[Nick Baer]

I like Apple software, where you don’t need a manual to use options/commands in the nav bar(s).

[Nick Baer]

My DVD menus are usually 6 video clips as windows scaled down to about 20% each, with 20-seconds of moving video:

* 2 rows of 3 across
* 6 text boxes with 1-2 words naming the scene, under each video window
– 1 text box for “play” and 1 text box for name of the DVD

I make that in FCP, export as a 20-second .mov, then 3 of them as a 60-second .mov.

Drop it into DVDSP as the background of a menu, draw the transparent “buttons” over the 6 video windows, plus “play”… Set the selected/activated colors and target for each button, start of track for “play”, and then each chapter for each button over video windows…

The DVDSP flowchart is flexible, you can make several rows, and the arrows follow.

So far, Encore is a stubborn mule when it comes to doing this GUI.

My menu and button libraries are empty, came that way, on Adobe forums there others screaming that their’s were empty, too.

I called twice to get my $49.99 Creative Cloud subscription. The first woman couldn’t help, transferred me to India. Two transfers there. They asked 100 questions about who I was. I hung up and got a guy in southern US, who set me up in 3 minutes.

i fear I will need to call back. Glad Creative Cow is here for us, in Adobe’s delusional absence.

[Nick Baer]

Do you author DVDs.

I think my huge obstacle course will be Encore.

How did you ever deal with the insanity of Encore, when DVDSP was/is so visually intuitive?

One thing killing my progress with Encore is the empty menus/buttons library(s).

[Nick Baer]

THANKS!

I am first and foremost using Premiere Pro because I can just drop my AVCHS files from my Panasonic TM900 and Sony A55 cameras, and not be bothered with pre-processing as in FCP 7 (haven’t tried FCP X yet – don’t want to corrupt any libraries that I made need to turn to with older FCP 7 projects).

I am exporting 2 hour-long projects tonight, then I will pursue your tips in full.

The big turning point is if I can work through the paste attributes correlation so I can build my motion menus the way I am used to in FCP 7.

The other thing I am needing to work through is Encore. It is such a visual headache compared to DVDSP.

the flowchart is so rigid in terms of being able to drag around to make something sensible. I posted in another thread https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/145/871392#871394 if you’d like to join.

Thanks again,

[Nick Baer]

Have you figured out how to Paste Attributes, like in FCP?

Getting a new menu with check boxes as to which attributes to paste?

[Nick Baer]

Except for AVCHD support… and the possibility of some future release of OSX complete breaking it.

[Nick Baer]

I do not have the 1080/60p option selected. That is a separate hardware push button, separate from the on screen menu for Rec Setup > Record Mode, which brings up on-screen warnings.

I’m shooting HG1920. Perhaps it is 1080/60i rather than 30i, but FCP 7 L&T did convert it to ProRes(LT).

I am converting the next set of MTS files using Toast -> proves(LT). There is an option regarding Interlace, which I left as is because I didn’t know better..

Back tot he original FCP L&T converted ProRes(LT) files, so far, the only thing I don’t like in the DVD playback is jagged edges on people, when I pan the camera.

I never used Compressor on my G5 2005-2008, because Compressor never installed properly, and the machine was too heavy to haul down to, and through the parking lot of the Apple Store The Grove. DSP worked, and there were comments on LAFCPUG to let DSP do the whole job.

I now work on the road with my Mini (brand new March 2012, 2.5GHz with 8GB RAM).

I bought Compressor from the App Store, but in march was advised on LAFCPUG to not use it,

Google search on AVCHD is finding Premiere forums, and there people gasping for air there, too.

[Nick Baer]

Also, is this a good time to go FCP X – or maybe switch to iMovie?

[Nick Baer]

Since I am in the UK and have an 8 hour head start on the US west coast…

I was successful with FCP 7 Log & Transport to ProRes LT. FCP liked the converted files. The 720×480 .mov looks much better.

In DSP built DVD, there seems to be jagged edges – played thru DVD Player, not from a DVD in a DVD device.

What is the highest quality file FCP 7 can output that DSP won’t choke on? The last conversation I had with a DVD expert on LAFCPUG was that DSP HD was a dead format.

The next MTS files I want to convert (ProRes LT) I’m doing in Toast so I can unselect Sound..

[Nick Baer]

Thanks, Shane, for your continued dedication to mentoring of FCP.

I shoot with my brand new Panasonic TM900, in AVCHD. (I travel on the road, and need the factor of size and weight of camera gear on airplanes).

I’m trying to compare FCP 7 with Toast Titanium 11.0.6, for conversion for editing in FCP 7.

My final product is a DVD created with DVD Studio Pro SD 720×480. I am just not aware that I can (and should) create a SD DVD in DVD Studio Pro that uses a source file other than 720×480 (with or without letterbox). No 16:9 anamorphic etc.

I have used Toast for 3 years converting AVCHD to DV/DVCPRO NTSC 720×480 .mov, no sound (I use a music track instead of live sound) in FCP.

While there is degradation of quality of 720×480 vs 1920×1080, I just can’t (don’t know how to) use anything other than 720×480 to get me to my destination) in DVD Studio Pro.

The other thing, I don’t need the full 16:9 frame of content. I’d be OK with a (4:3) center-cut that chopped off the sides to save file size. With or without Letterbox.

But FCP creates a 5GB .mov file for 5 minutes of AVCHD orig. Seems a bit of overkill, compared to the 13GB/hour Toast does, and FCP Log & Capture alway did from miniDV tape from my beloved Panasonic 100!. I can’t turn off the sound, and I can’t seem to adjust the frame size.

Where in this workflow and I going wrong from your experience?