Toast 7 - Chapter Markers from iMovie

[Surfmaster]

I have some VHS tapes that I want to convert to DVD using my digital camcorder as a pass-through-device that will be intercepted by Apple iMovie. I have a few questions:

- Can I set chapter markers in iMovie and then import the footage into Toast 7 and have Toast 7 recognize the chapter markers as in iDVD?
- What is the maximum number of minutes of video footage I can burn on a DVD using Toast 7's "best quality" mode?

I have a double layer DVD burner.

My goal is to convert TV shows on VHS tapes, add chapter markers and burn them to DVD. I do not need any fancy menus or motion graphics. I just want the TV show with user-defined chapter markers on DVDs.

Thanks!

[terryj]

This is achievable with Toast 7, but you must be using iMovie 6 (HD).
Best way would be to author from iMovie to iDVD
with the Chapter markers intact, and then burn that
output. But if you must Toast instead of iDVD,
see here:
Roxio, imovie, Toast
and here:
Roxio toast and imovie 6, round 2

Toast 7:
22min eps,(half hour shows minus commercials) you can get 5 at decent quality, 4 for best quality

41 min eps, (hour long shows minus commercials) you can get
3 at decent quality, 2 at best quality

[Frobozz]

Sorry terryj, but I disagree with you on part of your recommendation. Because Surfmaster wants the most amount of video at high quality on a DVD it is wiser to use Toast 7 than iDVD because the latter uses uncompressed audio while Toast uses compressed AC-3 audio. That leaves more room for higher-bit-rate video when there is more than an hour of video on a DVD.

Toast automatically recognizes chapter markers from iMovie including versions prior to iMovie 6. Just drag the iMovie project file into Toast or use the Toast Media Browser to add the file to the Video window.

For maximum quality the amount of video in Toast is about 1:15:00 on a single-layer DVD (1 hour for iDVD). Very good quality continues to about 2:20:00. I typically set my target at no more than 2 hours per single-layer DVD.

[Surfmaster]

Hi Frobozz and TerryJ,

Thanks for sharing your information and insight about using iMovie and Toast to backup VHS tapes. You both saved me lost of time, money and aggravation. I'm glad I have the option to backup programs in the 90 to 120 minute range. I will now try some backups and will report back if I have any problems to share. Thanks again!!!

[terryj]

Sorry terryj, but I disagree with you on part of your recommendation. Toast automatically recognizes chapter markers from iMovie including versions prior to iMovie 6. Just drag the iMovie project file into Toast or use the Toast Media Browser to add the file to the Video window.

and I have to disagree with you old friend.
I have tried the following with versions both 4 and 5 of iMovie to Toast 7.
Neiether version worked as described in the links I provided.
Using Toast 7 and iMovie 6 (HD) is the magic combination however,
and following the steps listed in the second url link I provided
worked flawlessly. If you are getting it to work with iMovie 4 or 5,
and Toast 7 please share your steps; I would like to learn where I might be wrong?

and my remarks towards iDVD where directed at the chapter marker usuage
(please read again), not at the Compression angle?
or did you forget I'm the DVDSP champ around these parts,
which hands down is the TRUE way to go about getting the most
in terms of quantity of episodes with great quality?
lol.


sufmaster, your welcome! let us know how you make out!

[Frobozz]

Terryj, I haven't forgotten your the DVDSP champ. That's why I thought iDVD's shortcoming may have slipped your mind. I'm the Toast champ (user only; no ties to Roxio).

Starting with Toast 6 the Automatic setting for chapter markers was designed to keep markers manually set in iMovie. The trick is making sure the correct iMovie file is added to Toast. Before this .mov file was buried inside a project file users needed to drag the reference .mov file (a small file) to Toast because that had the markers. However, many would drag the full-sized .mov file so Toast wasn't told of any markers, thereby adding its own markers in 5-minute increments. I don't know why it didn't work for you in earlier Toast/iMovie versions but Toast was designed to recognize and use those markers.

Once iMovie switched to a project file then Toast was updated to automatically locate the correct file from inside the project. It is the .mov file inside the iDVD folder inside the Shared Movies folder seen when showing package contents.

For Surfmaster, I always recommend that Toast users choose Save as Disc Image instead of clicking the burn button. That way they can preview the mounted disc image with DVD Player to make sure all is right before burning their DVD (using the Image File setting in the Toast Copy window).

[terryj]

[quote"=Fro"]
However, many would drag the full-sized .mov file so Toast
wasn't told of any markers,[/quote]

as always old friend, you are right as rain.
I only have iMovie 4 on the home dual 1,
and iMovie 5 on the work laptop.
This is what I did in both instances.

