What is the SIMPLEST/EASIEST way to make a DVD (w/o a menu...just the vid on the timeline) from an HDV project (1080 60i...1440x1080) in FCP5? I'm sure this has been addressed before (how many times have you read that statement?), and I searched for a solution; but I can't find a good answer. Please forgive me for the unoriginality of this question. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

-Austin Walton

The simplest way is to use one of compressor's DVD presets and create a m2v and ac3 (or aif).

Then open DVD Studio Pro. Drag the m2v and ac3 into "Track 1." You can set the "first play" for the DVD to "Track 1" and delete "menu 1." That's it really.

If you want the track to loop, just select it and set the "jump to" to track 1 and it will loop forever.

Tim,

Thanks. New to FCP and HDV, and not very tech savvy (more of a pretty picture guy; but I'm trying to learn the tech stuff). What about simply recording my timeline to tape (using my Z1). Sorry, I'm tired and desperate...

Austin

...And how do I make sure I get the right settings in Compressor?

Tim,

Thanks. New to FCP and HDV, and not very tech savvy (more of a pretty picture guy; but I'm trying to learn the tech stuff). ...
...And how do I make sure I get the right settings in Compressor?
I guess I should give you detailed step-by-step instructions. Here's a method that will skip Compressor, and let DVD Studio Pro do the compression.

Select the sequence you want to export to DVD.
Clear your IN and OUT markers on the sequence (option+"i" & option+"o") (or mark only the region to export)
Go to the "File" menu and choose "Export -- Quicktime Movie"
Point to the folder you want to save in
Select "Current Settings, Include Audio & Video" Markers should be set to "none" unless you created chapter markers.
Make sure "Recompress All Frames" is UNchecked.
Checkmark "Make Movie Self-Contained" if you have enough hard drive space, or uncheck it if you are running short.
Click "Save"
Close FCP.
Launch DVD Studio Pro 4.
Hit the F3 button to go into "Advanced Configuration"
On the lower-right side you will see a palette with "UNTITLED_DISC" as the title. Immediately underneath that you will see an option for "First Play" set for "Menu 1." Change it to "Track & Stories -->Track 1-->{Track}"
On this same pallette confirm that you are set for SD and NTSC
Look in the upper-left of the screen and you will notice two squares - one is blue (Menu 1) and one is Green (Track 1.) Select Menu 1 and hit the delete button.
Drag your exported quicktime movie from the Finder to the Green box labeled Track 1
Click the round Yellow/black "BURN" button at the top of the screen and insert a blank DVD-R. DVD SP4 will now encode and mux a simple DVD without a menu.


What about simply recording my timeline to tape (using my Z1).
Sure. You can do that by using "Print to Tape" from the file menu, but how does that help you make a DVD?

Sorry for my ignorance. I was in a time crunch for a video I had shot for my family. Was able to get it using iDVD.

Re: printing to tape...I couldn't get it to burn to DVD, so... : )

I'll leave the board alone now.

Sorry for my ignorance. I was in a time crunch for a video I had shot for my family. Was able to get it using iDVD.

Re: printing to tape...I couldn't get it to burn to DVD, so... : )

I'll leave the board alone now.

Well if you are using iDVD, just follow the first 9 steps to export a quicktime, then open iDVD and drag the file in. iDVD is a super easy program to use.

I was attempting to use DVD Studio, gave up and used iDVD. And, yes, it was easy...I figured it out. Your step by step will certainly help in the future. The manual was just a little to thick the other night...

Thanks.

when you get around to trying dvdsp don't forget to set your "preferences" in dvdsp for hd 16:9. It's just a button or two within the prefs. When you're not in a hurry you should got through each tab in the dvdsp prefs (manual is pretty good guide on this) and see what's in there. For sure you want to at least set it for hd 16:9 and not sd 4:3.

I want my 16:9 HDV to display in in a 4:3 letterbox. I ended up with 16:9 squeezed into the 4:3 display. How do I get it to preserve the aspect ratio? (I tried to do this when outputting from FCP using the Quicktime Converstion. I checked the "Preserve aspect ratio" check box but it still came out distorted.)

Hey Rob,
http://www.proapptips.com/proapptipsvideotutorials/879F6B61-CFF9-4FD1-8D43-FDF89605611A/6ECEC931-47F1-4BC1-8CD4-41FE4842B45D.html

Robert,

My problem was not exporting using the Apple Intermediate Codec. Try exporting using that and see if it works.

Austin

I guess I should give you detailed step-by-step instructions. Here's a method that will skip Compressor, and let DVD Studio Pro do the compression.

Select the sequence you want to export to DVD.
Clear your IN and OUT markers on the sequence (option+"i" & option+"o") (or mark only the region to export)
Go to the "File" menu and choose "Export -- Quicktime Movie"
Point to the folder you want to save in
Select "Current Settings, Include Audio & Video" Markers should be set to "none" unless you created chapter markers.
Make sure "Recompress All Frames" is UNchecked.
Checkmark "Make Movie Self-Contained" if you have enough hard drive space, or uncheck it if you are running short.
Click "Save"
Close FCP.
Launch DVD Studio Pro 4.
Hit the F3 button to go into "Advanced Configuration"
On the lower-right side you will see a palette with "UNTITLED_DISC" as the title. Immediately underneath that you will see an option for "First Play" set for "Menu 1." Change it to "Track & Stories -->Track 1-->{Track}"
On this same pallette confirm that you are set for SD and NTSC
Look in the upper-left of the screen and you will notice two squares - one is blue (Menu 1) and one is Green (Track 1.) Select Menu 1 and hit the delete button.
Drag your exported quicktime movie from the Finder to the Green box labeled Track 1
Click the round Yellow/black "BURN" button at the top of the screen and insert a blank DVD-R. DVD SP4 will now encode and mux a simple DVD without a menu.


Sure. You can do that by using "Print to Tape" from the file menu, but how does that help you make a DVD?

Sorry to drag this one back up from the depths, but it's been pointed my way as a very helpful post requiring a quick turnaround.

My situation differs ever so slightly - I need a complete DVD but with a very basic menu. Therefore instead if I require a simple menu I should ignore the 'delete menu 1' option and create a simple front menu screen from there - I'm thinking of having a portion of the filmed looped alongside a portion of the audio (not necessarily from the same piece of footage). Copyright issues will not allow me to add soundtrack and I do not have the original soundtrack (it's a school theatre play).

The footage was shot in 16:9 progressive, although the resolution panel in DVD studio Pro mentions (i) for interlaced? As this will be viewed by parents using a number of different type of sets (some 4:3 others widescreen etc) I have set the display to 16:9 letterbox (it is a requirement to have this look on 4:3 sets over pan and scan).

Aside from getting to grips with creating a simple menu am I good to go?
I was originally going to export to compressor, but not sure if that is necessary at the moment.
Many thanks.