Problem fitting movie onto DVD

Question

Problem fitting movie onto DVD

I use MIDVD, and have successfully burned movies to discs in the past. I am having trouble fitting a certain home movie onto the standard 4.7 gb disc.

I originally created it in iMovie, and it was massive. However I have shrunk the file size down to 1.72 gb Quick Time file and tried changing it to a .mov file. It is also < 2 hours.

I have also used brand new discs, and tried "completely erasing" all data.

I am still getting the error message: file is too big for the disc.

Can anyone help please? I have run out of ideas.

Thanks

iMac, iOS 8.1.2

Posted on Jan 25, 2015 12:41 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 25, 2015 10:57 AM in response to lancefromchippenham

Hi

The two hour limit means more than the actual movie. It included the Menu used too and an elaborate, animated one can take away more than fiftheen minutes.

So I use an as simple menu possibly - no animation but static - NO audio but silent. e.g. old Metal as this takes away one minute or less.

alt. is to use a DL-DVD - BUT I USUALLY FAIL with these and they cost a bit.

AND I DO A - Save as a DISKIMAGE first from iDVD and test this with the Mac DVD-player tool. Then I use Disk Util tool to do the actual burn from this if it plays OK. This saves a lot of destroyed DVD disks.

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 2

J Keller

Level 4

2,750 points

Jan 30, 2015 3:28 PM in response to lancefromchippenham

To add to Bengt's good thoughts -- you mention that you "tried "completely erasing" all data" on your discs which implies you are trying to use not-quite-reliable DVD-RW (re-writable) discs. I would recommend using the disk image process (suggested elsewhere in this forum by Bengt, Old Toad, and others) and once you are happy with this virtual DVD, then copy the file to a standard DVD (+R or -R).

I'd skip all the manipulations to reduce file size (transcoding, etc.) and get your production under two hours. iDVD uses length (in minutes) not file size to fit a movie onto a DVD.

If you want to feel more solid on the work flow, use a short clip from your production and take it through the iDVD/disk image process. It should be quick, and once that works fine, then do the big event.

John

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Answer 3

Old Toad

Level 10

216,112 points

Jan 31, 2015 8:50 AM in response to lancefromchippenham

Try the following: one thing for sure is what J Keller mentioned. DVD-RW disks are notoriously unreliable for creating video DVDs. 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 Burn ➙ Burn ISO 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.

If you're still having problems contact the miDVD support personnel for further help.

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