DVD Studio Pro 4 Manual

I have had studio pro suite since it's release and only now find myself needing a manual for DVDSP. Did a manual come with the suite?
Thanks,
Gary

As Pascal says, it is a physical manual. I'm surprised that you've forgotten really, because the whole FCS box weighs a ton! There's a clue btw, that when searching in the rubble you might look for an almost cube shaped black box that weighs quite a bit. It would contain all of the manuals for the FCS programs. Each individual manual is also mostly black.

Similar Messages

Provide Feedback for the DVD Studio Pro User Manual and Onscreen Help Here

The Apple documentation team for professional video applications would like to know what you think about the DVD Studio Pro 4 Help documentation (available in the Help menu):
• How often do you use the DVD Studio Pro Help documentation? Under what circumstances do you use it most?
• How do you find what you're looking for in DVD Studio Pro Help? For example: table of contents, index, skimming, PDF links, PDF search?
• What do you like most about DVD Studio Pro Help?
• What is missing?
• Are there any particular examples of other manuals or documentation that you consider to be good models for future editions of the DVD Studio Pro User Manual and onscreen help?
• By what method do you usually learn a new application? For example: provided tutorials and manuals, third-party tutorials or books, training classes?
• What do you think is the most difficult feature/concept to grasp in DVD Studio Pro?
• What's the most frustrating experience you've had with the DVD Studio Pro Help documentation?
• Do you prefer electronic or print documentation?
• Are there any other delivery methods or media you think we should explore?
• What size computer display do you typically use to view the onscreen help? For example: 15-inch, 17-inch, 20-inch, 23-inch, or 30-inch?
• What resolution is the computer display set to when you view onscreen help? For example: 1024 x 768, 1280 x 854, or 1920 x 1200 pixels?
• Do you use multiple computer displays?

• How often do you use the DVD Studio Pro Help
documentation? Under what circumstances do you use it
most?
I'm working with DVSP for 4 months, so everytime I don't know how to do something I use the documentation. As the times passes I almost don't need it so often.
• How do you find what you're looking for in DVD
Studio Pro Help? For example: table of contents,
index, skimming, PDF links, PDF search?
PDF Search, but I think is not the best way to search because it shows too much useless results.
• What do you like most about DVD Studio Pro Help?
It is powerful and easy to use.
• What is missing?
A way of editing the DVD Project Source Code. Let me explain: in some big projects I just need to change the Jump from "button_1" to "button_2", and to do that I need to find the button under my menus and choose it from a list. If I can just type "2" instead of "1" it will be faster and error-free.
Advancing in this idea, if I can open the entire link list as a Source Code in TextEdit, I can see all the buttons and link all of them without seeking for each on menus.
Today the Connections Tab helps a lot, but I still need to find the button un the menus. With 5 or 4 menus is easy, but sometimes I have 50...
• Are there any particular examples of other manuals
or documentation that you consider to be good models
for future editions of the DVD Studio Pro User Manual
and onscreen help?
The OSX help is great!
• By what method do you usually learn a new
application? For example: provided tutorials and
manuals, third-party tutorials or books, training
classes?
Manuals, third-party tutorials and discussions foruns.
• What do you think is the most difficult
feature/concept to grasp in DVD Studio Pro?
• What's the most frustrating experience you've had
with the DVD Studio Pro Help documentation?
Using scripts. It could be better with a lot of examples. "To do that, try this one".
• Do you prefer electronic or print documentation?
In electronic is easy to find things.
• Are there any other delivery methods or media you
think we should explore?
• What size computer display do you typically use to
view the onscreen help? For example: 15-inch,
17-inch, 20-inch, 23-inch, or 30-inch?
I use AppleCinema 20
• What resolution is the computer display set to when
you view onscreen help? For example: 1024 x 768, 1280
x 854, or 1920 x 1200 pixels?
1650x1050
• Do you use multiple computer displays?
No.

