Custom menus - ULead Workshop, Pinnacle Edition 5 or ... ?

[drtrogg]

As the owner of Pinnacle Studio, it seems I have the option of upgrading to Edition 5 for around $300 (pro is about $600). ULead workshop also runs round $300 so let's call that my target budget.

I've seen a lot of positive comments about Workshop - thus the interested - but very little about Edition (perhaps because the new version seems to be pretty new). I'm trying to figure out which way I want to go.

I'm mainly interested in a lot of creative flexability with DVD title menus. It seems like a lot of the cheaper apps limit you to templates and the gfx they provide. I'd like to be able to input my own backgrounds/animations and use those.

Thanks, mike

[Redd]

. I'd like to be able to input my own backgrounds/animations and use those.

You can do this with Studio 8. If you choose to upgrade to Edition, don't install Edition to the same computer as Studio 8...that is unless you no longer intend to use Studio. A $300 upgrade is a lot of money to spend on menus. I've made most of my own menus in Studio 8. Once in awhile I use one of their supplied menus. You can make a menu out of any still pic. Import it into Studio's Title Deko. You can create new buttons in a graphics program like Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop or others, and import them into Studio. Give it a try before spending all that money. BTW Edition 5 does have a major learning curve to it.

If you really want to get creative and spend some money too...Photo Shop.

[Specialist]

I've seen a lot of positive comments about Workshop - thus the interest

Ulead DVD WORKSHOP is probably the de facto 'standard' for creating DVDs with motion menus in the sub-$500 price range.

Ulead just dropped the price of the AC-3 version, too:

http://www.ulead.com/dws/ac3.htm

Plus, there are free tutorials:

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

...and a book:

http://www.ulead.com/partner/learntool/dwsbook/runme.htm

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

[andkiich]

If you don't mind getting another application, DVD-Lab is a great authoring tool that will let you do near anything menu wise, and the price tag($79) is a lot cheaper than the WS upgrade.

If your interested, download the app from the website and check it out. It is fully functional for 30 days.

[Two2Tango]

I was at a dog and pony show for Pinnacle Edition and it was quite impressive as far as a commercial product. However if you are interested in the menu system it has the same look and feel as Studio 8. I use Studio 8 and it looks like they lifted the code from Studio 8 which is good for the learning curve, but Edition didnt offer much more than Studio 8 when it comes to menus. I will admit the demos focus was more on video effects than menus, but $300 is a lot to pay for a program to do menus.

[drtrogg]

Wow, thanks for the input.

I actually have Studio 7, so I'd need to upgrade to 8 (which is about $50, I think). If that does what I need, that's fine. I have little interest in wikked-kewl custom wipes ...

I'll check out DVDLab too - that's something I wasn't aware of prior to digging around on this board.

[donpedro]

Extra money for Pinnacle Edition is becouse editing functions. If you are interesting in Authoring (MENU and so on), concentrate on that.