Quality issues when exporting.....

[teacher13]

I have recorded a show about 78 minutes long on an HD camcorder and imported it into imovie 09. I am now finished editing and want to create a dvd of it to play on a dvd player. What is the best way to do this without losing the quality of it? I have tried to share it with idvd and the quality of the final product is terrible. What are my other options?

Thanks in advance!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

What options did you choose going via iDVD?
Maybe you have set the quality to low, or you could use a Dual Layer DVD to burn the video onto.

Have you taken a look at any of the dozens of guides on how to go from iMovie to iDVD properly?

 

[anim8or]

Putting HD content onto a non-HD media like DVD instead of BluRay will result in high levels of compression your best bet is to try and get a downconverted export from iMovie that will fit on either a DVD or a Dual Layer DVD.

If the quality of the File you export is to your liking and is within the size range of a DVD (4GB) or a Dual Layer DVD (8GB) approximately then your final dvd will look good as there will be little or no compression needed to fit the movie onto the media...

 

[teacher13]

Thanks for your reply, but I am confused as to what you mean. What does downconverted export mean? Also, would a dual layer dvd have more room on it? and be better for this?

 

[teacher13]

If I went the blue ray route, what would I all need to make this dvd into an hd dvd?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

If I went the blue ray route, what would I all need to make this dvd into an hd dvd?

Toast Titanium can burn Blu Rays on a normal DVD (thus shorter video) or with a real Blu Ray burner.
I don't know about HD-DVDs though, but DVD Studio Pro can do these.

 

[teacher13]

So if I got dvd studio pro this can take my hd video and not lose the quality?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

So if I got dvd studio pro this can take my hd video and not lose the quality?

In a way yes, but DVD Studio Pro is pard of the Final Cut Studio suite and is not available as standalone software.
You could try Adobe Encore, as it has 30-day fully functioning trial, but know, that you need a HD-DVD burner for HD-DVDs and a Blu Ray burner for Blu Rays.

 

[teacher13]

Wow, this is really confusing. All I want is for the quality to be better. I guess it does not have to be in hd. I just want it to be of a decent quality. When I did it before in idvd, it really turned out terrible. I guess what would you do in this situation?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Wow, this is really confusing. All I want is for the quality to be better. I guess it does not have to be in hd. I just want it to be of a decent quality. When I did it before in idvd, it really turned out terrible. I guess what would you do in this situation?

Then please explain the steps you have taken to get the footage from the camera into iMovie, and the steps from iMovie to iDVD and what settings you did you use in iMovie and iDVD.
Otherwise we will keep guessing, as we are not in front of your computer.

 

[teacher13]

Ok, thanks for your help.

I took my sony hd and plugged it right into the imac and imported it into imovie. I then did all my editing in imovie. Then, I shared it with idvd, then burned it. I did not change any of the settings.

When I viewed it from the burned disc, it really looked bad, not clear at all. I need to have it clear since people are purchasing these from me. I don't need it in hd, just somewhat clear. I tried exporting it to itunes and quicktime, same results.

Again, I really appreciate your help.

 

[KeithPratt]

DVDs are SD (standard definition), Blu-rays are HD (high definition). There's a sort of a hack that allows you to burn Blu-ray video to a DVD, but you need the relevant software (like Toast) and a Blu-ray player to play it, and the minutes of video you can fit on the DVD is substantially less. I'm not sure off the top of my head but you won't be able to fit 78 mins. Not even close.

So if any of that doesn't work for you, you'll have to go with a regular DVD.

I have tried to share it with idvd and the quality of the final product is terrible.

How is it "terrible"? Describe and post pictures.

 

[teacher13]

I am burning it now and decreased the quality, see if that helps. simsaladimbamba any other suggestions?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I am burning it now and decreased the quality, see if that helps. simsaladimbamba any other suggestions?

Yep:

Then please explain the steps you have taken to get the footage from the camera into iMovie, and the steps from iMovie to iDVD and what settings you did you use in iMovie and iDVD.
Otherwise we will keep guessing, as we are not in front of your computer.

&

How is it "terrible"? Describe and post pictures.

How to take screenshots
How to attach an image to your MR post.​

 

[teacher13]

I will post a screen shot once it is finished, has 30 minutes left.

 

[teacher13]

says it won't let me take a screen shot during playback

 

[simsaladimbamba]

says it won't let me take a screen shot during playback

You mean you can't use CMD+SHIFT+3?
You don't need to do this during playback.

 

[teacher13]

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Yeah, that looks not well.

What about the other parts of the repeated and quoted questions?

 

[teacher13]

What parts?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

What parts?

These:

I am burning it now and decreased the quality, see if that helps. simsaladimbamba any other suggestions?

Yep:

Then please explain the steps you have taken to get the footage from the camera into iMovie, and the steps from iMovie to iDVD and what settings you did you use in iMovie and iDVD.
Otherwise we will keep guessing, as we are not in front of your computer.

&

How is it "terrible"? Describe and post pictures.

How to take screenshots
How to attach an image to your MR post.​

 

[teacher13]

That is from the new burn. I did not see any difference.

I took my sony hd and plugged it right into the imac and imported it into imovie. I then did all my editing in imovie. Then, I shared it with idvd, then burned it. I did not change any of the settings.

When I viewed it from the burned disc, it really looked bad, not clear at all. I need to have it clear since people are purchasing these from me. I don't need it in hd, just somewhat clear. I tried exporting it to itunes and quicktime, same results.

 

[teacher13]

What would you do in this situation?

 

[WestSt]

What would you do in this situation?

Try this:

Download MPEG Streamclip -> use it to export your video to Prores (HQ since it's HD) -> Edit your film -> send to iDVD.....

Thing is Streamclip often does a better job exporting/compressing then iMovie.

You can also try using Streamclip to export your finished sequence to DVD format, then send to iDVD, to se if that improves quality further (havent tried it but would believe it should work).