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iMovie/iDVD Update
- Thread starter dvoros
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No need to TRIPLE post. 
Just in case you missed this on one of your other posts:
Apple stopped including iDVD on Macs some years ago. iMovie has been updated a number of times since then, not always to the good. The current version of iMovie doesn't have a Share with iDVD facility, and I can't see Apple changing that. The last version that did was iMovie11(v9)
Just in case you missed this on one of your other posts:
Apple stopped including iDVD on Macs some years ago. iMovie has been updated a number of times since then, not always to the good. The current version of iMovie doesn't have a Share with iDVD facility, and I can't see Apple changing that. The last version that did was iMovie11(v9)
[doublepost=1452115649][/doublepost]I believe the solution is to incorporate the features of the two into one program. My parents and others would love the movie on a disk they can play at home. Youtube requires a good internet speed and its not permanentNo need to TRIPLE post.
Just in case you missed this on one of your other posts:
Apple stopped including iDVD on Macs some years ago. iMovie has been updated a number of times since then, not always to the good. The current version of iMovie doesn't have a Share with iDVD facility, and I can't see Apple changing that. The last version that did was iMovie11(v9)
That makes sense. Can the current iMovie export movies in good quality, e.g. ProRes 422? If so, for $49 Compressor will take your iMovie output and turn it into a DVD. Or use one of the free DVD creator programs out there.
If not, it is amazing how much editing power $299 will buy you (Final Cut Pro X).
As standard dvd resolution is only 720x576/480 you probably don't need ProRes standard. The current iMovie will export as a movie file and then you can drop that straight into iDVD, if still have it, or use something like the free Burn to make a video dvd which will play in normal DVD Players.
http://burn-osx.sourceforge.net/Pages/English/home.html
http://burn-osx.sourceforge.net/Pages/English/home.html
I agree that HD resolution is not needed, but keep in mind that ProRes works well with SD, too. As a general rule, I avoid distribution codecs (like H.264) until the very final step of the process - in this case encoding for DVD - and for everything up to that point, ProRes seems to be a good solution with reasonable quality for most applications.
Does it work without ProRes? Sure, but why give up any quality at all just to keep temporary files smaller?
Thanks for the input but I was able to burn the DVD on BURN but when I showed on my 54 inch TV the titles were off the screen....could I just need to change setting on TV? Beings they stopped allowing me to buy the $99 lessons, I would like to find a Mac Geek to come to the house and go over my computer. Since Jobs died, I think the company is going down the tubes...this from an APPLE BELIEVER...every time I upgrade something else doesn't work
The answer to the OP is never for iDVD.
Apple doesn't include disc drives on any of its line up any more, it sure as hell won't be writing software for them.
I can see you quandary though, we are in a digital age where cloud computing is becoming the norm for our media, but one thing we have no idea about is permanence. YouTube, vimeo, iCloud only exist as long as those companies are in business. I like to think that that will be for my lifetime, but history tells us there is always something new under the sun. For now I certainly keep all of my machines fully backed up, though not on those pesky scratchable frisbees.
Apple doesn't include disc drives on any of its line up any more, it sure as hell won't be writing software for them.
I can see you quandary though, we are in a digital age where cloud computing is becoming the norm for our media, but one thing we have no idea about is permanence. YouTube, vimeo, iCloud only exist as long as those companies are in business. I like to think that that will be for my lifetime, but history tells us there is always something new under the sun. For now I certainly keep all of my machines fully backed up, though not on those pesky scratchable frisbees.
Your parents and everyone else will have to change with the times. They now have a DVD player whereas they probably formerly had a VCR. So they can update and change because they have already done so.
Both Apple and Adobe have not updated their DVD authoring software in years. Distributing a 1080p video on DVD throws away 5/6ths of the resolution, and DVDs are a hassle to master.
An increasingly large % of potential viewers don't even have a DVD playback device -- they use a smartphone, tablet or thin laptop without optical drive. Giving them a DVD is like giving someone a floppy disk.
Unfortunately there is no widely adopted streaming equivalent of a DVD which facilitates group viewing on a TV. There is AppleTV (which can play Youtube, etc), AirPlay, Roku, etc. but it's understandable your parents may not have these or be comfortable with them.
