View Full Version : How to Put Video on a DVD


Brock Burwell
October 26th, 2016, 09:21 AM
I'm fairly new to doing video production (2 or 3 years) and everything that I have done has been either delivered by jump drive or a file delivered online. I've never delivered by DVD before and I guess I have a few questions.

-I edit with final cut x and it has a DVD option when you export. For FCP users, is this how you normally do it or do you export it first and then use a different software to put it on a DVD?

-I recorded about 50 minutes worth of footage at an event and they want it all on the DVD. Will a DVD hold that much storage?

-Do you normally get the cover of the DVD customized for each project? What about the playback menu when you insert the disc?

Boyd Ostroff
October 26th, 2016, 10:33 AM
I haven't made a DVD since 2011, but back then I used DVD Studio Pro, which was part of the legacy Final Cut Pro Suite of Applications. I always hated that program, but it could certainly do everything you want. I think I was only able to get a little over an hour (maybe 90 minutes) on a DVD at best quality, pretty sure that you would have no problems with 50 minutes. I was making DVDs of opera performances back then, and definitely couldn't fit a full opera (2 to 3 hours) on one DVD.

AFAIK, Apple discontinued DVDSP and has not replaced it. I haven't tried the DVD option in FCPX yet since I have no need for DVD's anymore. I think iMove has some options for DVD's. I don't think either of these programs offer the level of control that DVDSP had in terms of creating menus, etc.

I'd also be curious about what options are still available today, you never know when someone will ask for one. :)

Dave Farrants
October 26th, 2016, 11:20 AM
Got to disagree with Boyd ;-)

DVDSP was great program - I was using it just today.

You could try this on a Mac - DVDStyler - Free DVD Authoring Application (http://www.dvdstyler.org/en/)

You can produce a simple menu and buttons and then burn.

Jeff Pulera
October 26th, 2016, 02:19 PM
You can actually fit upwards of 3 hours on a single DVD. All depends on the bitrate you encode at, and the content of scene. Not suggesting this is always a good idea, but for talking head video with static background looks great. My DVDs are usually in the 2 hour range, never a complaint from customers.

Thanks

Jeff