The difference between chapter markers and dvd studio pro markers

Does anyone know what is the difference between chapter markers and dvd studio pro markers? I can not find anywhere on Google. Also in the tutorials I have seen, suggesting DVD Studio Pro markers, but it did not mention the chapter markers.
Thanks,

"Adding Chapter and Compression Markers to Your Sequence
Once you have your edited sequence or program finished, you can add markers to the sequence for use on DVD. Markers are reference points you can place within clips or sequences that identify specific frames. There are two kinds of markers you can add that directly relate to authoring a DVD—chapter markers and compression markers.
• Chapter markers allow DVD authoring applications to create a navigable chapter list for your exported QuickTime movie. Chapter markers force MPEG keyframes (known as I-frames) at their location, since the DVD specification requires an I-frame at each chapter point.
• Compression markers identify areas of abrupt change and include two types: those that are automatically inserted by Final Cut Pro at all edit points, and those you manually place in the clip or sequence. Like chapter markers, compression markers force I-frames at their location, although in this case it is for better quality encoding, and they are not used to create a chapter list.
Note: When you export a QuickTime movie, you have an option to export various kinds of markers, including compression, chapter, or DVD Studio Pro markers. *When you choose to export DVD Studio Pro markers, Final Cut Pro actually exports chapter markers and all compression markers.* This includes compression markers you set manually, as well as ones created automatically by Final Cut Pro at edit and transition points."
From the Final Cut Pro User Manual.
So, JS was right the first time

Recording standard dvd from completed FCP project thru DVD STUDIO PRO...

OH, kind geniuses...
it boils down to this...I'm very FCP friendly...production is done...I'm aware of "compressor" issue...one question tho
...is it easier to compress thru Quicktime movie or the
standard compressor functions when project is completed...
BOTTOM LINE...is it possible to crank out a standard DVD copy of a completed FCP project QUICKLY/ EASILY...thru
DVD STUDIO PRO? i've went thru the manuals for ALL, and am
affraid I'm reading T.M.I. into it... THE question..."is there a simple Wham-Bam-Thank You-Maam way to get a simple
DVD copy from a completed FCP project THRU, (the dreaded)
DVD STUDIO PRO??? I don't need to re-learn digital electronic theory...just crank out a gawl-dern DVD I can
present to a perspective employer that needs a FCP editor...
"much gnashing of teeth & lament",
thanks folks!
G. Tirebiter
mac G-5 Mac OS X (10.4.7) final cut studio

whoaohohohohohohoh nnnnnnneleeeee(a keith jacksonism)
silal..............
way too much info, amigo....I have one track (2min total...
including "live-type" graphics)....we don' have no marks....
we don' need no marks....we don' got to cho you any steenking marks!!!!! (Alfonso Bedoya from "treasure of Sierra Madre"..adaptation)...I love that guy/scene...back to the problem at hand...waaaay too involved it seems, my
friend....tho, I high 5 you for the extensive work & effort.
I'm lookin' for quick & dirty...did get a response that basically gives me that...still left out some "see spot run"
info that my "little grey cells" aren't absorbing...I'm
sure it's MY ignorance & comprehension skills that are in question here...I guess I wanna' get outa' th' gate & grab th' hole shot before I dial in my ride...like I said..."see spot run"....another try would be appreciated but not necessary...thanks for you're valuable time...
they're in.......everybody's eggs...
DOH!....
G. Tirebiter
mac G-5 Mac OS X (10.4.7) final cut studio

Export markers from Final Cut Pro X to DVD Studio Pro

Hello,
After finding out how to create chapters via markers in Final Cut Pro we wonder how to export these markers to DVD Studio Pro without having to create ourselves a .txt file and writing the names and the times of the markers in it to export it to DVD Studio Pro. Isn't there a way to make this happen automatically?
Unfortunately the new version of Final Cut Pro doesn't have an export to Quick Time Player and this is why this kind of solution falls out and we really need to create the markers first in Final Cut Pro and not directly in DVD Studio.
Is there a solution?
Thank you.

At present, you cannot add chapter markers in FCP X.
If you send the project to Compressor, you can add chapter markers there, or you can add them in DVD SP.
You can add the chapter markers in Compressor or DVD SP manually, or if you create a text file listing the exact timecode positions (from FCP X storyline) where you want the chapter markers to be (each on a new line) Compressor (or DVD SP) will automatically insert the markers when you point it to the text file.
Andy

Propper Compressions: from Final Cut Pro to DVD Studio Pro?