Many newer TVs and optical disk players can accept a USB thumb drive with an MP4 video file. One solution is give them a USB stick. That will play on a computer or one of the newer TVs or disk players.
Another solution is upload it to an unlisted Youtube channel. It does not take extremely high bandwidth to watch that. It is as permanent as anything on the cloud. They will never lose it or scratch the disc. You would have to help them figure out how to get that on their TV. That will vary based on what kind of TV and service they have.
Yet another solution is sign up and create your own private Roku channel, then give your parents a Roku: https://developer.roku.com/home
If you are more serious about video, there is Vimeo Pro which for $199/yr lets you create your own commercial-free video portfolio page without requiring any programming. Viewers can stream or download your videos if you enable that.
Admittedly there is no perfect solution but one thing is for certain -- DVDs are never coming back. They are obsolete and neither Apple nor Adobe will ever again make optical disk authoring software. It's probably best to spend time and effort studying the best alternative, not keep using DVDs.
My parents and grandparents don't have fast wifi or youtube access. They all have dvd players.
You can make self-starting DVDs, or author more complex ones, using Toast and/or Burn. But I believe there is no effort on Apple's part to accommodate DVD, or for that matter, Blu-Ray. I understand your issue - my mom couldn't figure out DVDs, as they weren't like VHS. I suspect there will be a similar parallel for me if I live long enough. I think there is the capability to create DVDs, just not from Apple.
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That is understandable. Older people often live in more sparsely-populated rural areas where broadband access is less common. Even if they can get broadband, they may not be able to afford it.
As a video producer I face this issue frequently, both for professional work and for elderly family and friends.
The simplest near-term answer is just burn a vanilla DVD from FCPX. By using "share" button at lower right of the screen, FCPX can directly burn a basic video DVD. Your only options are direct play vs some simple menus. You have no control over the presentation, splash screen, background music, menu or button color, etc.
If you want more control over DVD authoring, you'll need something like Toast DVD. I have not tried this: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toast-dvd/id829469267?mt=12
However I recommend you work with your parents and grandparents to help them update to whatever affordable technology enables viewing streaming or file-based media. Otherwise you will be stuck making DVDs forever, and those DVDs only show a fraction of the resolution your camera is capturing. If you live far from them, you are stuck mailing or handing off a physical disk. Those won't even fit in an envelope
If they have a computer you can just provide them a USB thumb drive. These are available in bulk quantity for $3 each. That avoids the tedious DVD burning process and provides a full-resolution version of your video.
If they have broadband but no good WiFi in their house, you can help them with a router. I bought one for my mother. Re broadband speed, all they need to view a 720p Youtube video is about 5 megabits/sec.
If they have lower-tier broadband but are not computer savvy you can help them with a tablet or a Chromebook. Those are good options which avoid the complexity of a laptop/PC/Mac.
If they don't have any broadband, it may be available in their area for an affordable price -- they may simply not know how to inquire. The coverage database for broadband suppliers is constantly changing. You have to
(1) Find who their local broadband providers are
(2) Go to the coverage web site and enter their address
(3) If coverage is indicated, inquire about price and features
(4) If no coverage is indicate, inquire about the ISP's future plans for your area. Often their database is out of date and they do have coverage even if the web tool says no.
If your parents/grandparents have no broadband coverage and no prospects for this, you can get them a newer DVD player which has a USB port for playing MP4 videos from a USB thumb drive. You could then mail them a USB stick. Here is one for $33: http://amzn.com/B007BYLO4E
Yet another option is getting them an inexpensive media player that connects to their TV. Here is one for $32 that works similarly to a VCD or disk player. It supports HDMI, component and composite output. So no matter how old their TV is it will work. I have personally tested this unit and it works well. You would provide them content on an SD card, which (unlike a DVD) supports HD resolution, can be re-used and is extremely fast to copy files to.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFDNAY0/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
DVDs fit nicely in a greeting card size envelope, there are a couple guide sites that discuss mailing DVDs. I put two in a double envelope, put two stamps on and are done.
Good suggestions, but you may not be all that familiar dealing with elderly. Most, but not all, are intimidated by the technology, not interested, and just want to do something easy and that they know. I have given away TVs with USB ports and attempted to distribute thumb drives only to see the drives gather dust, they just don't get it. They know how to use DVDs.
