What's next in toolchain: DVIO, VDub, TMPGenC, ... then?

[jasontiller]

Hi, All,

I started trying to use an "all-in-one" solution (like Ulead DVD MovieFactory 2, InterVidio WinDVD Creator 2, EditStudio 4, NeroVision Express 2, etc.) and never had much joy: crashes, extremely inflexible interfaces, etc. So, I moved to using separate tools for each stage, and now using the above chain I have good-looking MPEG-2 files ready to be burned to a DVD.

What's next? I assume that once the video is encoded, there's no need to "re-encode" when it gets turned into a DVD, right? How can I tell if the software is trying to re-encode? I've had some strange things with the all-in-ones:

ULead DVD MF 2:
* Thinks that the audio stream is only 224kBps, when I know that TMPGenC encoded it at 384kBps.
* Only shows the total movie as 4.0GB, even though the simple sum of the three MPEG-2 files is 4.4GB. Why would it be less?
* Is taking forever to "convert" the files for burning. W-a-a-y too long for what I think should be happening.

NeroVision Express 2.0.1.2:
* Seems to think that 4.4GB of MPEG-2 will take 4.9GB of disc space and so wants to "reduce the quality level" of the encoding. Huh? What encoding? The file's ALREADY encoded!

InterVideo WinDVD Creator 2:
* Just too durned hard to make menus. Gave up.

EditStudio 4:
* So many problems trying to capture and deal with audio/video sync issues that I gave up.

Right now my home box is burning a DVD in ULead DVD MF 2 that I think should be 4.4GB but it thinks will be 4.0GB. Go figure? I have no idea how it will turn out.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions on these specific things:

* A tool that creates menus easily and simply, but has some flexibility when I want it.
* A tool that will FOR SURE not try to re-encode my MPEG-2s from TMPGenC.

Thanks!

---Jason
Sonos

[andkiich]

Well, once you have the DVD-Compliant MPEG2 files, then the next step in my mind would be a good authoring tool. TMPGENc DVD Author or DVD-Lab are good low-cost solutions.

They will allow you to build you menus and will create your VOB, IFO, and BUP files.

Once that's done, they use Nero, RecordNow or your favorite burning software to make your discs.