Section 20.7. OneStep DVDs


20.7. OneStep DVDs

The new OneStep DVD feature offers a quick method of dumping a tape onto a DVD. You plug in a camera and record directly to a DVD, bypassing iMovie altogether.

This feature turns any camcorder into one that churns out DVDs instead of tapes. It's also a handy way to offload footage from a bunch of tapes, either because blank DVDs are cheaper than tapes, or because tapes have a more limited shelf life.

You should note, though, that the OneStep DVD feature is just as limited as the Magic iMovie described in Chapter 13. For example:

  • iDVD can record only from a prerecorded MiniDV tape in a camcorder. It can't record from the TV, a cable box, an analog-digital converter box, or your digital camcorder's video pass-through feature.

  • You can't edit the video or choose which parts to include.

  • Unless you intervene (details in a moment), iDVD will rewind the tape automatically and transfer the entire thing to the end of the recorded portion.

  • You can't customize your project in any way; the resulting DVD won't have a theme, a menu screen, or buttons . Instead, it will be an Autoplay DVDa disc that begins playing automatically when inserted into a DVD player.

Here's how you use OneStep to copy a tape onto a DVD:

  1. Insert a recorded DV tape into your camcorder, and connect the camcorder to your Mac using a FireWire cable. Turn on the camcorder and set it to VCR mode .

    This mode may also be called Playback, VTR, or Play.

  2. In iDVD, choose File OneStep DVD .

    Alternatively, just close whatever iDVD project window is open . You arrive at the New Project dialog box; click the OneStep DVD button. If your Mac's DVD drive has a slide-out tray, it now opens automatically.

  3. Insert a blank recordable DVD .

    Close the DVD tray, if necessary.

  4. Wait .

    iDVD takes over your camera, automatically directing it to rewind, play back, and stop. After the capture process is complete, iDVD takes the normal amount of time to compress your video and burn it to disc, so schedule the whole thing for a time (a long time) when you won't be needing your Mac. Go get a coffee, found a new spiritual movement, or do something else that will occupy you as the tectonic plates move on inextricably and California continues its long, slow slide into Alaska.

20.7.1. Overriding OneStep

You don't have to live with OneStep's super-simple, super-limited way of doing things. If you're clever, you can work around some of its limitations.

  • You don't have to start from the beginning . Although OneStep prefers to rewind every tape to the beginning, you can easily override this tendency. That is, you can specify where you want the transfer to begin, just by cueing up the tape in the camcorder before you begin the steps above.

    Then, after you insert your blank disc, iDVD displays a "Waiting for Device" message. At that moment, put your finger on the camcorder's Play button. Once iDVD recognizes the blank DVD, OneStep begins the rewindingbut you can interrupt it by pressing Play right away. You've just convinced OneStep that the tape has now been rewound completely. iDVD starts the capture at that point.

  • You don't have to wait till the end . OneStep ordinarily tries to transfer the entire recorded portion of the tape to the DVD, but you can override this setup, too. Whenever you feel that you've transferred enough of the tape, press the Stop button on your camcorder to end the capture process. OneStep doesn't bat an eye; it moves right ahead to the compression and burning stages.

  • You can bail out at any time . You can cancel out of the whole OneStep process at any time; just click Stop in the OneStep dialog box. iDVD asks if you want to cancel the recording or continue creating the DVD using the already-captured video.




iLife 05. The Missing Manual
iLife 05: The Missing Manual
ISBN: 0596100361
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 314
Authors: David Pogue

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