Cant export video from Toast 7!

[MajorTomGC]

Whenever I try to export video from Toast 7 by importing a VIDEO_TS folder into DVD Video area and then choosing >Export, I am finding that the results are not quite up to the standard that i am looking for. I have tried Divx and H264 (without any custom tweaks to the settings) and I get good file sizes/good sound but the video is a little to blocky (Divx) or has visible lines (H264).

So, I tried using custom settings in both Divx and H264 export but both seem to freeze up Toast once the encoding process starts!! It does not matter what settings I change - I'v tried lots of different settings - but all end up with a freeze! I f I dont change a single thing the exports work fine.

Has anyone else had these problems with Toast 7.0.1? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

[I have a Powermac G5 2x2Ghz, 2.5G RAM, OS 10.4.2, QT 7.0.2 and plenty of HD space to spare]

[Frobozz]

Are you importing the video using the Media Browser? I find that this is the only way to drag VOBs into Toast 7 and have them show the correct time length. In order to use the Media Browser with a VIDEO_TS folder that's on your hard drive, you must have the VIDEO_TS folder on your Desktop. Then choose DVD in the Media Browser to show the VIDEO_TS. Now you can drag entire titles or individual chapters.

[MajorTomGC]

I tried doing it by dragging (not from the desktop) and by using the media browser (from the desktop) and both work just fine. The main difference I noticed between the two is that when using the media browser it takes about 2 - 3 minutes to import - but when just dragging it into the Toast window it is instant. I have tried encoding after using both methods and my problem is still the same.

Also, I should mention that Toast does not freeze whilst encoding (as in the spinning beachball) - it just sits with the encoding progress bar staying at the same point (0%). When I try to press the cancel button - I get the spinning beach ball and have to force quit Toast!!!

The strange thing is that this only happens when I manualy change one of the options in the export otions.

Thanks

[londor]

Has anyone else had these problems with Toast 7.0.1? Does anyone have any suggestions?

Same problems with Toast 7.0.1.

It hangs when exporting to DivX but not if you create a DivX disc. But the DivX quality (better quality setting) is appalling and it takes ages (over 11 hours for a 2 hours and 10 minutes movie on a rev-A PM DP 1.8 G5). As a comparison Handbrake 2-pass encoding to H.264/AAC is faster and can produce a file 20% smaller than the DivX that looks as good as the original.

Exporting to any other format produces a file that is heavily interlaced.

So my suggestion is to use Handbrake (free) and ditch Toast for exporting.