Q: Will iDVD work on OS X 10.9.5 or what alternative is there?

The download you linked to is only an updater.  You have to have iDVD 7 already installed in order to use it.

If iDVD was not preinstalled on your Mac you'll have to obtain it by purchasing a copy of the iLife 09 disk from a 3rd party retailier like Amazon.com: ilife 09: Softwareor eBay.com.  Why, because iDVD (and iWeb) was discontinued by Apple over a year ago.

Why iLife 09 instead of 11?

If you have to purchase an iLife disc in order to obtain the iDVD application remember that the iLife 11 disc only provides  themes from iDVD 5-7.  The Software Update no longer installs the earlier themes when starting from the iLIfe 11 disk nor do any of the iDVD 7 updaters available from the Apple Downloads website contain them.

Currently the only sure fire way to get all themes is to start with the iLife 09 disc:

This shows the iDVD contents in the iLife 09 disc via Pacifist:

You then can upgrade from iDVD 7.0.3 to iDVD 7.1.2 via the updaters at the Apple Downloads webpage.

Export the slideshow out of iPhoto as a QT movie file via the Export button in the lower toolbar.  Select Size = Medium or Large.

Open iDVD, select a theme and drag the exported QT movie file into the open iDVD window being careful to avoid any drop zones.

Follow 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.

There are other apps that can create a video DVD available at the App Store. They are pretty rudimentary and don't offer an as polished video DVD as iDVD does, but they do work. 

If the Roxio Toast has the same menus and themes that you used on the Windows machine and you are happy with them then it should be fine on the Mac.  It's just that iDVD offers nearly 90 different themes with menus and submenus for creating video DVD.  Once you've used it you're spoiled. The following is one example of a theme with main and submenus:

I believe Roxio Toast will let you save the project as a disk image which helps isolate the encoding from the burn process as I mentioned earlier.

If ever iDVD becomes incompatible with the operating system I have an external HD running Mavericks that I can boot into to create and burn my video DVD projects.

I simply cannot understand why such a beautiful and mature product was just thrown in the garbage.

Apple no longer sells anything on disk.  As you know,  Apple is also a media company.  Their distribution system is all downloaded materials. Therefore, it is in their financial interest to force people away from optical media.

A lot of people still use DVDs.

Yes.  DVDs are the most popular method by which movies are distributed today.  In fact, you'll find about 3 times as many movies available on DVD that you can locate on Netflix or iTunes.  Netflix and iTunes are pretty good at carrying the latest releases.  However, if you enjoy older classic movies you'll find there selection lacking.  Besides, for me, there's nothing like actually owning and possessing a physical copy on the shelf.

Optical media continues to progress.  Ultra Blu-Rays will be here soon, offering movies with 4K resolution.

I have a new iMac running OS 10.10.1, and I'm wondering, if I were to purchase iLife '09 through Amazon, will iDVD run on Yosemite?

I tried dragging iDVD off of my old, damaged iMac onto the new iMac, but there seems to be no where to put the "Themes" folder on the new computer.  I've spent much of my evening with someone from the iApp team trying to help me.

Thanks for any info.

Gary

but there seems to be no where to put the "Themes" folder on the new computer

There is a place. First put the Themes folder in a a folder titled iDVD and put that iDVD folder in:

1 - the HD/Library/Applications Support folder

2 - the HD/Users/Home/Library/Applicrtions Support folder.

Note:  This folder is by default invisible.  It can be make visible as follows:

Note:  This folder is by default invisible.  It can be make visible as follows: In Lion and Mountain Lion the Home/Library folder is now invisible. To make it permanently visible enter the following in the Terminal application window: chflags nohidden ~/Library and press the Return key - 10.7: Un-hide the User Library folder.

 

For  Mavericks, 10.9,  go to your Home folder and use the View ➙ Show View Options menu to bring up this window:

Once you have the Themes folder placed open iDVD, go to the Advanced preference pane and point iDVD to the Themes folder as shown in this screenshot:

Yes, iDVD 7.1.2 does run on Yosemite, 10.10.2. 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! This pulls my fat out of the fryer!  I spent a couple of hours with customer support/iApp team and got no where.

Much appreciation to you.

The Apple Community is wonderful.

Cheers,

Gary

I will think a little if this effort is worth.  After all, iDVD is unsupported

It's definitely worth the effort. You see, there really aren't any good alternatives to iDVD.

Also, iDVD is supported, right here on this board provided by Apple.

Old Toad,

I have a similar situation regarding iDVD.  I am not an expert by any definition, but I have been using iMovie and iDVD to make dance performance DVDs for a school dance team for several years now.  Recently, my computer started crashing frequently and the Apple store wiped my hard drive clean and updated my operating system to Yosemite.  To make a long story short, I didn't realize that they would have to do this, and my husband didn't bring up that possibility, so I just copied my really important items (photos, genealogy info, docs, etc.) to an external hard drive.  I lost all of my applications, iMovie, iDVD, Photoshop, etc.  I recently read a post that I could purchase the iLife 09 and install iDVD (I like the older version of iMovie as well, the new version doesn't allow you to put chapter markers into your movies), but now I am afraid to try it.  Your post to Gary seemed a little advanced for me.  Is there anything I need to do before I try to install iDVD?  Would it be wise to install it on an external hard drive?

Thnx in advance.

Teresia

If you purchase the iLife 09 disk you can use it to do a custom install of iDVD and iMovie via the Custom install option. 

iMovie is grayed out because I have an iMovie app later then the one in iLIfe 09 disk already installed. You shouldn't have it grayed out unless you have a new version installed.

Do you have a backup of your hard drive from just before it was wiped clean?  If so you can recover the iMovie and iDVD apps from it along with the iDVD folder that was located in the User/Home/Library/Applications Support folder.

Old Toad,

Thank you for your reply.  Unfortunately, I didn't backup my entire computer before my husband took it in.  I know better now.  I didn't realize they would suggest wiping the drive clean.  I guess that was the easiest and fastest way to clear up the problem I was having .  I just backed up the info I couldn't replace if something went wrong (docs, email, pictures, movies).  This whole thing will have me spending days fixing everything.  I have old iDVD projects that I can't open now among other issues.

I do have a new version of iMovie, which I don't like.  I didn't realize that Apple had made some the decision they did regarding iDVD and that iMovie would be changed so much.  I really don't understand why Apple is not supporting iDVD any longer.  It has really put me in a bind.  I can't remember if chapter markers can be added in iDVD or you have to do it in iMovie (it appears the new version of iMovie doesn't have the option for chapter markers).

I hate to take up your time, but do you think I would be able to install the older version of iMovie on an external drive along with iDVD and use both from the external drive?