Once iMovie switched to a project file then Toast was updated to automatically locate the correct file from inside the project. It is the .mov file inside the iDVD folder inside the Shared Movies folder seen when showing package contents.

and this is the magic combination that worked for me.
Toast 7 and iMovie HD (6) picked this up flawlessly.
Going back and using your steps with iMovie v. 4 and v.5,
made this work also.

Goes to show, You can learn something new everyday.

For Surfmaster, I always recommend that Toast users choose Save as Disc Image instead of clicking the burn button. That way they can preview the mounted disc image with DVD Player to make sure all is right before burning their DVD (using the Image File setting in the Toast Copy window).

The only thing I would add to this, and what I wish Toast would
fix for 7 ( I don't have 8 yet, so I don't know if this has been fixed,
and with all the DL media problems with 8, I may not for a while)
is that if you do create the Disc Image, and it contains BOTH
video and a slideshow, then you have to (1) Mount the Disc Image
in Toast,
then switch to the DVD(UDF) Disc tab, and then select new disc,
and then drag and drop the contents of the mounted disc image into that window, and then burn the disc that way, as simply burning the disc in the IMAGE tab will not copy the slideshow
contents to the disc. Toast ignores this folder for some reason
when using the burn from Image command.

Here's an example for those scratching their heads:

I'm creating a six episode DVD in Toast from .avis converted
from .mkvs. I drag the episodes into the Video tab window.
I then create a folder called COVERS, and then I put a .jpg
file in there of a self made cover done in Photoshop.
The purpose is so that I can have a slide I can look at
with cast listings, and a Photo ( often the movie poster)
to know at a quick glance what the contents are.

I then author the disc in Toast, and save it as a Disc Image,
for later burning.

I then go back and mount the .toast disc image, verify it with
DVD Player, and then proceed to burn with Toast. However,
if you try and burn it with Toast 7's burn from mounted Image
window, it will ignore the slideshow folder when it burns the new disc.

But instead selecting the Disc tab ( the first one)
and selecting DVD_UDF to burn a DVD disc, and
Copying the contents from Finder to this window, and then
clicking burn, creates an exact copy of the Disc Image, which
works great.

I'm up to Toast 7.12, and still this hasn't been addressed.
I don't have Toast 8, but have they fixed this in 8 yet Fro?

[Frobozz]

terryj, I've experienced the same thing when burning a disc image of a Toast 7 music DVD. The disc image also contained data folders of the source audio files but only the VIDEO_TS folder appeared on the burned disc. Your workaround is needed in that case as well.

I've never tested this with Toast 8 so I'll give it a go to see if that has changed.

There is a nice addition to Toast 8 associated with DVD slide shows. You can tell Toast 8 not only to include the actual image files as data like in Toast 7 but it automatically creates both a Mac and PC slide show player. (Toast 8 has an added format in the data window called Photo Disc that includes the players). I haven't seen how the PC player works but the Mac one is quite nice. I'll have to see what happens if I burn one of these along with videos from a Toast 8 disc image.

[terryj]

cool old friend.

keep us informed on changes on toast 8.

[Frobozz]

Good news, terryj. Both Toast 8 and Popcorn 2 have an option to include the Data content from a video DVD disc image created by Toast. Toast 7 lacks this option.

The way it works in Toast 8 and Popcorn 2 is to select the disc image using the Image File setting and then click the Options button. Next, choose Custom with the drop-down menu next to Video. There you'll see a check box labeled Include DVD-ROM content. The resulting burned DVD contains everything from the disc image, not just the VIDEO_TS folder.

[terryj]

sweeet!
thanks, fro!

[Surfmaster]

Frobozz and TerryJ,

Thanks for the HUGE wealth of information. I'm glad I asked the question. I can't wait to find the time to do some testing.

Based on your comments, can I use Toast 6 to create the final DVD or should I use Toast 7? Which has the better video converter and would produce the better quality video? Thanks in advance for your suggestions and insight.

[Frobozz]

Frobozz and TerryJ,

Thanks for the HUGE wealth of information. I'm glad I asked the question. I can't wait to find the time to do some testing.

Based on your comments, can I use Toast 6 to create the final DVD or should I use Toast 7? Which has the better video converter and would produce the better quality video? Thanks in advance for your suggestions and insight.

Do not use Toast 6 for video DVD encoding. I cringe at the mere thought of it.

[terryj]

I second that.
Toast 7 is the bare minimum,
unless you have LOTS of Free time.

Which if you did, I'd recommend getting
a part-time job, save your first check,
and go buy Toast 7 or Toast 8.
lol!

[Surfmaster]

Okay. I'll begin looking for Toast 7 or 8.

Thanks again. You both saved me lots of time and money.

Happy July 4th!