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Help with iMovie/iDVD please!!

B

BSALP

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I am making a DVD for my sons Kindergarten class. We made it in iMovie and was 27 minutes long. When it was sent to iDVD it said it was too large to fit on a DVD. I have had this problem before. We then exported it to the desktop (as an m4v file), BUT this will not play in most peoples DVD player. Question #1- Why does it make the file so large when going to iDVD and is there a way to make it smaller? Especially since the m4v file is under 1GB
#2- Is there a free way to convert the m4v file to something so I can burn DVDs for the class to play in their own DVD players?

Thanks
 
You could try and use Handbrake a freeware app that will convert to any medium and a multitude of sizes from there it should be easy to put on dvd
 
I just tried Handbrake and it only gives me the option of M4V of MKV format. I need it to play in everyones DVD player. Any other ideas?
 
At 27 minutes, it shouldn't be too large for a standard dvd. They will hold about 1h 30m of video. Which iMovie are you using, and how are you sending it to iDVD?

Assuming, that for some reason, it is too large, go into iDVD's Project menu and click on Project Info. There you can adjust the quality of the video content to try and fit it to a standard disc, or select to burn to a dual layer disc.
 
I'm guessing the 27 minutes are raw uncompressed data stream. What you need to do is produce a DVD output stream, that will compress it down and make it fit on the disk, then you should have no problem burning it to DVD.
 
It is too large. This has happened many times. Usually anything over 15 minutes for some reason. I will try the iDVD project menu. Thanks


How do I produce a DVD output stream?
 
Which iMovie are you using? What is your original videro source, High Definition or Standard? If you are sharing with iDVD then it should not be too big because iDVD will convert it to MPEG2.
 
Dave,
Thanks
I am using iMovie 11. It doesn't give me the option of reducing the quality. It is mostly pictures and a little video and music.
 
iMovie doesn't give that option, but iDVD does:
go into iDVD's Project menu and click on Project Info. There you can adjust the quality of the video content to try and fit it to a standard disc, or select to burn to a dual layer disc.
Click to expand...

It's still strange that you are getting the too big error with only 27 minutes. Csan you just go thorugh the steps you take to go from iMovie to iDVD?
 
Dave Braine said:
iMovie doesn't give that option, but iDVD does:


It's still strange that you are getting the too big error with only 27 minutes. Csan you just go thorugh the steps you take to go from iMovie to iDVD?
Click to expand...

I have tried so many different things and talked to so many different APPLE people (which I am amazed that none of them know how to fix). I find it very strange also. I have been able to export it as an M4V file (only 400 mb) BUT... this won't play in most peoples DVD player. Any ideas on how to convert that file to a DVD playable file?
 
Ok.... I may have figured a work around ( WHICH I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO) I have been talking to some other people who make alot of videos and have the same problems. I saved the projects folder from iMovie to an external hard drive, then started a new project in iDVD and dragged the movie file into the project. It was able to burn a dvd that plays in my Macbook. Now I just need to see if it will play in a generic dvd player. Sure hope so. Apple should really work on this program.
 
Why aren't you using iMovie's Share menu to send your movie to iDVD? That is likely to solve your problems of size and playing in dvd players.

Apple should really work on this program.
Click to expand...
To do what?
 
Dave Braine said:
Why aren't you using iMovie's Share menu to send your movie to iDVD? That is likely to solve your problems of size and playing in dvd players.


To do what?
Click to expand...

I just spent 15 minutes exporting and processing to make sure this would work...

In iMovie with your project selected, click Share and choose iDVD. It takes a while depending on your footage length and other factors.

Once iMovie has finished exporting, iDVD will open and create a menu with animations based on your original videos title...

You can change the menu once iDVD is open.

When you finish designing the DVD Menu, click burn icon that looks like an iris or from the File menu "Burn DVD", "Save as Disk Image" or "Save as Video TS Folder."

You should be able to export 2 hours of edited footage this way and burn a DVD that will play on a set top DVD player... IT WILL TAKE A WHILE...

If you want Fast, you will need something like Toast. The new version retails $120 or so...
 
Roxio Toast 11 Titanium

HI Folks,

I have a 2011 imac with idvd and imovie.

I have a lot of VHS movies of my kids when they were young. I picked up Elgato which imports the video as Mac Software: H.264 at 1.4 MBit/sec or MPEG-4 at 2.4 MBit/sec.

My question is this: Will Toast 11 let me burn the MV4 videos to a DVD that will play back on a standard T.V. DVD player ?

I have spent a lot of time reading forums, and googleing the internet to get these videos converted to a DVD format. Thus far I can not seem to get a definite answer other than try this, or that. There must be somebody who has done this with success.😱

Thanks
 
Did your Elgato come with a version of Toast?

I'm using EyeTV 3.5.2. It came with Toast 8.

If it did, just click the Toast button in EyeTV and do it. It will work.

I was amazed at how fast it worked.
 
Hi rjphoto,

No toast with elgato. But, I can certainly pick up Toast. Elgato imports the vids as mp4's. Will Toast 11 let me convert the file to an mpeg 2 ?

Thanks
 
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