After burning numerous DVD's of a 102 minute film successfully, the encoded self contained QT export file must have been deleted when the cache file got full, and we had to re-encode. Nothing on the FCP timeline has been re-edited.
Repeatedly we get:
General Encoding Error. Format Finalizing failed. The mpeg folder and par folder are created. The encoded file has 0 bytes.
All three path settings have been targeted to a folder on an external hard drive, in a RAID 0 fw800 configuration. Next we will try the default cache folder again after we reinstall DVDSP and do the updates.
We have been using the Barebones (described below) method since 2004, which basically bypasses creating menus and puts the DVD on a loop. Usually it gets us through.
Film is 102 minutes with lots on the timeline. Exported self containted QT movie from FCP 4.5.
Deleted preferences file.
Then, using 3.5 to 7.5 bitrate (tried higher but didn't work), per "Barebones" advice. These settings worked fine for the DVD's which were burned, and the film looked fine.
Dragged and dropped self contained exported QT film into media manager. From there into the timeline. Delete menu one, then click on untitled disc, and title the disc. Disc name shows up in the lower right and upper left windows. In lower right, click on not set, then make the loop. ... Click on upper left window on track one. On the lower right (disc inspector) on track one and set track one to loop. Simply put, the exact same steps we have been using since 2004.
We are out of ideas. Now we are re-installing DVDSP, and we'll have to get the updates.
We have tried to re-encoding usually in German but also in English, which is why it's difficult to remember the precise error message.
Ideas?
By the way, despite the simplicity of the user interface, part of the reason we don't even make a menu for DVD's, is because we dread these recurring problems, which, finally, it seems, we have deduced, are not caused by user errors.
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