Jaymickdee

Q: iDVD file won't burn to disc; convert .dvdproj file to something that will?

First off, I'm working on a really old iMac:

Model Name:    iMac, mid2007

  Model Identifier:    iMac7,1

  Processor Name:    Intel Core 2 Duo

  Processor Speed:    2 GHz

  Number of Processors:    1

  Total Number of Cores:    2

  L2 Cache:    4 MB

  Memory:    4 GB

 

The only thing about it that's current is the OS- I just updated to El Capitan.

 

My problem- I made a slideshow in iDVD (the one that came with the machine; I was surprised it worked under EC) for a friend, with music and 148 photos. Problem is, I can't burn it to a DVD. The process starts, but inevitably iDVD, the computer, or whatever, locks up and I get the spinning beach ball. Then I have to Force Quit to get out if it.

 

I didn't realize iDVD was a dead app, no longer sold or supported. Shame on me. So here I am with a .dvdproj file which I can view easily on my iMac, but can't burn to a DVD for the girl I made it for.

 

Before I turn to iMovie and completely redo all the work, I'm wondering if there's any way I can use the .dvdproj file I have and either convert it to a more accessible file type or import it into iMovie, or..........

 

I know, I know. Part with a few bucks and get a new computer and stop trying to do it all with bandaids and duct tape. LOL

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), null

Posted on May 15, 2016 8:33 AM

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Q: iDVD file won't burn to disc; convert .dvdproj file to something that will?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Old Toad,Apple recommended

    Old Toad Old Toad May 15, 2016 8:40 AM in response to Jaymickdee
    Level 10 (140,918 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 15, 2016 8:40 AM in response to Jaymickdee

    First try following this workflow to help assure the best qualty video DVD:

    Once you have the project as you want it save it as a disk image via the File ➙ Save as Disk Image  menu option. This will separate the encoding process from the burn process.

     

    To check the encoding mount the disk image, launch DVD Player and play it.  If it plays OK with DVD Player the encoding is good.

     

    Then burn to disk with Disk Utility or Toast at the slowest speed available (2x-4x) to assure the best burn quality.  Always use top quality media:  Verbatim, Maxell or Taiyo Yuden DVD-R are the most recommended in these forums.

    As a test, create a second, simple iDVD project and try saving as a disk image.  If that goes thru OK then recreate the current project from scratch and try creating a disk image of it.

     

    Have you edited any of the move/video media after adding them to the iDVD project? How much free space do you have on your boot drive?  With iDVD you should have a minimum of 20-25GB of free space. 

     

    Was the music used purchased from the iTunes store and, if so, does it have DRM protection?

     

    OTsig.png

  • by Jaymickdee,Helpful

    Jaymickdee Jaymickdee May 15, 2016 6:03 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (11 points)
    Desktops
    May 15, 2016 6:03 PM in response to Old Toad

    First, thanks for the prompt and obviously knowledgeable reply, Mr. Toad. It's helped me narrow down my options. Here, in the order of your suggestions, are what I came up with:

    1. I saw this in one of your replies to another user, and tried it, but it locked Finder up as it tried to burn it to a disc.

    2.I made a simpler slideshow, only 6 photos and 1 song (downloaded from iTunes, as were the songs on the original file). It encoded quickly, and I saved it as an .img file. Burned that to a disc, and came up with two folders on the disc, AUDO-TS and VIDEO-TS. Neither play in DVD Player, of course.

    3.Haven’t edited anything after adding it to the project. 28 GB free space (could this be slowing it down to a crawl rather than locking up?)

    4. All the music (6 songs) was purchased from iTunes, but I’ve burned dozens of CD’s with the same music. Is this a different situation?

     

    And again, sincere thanks for taking your time to do this for all of us.

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad May 15, 2016 3:02 PM in response to Jaymickdee
    Level 10 (140,918 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 15, 2016 3:02 PM in response to Jaymickdee
    2.I made a simpler slideshow, only 6 photos and 1 song (downloaded from iTunes, as were the songs on the original file). It encoded quickly, and I saved it as an .img file. Burned that to a disc, and came up with two folders on the disc, AUDO-TS and VIDEO-TS. Neither play in DVD Player, of course.

    That should be a successful burn.  Did you try playing the disk image after double clicking on it to mount. Did you try to play the burned disk with DVD Player or in a DVD setup player?

     

    Did you burn the disk image to disc with Disk Utility?  What media did you use and how fast did you burn?

     

    Were all 148 photos in a single iDVD slideshow?

  • by Jaymickdee,Apple recommended

    Jaymickdee Jaymickdee May 15, 2016 6:02 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (11 points)
    Desktops
    May 15, 2016 6:02 PM in response to Old Toad

    Thank you, thank you, thank you! It worked, quickly, and plays in a DVD player on my TV. Your query about the number of slides made me remember something I read in one of O'Reilly's "Missing manual" books about there being a limit of 99 slides in one slideshow, so I made two DVD's, on with 99 and another with the rest.

     

    My eternal gratitude to the master at Toad Hall!

  • by Old Toad,Apple recommended

    Old Toad Old Toad May 16, 2016 8:14 AM in response to Jaymickdee
    Level 10 (140,918 points)
    Photos for Mac
    May 16, 2016 8:14 AM in response to Jaymickdee

    In the future you can put the multiple  slideshows on the same DVD but just none larger than 99 slides.