I hate iDVD...and now I'm desperate

K

keenimedia

New member
I have been using iDVD as my main DVD burning application for my own produced shows. I hate it, but then again, I don't have time to learn DVD Studio Pro--or rather, I will take the time right after I solve world hunger and finish my space shuttle flight training.

I am using FCP (the previous version...not upgrading until I finish a big project) and I am using the prior version (pre-'08) of iDVD. Okay, so I know I am one version behind on both of these.

While I do love the basic, logical, easy-to-use operation of iDVD, it is totally unreliable. I constantly get DVDs returned from clients because they don't work in their DVD players or stop part of the way through. It also seems to have a major audio sync issue that gets worse for longer running programmes.

But my frustration is at the level now that I am willing to sell my soul--or at least make the upgrades--IF, and ONLY IF, going to FCP2 and/or iDVD '08
or learning DVD SP (2) will give me rock solid, works-every-time, bet-your-life DVDs. Or do I just get Roxio's Toast 8 Platinum?

I saw the thread about "do I need Toast if I have DVD SP" but it was a bit inconclusive. I need something that is EASY, FAST, *and* RELIABLE.

What, in your experience, fits the bill?

THANKS!

~ejr~
 
Thanks Blaine--that IS encouraging. I checked the Amazon link but the updated version hasn't been released yet.

I'm no dummy. But when I sit down in front of DVD-SP it seems so non-intuitive that I can't even get the simplest DVD project done. I am a fairly advanced user of FCP, Soundtrack Pro, PhotoShop, etc, but DVD-SP seems so inaccesible.

I will keep an eye out for the release of that book--maybe that's the amswer.

Anyone else?
 
I don't think I'd bother to wait for the update. It's basically going to be the same except updated for new tools. After going through the first quarter of the lessons, you can be up and running. After you learn to use it you'll wonder why you ever bothered with iDVD or waited so long to learn DVDSP. You can basically build and burn a DVD with custom menus in under an hour. Spend more time and you can put out an completely professional DVD and even include some Easter Eggs.
 
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This is a bit embarrassing. I have owned FCP Studio since February of this year. I have opened DVD-SP at least a half dozen times to try to find my way through it, always falling back on iDVD because it was so easy--even tho it sucks. After getting your message I opened DVD-SP again. An hour later...I have created my first DVD with DVD-SP.

"...you'll wonder why you ever bothered with iDVD or waited so long to learn DVDSP..."

Oh, so true! I have woken my wife up twice laughing to myself about what I can now do. I know I have a lot more to learn about it but at least I can CREATE A BASIC DVD, which I couldn't do before.

I was wrong. Maybe I *am* a dummy.

Thanks. Really!

~ejr~
 
Blaine is right - stick with DVD Studio Pro, you'll be glad you did. Yes it can be a little intimidating at first but once you get past the initial learning curve you soon realize the strength of the program.

That said, for quickly churning out a simple disc you can't beat Toast. Export a DV file from FCP toss it into Toast and burn away. It's fast and looks decent. The downside is that you don't have access to the powerful authoring available in DVD SP. I use Toast for rough cut approvals, window dubs and any other sort of quick turnaround work that doesn't require a lot of finesse. For the finished product I'll use DVD SP.
 
Thanks -- I was wondering what would be best for that type of quick jobs, like running off dailies and updates for clients, before edits are done, for approvals, etc. Great!
 
That's good to see. They've got it fixed for ver 8. They needed to fix 8 and Popcorn before they addressed Titanium Toast 7 (my version). Looks like mine is up next.
 
Glad I bought 8 then, even though it won't work on my G4 (10.3.9).

Blaine is THE MAN. He told me the same thing about 6 months ago. I dove in an was surprised at how easy it was ...after the first day or 2. Now I feel like I can author anything I can think of as far as menus and transitions.

I also have that book, but I find that the manual is actually pretty good as well, especially for writing the scripts.
 
yea, dvd sp is great! wait till you start making your own custom menu screens now. Back when i used IDVD i used to hate hearing "How come the menus are all the same" lol
 
It's funny when you go to a screening of local films and you just sit there when the menu comes up and go..."yeah, I have iDVD too. How about something more creative"
 
not to defend idvd, but you can create your own menus in PS, AI or even Livetype or Motion and drop them into idvd. DVDSP is far better and really isn't that hard to use after you read some of the manual. I love making layered menus from PS, it's lots of fun!
 
For ANYONE using Titanium Toast 7 AND Leopard. Toast 7.1.2 DOES NOT CURRENTLY work. They are working on a 7.1.3 update to fix it. In the meantime, you can reload Titanium Toast 7.1 and it works fine.
 
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