iDVD SNAFU maybe - adding SWF files and MPG4 files

[MichaelX]

I authored a DVD-R disk using iDVD4 on a G5/OSX.3.7. I used an SWF (Flash) file which contained a soundtrack. The final comp looked and sounded great in preview but when the disk was burned, it was missing the .aif sound file. The disk played on every player including an expensive Pioneer home theater system (my client's) and my el-cheapo COBY DVD home player. SNAFU 1: My client insisted on sound - imagine that! Back to the drawing board.

I exported and tested the native Live Motion file (.liv) in all kinds of formats and compressions incl. AVI, QTM, MOV, and MPG4. MPG4 yielded the best (clearest) results by far. I exported with all of the compression settings off so I could retain as much of the original detail as possible. I then re-authored in iDVD. Viola! The finished disk contained sight and sound, looked great. SNAFU 2: My client's high-end Pioneer system could not recognize the disk but my $60, el-cheapo home DVD player continues to amaze! It played - every time - without a hitch. My client also tried the disk on his HP laptop (which he says is DVD-ready) No luck there. Any ideas?

[terryj]

Sounds like something is just screwed up
completely. You have one or two issues,
your post reads like two, but I'm not sure...

In any event, You should be authoring in
DVDSP3, not iDVD it seems, what
with adding live type files and .swfs.
You could have ran everything
through Compressor and made everything
.m2v and .ac3, and tested the files
in DVDStudio Pro before the build.

It seems like the encoding stage is what
is screwing up your files, but what specifically
I don't have a clue, not using iDVD anymore.

[MichaelX]

Thanxmuch fo the quick reply bruv. Guess I gotta go pro, step up my game - become a real playa.

[willrob]

As far as I know, iDVD4 can't use any format other than DV. Both the Flash and the MPEG4 aren't supported. I assume you're trying to make a motion menu with the file? You could export from Live Motion as DV and then iDVD should have no problem with it.