DVD Workshop - varying quality

[johnash]

I am trying to chose the best authoring program for me by using various trials. DVD Workshop seemed the one until...

I have just authored 2 DVDs having chosen "Best Quality" for both. Both sourced from (1 hour, PAL 16:9) AVI's from DV Tapes captured in Premiere.

The only difference is the first has two menu pages and the second four.

But the second DVD quality is significantly poorer than the first. Would the increased menu size lead Workshop to use a lower bit rate without telling me in order for the movie to fit on the DVD?

Just to be sure I ran the whole process for the 2nd DVD again and wasted another DVD-R, but with the same result.

Thanks
John

[mkelley]

This is the problem using DVD authoring programs that reencode.

If you leave it up to the authoring program to decide what "best quality" is, you'll always end up in this situation. You're *far* better off encoding your video yourself, retaining the ultimate control over how it looks. Then use DVDLab, an authoring program that won't reencode. You'll be soooo happy you did.

[Specialist]

mKelley,

If Ulead DVD Workshop is USED PROPERLY, it will not re-encode.

To ensure that no re-encoding occurs, one simply needs to check the DO NOT CONVERT COMPLIANT FILE check box during the final burn stage.

johnash, the addition of the second menu should not affect quality at all.

Have you double-checked your project settings in both projects?

Are they identical?

P.S. Here are some helpful free tutorials for Ulead DVD WORKSHOP:

http://www.ulead.com/learning/dws.htm

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net