Advice before I buy authoring software

[butler1]

I have been burning home movies to DVD using the software that came with my computer and DVD burner (Sonic MyDVD and NeoDVDPlus), but I have found that they are good at what they do, but they are not enough. I am looking for software that lets me add advanced menus and slideshows. The only one that I have found so far in my price range is DVDXMaker, but I would like to know if it can do a few things first, and if not it there is another program that can. I have also looked at DVDAuthor, but it is a last resort.

If you have DVDXMaker or know the software well, I would like to know before buying it. I would use the program for burning only, so the card recognition, which is supposibly not good, is not a big deal for me.

Here are my questions. I don't need them all answered, I just want to get an understanding of how much control I have over the project:

Can my menus have differnt backgrounds? I can change the background in my current project, but not for each individual menu.

Can buttons be resized? It looks like you can move them, but how much control do you have over them?

Can I replace the thumbnail images with other pictures not in the video? Can some buttons be motion and others be still?

Can I link from one menu to another? Can I have layers of menus (at least 4)?

Thanks in advance.

[babyboo]

DVD Lab can do all that you mention. They have a 30 day trial (version 1.31). If you like it and decide to buy it, it costs $99 USD. They have a beta on line for the new Pro version which won't be out until May and that will run $199 USD. I thought TMPGEnc DVD Author was the best until I tried DVD Lab. It is simple, easy to learn and has the BEST help documentation (IMHO)

[disturbed1]

Here are my questions. I don't need them all answered, I just want to get an understanding of how much control I have over the project:

1. Can my menus have differnt backgrounds? I can change the background in my current project, but not for each individual menu.

2. Can buttons be resized? It looks like you can move them, but how much control do you have over them?

3. Can I replace the thumbnail images with other pictures not in the video? Can some buttons be motion and others be still?

4. Can I link from one menu to another? Can I have layers of menus (at least 4)?

Thanks in advance.

I have Dazzle's version, same software, same program.

1. Yes, any picture and backgound audio you want.

2. You have every bit control you want if you edit the template. I'm not sure about resizing current templates though.

3. Button pictures can be stills, or from any media file (avi, wmv, mpg) that is accepted by DVDXMaker. I believe it's either all still buttons or all motion buttons per menu. But you can have an Intro menu that is still, and scene selection menus that are motion, but the global settings per menu are either still or motion, not both on a single menu.

4. Yes. You can define end links too.

But DVDXMaker only supports mp2 or PCM audio, while DVDLAB can do everything asked about (and much much more) while using mp2, PCM, and AC3.

[butler1]

Thanks for the replys. I will get DVDXMaker. DVDLab looks like great software and a great deal, but its more than I can afford right now. Once I invest in a MiniDV camera I might consider it if I am too limited by DVDXMaker, but it seems to be able to do a lot (i didn't expect it to be able to do all the things that I asked).

[disturbed1]

I thought DVDXMaker was $99, same as DVDLab.

Did one raise/lower their prices?

[butler1]

I made a mistake in the first question, and I want to make sure that you got what I meant for it to say. I want to be able to have a different background picture for each menu, is this possible?

Also, in question 4, does the yes also mean that I can layer menus?

[disturbed1]

Ok, DVDXMaker is only $50!!! Great price.

Yes you can define the background picture for the menus.

Define what you mean by layer menus, just to be sure we're on the same page

[butler1]

By layers, I mean like you have a main menu, and then inside that menu you can have another menu, and another menu in that menu, etc. Of course in those menus you can also have videos, chapters...

I don't know why, but my local software retailer has it for $39.99 Canadian, when it should probably be more like $65 when you convert the currency.

Here is the link: http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&dept=3&WLBS=fsweb15&s...d=&newdeptid=3

[disturbed1]

What happens is this.

The menu layout is auto generated, in this way.

Main menu -
If more than one clip (title) gives a button for each clip (title). When you select that button, you can define that it either takes you to a scene (chapter selection) menu or play that clip. The links for each button can be user defined.

Works the same for single title DVDs also.

Each background picture and button picture can be user defined. The buttons can be motion.

I have never created a slide show with DVDComplete (DVDXMaker), so I can't comment on that part of.

Another nice part about DVDXMaker is it's label generator. Creates DVD keepcase covers, and disc labels at high quality. Really nice templates, these can be customized too.

IMO for $50 it's a bargain. If it supported AC3, it'd be my number 1 choice for home movie making.

Most of the default templates will get you by. But it is able to be customized. I use this for my TiVo 2 DVD back ups with a Dazzle DVCII. The default menus work just fine for us, since it's mainly TV series and other stuff like that.

I also used DVDComplete to make our Christmas tapes to DVD. The family found them pretty enjoyable.

[butler1]

Thanks, I got DVDXMaker last night for $35 CDN, and its great. My only problem with it is not being able to add images, backgrounds, unless there already is one, and not being able to add menus (my way around that is to use the menus from the videos that I add. Their forum seems to be down (?).

I am also looking into creating themes. I got the manual from their site.

[babyboo]

DVDX Maker...not DVDX Copy.
All that DVDX Copy is going to do is allow you to make a back up of a DVD...not create one from captured video.

[MeTaLgEaRsOoTy]

really,give dvd-lab a try,its the best one out there.
theres a quick guide on the website to get you started,and yes,it can make multiple menus and images therein.

[butler1]

babyboo: Thanks, I fixed the mistake. I got confused with the differnt programs. The software that I actually got was DVD X Maker.

MeTaLgEaRsOoTy: I would love to have DVD Lab, but I can't afford it. It would cost about 5 times what I paid for DVD X Maker.

[butler1]

Also, does dvdlab need another program to be used for what DVDXMaker can do? Because it says it doesn't encode.