There are many where that its not an issue, however.
As I indicated, as a video producer I deal with this situation frequently with the elderly. My mother is 85 and has trouble with new technology but she finally managed to learn how to use a Roku. This was because I didn't just give her one and expect her to learn it, but spent a lot of time kindly helping her and put an instruction list in big letters on her TV. I have done similarly with others with good success.
If they are given patient and loving attention, the elderly can often learn new things. They can learn to use cell phones, microwave ovens, etc. But if you just give them the new item, they probably won't learn it.
There is balanced mix of options which varies with the individual elderly person. I recently interviewed a 90-yr-old gentleman who was active on social media with his iPad. The first thing he asked me was what my Instagram page was. His family patiently and lovingly helped him learn it. Not all 90 yr olds can do that, but given gentle perseverance it is often possible.
The problem is if the friends and family don't help the elderly learn the new item, we as content producers cannot perpetually provide the obsolete format. If we did that we'd still be distributing cassette tapes for audio, because someone, somewhere never learned to use a CD.
The above-listed media players work just like a VCR or DVD player. This differs from TVs with USB input, which usually have a terrible, non-intutive UI. In many cases if the elderly person can figure out how to insert a tiny hearing aid battery, they can be patiently taught how to insert a USB stick in a media player.
Thank you for all the advice. Very helpful.That is understandable. Older people often live in more sparsely-populated rural areas where broadband access is less common. Even if they can get broadband, they may not be able to afford it.
As a video producer I face this issue frequently, both for professional work and for elderly family and friends.
The simplest near-term answer is just burn a vanilla DVD from FCPX. By using "share" button at lower right of the screen, FCPX can directly burn a basic video DVD. Your only options are direct play vs some simple menus. You have no control over the presentation, splash screen, background music, menu or button color, etc.
If you want more control over DVD authoring, you'll need something like Toast DVD. I have not tried this: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toast-dvd/id829469267?mt=12
However I recommend you work with your parents and grandparents to help them update to whatever affordable technology enables viewing streaming or file-based media. Otherwise you will be stuck making DVDs forever, and those DVDs only show a fraction of the resolution your camera is capturing. If you live far from them, you are stuck mailing or handing off a physical disk. Those won't even fit in an envelope
If they have a computer you can just provide them a USB thumb drive. These are available in bulk quantity for $3 each. That avoids the tedious DVD burning process and provides a full-resolution version of your video.
If they have broadband but no good WiFi in their house, you can help them with a router. I bought one for my mother. Re broadband speed, all they need to view a 720p Youtube video is about 5 megabits/sec.
If they have lower-tier broadband but are not computer savvy you can help them with a tablet or a Chromebook. Those are good options which avoid the complexity of a laptop/PC/Mac.
If they don't have any broadband, it may be available in their area for an affordable price -- they may simply not know how to inquire. The coverage database for broadband suppliers is constantly changing. You have to
(1) Find who their local broadband providers are
(2) Go to the coverage web site and enter their address
(3) If coverage is indicated, inquire about price and features
(4) If no coverage is indicate, inquire about the ISP's future plans for your area. Often their database is out of date and they do have coverage even if the web tool says no.
If your parents/grandparents have no broadband coverage and no prospects for this, you can get them a newer DVD player which has a USB port for playing MP4 videos from a USB thumb drive. You could then mail them a USB stick. Here is one for $33: http://amzn.com/B007BYLO4E
Yet another option is getting them an inexpensive media player that connects to their TV. Here is one for $32 that works similarly to a VCD or disk player. It supports HDMI, component and composite output. So no matter how old their TV is it will work. I have personally tested this unit and it works well. You would provide them content on an SD card, which (unlike a DVD) supports HD resolution, can be re-used and is extremely fast to copy files to.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFDNAY0/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
The elderly should be the gold standard of user testing.
Kids will just learn to deal with UI and hardware faults while the elderly are wise enough to know crap design when they see it and to know their time is too precious to waste using it.
The iPad doesn't scare the elderly. Get it right, like DVD players, and they will use it.
Kids will just learn to deal with UI and hardware faults while the elderly are wise enough to know crap design when they see it and to know their time is too precious to waste using it.
The iPad doesn't scare the elderly. Get it right, like DVD players, and they will use it.