Multiplexing/Burning for 6+ hours?!!

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Level 1

14 points

Multiplexing/Burning for 6+ hours?!!

This is now an iDVD v. 4 project. I had bad luck with the same one using version 7.0.4 which burned and seemed to play well enough after an endless 6 hours of encoding until one of the movies (3 30 min. movies encoded at 'professional' level for longer length) stopped midway through. I got a "cannot play disc" message in DV Player and it quit. This was a project I was supposed to be making a bit of money from....I figure my accumulated time now comes to less than $2 an hour..thanks Apple!

In iDVD v. 4 I used to be able to make very nice DVD projects.. I have no idea why this is messing up. After encoding assets for about 5 hours, it's now been at the multiplexing and burning stage for over 6. I see advice in the discussions to trash the plist and what not, but none of this was something I did in the past, and nowhere in iDVD help do I remember seeing cautionary advice. In this version, I see no option to save as a disc image...maybe there's another way? What is going on? It's now past bedtime here in NYC, and I'm just going to leave it going, but expect to find a "can't burn disc" error message, and yet another of many coasters so far in the morning.

Yes, I am using Maxell DVD-R media. I am burning at 4x, and I have 9 GB free space on the Macintosh HD I'm running the project on. I'm wondering what's going on? If I quit the project, I seem to run the risk of losing all those hours of encoding. Maybe the app is corrupted? The HD Disk Utility check says the drive seems to be OK. What if I uninstall and then reinstall iDVD?

I'm wiped out...

MDD G4, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Nov 28, 2013 10:59 PM

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Answer 1

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Nov 29, 2013 6:49 AM in response to keithgvp

It's not usually the burning that takes the time, but the rendering, i.e. conversion to mpeg2. 9GB of free space is not a lot, you should consider 20-30GB.

Also, iDVD 4 is very old. iDVD 6 was better, version 7 even more so. Similarly, iMovie 4 was bad, iMovie 6 the best ever version.

Don't expect miracles from your old G4! 🙂 You need as much RAM as you can fit into it. You should also have upgraded to Leopard 10.5.8 while it was still available from Apple six years ago. Now it costs $100+ from eBay or Amazon.

Basically I am trying hard to find a nice way of telling you that you are using outdated software on an officially obsolete computer, and the time it takes to get from A to Z will therefore be longer. 🙂

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 29, 2013 9:24 AM in response to keithgvp

Additionally follow this workflow:

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.

OT

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Answer 3

keithgvp Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 29, 2013 5:30 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks, OT,

I've seen your similar posts with the same advice. In idvd 4 there is no File menu option to save as Disk Image, and in fact, I never used to use it. In v. 7 there is the option, but the resulting DI had problems...see below. I didn't know DVD Player could read a disk image...will try that, too.

When I closed down the above all-night running multiplexing, there was a little message stating that my DVD drive wasn't supported by Apple. And sure enough, the About This Mac menu said the Pioneer 110D didn't, ether. Funny, because I used it all the time to copy DVDs. The thing was, I reconstructed the idvd project in this computer in IDVD 4 after not being able to complete it successfully on the other machine using v. 7. That machine has been having hard drive issues, and I'm not able to repair with Disk Utility. I'm going to try installing a new HD and reinstall all the '08 iapps, plus DVD SP 3, which offers even more versatility.

I kind of take exception to Klaus's contention that my G4 and OS 10.4 are obsolete. The software and machine worked fine, as was intended. I'm blaming the failing boot drive at this point. In other words, idvd 3 or 4 did what it was supposed to do, except that later versions like 7 offered more user input. His point that I ought to have more HD space is well taken, but again, the system I had with my Sawtooth, and it's 20 GB drive produced a good number of dvd projects some years ago.

I also have a '91 Corolla, which runs fine, gets me from points A to B economically and comfortably. I'm sure there are those who would think it obsolete.

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 29, 2013 6:35 PM in response to keithgvp

The G4 and OS 10.4 are like the Corvair is to General Motors, old technology and unsupported.

If your G4 and 10.4 will support iDVD 7 definitely upgrade to iDVD 7 by purhasing the iLife 09 disk.

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Answer 5

keithgvp Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 29, 2013 7:19 PM in response to Old Toad

Hi, yes, I think I must have the iLife '09 as a dmg. since it installs iDVD 7, and I can upgrade the software to 7.4 - something.

I can report, proudly, that my elderly and obsolete iDVD (Corvair) 4 has just mastered a 99 minute dvd that runs flawlessly! (OK, unlike Ralph Nader's "unsafe at any speed" take of that vehicle)

And the above was on a 20 GB HD with 9.5GB to spare...albeit with replaced Apple-compliant superdrive... Yay!

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Answer 6

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

Nov 29, 2013 7:30 PM in response to keithgvp

Yes. Once you have iDVD 7 installed go to Apple - Support - Search site and search for iDVD 7 to get the sequence of updaters to use for that version.

You might consider getting an external HD to move some of your files to so that you can have more wiggle room on your boot drive.

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Answer 7

keithgvp Author

Level 1

14 points

Nov 29, 2013 8:08 PM in response to Old Toad

Thanks again - absolutely.. have 4 externals, mostly containing obsolete files never to be used again.It's like going through stuff in the attic.

Also: as for the iDVD 4 disc, I am certainly making a disk image in DU, as for some reason, trying to burn a new one in the project seems to start the 'encoding assets' procedure all over again. The status pane shows the 3 movies are not encoded ---although they are. I'm not complaining...just relieved from stress of previous days.

We of the community are grateful for your support!

K

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Answer 8

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Nov 30, 2013 2:16 AM in response to keithgvp

I chose my words carefully: note that I said officially obsolete:

Vintage and obsolete Apple products:

Obsolete products are those that were discontinued more than seven years ago. Apple has discontinued all hardware service for obsolete products with no exceptions. Service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products. These include ALL G4 and G5 models.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1752?viewlocale=en_US

That does not mean that they stop working, or doing what you wanted them to do when you bought it, but that the world around them has moved on, leading to incompatabilities.

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