Failed formatting

Question

Does anybody know what the following message means?
"Formatting was not successful. The image exceeds the maximum allowed size for a dual-layer configuration.
What does it mean by IMAGE?
Thanks
Javp
powermac g5   Mac OS X (10.3.9)   dual 2 GHz, 2 GB DDR SDRAM

Answer 1

javp,
Dual layer discs can be quite difficult to eliminate all the problems and finally come up with a work flow that works consistantly. To have a chance for this to all work, you need to follow the steps much more precisely than you would have to for single layer projects.
First thing I would do is eliminate as much of the encoding work that DVDSP has to do, so that it only has to work on compiling your project correctly. Adding to it's work the task of encoding your video sets you up for problems.
Encode your video content with compressor, and encode your audio to dolby digital of some sort (generally 2 channel ac3 between 192 and 224 kbps). Leave DVDSP to encode only menus and or slideshows/stills.
Make sure you have plenty of chapter marks somewhere near the midportion of you content so that you have at least one of them in a legal boundry for a dual layer break. If you don't have one in a legal boundry, your options will be grayed out (since there isn't one to select).
DVD(+)DL media is the way to go. Avoid the , it does not work well, and Apple even suggest you shouldn't use it. The media is preformatted for OTP; your project should be OTP.
Build your project and format separately. I would format to an image file to your harddrive primarily for the reason that as you are working the bugs out, you will know (without wasting an expensive disc) whether or not your project will actually format successfully. If the image file is created successfully, then you know that things are set up properly to output to disc from within DVDSP if that's your choice. The image file or the video_ts folder can be used in Toast to do your burn instead of DVDSP.
Your burner is critical as well. You need a burner that can either be directed to set the book type for your media to ROM; or better yet, a burner that is preset to do exactly that with dual layer media (the Pioneer burners are set to that). Setting the book type to ROM increases the capatibility greatly for your dual layer discs to play on a set top player.
Jim