Ok, so i have a project on Final Cut Pro, what are the right compressions that i would need to do to get my project to DVD Studio Pro?

First take a long look at the manual and the tutorial.
Then elect the preset in Compressor that fit to the total length of your movie. Less than 90 minutes = 90 minute preset for video. Whatever yours is.
Then encode audio in compressor to Dolby 2.
Best to do the DVD SP tutorial. Your question is basic.
good luck

Is there is a way to export the themes from iDVD to DVD Studio Pro?

OK...so here's what I'm trying to find out: is there is a way to export the themes from iDVD to DVD Studio Pro? Or can I build the project in DVDSTPRO and import it to iDVD to build and burn?
I've read several threads here and haven't come across my specific question. If I missed it, please copy me a link. Otherwise, I'd like to use the templates/themes in iDVD with my FCP project.
I was thinking about importing the project from FCP to iDVD. Then, I thought about the markers etc....
So, if anyone had an idea, tip or link, I'm all for it!
Thanks!
ron

Importing iDVD Projects and Themes
DVD Studio Pro 4 can import projects from iDVD 3 and iDVD 4. You can import an iDVD theme by using the theme in a project within iDVD and importing the project into DVD Studio Pro. When creating the project within iDVD, you do not need to use the final assets or make a complete project.
Note: DVD Studio Pro will not import projects from iDVD 1, iDVD 2, and iDVD 5. In general, iDVD needs to be installed on the same system as DVD Studio Pro. An exception is if you import an iDVD 4 archive project.
To import an iDVD project or archived project into DVD Studio Pro:
1 Do one of the following:
• Choose File > Open.
• Press Command-O.
2 Locate and select the iDVD project or iDVD 4 archive project in the Open dialog, then click Open.
DVD Studio Pro imports the iDVD project.
About the iDVD Project Import
When DVD Studio Pro imports an iDVD 3 or iDVD 4 project or iDVD 4 archive project, it has standard locations it looks for to find the assets and themes used in the project. This is especially important if the project uses custom themes.
The standard locations that DVD Studio Pro uses are (in this order):
• iDVD project bundle: This is the file created when you save the project.
• [user]/Library/iDVD/Favorites: This folder is located in your home folder.
• [root]/Library/iDVD/Favorites: This folder is located at the root of your disk.
• /Network/Library/iDVD/Favorites: This folder is on a network system specifically
configured by your system administrator for this purpose. (This is not the same as having a server networked into your computer.)
• iDVD application bundle: This is the iDVD application file that contains the default theme elements.
Note: When you create an archive project in iDVD 4, you can choose to include the themes and encoded files. For the best portability, you should include both options. This results in a larger archive file, but ensures you can take the file to any DVD Studio Pro system and import it without missing assets. If you do not choose to include the themes and encoded files in the archive file, those assets must be available in one of the standard locations.
If your project will have automatically-created chapter index (scene selection) menus based on markers embedded in the video, it can be easier to create these within iDVD prior to importing the project into DVD Studio Pro. This ensures the chapter index menus use the selected theme’s background and include arrow buttons to navigate between the menus.
Important: To ensure all iDVD menu elements import correctly into DVD Studio Pro, you must navigate to each chapter index menu within iDVD before saving the project. This is also true for any menus you add to your iDVD project by clicking the Folder button.
Issues With Importing iDVD Projects
There are some issues to be aware of when you import iDVD projects:
• If you import an iDVD project with DVD-ROM content, DVD Studio Pro does not update the settings in the Disc Inspector’s General tab to reflect the DVD-ROM content. You must manually select the DVD-ROM layout and choose the folder to include.
• When you create a slideshow in iDVD, you can add arrow buttons to each still to provide viewers with an additional method of jumping to the previous and next stills. These arrow buttons are not imported when you import an iDVD project into DVD Studio Pro. The viewer must use the Previous and Next buttons on the DVD player’s remote control to jump between stills.
• The button highlights used in iDVD may look different when imported into DVD Studio Pro. In most cases, the text in the buttons is set to be included in the highlight. Additionally, buttons that use an underline in iDVD will not have an underline when imported into DVD Studio Pro.
• When you import an iDVD project, you may find that the button that is highlighted by default on some menus changes. During the project import, DVD Studio Pro numbers the buttons on each menu and highlights button 1 by default. You can assign any button on a menu to be the default button in the Menu tab in the Menu Inspector.
• If you import an iDVD project that contains a drop zone configured as a slideshow and has multiple slides assigned to it, DVD Studio Pro only shows the slideshow’s first slide in the drop zone.
Source: +DVD Studio Pro User Manual+

