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Best way to make reliable DVDs…
Hi Everybody,
I’ve been making DVDs using DVD SP for several years now, and frankly, they’ve never been
especially reliable. Lately though I’d say 75% of them are problematic. Clients complain that they are “glitchy” playing back on various devices. Typically they are fine on a computer (though not always) and glitchy on dvd players. They always say, “other disks play back fine on this machine”. The problems seem to be somewhat intermittent and occur mostly with the longer form projects with lots of chapter markers, buttons and menus. I always spot check dvds before sending them to clients and they of course seem fine to me (on the mac and on my cheap dvd player).My workflow is this:
-Edit on FCP 5.1.4
-Export using compressor
-Mpeg at the highest quality (usually the “highest quality 90minute 4:3”
-Normalize the stereo mix with Soundtrack
-Bring into DVD Studio Pro
-Create menus, usually place a lot of chapter markers in the tracks linked to buttons in the menus
-build and format from DVDSP, using Taiyo Yuden 8x shiny silver disks (no sticky labels)I’ve done this process with both my Mac Pro 2.33 (2 gig ram) and my MacBook Pro (2 gig ram) with similar problems, so I don’t think it’s a hardware issue. One project a few months ago was so bad the client had me send master tapes to be authored by a duplication place. Very embarrassing, and not good for business! What do you guys think? Should I try bitvice? Is there a better program for authoring?
THANKS!
Bob Pierce -
26 Replies
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Hey Bob,
I haven’t run into these problems in a while, so I’m not sure what’s causing it on your end. Has this always happened? Is it possible that your DVD burner/SuperDrive needs to be replaced? If the discs are only giving problems later on in your films (as in where the media is recorded more towards the outside of the disc), then your burner may be losing steam.
Also, Supposedly, DVD+R are a more reliable format across consumer DVD players. You could try using those if you’ve only been using DVD-R.
Hope that helps somewhat…
-Ben
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Well, first you always want to make sure that the media you are using is the best possible DVD stock. That usually means the most expensive. Be sure you are using DVD-R blanks (I know that sounds stupid). I personally have found Verbatim a reliable DVD.
Then modify the DVD presets. The 90 minute preset is not the highest quality you can get. When you export to compressor choose the 90 minute preset and then click on the video file under the setting column. That will open up the inspector window. Clich on the quality tab under the inspector window. Under MODE click two pass VBR. Move the average bit rate tab to 7.7. This will also move the Maximum bit rate to 9.0. Click the GOP tab. Change the Gop Structure to IP. Next change the GOP size to 6. Click SAVE AS and save your setting in an easy to remember name. THis setting will help achieve the maximum quality but will limit you to around an hour of video on your DVD.
If this offers no improvement – TIme to get that machine to Apple for a new DVD burner. It will cost a lot less than your client good will.
Richard Martz
MagicMartz MediaFinal Cut Pro HD
Kona LH
After Effects
PhotoShop
Illustrator
Lots of other Fun Stuff! -
Thanks, Ben. I’ve had this trouble with both the Mac Pro and the MacBook Pro, both of which a very spanky new. I’ve only used Taiyo Yuden DVD-R 8x. Does anyone else out there have better luck with DVD+R? I know some people use Toast to burn the disks – is this a better way to go?
THANKS
Bob Pierce -
Thanks Richard, that’s interesting. I have experimented with other settings in the past, but I’m unsure of which way to go to improve reliable playback. In other words, is it better to compress the video (and audio -?) more in order to put less demand on the player (at the expense of quality, of course) or is it easier for the playback device to have less to de-compress??
I’ll try these settings and get back to you.
Thanks
Bob -
Bob,
This may sound a bit too simple, but it couldn’t hurt to try it. Don’t hesitate to decrease the speed at which you’re burning the disc. This can minimize any errors that are being written as the disc is burning.
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Yes this is another good idea. Slower burning is better. Like a fine cigar.
Richard Martz
MagicMartz MediaFinal Cut Pro HD
Kona LH
After Effects
PhotoShop
Illustrator
Lots of other Fun Stuff! -
Your problem seems to be in yrou DVD burner. Try the settings we have suggested and if there is no imprevement I suspect that the problem is not with your software but with teh hardware. Buying another program may have little effect in that case.
Richard Martz
MagicMartz MediaFinal Cut Pro HD
Kona LH
After Effects
PhotoShop
Illustrator
Lots of other Fun Stuff! -
Bob,
The workflow you outlined does not indicate that you are converting your audio to AC3 audio at the same time you’re encoding your video in Compressor. Are you converting to AC3?
If you’re not, then this is a probable source of issues for your DVD playback in a set top player, as the combined overhead of 7.7mbps video (the best quality prest) and PCM audio will push the limits of DVD players, which according to the DVD spec is 10mbps total (video + audio).
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Post-production Supervisor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles -
Definitely what Bob said about AC3. That would be a big problem not using it.
Next, you should consider creating a quicktime reference movie of your rendered sequence
then drop that into compressor. You will find the MPEG2 encoding process happens
much faster this way, in addition to the fact you can go back to using FCP.
This may not have anything to do with your DVD playback problems, but
this is the preferred workflow for most of us.Dan
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[Danrnw] “Definitely what Bob said about AC3.”
Dan, do I look like a Bob???
David
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor/Post-production Supervisor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
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