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

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.

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.

My project is a 4 min music video.

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.

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

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

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.

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

All G5s come with a Superdrive, the newer 106.

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.

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?

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.

<<<-- 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.

<<<-- 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.