Video Images More Blurry When Burned To Dvd

[Panda14]

Ever since I started using Toast 11 to burn my home videos from my MAC OS X computer to DVD, the images are not clear once on the DVD. The images are clear on the computer and my camcorder, however. Is there a particular setting I should have when burning to the disc? Previously I used a PC with the same camcorder, and my videos came out clear, so I'm assuming it's something about the Toast 11 software and burning that is causing the breakdown in image. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Panda14]

I tried those settings, but unfortunately I don't see any difference in the video. I appreciate your efforts. Thanks.

[tsantee]

Then it just may be the difference between watching SD video instead of the original HD video. Be sure to watch the DVDs at actual or normal size rather than at full screen to see the best picture quality.

[tsantee]

I need more information. What are the specs of the video before you had Toast make the DVD? Are you viewing the DVD on a TV or on a computer screen? Are you viewing at actual size or full screen size? What is the total length of the videos on the DVD?

[Panda14]

I download the video on iMovie first. From there I drag it to Toast 11. I'm not computer savvy, but these might be the specs: H.264/AVC, 960 x 540, 29.97 fps? I'm viewing the dvd on a TV or computer. Once on the disc, the picture looks the same on TV or computer. Viewing at full screen. I put several short clips on a dvd to total about 30 min. of play time.

[tsantee]

I believe the problem is the nonstandard 960x540 resolution of the source video. Although that is 16:9 ratio that Toast should handle okay, it may be that Toast isn't creating an anamorphic 16:9 video when doing the encoding. In other words, Toast may be "letterboxing" the video by adding black bars to the top and bottom of a 4:3 frame. If you export the video from iMovie a 16:9 NTSC or PAL QuickTime movie you should get the scaling that enables Toast to encode it as anamorphic rather than letterboxed. That will make a big difference.

[Panda14]

Should I make a 4:3 frame for my video instead in iMovie? I didn't know there was an option for standard or widescreen. I'll try it and see if it helps. Thanks for your advice!

[tsantee]

Should I make a 4:3 frame for my video instead in iMovie? I didn't know there was an option for standard or widescreen. I'll try it and see if it helps. Thanks for your advice!

You don't want 4:3. You want to export the movie as 16:9. I just opened iMovie to see what you need to do differently. Click Share and then choose File. Click the setting next to Size and choose SD 854 x 480. This is what will work best with Toast.

[Panda14]

in "Share" I didn't see a "File" option. Also did not see any size option of SD 854 x 480. Perhaps my iMovie is a different version. When I click on "Export to QuickTime Movie" from "Share," there is a setting option for dimensions of the export size. Some options include 768 x 576 SD, NTSC 720 x 480, etc. Is this what I should be changing?

[tsantee]

In the Export to QuickTime Movie setting see if you can get this window to appear. This is the best export settings to use for Toast. Use the Settings and Size buttons to change the settings. You don't need the Filter button.