Export settings for quicktime movie to use in DVD Studio Pro

The workflow:
I created a movie and did extensive sound adjustments in iMovie and a few video edits, and exported it to a quicktime format:
compression H.264
Quality: High
Frame reordering: yes
Encoding mode: multi-pass
Dimensions: 1280x720
Since then I upgraded to FCS, and tried to create a DVD with DVD SP and import the movie, and I get this error:
Import error:
One or more files failed to import. Common reasons for this are that they do not match the current project's video standard or their file format is not supported.
I'm fairly sure I have matching video standard...and the file format has always been supported before.
I imported the quicktime (.mov) file to FCP and added some edits, recreated the chapter markers, and early on there was a pop-up that said my movie format did not match the project settings, so I checked the "okay" to adjust the video file to match.
When I finished, I exported the file from FCP to a quicktime movie with the "current settings" that have always worked with DVD Studio Pro before, and I'm getting the same error.
I don't know where the problem is. Both the original movie I created in iMovie and the movie I recreated in FCS will import to iDVD. I wanted the better quality production from DVDSP....
I no longer have the iMovie project file. (I thot I was done.) I do have the original footage, but I'm already three days in and hoping to avoid starting over.
I would sure appreciate any help!
Thanks!

2cute2b2smart wrote:
I don't know where the problem is.
compression H.264
Quality: High
Frame reordering: yes
Encoding mode: multi-pass
Dimensions: 1280x720
The specifications you listed are the problem.
I can't comment on iMovie -don't use it personally.
From FCP, you would export a self contained movie using the current Timeline settings (not H.264 ever)
Bring that file into Compressor and apply one of the time based DVD presets that the running time of your movie fits into. This will produce a MPEG 2 video file and an AC3 audio file. Bring both into DVDSP and author.
A DVD video is always standard def 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL).
Converting the output from FCP to H.264 is adding an unneeded compression stage that will compromize quality -because DVD assets are always MPEG 2 / AC3. Even if DVDSP accepts that H.264 file, it gets transcoded again using DVDSP's own compression system.
All of this is covered in the DVDSP user manual. Take the time to read it. DVD authoring is complicated if you just jump in and start poking around, simple if you take the time to understand the basics.

DVD STUDIO PRO 2 SETUP/CONFIG

Hey Gang,
New to this forum and I need some advice.
I have DVD Studio Pro 2 and have just downloaded the updates from the Pro download page (DVDSP 2.05, etc).
I'm running OSX 10.2.8, w/768Ram, 60gb free HD space.
iMovie 4.01 (I have FCP 2.X but never used it)
Quicktime 6.5.2
I would appreciate any suggestions on maximizing my system for DVDSP 2 with the above specs.
I have owned this product for years (just found the time to get into the manuals, tutorials etc. to learn it) and I would like the learning process to be as smooth as possible.
Is trying to get an upgrade to DVDSP 3 worth the hassle plus the expense?
I'm not much of a geek and have little time to experiment, so I plan on upgrading my system when High Definiton is or about to become the De Facto standard and the prices for all the necessary gear (software/hardware) have come down and/or improved. Right now I would like to work with what I have if possible.
Hopefully this time next year I'll be ready to move up to the Studio pkg. with a new system.
Thanks

Saugidaug
I don't know the answer to your question, however, it may be to your advantage to post a new topic.
1.)When you first enter the DVD Studio forum at the top left of the screen you'll see Forum: DVD STUDIO Pro in bold letters
2.)Underneath that you'll see "post new topic".
3.)Click and you can create your own topic/thread [B}Sending DVD Studio Pro audio to Sountrack Pro
4.)Be sure to state what version of DVDSP you're using.
5.)then members will reply to your specific question/problem.
PS: I'm in the same boat as you (seeking info). I'm still waiting for someone to provide me with info regarding DVD Studio pro 2.

