DVD-R software and iDVD incompatability

I recently purchased a LaCie DVD-R drive (the so-called SuperDrive, though not Apple's SuperDrive per se) and it shipped with a CD that contained 3 PC apps that were basically iDVD equivalents (i.e. content makers for dummies for burning DVDs) but only Toast Lite for Mac, which is fine for burning files/folders to DVD, but obviously won't support iDVD like features such as menus and prepping for play in a DVD player.

As this was completely unacceptable (i.e. no mac version of content creation app), we ordered from Apple the iDVD 2 CD (which ships with superdrive equipped macs). I was under the impression that being a firewire DVD-R from a reputable vendor, iDVD would support it. Then I discover that iDVD 2 only supports Apple's superdrive, and attempting to run it without one installed results in an error dialog and the app terminating.

Apple is getting more like MS every day. Does anyone know of any good DVD content creation apps like iDVD that work with 3rd party devices? DVD Studio Pro is supported, but is not only too expensive and overkill, but is terribly complicated.

We are looking for something simple just to make some DVDs of quicktime movies/iMovies of graduations and skiing trips.

Does anyone have any good suggestions/solutions/ideas? We are pretty miffed at getting this drive and then having no apps to use it.

There was a blurb in the docs that came with the LaCie that said that Toast Lite allowed for DVD creation. However, I was under the impression that it burned DVDs, but only in the files/folders format, not in a playable form. Is this the solution I am looking for, or am I way off base?

Please help this is driving us crazy!

Thanks in advance!

Bumping this up a little....

For the love of god, is ANYONE burning DVDs?

Is there ANY app besides iDVD for doing DVD preparation that doesn't require rocket science (a la DVD Studio Pro...)?

Thanks for ANY reply (even a flame at this point! )

Alright! Thanks for the post...

I didn't realize there WAS a crack available!
Can anyone confirm or debunk the existence of the aforementioned crack (i.e. iDVD for non-Apple SuperDrive crack)?

Heading to Limewire to sniff around right now....

Ugh... a time limit on iDVD film lengths? THat is preposterous! DVD Studio Pro's learning curve is pretty damn steep.

For the sake of conversation, the machine in question is not a tower... it is a TiBook (the drive is a Firewire LaCie SuperDrive)

Apple is really starting to piss me off.

<img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />

No I haven't found a crack (that will allow Superdrives other than Apple's factory Pioneer model) yet on any "piracy" service such as Gnutella, Hotline or Carracho....

Hoping one will show up someday...

Matsu, you have a point about support to come later... Apple has been playing that game a lot lately. Holding hardware functionality over the heads of consumers to sell Apple hardware.

Honestly, I am really upset at Apple for some of their design decisions as of late. It is one thing to sell differently priced versions of hardware based upon the offering, but lately I have seen Apple DISABLE and HANDICAP perfectly functional hardware because it is in the "middle" tier of cost, i.e. they disable already present features of the machine you purchased so to make the fully-enabled ones more attractive. Screw that shite. I can smell the Microsoft and feel the Dark Side in it all....

Anyhow... If anyone sees a crack for iDVD that will allow use with other players besides the Pioneer from Apple, please post info/link or at least get my email address to send the info if you have qualms about posting it here....

Oh... a quick aside... The main reason I am REALLY pissed about this iDVD crap is the fact that all iDVD really does is put all the video into a properly formatted folder for burning to a DVD. Interestingly enough, I have been told that if you prepare a well-formed folder of data that will fit on a normal CD-R and burn it up, then that CD-R will play like a DVD in a player (albeit only for the 20 minutes it can hold). This plainly illustrates my point previously. If you can "make" a DVD with a normal CD burner, how in the HELL can Apple get away with disabling it from working with other DVD-Rs! AARRGGG!

sorry for the rant <img src="graemlins/embarrassed.gif" border="0" alt="[Embarrassed]" />

I strongly concur with Matsu on this one! You guys ARE great and tremendously speedy! Thanks for all the help finding out what needed to be done to help me out... I really owe every one a really decent beer.

I am curious about OWC bundling that hack with their drive....

(quickly... Bunge... I sent you a reply w/ my email address so feel free to toss it my way!)

Thanks again guys! Enjoy you days!

- the big silly lion