You really can save time by not producing those videos in any format first for your dvd. It does sound like that you burned video files to a dvd. I never tried it intentionally. My standalone BD player can play them.

You need to go to the Create Disc module to create your dvd. It is called Author and Burn here. See this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRYhQw-RJgk&t=673s . This should help.

Quote You really can save time by not producing those videos in any format first for your dvd. It does sound like that you burned video files to a dvd. I never tried it intentionally. My standalone BD player can play them.

You need to go to the Create Disc module to create your dvd. It is called Author and Burn here. See this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRYhQw-RJgk&t=673s . This should help.

Thanks for the reply, but I don't see all those options in PD 16 like is shown in the You Tube video, but since I'm new, I could be missing it.

The tutorial is for PD13 and PD16 is the same. At the top left of the PD16 screen you should see Capture, Edit, Produce, Create Disc. Go to the Create Disc module which is to the right of the Produce tab that you talked about in the initial post.

Quote The tutorial is for PD13 and PD16 is the same. At the top left of the PD16 screen you should see Capture, Edit, Produce, Create Disc. Go to the Create Disc module which is to the right of the Produce tab that you talked about in the initial post.

So I just produced my video in MPEF-2 format, which supposedly is for DVD players and I did it in 720x480/24p (8Mbps) and in NTSC format with the same result. It plays perfectly on my computer and laptop, but when I put it in the DVD player, it's pixely and the transitions suck and my video clips with my video look like crap too. I just don't get it. What am I missing?? I also don't see where I can change from widescreen to the other ones in PD.

I know people make DVDs for DVD players all the time--I must be missing something.

Now with more detail that you supplied it makes more sense. The standard for a ntsc video disc is 720 x 480/60i (interlaced) or 29.97 frames per second not the 24p (progressive) for commercial DVDs. You got a frame rate mismatch which will cause judder on the tv screen as it refresh at 60 hertz.

If you set the project aspect ratio to 16:9 then the created disc will be widescreen. Set the AS to 4:3 and it won’t be widescreen as you want.

If your source video is 1080p30 or 60 then you can produce to 720 x 480/60i first if you want but it is a waste of time and not necessary at all. If you go directly to the Create disc module bypassing the produce step all will be better and faster.

Quote Now with more detail that you supplied it makes more sense. The standard for a ntsc video disc is 720 x 480/60i (interlaced) or 29.97 frames per second not the 24p (progressive) for commercial DVDs. You got a frame rate mismatch which will cause judder on the tv screen as it refresh at 60 hertz.

If you set the project aspect ratio to 16:9 then the created disc will be widescreen. Set the AS to 4:3 and it won’t be widescreen as you want.

If your source video is 1080p30 or 60 then you can produce to 720 x 480/60i first if you want but it is a waste of time and not necessary at all. If you go directly to the Create disc module bypassing the produce step all will be better and faster.

Thank you so much--I think I'm getting somewhere, but let me just go back to the beginning just to see if I can still do something different. So I bought Movavi Slide Maker last week before I bought PD. Again, all I wanted to do was take my photos, video clips and add music to create a tribute video for my dog. At the time, Movavi seemed to work. I bought PD mostly because I do enjoy making my little movies and I also wanted a way to burn DVDs and mess around with pictures and all.

I first started this project my using Windows Movie Maker to take my raw videos that were in MOV format. I cut my clips using WMM and then saved them as WMV files.

So in Movavi, I imported all my photos and video clips and added all the transitions and my music and all. I did a lot of work and it took me a long time to do all this being a novice. I started out actually creating a Power Point slide show that I thought I could add music and videos too, but that didn't work.

So back to Movavi. If I just save my project in Movavi, I can't really import it into PD, which was what I was hoping I could do, so instead I exported my movie in Movavi and I do have different options for exporting similar to PD. I can export it to WMV, MPEG 1 and 2, MKV or I can export it to device , which creates the NTSC. What I'm trying to do is avoid having to start this whole movie from scratch, because I did it all in Movavi Slide Maker and I like it just the way is is. So I'm trying to import my created video into PD so I can burn it. In the future of course, I would rather just use PD for my projects and I bought the Photo Director program as well.