What happened to MPEG2? How to prepare material in FCP for DVD Studio Pro?

I have made DVDs using DVD Studio Pro before when usig a manual that my teacher had put together. It all worked fine. After preparing my videos on FCP I exported the material "Using Quicktime Conversion" and selected MPEG2. But thats no longer an option! How do I go about burning DVDs now?
Hope someone have time to answer.

Either:
- export to Compressor, select your settings from its options then drag the generated video and audio files into DVDSP
or
- export a quicktime file using 'current settings' and drag that directly into DVDSP. DVDSP uses Compressor internally to generate the audio and video files.
If you decide to let DVDSP do the encoding, you need to read through the manual to find the section where you set the bitrates and output files.
x

Can't Import MP4 Files Into DVD Studio Pro

I'm trying to start a DVD Studio Pro 4 project, and have .mp4 video files. When I import them with the Assets>Import tab, they come in as MP4 audio files only, not movie files. The users manual says the integrated encouder auto encodes Quick Time assets into DVD compliant formats with default Compressor settings ... but that is not happening. The MP4s play fine when I double click and open them in Quick Time Player, or post them on line they work fine in a browser. I'm confused, how do I import them to work in DVD Studio Pro? BTW, I did not create them in FCP, nor do I know how to use Compressor yet. I have MPEG Stream Clip but don't know how it would help. Thanks, Tom, Miami.

Use compressor to convert them to m2v and ac3 files before bringing them into DVDSP.
x

DVD Studio Pro overriding Energy Saving Settings - Screen always on

Hello
I am a bit upset about DVD Studio Pro overriding the energy saving settings. It means if you do a serious render you will find yourself with the monitor on for hours and days. On the Imacs you can't even fully dim down the screen to switch it of manually.
I know about the possibility to do a background render. But it doesn't make sense to me that DVD Studio keeps the screen on. I don't see why I have to go crooked ways to have something very normal.
There is no need for DVD studio behaving like this, it only raises energy consumption unnecessarily.
I hope Apple will fix this or explain in reasonable ways why it does like this.
And is there maybe a way to hack DVD Studio in a way it doesn't behave like this, apart from doing the background render?
Thanks
Message was edited by: padre999

A common way to solve it is to download and install the proapplications support file:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/proapplicationsupport31macosx104.html
It's not a guaranteed winner, but it has worked for countless folks.

Exporting Subtitle from DVD Studio Pro

Is there a way to export subtitles from DVD Studio Pro or Is there a tool somewhere that will generate an STL file from a DVD Studio Pro subtitle stream?
Thanks for your help!

Yes, other than the manual -- which I have exhausted. It gave me the coding for a text-based caption, and the coding for a graphic, but not the coding that would put both on the same clip (same time value).
However, I can manually go into the subtitle inspector and add whatever element (the text or the graphic) each with its own offsets, and have them appear flawlessly together. I am convinced there must be coding that generates this effect I can use in the STL file, but I have found nothing on the web, nor any of several downloaded manuals (including pp. 456 - 460).
Any advice?

Do I need to reinstall DVD STudio Pro 4?

I have two problems with DVD Studio Pro 4 that apparently have no answers in the manual:
1) Some (many) of the Apple menu templates lose all of their graphics when I drag them onto the menu window. I might choose, say, "Frames Cover" and drag it onto the menu window, but instead of the graphics in the thumbnail on the palette, what I get is a box with a gray arrow where the drop zone is supposed to be, a white background, no colors, nothing. Some of the templates come over normally, but I am really limited in my choices - about 50% or more have no graphics when dragged or applied onto the menu window. Is there some configuration setting I don't know about to fix this?
2) Assuming I have one that comes into the menu window OK, the buttons do not display the active/selected/resting states when I click on the three little icons at the bottom of the menu window to see the display in each state. The buttons become "active" only when I click on them with the mouse, but I am unable to check their "state."
I burned a finished project to a DVD only to find that the buttons would not show a selected state with the remote control and so, of course, I was unable to select anything.
Very frustrating. I wasn't expecting stuff like this with the Mac which is new for me, it's reminiscent of Windows when I often had to reinstall software that was somehow corrupted.
Please help.
Barry

