CaptyDVD-Can't "Compile" or "Run" DVD

[Surfmaster]

I'm using CaptyDVD 1.1.4 to create a dvd consisting of two short iMovie 3 exported DV files. The files were exported from IMovie using expert settings-movie to DV stream with 48 kHz audio. They both total about just 3 minutes since I'm still experimenting. I imported both files as my title menu and created three chapter markers on three separate pages for each movie. The entire movies and their chapter markers work well when I click the "preview" button.

Here's the problem: In the "compile" menu, I type a name for the DVD, click the "save ViDEO_TS" and "save DVD Image" buttons. I also click the "Compile disc" button. However, the menu to select a DVD burner is greyed out--yet I have a Pioneer DVR-107 Superdrive that works with iDVD. When I click run, an error message appears, "Drive not connected." How do I solve this problem?

I tried to just click the "save VIDEO_TS" and "save DVD Image" without selected "compile disc." It appears to work but after a few seconds, an error message appears, "Name not recommended," and I can't create either a VIDEO_TS folder, DVD Image, or burn a DVD-R disc. Please help.

[Frobozz]

I don't know whether or not CaptyDVD 1.1.4 will recognize an internal Pioneer 107 drive. Apparently it is irrelevant to CaptyDVD that your Pioneer drive is supported by iDVD.

Here is how I use CaptyDVD. I check the save VIDEO_TS box only. There is no need to enter a disc name. This saves a VIDEO_TS folder that I burn to DVD using the Toast 6 Data window.

I could instead choose Save DVD Image. However, this takes extra time and serves no purpose in my situation. If I didn't have Toast 6 to burn the VIDEO_TS folder I suppose I could Save DVD Image and use Disk Utility to burn the image file to a DVD. You probably need to name the movie when saving as DVD image. CaptyDVD insists the name be in all caps with no spaces. I don't know how many characters it allows.

If your DVD burner was supported by CaptyDVD you would not click either Save VIDEO_TS or DVD Image unless you wanted a copy saved to your hard drive as well as burned to your DVD.

In summary, choose only the Save VIDEO_TS if you have Toast. Or choose only Save DVD Image if you want to burn with Disk Utility.

[Surfmaster]

Hi Frobozz: Thanks for your quick reply. Your tip about having CaptyDVD just create a "VIDEO_TS" folder and use Toast 6 was superb. This saves me the trouble of creating a disk image and/or trying to get the "compile" button to recognize my internal Superdrive. Using the newly created "VIDEO_TS" folder, I simply create an empty "AUDIO_TS" folder and then burn a DVD-ROM using Toast 6. This is the fastest way toward a DVD. Thanks again.

I have another question regarding PixeDV's MPEG Cutter. After I capture an entire VHS movie, all I want to do is cut off a few seconds off the beginning of the film and a few seconds after the ending credits of the movie. The way I do it now is to open the movie in MPEG Cutter, set the start and end markers at the begining of the movie and about two seconds prior to the opening credits. I select cut and hit the execute button. I then have to wait a few minutes for the changes to occur. The result is a file saved with the word "cut" after the original name. I then open this new file and place it in MPEG Cutter and I position start and end markers a couple of seconds after the end of the movie and the end of the file. I select cut and hit the execute button. The result is the final movie without the excess beginning and ending "black" screens. My questions are: 1) Is there a way to complete cuts to the begining and ending of the movie in one step instead of the two that I described above? and 2) By doing the cuts in two steps that I described above, is there any loss in picture and sound quality of the mpeg-2 file that I'm cutting a second time? Please help. Thanks.

[Frobozz]

Glad to hear you got it to work.

Regarding MPEG Cutter, you can mark multiple cuts before clicking the Execute button. What I do is drag the mark the begiinning and end frames at the beginning, then click cut. This places that cut in the right-side list. Next I drag the scroll bar under the movie to the end where I once again select a beginning and end frame for the next cut. Clicking the cut button adds it to the list. When I've set up all the cuts I want, I click the Execute button.

Although the results in a new file, it doesn't affect the video quality in any way. There is no re-encoding that takes place: merely a rewriting of the trimmed video to the hard drive.

One thing to watch for with CaptyDVD. When you start a new project it asks if you want PCM or MPEG audio. If you choose PCM the audio from the PixeDV video will be expanded from MPEG to PCM, which takes much more space on the DVD. Be sure to choose MPEG for the audio if you want to keep the file size the same as the PixeDV's file. Unfortunately, some DVD players have compatibility problems with MPEG audio or need to have the player's audio settings changed to work with MPEG audio. Something you may want to know.

[Surfmaster]

Thanks again for the advice on using MPEG Cutter. Thank God you can select multiple cut points and then hit Execute once to have PixeDV create your final file. I'll also be sure to use MPEG audio, not PCM, for creating my DVDs.

If you want to create a DVD that includes two or more movie clips on the title page and you want to create chapter menu buttons for each movie, I notice you need to create separate "sub-menu" pages to house the chapter menu buttons. It also means that when you're at the title menu and want to play the first movie, you need to first click the icon on this title page. You'll then be transfered to the "sub-menu" page that includes the your chapter markers. The problem is that this first chapter marker may not be the beginning of your movie. To solve this problem, should I create a chapter marker at the beginning of the movie and title it "play"? I'm trying to somewhat duplicate Hollywood-style DVDs, most of which have "play" buttons. I don't mind clicking the movie icon of the title menu and then be transfered to a "sub-menu" and have to click a "play" button. (I don't want to select the "autoplay" feature since I prefer to select play after the title menu of a DVD appears.)

[Frobozz]

We need to get AntnyMD to jump in here because he's the real expert with this package.

I've noticed the same thing when creating chapter menus. Yes, it seems you need to put a chapter marker at the start or your movie won't start playing from the beginning. There is an exception, however. If you create chapter markers but do not create a chapter menu (or, like me, inadvertently have the Use Chapter Menu box unchecked in the Title/Button settings window) the DVD will start playing when you click the movie icon. The chapter markers can be accessed with the chapter skip control on the remote but there will be no scene/chapter menu.

If you want just the text of the movie title rather than a button with the movie scene, check the box next to Use Text Buttons in the Buttons setup window.

One more tip, open CaptyDVD preferences and put a check mark next to Give Priority to CPU Processing. This speeds things up.

[Surfmaster]

Thanks again for the advice about chapter markers. It gives me yet another option to create a DVD without a "sub-menu" containing chapter markers with either photos of scenes or plain word titles. I can see using this feature for backing up tv shows; I don't need to title or have a menu telling me when the commercials begin and end since I'll be cutting them out anyway. I can just use the "forward" and/or "backwards" buttons on the DVD's remote control. I did indeed take your advice about clicking "Give Priority to CPU Processing." This shaves lots of time in creating a DVD.

It's extremely difficult to use CaptyDVD by just reading the manual, which doesn't contain sufficient information. I'm ready to create more CaptyDVD-generated DVDs. I appreciate all your help. I hope other viewers of this forum can learn from reading these posts.