But I will tell you that before I bought PD, I did try just burning a DVD with the project I made in Movavi using another disc burning program and the same thing happend. So I think you're right about the aspects and all, but I just don't know enough of how to fix this and I really don't want to have to completely start over. Anway, in Movavi, I can change the aspect from 16:9 to 4:3, 1:1, 9:16, do you think that's all I need to change?

I don't see where to do that in PD though, so I'm not sure for this project if I should just try and finish it on Movavi or if I can still do it in PD? Thanks for all your help BTW--I'm such a novice and I get really frustrated!!

In your other editor produce the video or slideshow to 29.97 frames per second. In PD16 at the top left is a rectangular button that has numbers like 16:9. That is the button to click and set the aspect ratio. Go to the Create Disc module/2D Disc and select avchd disc instead of dvd. You can choose either MPEG-2 or H.264, HD 1920x1080/24p if that is what you are importing, or 1920x1080/60i and burn the disc. Quality should be excellent. You should be able to play this disc on the pc or a standalone later model sony and Panasonic Blu-ray player.

If the burner on the pc is not a Blu-ray but DVD instead then you are stuck with creating DVDs. In that case just make sure that what you import in to PD16 is in 29.97, 30, 59.97, or 60 frames per second.

Quote In your other editor produce the video or slideshow to 29.97 frames per second. In PD16 at the top left is a rectangular button that has numbers like 16:9. That is the button to click and set the aspect ratio. Go to the Create Disc module/2D Disc and select avchd disc instead of dvd. You can choose either MPEG-2 or H.264, HD 1920x1080/24p if that is what you are importing, or 1920x1080/60i and burn the disc. Quality should be excellent. You should be able to play this disc on the pc or a standalone later model sony and Panasonic Blu-ray player.

If the burner on the pc is not a Blu-ray but DVD instead then you are stuck with creating DVDs. In that case just make sure that what you import in to PD16 is in 29.97, 30, 59.97, or 60 frames per second.

Thanks you so much! This is really helpful. So, when I produce the video in Movavi, should I do it in MPEG-2 format, 4:3 aspect ratio and then in 29.97, 30, 59.97, or 60 frames per second? At least for this particular project, do I need to make sure that I produce it that way before importing it into PD? Just since I have all these options in Movavi, and I just didn't know if I needed to change the aspect ratio when producing the video in Movavi or if that would matter.

Then when I import it into PD, I will again set the aspect ratio at 4:3, correct? Then create the 2D disc and select acchd and go from there, correct? I just need to know if I need to make sure of what I need to do to have the correct import video, since I can also produce it in different formats in Movavi.

OMG--I think it worked!!!!! It played on the DVD player!! So, do I always need to change the aspect ratio to 4:3 then? I've gone through so many blank DVDs playing with this. So what I was doing before that didn't seem to work was I was creating the DVD as a DVD video, not AVCHD--that seemed to be the thing that I did differently and that worked. One I did in 4:3 aspect ratio and then another one I did in 16:9 and they both worked fine as long as I created it as a AVCHD.

Again, thank you so much!! I was almost crying in frustration! I wish there were better tutorials out there for things like this and for total novices. I need a drink now!! Thanks again!

Susan,

Here is a link to tutorials that can help you understand all the features of Power Director one short step at a time. You can download the PDF and click on the links. They will take you to the respective YouTube tutorials.

--Jim

The modern TV is aspect ratio 16:9 which is widescreen. Modern cell phones, camcorders, and cameras predominantly records video in AR 16:9 also at 29.97 frames per second and higher. You would be safe to use the 16:9 aspect ratio for all videos and at the 29.97 fps.

High resolution photos or images for slideshows are usually at the AR 4:3 but you should use the AR 16:9 on your projects as the AR of your TV and computer monitor is 16:9 anyway. You will have the black side panels if you use 4:3 and display it on your TV and computer monitor.

JimIowa has created a set of tutorials here to allow you and others to learn more about using PD16 at your own pace. Those that I have seen are very good.

Quote Susan,

Here is a link to tutorials that can help you understand all the features of Power Director one short step at a time. You can download the PDF and click on the links. They will take you to the respective YouTube tutorials.

--Jim

Thank you very much Jim!! These are great--I looked at a couple of them. I have a lot of learning to do.

I appreciate you guys for helping me!