Thanks for the rapid reply. I went ahead anyway and deleted DVD Studio Pro 4 and reinstalled it. When I clicked on a template, the same thing happened. I tried every one of the templates and suddenly realized that the images in the thumbnails in the palette are just samples (including the color in some cases). I assumed that I would get an identical set of images that would then have to be changed. Pretty dumb, huh? I think what threw me is that the very first template I used is the one with the theatre curtain opening and closing, with the heads of the audience at the bottom - it's pretty detailed. I assumed that all of the others would be similarly detailed. OK, lesson learned.
The buttons are another matter. I just cannot get them to display their state. To answer your question about my "built" project burned onto a DVD, yes, if I press the "enter" button on my DVD remote, it begins playing a selection. I have a special problem with this particular DVD, as it contains the same movie four times: I was trying to determine the differences between an HDV movie exported as a 1920 X1080 format, secondly as a 720 X 480 format, thirdly as a 1440 X 720 format, and finally as a 720 X 480 anamorphic format. So in this case, I have no idea which of my four "results" is being shown on the TV as I don't know which is the default if that is the correct term. But yes, one of them plays, except I cannot choose it.
I have watched the tutorial included with the software countless times, it appears that all I have to do is select a button and then click on whichever of the three little "state" icons at the bottom, but it doesn't do anything. Only the mouse clicking on the button highlights the button, that doesn't help on a TV set. And it doesn't matter which template I choose, the "state" buttons do not work.
Barry

I am making multiple DVD's of roughly 50 hours of footage on DVD Studio pro with 4 separate menus for 4 different 'parts' or series if you will. 50 hours - 20 episodes - 4 parts of 5 episodes each. What are my options in terms of burning these parts on to

I am making multiple DVD's of roughly 50 hours of footage on DVD Studio pro with 4 separate menus for 4 different 'parts' or series if you will. 50 hours - 20 episodes - 4 parts of 5 episodes each. What are my options in terms of burning these parts on to separate DVD's, what is the process, what size DVD RW should I buy, what bitrate should I use, and what quality I should expect for the burn. Any advice or insight is welcome.

>>What are my options in terms of burning these parts on to separate DVD's<<
20 episodes totaling 50 hours equals about 2.5 hours per episode assuming all episodes have the same duration. Fitting 2.5 hours onto one single layer DVD would require a low bit rate which means quality wouldn't be anywhere near best, but that's a judgement call you'll have to make based on several factors. For example; if there is not much motion in the video (talking heads, etc), you can get by with a lower bit rate and may not notice any quality difference.
>>what is the process>>
The process is essentially the same as it is when authoring a regular DVD with 2 hours or less of content. However, with as many discs as you'd need to complete this "set," you'll need to create a separate DVD Studio Project for each disc. Basically, you'd use one of Compressor's DVD Presets (or customize a preset) to create an MPEG--2 video file (.m2v) and a Dolby Digital audio file (.AC3). Import both of those assets into your DVD Studio Pro project for authoring and burning.
If you want to keep one episode per disc, DVD Studio Pro does have a 150 minute preset or you could use dual-layer discs with a higher bit rate for better quality. Again; your call.
>>what size DVD RW should I buy<<
Size? 12cm. Capacity? Single layer, single sided DVD discs (DVD-5) have a rated capacity of 4.7Gb (4.37Gb actual), including menus. If you use single layer discs and want to keep the quality reasonably good, you'd need at least 50 discs to complete this "set" with each disc holding roughly 2 hours of footage if you keep the menu on each disc simple. Or, you could use dual-layer discs (DVD-9) which have a capacity of about 7.95Gb - almost doubling the recordable capacity. There are also dual-sided, dual-layer discs available (DVD-18) but they are relatively expensive and have to be manually turned over to continue playback ... but they do have roughly 15.9Gb capacity.
>>what bitrate should I use, and what quality I should expect for the burn<<
Exactly; the quality is dependent on the bit rate chosen, as well as the quality of the compression. Using compression markers where needed can greatly increase the quality of playback but will most likely increase the file size of the compressed video. For the best quality, keeping the bit rate as high as possible allowed under the DVD specification will yield the best quality but some DVD players may choke if the bit rate is too high. For best quality I typically aim for a bit rate around 7.6 to 8.0Mbps but that will only allow about one hour of footage.
Naturally, if you decrease the bit rate, you can fit more footage onto the disc but quality will be sacraficed.   Here's a chart approximating DVD bit rates and durations for single layer discs (does not include space for menus):
3.5Mbps - 120 minutes
5.0Mbps -   95 minutes
6.0Mbps -   82 minutes
7.6Mbps -   65 minutes
8.0Mbps -   60 minutes
-DH

