How to Make a DVD Video from a Camcorder

1. Take video with your camcorder. Use HD quality if possible. DVD’s can only hold standard quality but starting with the highest quality gives the best result (I think).

2. Plug camcorder into computer’s USB or Firewire port.

3. Start iMovie. Videos heavily tax the power of your computer. Close all programs possible to reduce the processing time which can be hours long.

3. File: Import from Camera

4. Import Manual: select the clips to import or Automatic: Import All

5. Optimize video: Large – 960x540

6. Highlight clips and move to Project. Make adjustments, titles, etc as desired. Maximum size for a DVD is 2 hours.

7. Share: Export Movie: Size to Export: Large. An m4v (an Apple variation of MPEG-4) file will be produced.

8.Close iMovie and start iDVD app

9. iDVD: Create a New Project

10. Select name and location for movie and Aspect Ratio: Create

11. Click on MEDIA button and highlight video

12. Open DVD Map and drag video to top box (for auto start DVD), Note: Autostart only works with a written DVD.

13. File: Save as Disk Image (ignore warning if an auto start): Continue Burning. This will produce an .img file.

14. Quit iDVD

15. Start Disk Utility. Using Finder, copy video.img file to Disk Utility (lower portion of box at left)

16. Load DVD into burner slot.

17. Highlight desired .img file and click on Burn icon at the top.

18. After burning, play the DVD video in a DVD player or on the Mac using DVD Player app. Note: after playing DVD, press STOP twice to return to the start then press PLAY.

19. If satisfied, all files other than the .img file can now be deleted. Multiple copies can be made at any time from the .img file using Disk Utility. Hint: have separate hard drive for storing the, videos, they are HUGE, often multi GigaBytes.

Jerry Lange 11/26/2012