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  1. Member
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    I've used Corel Movie Factory to import a DVD ready folder (with .VOB files, etc) which is nice because I mark the chapters in my editing program before exporting the raw files to a DVD folder and CMF recognizes them.

    However, there's no option to add a menu to the DVD when you choose to import a DVD ready folder. I've also tried Nero and Roxio to no luck. In all these programs, you are forced to re-encode that video to have the option of adding a menu.

    Is there ANY program that can do this? If I overlooked that ability in these programs, I could use a quick description of how to get there. Thanks a lot.

    Edit: It's looking like it might just be easier to create and export a menu to include in that folder? I didn't know this was possible (and still don't). Is there a recommended program to create a menu and export the appropriate file to add to this DVD ready folder?
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    You will have to re-author the disc whenever you add "assets" such as menus. Authoring does not involve any reencoding (unless you explicitly force it), so there is no quality loss. File size goes up, of course, so if you were already at the limits of the disc's capacity, adding anything can push you over the edge. But assuming that this is not the case with your situation, then simply reauthor and go.
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    So you're making a distinction between re-authoring and re-encoding that I may not understand.
    When I use menus, it creates a new working folder and files instead of using the DVD ready folder I already have. I guess this just feels like re-encoding to me, but I don't know what the difference is. Maybe I didn't explain it right in the OP.
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  4. Always Watching guns1inger's Avatar
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    Your so-called "DVD Ready Folder" appears to be an authored DVD that has chapter points, but no menus. Which is fine - I create a lot of these because a menu is a waste of time for single title discs for personal use IMO.

    However if you want to add a menu you are basically starting the authoring process again from scratch. Authoring is the process of repackaging the assets to match the structure of the DVD, including menus, titles, chapters, subtitles etc. A good authoring tool does not re-encode the video or audio at this point, but just reshuffles them to meet the new structure.

    Nero/Roxio et al ARE NOT GOOD AUTHORING TOOLS and are likely to re-encode video and audio, even if it is compliant, and substantially reduce the quality as well. There is no place for these tools in the DVD creation or burning process.

    Now that you have a menu-less DVD structure you have a couple of choices.

    1. You can create a menu in a different authoring tool, then use PGCEdit to import and attach this to your already created disc. I have not done this, but there are guides associated with PGCEdit that will take you through this. This is as close to your original suggestion of just "adding a menu to the folder" as you will get.

    2. Create a new DVD structure from scratch, including chapters marks (which will have been lost when importing the VOBs), and burn this.

    3. Burn your menu-less DVD structure to a DVD-RW, then use DVD Decrypter to rip the chapter list in a format that you can import into your authoring tool so you don't have to recreate the chapters from scratch.

    Looking at your options, the amount of work required to do steps 1 or 3 will work out to be at least the same, and probably more, than if you just create the menus from scratch using Movie factory.

    As for re-encoding, if it takes more than about 15 minutes for the authoring process to complete, it is probably re-encoding your videos.
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    Originally Posted by 6079
    So you're making a distinction between re-authoring and re-encoding that I may not understand.
    When I use menus, it creates a new working folder and files instead of using the DVD ready folder I already have. I guess this just feels like re-encoding to me, but I don't know what the difference is. Maybe I didn't explain it right in the OP.
    To guns1inger's excellent and detailed post, I can only add this summary: Authoring is the act of arranging the various elements (menus, subtitles, video etc.) into the structure of a disc. Encoding is the act of altering the representation of the video information itself. Thus authoring and encoding are two very different operations. Authoring doesn't touch the video itself.
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    Thanks, guys. Very helpful. There's a great guide to that menu program on this site.
    It's a shame they don't include that option in these programs. They're always lagging behind the user's preferences.
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  7. Always Watching guns1inger's Avatar
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    Quite a few editors have the option for DVD output nowadays, but offer only simple output such as what you have here. Others offer better DVD support, but usually within defined or only moderately changeable templates.

    At the higher end you get better integration, but this comes with more manual steps. For example, both Vegas Pro and Premiere CSn allow you to output projects that have chapter points marked. These can be imported into their authoring tools (DVD Architect and Encore respectively) with the chapters intact for final authoring.

    However generally, at the higher end, you edit in an editor, export as DVD compliant video and audio tracks, then use these as assets when authoring.
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    Originally Posted by guns1inger
    3. Burn your menu-less DVD structure to a DVD-RW, then use DVD Decrypter to rip the chapter list in a format that you can import into your authoring tool so you don't have to recreate the chapters from scratch.
    Similarly, you could use PGCDemux to demux your vobs into separate audio, video and chapter list (celltimes) - also subtitles if applicable - and then reauthor these (without re-encoding) in a free authoring/menu-making tool such as DVDAuthorGUI or DVDStyler.
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  9. Always Watching guns1inger's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by ZQX
    Originally Posted by guns1inger
    3. Burn your menu-less DVD structure to a DVD-RW, then use DVD Decrypter to rip the chapter list in a format that you can import into your authoring tool so you don't have to recreate the chapters from scratch.
    Similarly, you could use PGCDemux to demux your vobs into separate audio, video and chapter list (celltimes) - also subtitles if applicable - and then reauthor these (without re-encoding) in a free authoring/menu-making tool such as DVDAuthorGUI or DVDStyler.
    Good suggestion, ZQX
    Read my blog here.
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