Vhs To Dvd For Mac Toast....how To Make File Smaller

[BettyK]

I transferred VHS to toast but when I went to burn it got message that file was too large to transfer. So I want to go back and erase some of the footage but don't know how to do that.

[tsantee]

Use the Medium quality setting to record the video. It is, in fact, high-quality h.264 so calling it medium quality is a misnomer. The high quality setting uses the Apple Intermidiate Codec which makes huge files, oftentimes results in audio sync problems and can't be played on anything but a Mac.

 

Oops, I didn't answer your question. You can trim the videos using QuickTime Player. Also, I haven't previously heard of that error. Did you record to the Mac's hard drive or to an external drive? What setting did you use in Toast and how did you add the video to the Toast window? How long is the video?

[BettyK]

I recorded on the hard drive. Don't recall any setting for Toast. When I was finished recording I had the option to send it to Toast, Quick Time or I Movie, I just sent it to Toast. Then after all of that transferring it told me it's too long. I thought if it were too long it would have automatically stopped recording. So, this is what I am going to do....forget the whole thing, re record it but only 1 hour segments. Thanks for your response.

[BettyK]

The video was almost 2 hours long.

[tsantee]

The video was almost 2 hours long.

Based on your description you are using the "Easy VHS to DVD Capture" application (and not the "Roxio Video Capture" application). I don't think your capture app has a quality setting so there is nothing you can do to make the file smaller. At the end you sent it to Toast. Are you using the Toast 9 Basic that came with the software or are you using a different version of Toast? In either case there should not have been any issue regarding the file size of a 2-hour video. What Toast setting was being used? If I have more information I may be able to help.

[BettyK]

You're right, that's what I was using the Easy VSH to DVD . I used the Toast that came with the software, I don't know where to look for a Toast setting. Sorry for my ignorance. Tonight I sent all the old stuff to trash and started all over again, this time only taping an hour, burning it, putting in a new DVD and then burned the second hour. Here's another problem I had previously....when I decided to add 3 different but short videos on the one DVD, only the last segment burned, don't know what happened to the two previous ones, yet it seemed they were being downloaded. Needless to say I am quite frustrated and threw away lots of DVDs. Thanks for listening.

[tsantee]

I need to know what version of Toast you are using. When Toast is open click the Toast name in the menu bar at the top of the screen and select "About Toast Titanium". In the window that appears there should be a description of the version. As for the Toast setting, before you burn the DVD you should see in the Toast window what is going to be burned to the disc. Did it show all three movies there? At the bottom of the Toast window there is a place that indicates how much space is taken and remaining on the disc. Be sure that shows some space remaining.

 

Have you read the document in the Help window of Easy VHS to DVD Capture?

 

The captured videos are in a folder titled "Easy VHS to DVD Capture" in your Movies folder. You can drag them from that folder to Toast. You need to have Toast displaying its Video window with DVD-video selected as the format, which is what you've done or you wouldn't have any DVDs right now.

[BettyK]

Hi, It's 9. Oh...where to begin....I must be the stupidest person this side of the Schuylkill River here in Philly....anyway I did not see the three movies, just the last one. I'd like to know where the other two went.....they're not in the movie folder..... I have read the document in the help window but it didn't help with my wanting to know how to shorten the project that was too long for it to be copied. Then yesterday I started another project and that turned out futile, threw away three cd's because somehow they were shortened.. You've suggested when toast is open click the toast name in the menu bar.....tell me just where is toast on my mac.....ok, about that long tape, i did see the numbers but apparently i must have been over. I think I told you I threw away (trashed) all my previous

projects so they're not in movies folder.

Thanks, I feel like I've just been to Saturday night confession!

[BettyK]

ok , found yesterday's folder," movie in format quick time player does not understand"

[tsantee]

Yes, the video captured by the software you're using is not playable with QuickTime. It doesn't need to be if what you are wanting to create is a video DVD to play on a DVD player. Is that what you're trying to create?

 

I wish I knew what version of Toast you were using because the steps to finish the project are different with the Toast 9 Basic that comes with the device and any other version of Toast you may have bought at some time. I'll assume you have Toast 9 Basic. While you're at it, you should go to Roxio's software updates page here. That is where you can download and install the last versions of the capture application and Toast 9 Basic; just in case the versions you have are not the latest.

 

After you finish the capture you don't need to choose Toast or iMovie. Just let the video sit in the "Easy VHS to DVD Capture" folder that is in your Movies folder. Next, open Toast. Make sure you have Toast's "Video" window selected. Toast also has a Data, Music, Copy and Convert window and you don't want any of those to make your DVD. I'm pretty sure Toast already is set to the Video window or you wouldn't have gotten as far as you did. Also make sure Toast is set to make a "DVD-video." You should see that somewhere on the left side of the window. Again, Toast probably already is set for DVD-Video.

 

Now, go to the Finder and open the Easy VHS to DVD Capture folder so you can see the videos you recorded. Drag what you want from that folder into the Toast window. You can drag as many as you want until the space remaining indicator gets full. If it gets overfull, remove videos until you have what will fit. Follow the instructions in the Toast Help guide to prepare the menu the way you want, insert a blank DVD and click the burn button. Toast should open a window that says it is "Multiplexing" the video. If it says it is "Encoding" the video, please let me know and I'll tell you another step that speeds things up.

 

You cannot edit or shorten the videos with either of these applications. You can edit and shorten and otherwise fit videos to the DVD if you have Toast 10 or 11, but that isn't free. If you do consider buying either of those be sure to check that your Mac meets the minimum system requirements.

 

You mentioned CDs in a previous post. You need to be using DVDs. That may be want you meant.

[BettyK]

Thanks for your reply. Yes I am using Toast 9. ok, went to VHS to DVD and saw three movies BUT do not see a Toast Window to drag them to. Is it hidden somewhere on my computer and I just can't see it? I misused the term CD, they are DVD-R discs.

[tsantee]

Thanks for your reply. Yes I am using Toast 9. ok, went to VHS to DVD and saw three movies BUT do not see a Toast Window to drag them to. Is it hidden somewhere on my computer and I just can't see it? I misused the term CD, they are DVD-R discs.

Open the Toast application. The window I'm referring to is the big white area that appears when Toast is open. I find it easiest just to drag videos in the Finder and drop them on top of that window.

[BettyK]

Hi, Thank you, I found the area BUT when I was transferring the movie I got an error message saying Sense key:hardware error, sense code x09,0x1, tracking serv. failure......THEN everything on my dock disappeared. THEN my 8 MM video camera started acting up, all the videos were jumping and the Roxio got no signal....so nice Male from Eugene, Oregon I am now in the kitchen and I'm going to turn the gas on in the oven and insert my head...... only kidding of course...so as of today, May 13, 2013 (two unlucky numbers) I am retiring from video copying. Thank you, Betty Kane Roxio 1, Betty 0. Betty's down for the count!

[tsantee]

When I was young there was a comic strip called Lil' Abner that had a character walking around with a black rain cloud over his head. That must be how you felt working on those videos. I'm sorry you experienced all that misery and still aren't able to watch those videos on DVD. Sign.

[BettyK]

I recall that character. Thanks for your help, you have answered all the questions that I needed answering. When and if I get my sony 8 mm camera fixed I may run the tapes and tackle the project again.