Audio fine on iDVD but goes out of synch once burned via iMovie

Ronald Epstein · 02-23-2008, 04:03 AM

Having a persistent problem that is causing me to buy a lot
of expensive DVD+R DL discs.

I imported my movie in iMovie '06. I prefer to use that program
over '08. I added music throughout, and since my project was large,
by the time I imported it to iDVD I had to burn it to a DL DVD rather
than a regular one.

Before burning, I check that the music is qued properly and that
everything is in synch. However, after the DVD is burned, the voice
and audio track is about 1 second out of synch. The music track is fine.
It's a very noticeable problem.

I'm looking at the original file I have on my hard drive on iDVD and it
plays completely in synch. Why is it going out of synch when burned
and how do I prevent the burning process from manipulating the track?

I am guessing the problem could be the double layered DVD and the
fact that it has to switch layers which causes the audio track to go out of synch.

I had this problem before and went through multiple burns and expensive
DL DVD discs before I got two that synched properly.

Any thoughts? If anyone has a fix, please be specific. Thanks

JohnRice · 02-23-2008, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein

I am guessing the problem could be the double layered DVD and the
fact that it has to switch layers which causes the audio track to go out of synch.

Just to clarify Ron. Are you saying it is in sync until the layer change?

I've never used these apps, but I understand you create the movie content in iMovie, then the menus and dvd mastering in iDVD. How do you burn the actual VIDEO_TS to DVD once that is done? Have you tried doing that with Toast in the Data>DVD-Rom (UDF) mode?

Ronald Epstein · 02-23-2008, 04:15 PM

Okay...

Yes, the audio goes out of sync 3/4 way through the DVD
which tells me it's a layer change problem.

However, testing this disc out on 3 DVD players including my
Mac, they all exhibit the delay so it's not related to a particular
player and the screw-up is being done within the conversion
process from iMovie to iDVD.

To answer your question further, you make the movie in iMovie
and import it to iDVD where you do the menus. It is iMovie that
lets you burn to DVD. If the project is too big it does not give you
the option to compress to DVD. It just tells you to use a DL DVD.

Perhaps if I could find a way to compress the video somewhat
so I don't have to put it on a DL DVD. I'd be willing to sacrifice
a little quality to obtain a video that syncs properly.

JohnRice · 02-23-2008, 07:19 PM

Just to trouble shoot a bit more. At some time you must have the option to produce a regular DVD format VIDEO_TS folder which can be played directly from the HD with DVDPlayer. Before you burn the disc. Giving you to opportunity to check the sync before burning. I'm just trying to understand exactly where the problem is introduced and recommend a way around it.

For re-compression, there are DVD2One and DVDRemaster available for a few $. Both of these apps are strictly for requantizing unencoded material, and in no way violate discussion rules of HTF on copying, since they are incapable of decrypting commercial DVDs. They will let you squeeze the disc to single layer though.

Ronald Epstein · 02-24-2008, 03:49 PM

John,

From research I have done on the net this seems to be
a common problem possibly related to iMovie '08.

People are actually switching back to iMovie '06, which
I tried to do by installing my CD of iLife '06. Problem is,
you can't install '06 once '08 is installed.

I'm going to try and install iLife '06 in another location.

**HTF Ads**

JohnRice · 02-24-2008, 06:30 PM

OK Ron. I was just thinking possibly if you can have iDVD produce a finalized DVD fileset, you could possibly use Toast to burn the DVD and avoid the problem.

Ronald Epstein · 02-25-2008, 03:09 AM

Hmmm. Good idea. I have to figure out if iDVD will save in
a format that Toast can burn.

DaveF · 02-25-2008, 08:06 AM

If you export a Disk Image from iDVD, does it have the same synch problem? (the few DVDs I've made, I exported a disk image (.iso I think) and then burned them with Disk Utility). This Disk Image can be mounted and played as if it's a DVD by OS X.

JohnRice · 02-25-2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein

Hmmm. Good idea. I have to figure out if iDVD will save in
a format that Toast can burn.

There is a defined DVD fileset (VIDEO_TS FOLDER contining various files and possibly an AUDIO_TS folder, which is empty) that is the defined format. You then burn it with toast in Data>DVD-ROM (UDF) format.

Dave's suggestion also works. Technically, disc utility doesn't burn Video DVDs in the proper (UDF) format, but these days virtually all players play them anyway. Older players may be hit and miss.