The size of my exported FCP movie is too big for DVD studio pro

Hey,
I have been editing for 4-5 years now and have never had a problem with size of a project to put into DVD Studio Pro to burn. However, I just finished a 2 hour project in which exported as a FCP movie it is 23.97 gb in size. When i put this into DVD Studio Pro it makes it 4.8gb in size which just makes it too big for it to burn. I have tried changing the compression to no avail and just now decided to clean up the timeline so everything is on one track with nothing overlapping. (The problem was it was a 2 camera shoot so the first camera i had on the bottom track constant with the second camera on the top track when i needed it but still with the first camera underneath.) Do you think this could be the solution to my problem? If you guys could help me out it would be most appreciated!

some things don't make sense here. please clarify.
Standard DV is roughly 5 minutes per gig, so that means that you have just about 2 hours of video, ok, got that. Now it's the two track thing that gets me.
Are you saying you have 4 hours of footage, the same thing from two cameras, and you're trying to set up a multi-angle DVD?
If it's just that you used two video tracks to edit, then NO, it is not your problem. It's still only 2 hours, the video will be mixed down to one track upon export from FCP to quicktime.
My suggestion is, instead of bringing a quicktime file directly into DVDSP, use compressor. I believe they have a preset in compressor 2 for a standard 120 minute DVD. IF you're project is truly less than 120 minutes, than that should be fine. If not, then you may have to manually make your own setting and lower the bitrate.
So the workflow is:
-open sequence in fcp
-file>export>quicktime movie... (you can uncheck "make movie self-contained" if you want it to export faster and you plan on keeping your original capture footage around)
-export your movie to a directory of your choice with a name of your choice.
-open compressor (in applications)
-drag the quicktime file you created into compressors main window, this will set it up. Now specify the export setting (120 minute HQ all files either 16x9 or 4x3 dep. on project) and specify a location for the files to be created. I strongly suggest that you use the HQ (High quality) settings in compressor. It's much slower to process, but much better quality.
-with a 2 hour movie it should take a really REALLY long time to compress, so I'de say do it over night.
-when compressor is done, you should have 2 or three files. a .m2v file a .aif file, and a .ac3 file. The .aif is your PCM audio, much better quality than the .ac3, which is dolby 2 channel. However, the .ac3 is a much smaller file with a lower bit rate, so if the .aif makes the DVD file size too big, you can switch it out for the .ac3
-Finally, open up your DVDSP project, drag the .m2v, .aif, and .ac3 into DVDSP and use the .m2v for the video track and either the .aif or .ac3 as the audio (as mentioned above)
-the good news is, your DVD media is already rendered, so when you go to build your DVD it will go much, much faster!
By the way, I recommend you go to file>advanced>build do not do a burn and build.
I find it best to build the VIDEO_TS folder on a hard drive and then use a program like toast to create a DVD (using toasts from VIDEO_TS option). This method also allows you to go back into DVDSP, make tweaks, and reuse your VIDEO_TS folder, not having to rebuild the whole thing each time.
Remember, 120 minutes on a single layer DVD is going to render fairly low quality no matter what.
If you have a newer mac and a dual layer drive, you may want to cough up a few bucks and get a dual layer DVD-R, then you have over 8 gigs of space to work with, perfect for HQ 2 hour footage.

DVD Studio Pro 4 Manual

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for