Exporting a DVD MPG2 in Fcp 5
 

Having problems exporting to DVD.

FCP3: was a lot easier exporting: file > export > quicktime > mpeg2

FCP5: file > export > Quicktime conversion > mpeg2
This gives me an error saying "Not Rendered, must be rendered before encoded."

Problem is the movie is rendered so I don't know what to do.

FCP5 offers another way to export using Compressor utility. I find it complicated and it exports the audio as aiff and dolbe.ac3. I thought FCP3 exported audio as a different file.

There are good reasons NOT to use QuickTime conversion to do the MPEG-2 for your video. Here is Larry Jordan's explanation of why, along with a recommended way to compress projects out of FCP:

http://www.larryjordan.biz/articles/lj_dvd_export.html

thx for the info. after reading it and doing my own reasearch i have a better understanding of the process.

The main reason I had used quicktime conversion because that was the only way i knew and it was convenient. I work in a hand to mouth operation where i only get paid after client sees his completed commercial. The quality of the encode isn't a crucial factor but time is. I discovered I was using too high quality encoding settings in compressor that was making the process of creating a dvd 30 second ad a 20 minute process. I long for the days of VHS where a 30 sec. ad took 30 sec. to create.

If I had my wish I'd put a burn button in FCP for easy dvd export. Oh well I just need to modify my process.