IDvd - Onestep dvd from movie, not working?

Question

I am trying to make a onestep dvd from movie - from an avi file... but every time I make one (I followed all the directions perfectly). It looks like it is burning and takes about 4  hrs. but nothing happens. it just says I have inserted a blank dvd. Why does this keep happening?

Answer 1

Hi
from an avi file
.avi is not the food for iDVD - it usually can not handle it at all.
.avi - is no codec but a container - so one must use another program to figure out what codec that's in there.
Then convert it to sometrhing iDVD can use.
My UN-Structured/sorted notes up till Yet ! (May be MANY Faulth ! be careful)
AVCHD
• need of Intel Mac and iMovie’08 or 09 or 11
• can be converted to AIC via Voltaic
Containers.
.mov.
.avi. 
You can use MPEG-Streamclip to convert some of the AVI files so that QuickTime can play them
and then to streamingDV for iMovie.
True file formats (?).
.asf (from QuickTimeKirk)
Your product is based on Windows OS and the .asf files are designed for Windows Media Player.
Microsoft discontinued Mac support for Windows Media Player in 2003.
iv50 - old codec on window platform.
• Open on a PC-Window with Microsoft Movie Maker.
• Put into TimeLine
• Save on ”this Computer” as .wmv
move over to Mac and open with QuickTime Pro and save as StreamingDV
(if Flip4Mac is payed then no Waterstamp and time limit)
or
Open in FinalCut Pro as is = No  Waterstamp or time limit.
Flip4Mac  -- //flip4mac.com
is third party software that "plays" most WMP formats via QuickTime Player. They also sell upgrades that allow conversion from WMP to QuickTime formats.
These upgrades are supported in iMovie version 6 but not for version 7 or 8 (iLife '08 and '09).
So. What to do?
Purchase one of the Flip4Mac upgrades.
Copy the files from the SD card to your Mac and convert to QuickTime formats (DV Stream would work best).
Import the new .dv file into iMovie (any version).
.dv
streaming DV    imports directly it is the same as from miniDV (tape) Camera
.wmv
iMovie is by concept meant to work with miniDV camcorders . . any other 'imports' need a conversion or are not supported... a quick solution would be purchasing a plug-in from www.flip4mac.com, 49$, which allows the conversion of .wmv (a PC format) into something useful for iM (dv-stream) ...
or, ask the emailer to send it in some other codec .. mpg4 for example .. which will be converted by iM 'out-of-the-box' ...  and, to work with iM, the video should fulfill a few standards .. 720x480 pixel resolution, 30 frames per second ... otherwise, you will experience a dramatic loss of quality ..
.mp4
container not to be mistaken for .mpeg4 which is a codec - and it’s most often could contain a H.264 encoded material (PS3 and AppleTV)
.m4v
found in iMovie project folders - imported into iDVD without any problems
.mov
found in iMovie project folders - imported into iDVD without any problems
.ram     real-movie by Real-player download
Both Real Networks (.RM, .RA, and .RAM video files) and  Microsoft (.ASF, .WMA, and .WMV video files) makes it VERY difficult to  import footage encoded with these formats. Especially on a Mac.
.mpg
.mpeg
.vob
.vro
.m2v
.m2a
.m2s
.mts
.m2ts
.swf  files are Flash files. You need Perian
.flv  Awkward timing in your choice of software as QuickTime 7.4 has dropped support (we hope it is temporary) for Flash Video formats (.swf or .flv file extensions).
MPEG-1.          VideoCD
MPEG-2.             DVD
MPEG-4.         cell-phones to satellite TV - scalable
//danslagle.dvmix.com/mac/iMovie/qt_plugins/3002.shtml
Mpeg Streamclip. Supported formats.
• MPEG, VOB, PS, M2P, MOD, VRO, DAT, MOV, DV, AVI, MP4, TS, M2T, MMV, REC, VID, AUD, AVR, VDR, PVR, TP0, M2V, M1V, MPV, AIFF, M1A, MP2, MPA, AC3...
MPEG Streamclip converts from mpeg-1 to whatever you like (within reason).
MPEG-2 Playback File Types.
.mpg, .mpeg, .vob(2), .vro, .m2v, .m2a, .m2s
QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component
Recording types.
DV                        standard miniDV (tape)
DV Widescreen    16 X 9 on standard miniDV (tape)
HDV 1080i            Full HD quality
HDV 720p
MPEG-4
iSight
From Mac to PC - convert to .avi or .wmv
• Transport problem and 2?Gb limit on DOS/UNIX formatted hard disks - You need a
hard disk formatted on a PC in NTFS format
FAT 16 has a 2 or 4Gb file size limit
FAT 32 should be able to handle larger ones
• Rather copy back to miniDV tape (Camera) and use this
QuickTimeKirk. You don't format the drive using a Mac.
Use the PC to format using NTFS and avoid FAT 16 or FAT 32.
//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Movie_Maker
Yep. They want DV-AVI as the format. Same thing but in an AVI container.
Export from iMovie to AVI (Expert Settings) and click the "Options" button to set DV as the codec.
Yours Bengt W