internal DVD burner a SuperDrive that came with your G5 or did you install it?

November 10th, 2003, 05:18 PM

All G5s come with a Superdrive, the newer 106.

Jeff Donald · November 10th, 2003, 06:22 PM

I know several people who have removed them for different models, burners etc. Just checking, iDVD should work with the stock drive. Do you have QuickTime Pro registered as the Pro version? Check your registration. More options like MPEG2 should be available.

November 10th, 2003, 06:28 PM

iDVD limits the time to your video and it also puts that nice little ad in your DVD you know the one that little itty bitty "Apple Logo"

Why do they do that?

Matt Concialdi · November 10th, 2003, 07:43 PM

My G5 has a superdrive, I've kept everything stock.

Do you guys recommend exporting from FCP4 using Quicktime conversion or quicktime movie? Is there anything specific that I should make sure I have selected on the exporting menu? And how should I go about importing it into iDVD?

I am trying to go for the best possible quality for a 4 min. music video. I shot on a XL1 so I have great picture quality and dubbing it over to VHS just looks like crap. I am hoping that burning it to DVD will look more like my master I made on MiniDV tape.

Mark Newhouse · November 11th, 2003, 01:01 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Tom Neumann : iDVD limits the time to your video and it also puts that nice little ad in your DVD you know the one that little itty bitty "Apple Logo"

Why do they do that? -->>>

It's a (free with your computer) consumer product.

That said, iDVD allows for up to 90 minutes of video now. That's about the limit you can get without 2 pass VBR encoding or other advanced features that they've rolled into Compressor (DVD Studio Pro 2 or FCP4).

And you can turn the Apple logo off in the preferences.

Mark Newhouse · November 11th, 2003, 01:08 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Matt Concialdi : Do you guys recommend exporting from FCP4 using Quicktime conversion or quicktime movie? Is there anything specific that I should make sure I have selected on the exporting menu? And how should I go about importing it into iDVD?

I am trying to go for the best possible quality for a 4 min. music video. -->>>

Export as a Final Cut Pro Movie from FCP. iDVD takes care of the conversion to MPEG2 for you. Then you can simply drag the movie from the Finder into the DVD.

For a 4 minute music video, you'll get the highest quality compression that iDVD allows, and it should look nearly as good as your MiniDV version.

November 8th, 2003, 08:10 PM	#1
Matt Concialdi Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mission Viejo Posts: 28	Burning DVD from FCP4 I have a dual G5 using FCP4 and I am wondering what is the best way to make DVD's from my work in FCP? I want to get the best quality output that I can. Do I need to purchase better software to burn DVD's or will iDVD work with Compressor or Quicktime? Will my internal DVD burner work or should I use an external DVD? I'd appriciate all the advice I can get. Thanks, Matt

November 10th, 2003, 03:01 PM	#6
Rick Banfield Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Australian Posts: 34	Matt Important to save project as dvd project, before you do anything else and keep saving it often. I had the same problem and ok since I've been doing this. Rick

November 10th, 2003, 04:57 PM	#9
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Is your internal DVD burner a SuperDrive that came with your G5 or did you install it? __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

November 10th, 2003, 06:22 PM	#11
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I know several people who have removed them for different models, burners etc. Just checking, iDVD should work with the stock drive. Do you have QuickTime Pro registered as the Pro version? Check your registration. More options like MPEG2 should be available. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

November 11th, 2003, 01:01 AM	#14
Mark Newhouse Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 63	<<<-- Originally posted by Tom Neumann : iDVD limits the time to your video and it also puts that nice little ad in your DVD you know the one that little itty bitty "Apple Logo" Why do they do that? -->>> It's a (free with your computer) consumer product. That said, iDVD allows for up to 90 minutes of video now. That's about the limit you can get without 2 pass VBR encoding or other advanced features that they've rolled into Compressor (DVD Studio Pro 2 or FCP4). And you can turn the Apple logo off in the preferences. __________________ --Mark

November 8th, 2003, 08:45 PM	#2
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	How long is your project? Shorter projects are easier to encode onto a DVD. You can try iDVD to see if it's good enough for you. If you're looking for better authoring and more control over compression then get DVD Studio Pro 2.

November 9th, 2003, 02:35 AM	#3
Guest Posts: n/a	FCP 4 comes with "Compressor" which is way better than Studio Pro 2, also FCP 4 has a good output for DVD through the export. I do agree that Studio Pro would be the best ticket for making DVDs on a Mac. There is Toast it does not allow menus yet it does allow DVD/RW for testing you can burn multi sessions.

November 10th, 2003, 02:01 PM	#4
Matt Concialdi Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mission Viejo Posts: 28	My project is a 4 min music video.

November 10th, 2003, 02:05 PM	#5
Matt Concialdi Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mission Viejo Posts: 28	I've tried to use iDVD and for some reason it is not playing or burning. I convered to quicktime and imported it in. It played it but there was no audio and it said that it was unable to complete to burn. Could I be doing something wrong when I compress it? What is the best way to compress and convert. How should I import it? Thanks for your help. I am so confused. It sounds easy when I go through the tutorials and the help files but when I try it, it doesn't work.

November 10th, 2003, 04:48 PM	#8
Matt Concialdi Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mission Viejo Posts: 28	I exported it as a MPEG 2 with compressor, however I it doesn't work with iDVD so I think I need to get a compatable program. With quicktime, it is not giving me that option, only MPEG 4, and audio AIFF. I'll look into saving it as DVD. Thanks.

November 10th, 2003, 05:18 PM	#10
Guest Posts: n/a	All G5s come with a Superdrive, the newer 106.

November 10th, 2003, 06:28 PM	#12
Guest Posts: n/a	iDVD limits the time to your video and it also puts that nice little ad in your DVD you know the one that little itty bitty "Apple Logo" Why do they do that?

November 10th, 2003, 07:43 PM	#13
Matt Concialdi Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Mission Viejo Posts: 28	My G5 has a superdrive, I've kept everything stock. Do you guys recommend exporting from FCP4 using Quicktime conversion or quicktime movie? Is there anything specific that I should make sure I have selected on the exporting menu? And how should I go about importing it into iDVD? I am trying to go for the best possible quality for a 4 min. music video. I shot on a XL1 so I have great picture quality and dubbing it over to VHS just looks like crap. I am hoping that burning it to DVD will look more like my master I made on MiniDV tape.

November 11th, 2003, 01:08 AM	#15
Mark Newhouse Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 63	<<<-- Originally posted by Matt Concialdi : Do you guys recommend exporting from FCP4 using Quicktime conversion or quicktime movie? Is there anything specific that I should make sure I have selected on the exporting menu? And how should I go about importing it into iDVD? I am trying to go for the best possible quality for a 4 min. music video. -->>> Export as a Final Cut Pro Movie from FCP. iDVD takes care of the conversion to MPEG2 for you. Then you can simply drag the movie from the Finder into the DVD. For a 4 minute music video, you'll get the highest quality compression that iDVD allows, and it should look nearly as good as your MiniDV version. __________________ --Mark