[Michael Sacci]

You may want to spend a little time with the manual and get the basics of DVD authoring.

You are still making a HD DVD, even with SD assets a HD DVD will only work in a Mac.

Then why are you changing GOP structure and the like in Compressor. You need to start with DVD presets and modify them as needed but you NEVER change the GOP structure, especially if you don’t know what you are doing.

Then DVD-R should be used and not DVD+Rs (but that is not your problem here.

[Michael Sacci]

By all means make a BluRay disc. Making a sime play only BluRay should be less than a $100. Bluray burners are getting pretty cheap and making screeners like this is pretty easy. The expensive comes in when you are trying to make something that can be replicated.

[Michael Sacci]

Well Michael, you are can disagree with me but my answer stands for Compressor. It does a great job at high bitrates and I have used if for your, I have BitVice but prefer Compressor but that is not want the post was about.

Also high bitrates VBR are a waste of time (I’m talking with regards to Compressor here). If you can encode over 6.5 Mbps you should be using CBR, it will be a ton faster and almost always give you a better encode. I don’t like Apple’s preset’s because of their spends in bitrates.

Taku, your average is determined by the need, but never go over 7.5 Mbps on the Max. You normally want about a 2 Mbps different between your average and max. So if you average can be over 6 Mbps (but for sure on 6.5 and above) over to CBR.

THe other Michael adds an important point, always use high quality DVD media.

[Michael Sacci]

But I would not want to wait for the time for the DVD to copy to the HD, which is what she said she didn’t want to do. I use the Copy function on Toast all the time, in which is automatically copies the DVD to the HD and then erases it but I would spend the cash if I had to copy 125 in a single project.

[Michael Sacci]

Locking the card is something that ALWAYS should be done before inserting it into a reader. The finder can cause a problem, this simple thing protects against that happening. The fact that the files are 32K is troubling. Have the card(s) been erased? Did you do a compare of the size of the folder that was copied with the folder on the card, this is a must do, it is the quickest verification of the copy.

Do a check check of the folder with all the files in it, what is the total capacity of the folder?

If the files are still on the card, are the movie files 32K on the card? Will they playback in the camera? Have you tried other software like VLC to try to play the movies?

BTW, the thumb nail file is not needed to pay the file or use it. It is needed if you hack the EOS Log and Transfer plugin to work with the T2i. But you really want to copy the entire folder structure as is, into each own folder on the HD.

[Michael Sacci]

And if you do have to reinstall it use another app from Digital Rebellion – https://www.digitalrebellion.com/fcsremover/

Compressor is one of the hardest apps to remove on your own.

[Michael Sacci]

Drives will not speed up rendering by that much. If will help with playing the extra streams but not the filters and effects, that is processors.

Denoiser is a heavy filter and anything like that is going to make your system crawl.

[Michael Sacci]

The in computer is only as fast if you are burning from a DVD project not copying.

But, Elizabeth, if you get a 2nd DVD burner and a program like Toast for the Mac (if on a PC there are Burning apps also), the app gives you the ability to copy the disc to the other drive and not have to transfer the data to the HD first. You should be able to get this for under $150 (probably under $100 for PC). The down side is it ties up your computer but it would save you some $ and be just as quick.

[Michael Sacci]

[Taku Suzuki] ” and max to 8.1.”

That is a problem, the max should never be over 7 (some go to 7.5) but to push it to 8 is just asking for trouble.

[Taku Suzuki] “-or…were my bitrates just simply too high for an old DVD player?”
your bitrates are too high for ANY player.

You also do not list how your audio was encoded but even with ac3 @ .192Mbps you are too high.

[Michael Sacci]

This is not want you are looking for but, if you are uncomfortable with a piece of equipment you need to replace it, especially something that can be replaced for $50. Better to throw away a $50 card you don’t trust then to be in the position you are in now. Also nothing should go into a big shot that is not battle tested. Every card you use should be completely filled and transferred to your computer, checked and then retested. Entire workflow needs to be tested before a paying gig.

I learned this the hard way years ago.

But you have not told us how procedure of offloading your cards. Do you dump the card to a HD with the entire card structure? Did you write protect the card before you put it in a card reader? Are you using a card reader?

Normally SD class speed is rated in class, Class 6 is the slowest the camera suggested but everyone recommends Class 10 and Transcend is a recommended brand for performance and price.